Patent ID: 9395171
Filing Date: 2016-07-19
CPC Classification: C12Q,G01B,G01D,H01L

Claim Text:
1. A proximity sensor comprising: a first pair of electrodes aligned along a first axis; a second pair of electrodes aligned along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis; a signal generator configured to apply a first signal across the first pair of electrodes to produce a first electric field and to apply a second signal across the second pair of electrodes to produce a second electric field that is substantially perpendicular to the first electric field, wherein the first and second electric fields are produced concurrently; a detector configured to concurrently detect a first change in the first signal due to an object interacting with the first electric field and a second change in the second signal due to the object interacting with the second electric field; and a comparator configured to determine a distance of the object from the first and second pair of electrodes based on a ratio of the first and second changes.