# US 9,401,697 B2 · Device for generating an alternating voltage difference between the reference potentials of electronic systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,401,697 B2 - Document ID: US9401697B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/125,643 - Filed: 2012-06-08 - Published: 2014-05-29 - Granted: 2016-07-26 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-16 - Assignees: Quickstep Technologies LLC - Applicants: Christophe Blondin; Christian Neel; Didier Roziere - Inventors: Christophe Blondin; Christian Neel; Didier Roziere - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9401697B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - G01R 27/2605: {Measuring capacitance (capacitive sensors G01D5/24)} - H03K 3/012: Modifications of generator to improve response time or to decrease power consumption - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - 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) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a device for generating an alternating voltage difference between a first and second reference potential. The device comprises: an oscillator electrically referenced to the first reference potential; and a voltage follower/amplifier device electrically referenced to the second reference potential and having an input connected to the oscillator and an output connected to the first reference potential such that it can impose an alternating voltage difference, which depends on the signal generated by the oscillator, between said first and second reference potentials. The invention also relates to a system that uses the device and to a method for generating an alternating voltage difference between a first and second reference potential. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Device for generating an alternating voltage difference (Vo) between a first and a second reference potential (4, 5), comprising an oscillator (3) electrically referenced to the first reference potential (4), characterized in that it comprises moreover a voltage follower/amplifier device (1) electrically referenced to the second reference potential (5) and having an input connected to the oscillator (3) and an output connected to the first reference potential (4) in such a way as to be able to impose an alternating voltage difference (Vo), which depends on the signal generated by the oscillator (3), between said first and second reference potentials (4, 5). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the voltage follower/amplifier device (1) comprises an operational amplifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises moreover a voltage divider inserted between the oscillator (3) and the input of the voltage follower/amplifier device (1). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Device according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises moreover at least one resistor (7) inserted between the oscillator (3) and the input of the voltage follower/amplifier device (1), and at least one resistor (8) inserted between the input of the voltage follower/amplifier device (1) and the second reference potential (5). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises moreover power supply transfer means (21) able to generate, at a power supply output (22), an electrical power supply (Vf) referenced to the first reference potential (4), from a primary power supply source (20) referenced to the second reference potential (5). ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises moreover an electric circuit connecting the terminals of the primary power supply source (20) through the output of the voltage follower/amplifier device (1). ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises moreover power supply transfer means (21) arranged as a voltage raising chopper device, comprising: an inductance (40) connected to a primary substantially DC power supply source (20), a switch (41) connected, respectively, to the inductance (40) and to the second reference potential (5), so as to be able to open and close the circuit in a cyclic manner, a diode (21) connected, respectively, to the inductance (40) and to a power supply output (22), and filtering means (43), comprising at least one filtering capacitor (43) connected to the power supply output (22) and to the first reference potential (4), respectively. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises moreover power supply transfer means (21) arranged as a voltage-raising rectifier, comprising: a load capacitor (50) connected to a bipolar alternating primary power supply source (20), a first diode (51) connected, respectively, to the first reference potential (4) and to the load capacitor (50), a second diode (52) connected, respectively, to the load capacitor (50) and to the power supply output (22), and filtering means comprising at least one filtering capacitor (53) connected to the power supply output (22) and to the first reference potential (4), respectively. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is produced according to integrated electronics technologies. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Electronic capacitive measuring system comprising a first sub-system (D1) electrically referenced to a guard potential (4), a second sub-system (D2) electrically referenced to a ground potential (5), and an oscillator (3) referenced to said guard potential (4), characterized in that it comprises moreover a device according to claim 1 for imposing between said ground (5) and guard (4) potentials an alternating voltage difference (Vo) which depends on the signal generated by the oscillator (3). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) Electronic capacitive measuring system according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises moreover a charge amplifier (13) referenced to the guard potential (4) and supplied by power supply transfer means (21) able to generate, at a power supply output (22), an electrical power supply (Vf) referenced to the first reference potential (4), from a primary power supply source (20) referenced to the second reference potential (5). ### Claim 12 Method for generating an alternating voltage difference (Vo) between a first and a second reference potential (4, 5), comprising a step of generation of a signal by means of an oscillator (3) electrically referenced to the first reference potential (4), characterized in that it comprises moreover a step of amplification of said signal, by means of a voltage follower/amplifier device (1) electrically referenced to the second reference potential (5) and having an input connected to the oscillator (3) and an output connected to the first reference potential (4), in such a way as to impose between said first and second reference potentials (4, 5) an alternating voltage difference (Vo) depending on said signal generated by the oscillator (3). ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises moreover a voltage divider inserted between the oscillator (3) and the input of the voltage follower/amplifier device (1). ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) Device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises moreover power supply transfer means (21) arranged as a voltage raising chopper device, comprising: an inductance (40) connected to a primary substantially DC power supply source (20), a switch (41) connected, respectively, to the inductance (40) and to the second reference potential (5), so as to be able to open and close the circuit in a cyclic manner, a diode (21) connected, respectively, to the inductance (40) and to a power supply output (22), and filtering means (43), comprising at least one filtering capacitor (43) connected to the power supply output (22) and to the first reference potential (4), respectively. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) Device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises moreover power supply transfer means (21) arranged as a voltage-raising rectifier, comprising: a load capacitor (50) connected to a bipolar alternating primary power supply source (20), a first diode (51) connected, respectively, to the first reference potential (4) and to the load capacitor (50), a second diode (52) connected, respectively, to the load capacitor (50) and to the power supply output (22), and filtering means comprising at least one filtering capacitor (53) connected to the power supply output (22) and to the first reference potential (4), respectively.