APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING OBSCURED FEATURES

摘要

Obscured feature detectors and methods of detecting obscured features are disclosed. An obscured feature detector can include a plurality of sensor plates. Each of the sensor plates can have an equivalent primary sensing field zone and a capacitance that varies based on the dielectric constant of the materials that compose the surrounding objects and the proximity of those objects. A sensing circuit is coupled to the sensor plates to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates. A controller is coupled to the sensing circuit to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit. One or a plurality of indicators are coupled to the controller, and can be selectively set to identify a location of an obscured feature behind a surface.

主权项

1. An obscured feature detector comprising:
three or more sensor plates each to take a sensor reading that varies based on a proximity of the sensor plate to one or more surrounding objects and on a material property of each of the one or more surrounding objects, the three or more sensor plates to collectively create a sensing field, each individual sensor plate of the three or more sensor plates to create a corresponding primary sensing field zone within the sensing field where the individual sensor plate contributes more strongly to the sensing field than any other of the three or more sensor plates, the three or more sensor plates to create primary sensing field zones that are geometrically similar; a sensing circuit coupled to the three or more sensor plates, the circuit being configured to measure the sensor readings of the three or more sensor plates; and an indicator to be toggled between a deactivated state and an activated state to indicate a location of a region of relative high sensor reading.