# US 10,873,330 B2 · Electrode design for electric field measurement system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,330 B2 - Document ID: US10873330B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/209,321 - Filed: 2016-07-13 - Published: 2016-11-03 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-19 - Assignees: Microchip Technology Germany GmbH II & Co. KG - Applicants: Microchip Technology Germany GmbH II & CO. KG - Inventors: Roland Aubauer; Claus Kaltner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873330B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches} - G01R 27/2605: {Measuring capacitance (capacitive sensors G01D5/24)} - H03K 2017/9602: {characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes} - H03K 2217/960755: Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract An electrode arrangement for an electric field sensor device with a transmitting electrode and at least one receiving electrode may have a nonconductive substrate having a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. A first electrode is arranged within the first conductive layer, wherein the first electrode is a receiving electrode of the electric field sensor device, and a second electrode is arranged within the second conductive layer, wherein the second electrode is a transmitting electrode of the electric field sensor device wherein the second electrode covers a larger area than the first electrode and wherein the second electrode is textured to reduce the capacitance between the first and second electrode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrode arrangement for an electric field sensor device, comprising: a non conductive substrate having a first conductive layer arranged on a first side of the nonconductive substrate and a second conductive layer arranged on a second side of the nonconductive substrate opposite of said first side, a plurality of receiving electrodes comprising a first set of four receiving electrodes arranged within the first conductive layer such that the four receiving electrodes form a first frame, and a plurality of electrically insulated transmitting electrodes arranged within the second conductive layer, wherein to generate a quasi-static electric field the electrode arrangement is configured to feed an alternating signal having a frequency of 30-200 kHz to one of the electrically insulated transmitting electrodes in a first mode and in a second mode to feed the same alternating signal having a frequency of 30-200 kHz to the plurality of electrically insulated transmitting electrodes to improve a spatial resolution of the electrode arrangement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a surface area of the electrically insulated transmitting electrodes and/or the receiving electrodes are textured by a hash or hatched texture. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the entire area of each the electrically insulated transmitting electrode is textured. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrode arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the hatched texture forms a grid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electrode arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the texture is homogenous. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The electrode arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the hash or hatched texture is formed by a plurality of conductive lines forming a mesh. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electrode arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the mesh is formed by a first set of parallel arranged conductive lines and a second set of parallel arranged conductive lines. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electrode arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the first set of parallel arranged conductive lines crosses said second set of parallel arranged conductive lines at an angle of 90 degrees. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The electrode arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the mesh comprises a peripheral conductive line enclosing the mesh. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the receiving electrodes are strip shaped and arranged in parallel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the electrically insulated transmitting electrodes are strip shaped and arranged in parallel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the receiving electrodes are strip shaped and arranged in parallel and the electrically insulated transmitting electrodes are strip shaped and arranged in parallel and perpendicular to said receiving electrodes and wherein a width of each electrically insulated transmitting electrode is wider than a width of a receiving electrode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of feeding lines formed in said first conductive layer for electrical connection to said plurality of receiving electrodes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electrode arrangement according to claim 13, further comprising a front end analog device coupled with said receiving electrodes through said feeding lines. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electrode arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the front end analog device comprises a voltage divider for attenuating a signal received through said feeding lines. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electrode arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the voltage divider comprises a frequency compensation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer is a top layer of a printed circuit board and wherein the second conductive layer is a bottom layer of a printed circuit board. ### Claim 18 A printed circuit board comprising an electrode arrangement for an electric field sensor device, comprising: a non conductive substrate having a first conductive layer arranged on a first side of the nonconductive substrate and a second conductive layer arranged on a second side of the nonconductive substrate opposite of said first side, a plurality of receiving electrodes comprising a first set of four receiving electrodes arranged within the first conductive layer such that the four receiving electrodes form a first frame, and a plurality of electrically insulated transmitting electrodes arranged within the second conductive layer, wherein a surface area of each electrically insulated transmitting electrode is textured, and wherein to generate a quasi-static electric field the electrode arrangement is configured in a first mode to feed an alternating signal having a frequency of 30-200 kHz to one of the electrically insulated transmitting electrodes and in a second mode to feed the same alternating signal having a frequency of 30-200 kHz to the plurality of electrically insulated transmitting electrodes to improve a spatial resolution of tire electrode arrangement. ### Claim 19 A printed circuit board comprising an electrode arrangement for an electric field sensor device, comprising: a nonconductive substrate having a first conductive layer arranged on a first side of the nonconductive substrate and a second conductive layer arranged on a second side of the nonconductive substrate opposite of said first side, a plurality of receiving electrodes comprising a first set of four receiving electrodes arranged within the first conductive layer such that the four receiving electrodes form a first frame, and a plurality of electrically insulated transmitting electrodes arranged within the second conductive layer, wherein a surface area of each electrically insulated transmitting electrode is textured by a hash or hatched texture, wherein the hash or hatched texture is formed by a plurality of conductive lines forming a mesh, wherein the mesh comprises a peripheral conductive line enclosing the mesh, wherein to generate a quasi-static electric field the electrode arrangement is configured in a first mode to feed an alternating signal having a frequency of 30-200 kHz to one of the electrically insulated transmitting electrodes and in a second mode to feed the same alternating signal having a frequency of 30-200 kHz to the plurality of electrically insulated transmitting electrodes to improve a spatial resolution of the electrode arrangement. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The printed circuit board according to claim 10, wherein the mesh is formed by a first set of parallel arranged conductive lines and a second set of parallel arranged conductive lines, wherein the first set of parallel arranged conductive lines crosses said second set of parallel arranged conductive lines at an angle of 90 degrees. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The printed circuit board according to claim 19, wherein the receiving electrodes are strip shaped and arranged in parallel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The printed circuit board according to claim 21, wherein the electrically insulated transmitting electrodes are strip shaped and arranged in parallel perpendicular to said receiving electrodes.