Patent ID: 9380393
Filing Date: 2016-06-28
CPC Classification: G01H,G01R,H01L,H04R

Claim Text:
1. A capacitance sensor comprising: a substrate; a vibration electrode plate formed over an upper side of the substrate; a back plate formed over the upper side of the substrate to cover the vibration electrode plate; and a fixed electrode plate arranged on the back plate facing the vibration electrode plate, wherein at least one of the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate is divided into a plurality of regions, wherein a sensing unit configured by the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate is formed in each of the divided regions, wherein the plurality of sensing units output a plurality of signals having different sensitivities, wherein at least some sensing units of the sensing units have vibration electrode plates having areas different from the areas of the vibration electrode plates in the other sensing units, wherein, of the sensing units, some sensing units having the vibration electrode plates having small areas have back plates in the regions of the corresponding sensing units having rigidity higher than rigidity of the back plates in the other sensing units having the vibration electrode plates having large areas, wherein a plurality of openings to cause acoustic vibration to pass are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and wherein the sensing unit outputs a signal by a change in capacitance between the diaphragm and the fixed electrode plate that respond to the acoustic vibration.