# US 12,007,418 B2 · Advanced charge transfer measurement techniques > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,418 B2 - Document ID: US12007418B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/855,295 - Filed: 2022-06-30 - Published: 2023-01-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-25 - Assignees: Azoteq Holdings Limited - Applicants: Azoteq Holdings Limited - Inventors: Frederick Johannes Bruwer; Daniel Barend Rademeyer; Nico Johann Swanepoel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007418B2 ## CPC - G01R 19/16576: {comparing DC or AC voltage with one threshold (G01R19/16514, G01R19/16519, G01R19/16528, G01R19/16533 and G01R19/1659 take precedence)} - H02J 2207/50: Charging of capacitors, supercapacitors, ultra-capacitors or double layer capacitors - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract The present invention is directed at improving charge transfer based measurement techniques. This may be done through the use of a sigma-delta like sensing circuit that continually removes a specific amount of charge from an accumulator to produce a binary bit output stream reflective of the state of a connected sensor. Further techniques include detection of a charge transfer measurement residual through a controlled, multi-step charge removal until a trip event is cleared, as well as the reuse of a voltage threshold with a plurality of charge transfers measurements of different resolution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A measurement circuit that repetitively transfers charge from a sensor to a storage element for measuring a change in a parameter of the sensor, said circuit characterised by a binary stream produced as output, wherein a binary one is produced in said stream every time a voltage of said storage element exceeds a threshold due to said transfers to cause a comparator to trip, a binary zero is produced in said stream when the storage element voltage is below said threshold and wherein the circuit removes a predetermined amount of charge from the storage element after each comparator trip to cause the storage element voltage to reduce by a predetermined minimum amount below said threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a capacitive sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a magnetic field sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The circuit of claim 3, wherein said sensor is a Hall effect sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1, wherein said sensor is an inductive sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1, wherein said sensor is an optical sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1, wherein said storage element comprises an accumulation capacitor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The circuit of claim 7, wherein the predetermined amount of charge is removed through the use of current mirror circuits. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1, wherein said predetermined amount of charge is adjustable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The circuit of claim 9, wherein adjustment is made with PCC and/or current mirror circuits. ### Claim 11 A method for measuring a change in a sensor parameter, wherein charge is transferred from said sensor to a storage element, and wherein the method entails the following steps: repetitively transfer charge from the sensor to said storage element until a voltage of the storage element exceeds a threshold to cause a comparator to trip; produce a binary one value in a binary output stream to signify each occurrence of a comparator trip; produce a binary zero in the binary output stream to signify when said voltage is below the threshold; remove a predetermined amount of charge from the storage element after each trip to cause said voltage to reduce below the threshold by a predetermined minimum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said sensor is a capacitive sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said sensor is a magnetic field sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said sensor is a Hall effect sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said sensor is an inductive sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said sensor is an optical sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said storage element comprise an accumulation capacitor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined amount of charge is removed through the use of current mirror circuits. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said predetermined amount of charge is adjustable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein said adjustment is made with PCC and/or current mirror circuits.