Switched Capacitor Signal Circuit for Common-Mode Cancellation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Capacitive fingerprint recognition systems face challenges in completely canceling common-mode signals due to mismatches between compensation and input capacitors, leading to signal saturation and incomplete removal of unwanted common-mode components.

Innovation Solution

A signal processing circuit and system that employs swap switch groups and compensation capacitors to swap and average output signals during non-swapping and swapping phases, ensuring complete cancellation of common-mode signals by adjusting switch configurations and compensation signal waveforms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If compensation capacitors are used to remove common-mode signals, then common-mode rejection is improved, but due to process variations and mismatch between capacitors, the common-mode cancellation is incomplete

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommon-mode rejection accuracyVSAvoidcancellation completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The circuit performs two alternating phases: a non-swapping phase and a swapping phase. In the non-swapping phase, the circuit operates with normal capacitor connections to process the sensing signal. In the swapping phase, the switch groups swap the connections of the compensation capacitors and input capacitors. By alternating between these phases and averaging the results, the system periodically varies the capacitor connections to eliminate the effect of mismatch, achieving complete common-mode cancellation despite process variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the connection parameters of the capacitors dynamically through the switch groups. During the swapping phase, the physical connections of the compensation capacitors and input capacitors are exchanged, effectively changing which capacitor is connected to which node. This parameter change allows the system to measure and compensate for capacitor mismatches, resolving the reliability issue of incomplete cancellation caused by fixed mismatched connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If simple compensation capacitors are used, then device complexity is reduced, but common-mode signals cannot be entirely removed due to capacitor mismatch

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecircuit structure simplicityVSAvoidcommon-mode signal removal completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using complex mismatched capacitors with precise matching, the invention maintains simple capacitor structures and instead introduces periodic swapping action. The switch groups exchange capacitor connections between two phases, allowing the system to achieve precise common-mode cancellation through temporal averaging rather than through spatial precision of matched components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The switch groups act as intermediaries that dynamically reconfigure the capacitor connections. These switches enable the system to transition between different connection states without requiring the capacitors themselves to be precisely matched, thereby maintaining circuit simplicity while achieving high precision common-mode rejection through controlled reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11079881B2Signal processing circuit and system
Publication Date: 2021.08.03 NOVATEK MICROELECTRONICS CORP
  • US11079881B2 patent drawing
  • US11079881B2 patent drawing
  • US11079881B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A signal processing circuit for processing a sensing signal from a sensor includes an amplifier, an input capacitor group, a compensation capacitor group and first/second switch groups. The amplifier, coupled to a first floating node and a second floating node, is configured to amplify the sensing signal coupled from the first floating node and the second floating node. The first switch group is coupled between a first node group and the first and second floating nodes. The second switch group is coupled between a second node group and the first node group. The input capacitor group is coupled to the second node group and an input node group, and configured to receive the sensing signal coupled from the input node group. The compensation capacitor group is coupled between a compensation node group and the second node group, and configured to receive a compensation signal coupled from the compensation node group.