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US 10,309,989 B2Granted
Measurement apparatus
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsPeter Bogner, Franz Kuttner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Measurement apparatuses and methods are described. A measurement input is coupled with a first terminal of a capacitance via a first switch, and a reference voltage is coupled with the first terminal of the capacitance via a second switch. A measurement circuit is coupled to a second terminal of said capacitance.
Claims20
A device, comprising:
- an input portion consisting of a first switch and a second switch;
- wherein the first switch is coupled between a measurement input and a first node, and
- wherein the second switch is coupled between said first node and a reference voltage node at a first reference voltage,
- a capacitance, wherein a first terminal of said capacitance is coupled with said first node, and a second terminal of said capacitance is coupled with a second node, and
- a measurement circuit that comprises second-voltage-rated components only, wherein a terminal of said measurement circuit is coupled to the second node, wherein said first switch, said second switch and said capacitance are first-voltage rated components, wherein the first-voltage rated components are designed to tolerate a first voltage magnitude of greater than five volts and wherein the second-voltage rated components are designed to tolerate a second non-zero voltage magnitude smaller than said first voltage magnitude.
2 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first capacitance,
- an input portion consisting of a first switch and a second switch,
- a voltage input coupled with a first terminal of said first capacitance via said first switch,
- a reference voltage node at a first reference voltage coupled to said first terminal of said first capacitance via said second switch,
- a comparator, wherein a first input of said comparator is coupled with a second terminal of said first capacitance,
- a successive approximation register that is coupled with an output of said comparator, and
- an array of second capacitances, wherein each one capacitance of said array of second capacitances has a first terminal that is coupled with said first input of said comparator and a second terminal that is selectively coupled with a further reference voltage node,
- wherein said first switch, said second switch and said first capacitance are first-voltage rated components designed to tolerate a first voltage magnitude of greater than five volts,
- wherein said comparator, said successive approximation register and each capacitance of said array of second capacitances are second-voltage rated components, and
- wherein the second-voltage rated components are designed to tolerate a second non-zero voltage magnitude smaller than said first voltage magnitude.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- alternately applying an input voltage and a first reference voltage to a first input of a capacitor via an input portion of a device, wherein the input portion consists of a first switch and a second switch, such that the first switch is coupled between the input voltage and the first input of the capacitor and the second switch is coupled between the first reference voltage and the first input of the capacitor,
- coupling a second terminal of said capacitor to a comparator, and determining a bit value of an output signal based on an output of said comparator, wherein said first switch, said second switch and said capacitance are first-voltage rated components designed to tolerate a first voltage magnitude of greater than five volts,
- wherein said comparator is a second-voltage rated component, and
- wherein the second-voltage rated component is designed to tolerate a second non-zero voltage magnitude smaller than said first voltage magnitude.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.