What is claimed is:
1. A method of providing electrostatic discharge protection for a capacitive fingerprint pattern detecting array, comprising the steps of:
providing a fingerprint pattern detecting array having a number of individual skin-distance sensing cells that are arranged in a closely spaced physical configuration;
providing a dielectric layer for said array, said dielectric layer having an upper surface;
placing an ungrounded fingertip having said fingerprint pattern on said upper surface;
providing each sensing cell with an amplifier having an ungrounded input mode and an ungrounded output node;
providing ungrounded output-mode-to-input-node feedback for each of said amplifiers, said feedback being sensitive to said fingerprint pattern;
providing said feedback for each of said amplifiers by way of (1) a first capacitor plate that is placed vertically under said upper surface of said dielectric layer and is connected to said ungrounded input node, (2) a second capacitor plate that is placed vertically under said upper surface of said dielectric layer in close horizontal spatial relation to said first capacitor plate and is connected to said ungrounded output node, and (3) said ungrounded fingertip in vertical spatial relation with said first and second capacitor plates;
providing a metal path vertically under said upper surface of said dielectric layer, to spatially surround but not physically engage said first and second capacitor plates; and connecting said metal path to ground,
to thereby protect said input and output nodes from electrostatic potential that may be carried by said fingertip in a manner that does not disturb said ungrounded state of said fingertip.
2. The method of claim 1 including the step of:
burying said first capacitor plate, said second capacitor plate, and said metal path within said dielectric layer at a location that is spaced from said upper surface of said dielectric layer.
3. The method of claim 1 including the step of:
placing said first and second capacitor plates and said metal path on a common physical plane.
4. The method of claim 3 including the step of:
burying said first capacitor plate, said second capacitor plate, and said metal path within said dielectric layer at a location that is spaced from said upper surface of said dielectric layer.
5. The method of claim 1 including the step of:
providing said amplifier for each sensing cell as signal-inverting amplifier; and
providing said ungrounded output-mode-to-input-node feedback for each of said amplifiers as negative-signal feedback.
6. The method of claim 5 including the step of:
placing said first and second capacitor plates and said metal paths on a common physical plane.
7. The method of claim 6 including the step of:
burying said first capacitor plate, said second capacitor plate, and said metal paths within said dielectric layer at a location that is spaced from said upper surface of said dielectric layer.
8. The method of claim 1 including the step of:
prior to said step of placing said ungrounded fingertip on said upper surface, momentarily shorting said input and output nodes of each amplifier of each sensing cell.
9. The method of claim 8 including the step of:
providing said amplifier for each sensing cell as signal-inverting amplifier; and
providing said ungrounded output-mode-to-input-node feedback for each of said amplifiers as negative feedback.
10. The method of claim 9 including the step of:
placing said first and second capacitor plates and said metal path on a common physical plane.
11. The method of claim 10 including the step of:
burying said first capacitor plate, said second capacitor plate, and said metal path between said upper surface and a lower surface of said dielectric layer at a location that is spaced from said upper surface of said dielectric layer.
12. Apparatus providing electrostatic discharge protection to an object-distance sensitive device having a generally planar physical array of a plurality of individual distance-measuring capacitance-cells, each cell of which includes a pair of electrically ungrounded capacitor plates that are electrically isolated from each other and are placed below an ungrounded dielectric surface that is adapted for physical association with a portion of an ungrounded object, each cell also having an amplifier with an ungrounded input-node that is connected to one said capacitor plates and an ungrounded output-node that is connected to the other of said capacitor plates, wherein said pair of capacitor plates and said ungrounded object for each cell operate to provide a compound-feedback-capacitor whose capacitance value is a function of a distance between a portion of said ungrounded object and said dielectric surface, said apparatus comprising:
grounded metal path means placed below said ungrounded dielectric surface so as to be electrically isolated from, and so as to physically surround, each of said capacitor plates of each of said cells.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:
said capacitor plates and said metal path means are placed in a common plane that is spaced from and generally corresponds to said dielectric surface.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:
said metal path means is placed in a first plane that is intermediate a second plane that is occupied by said capacitor plates and a third plane that is occupied by said dielectric surface.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:
said metal path means and said capacitor plates are imbedded within a dielectric layer whose upper surface comprises said dielectric surface.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:
said capacitor plates and said metal path means are placed in a common plane that is generally parallel to said dielectric surface.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:
said metal path means is placed in a first plane that is inter mediate a second plane that is occupied by said capacitor plates and a third plane that is occupied by said dielectric surface.
18. Distance measuring apparatus for providing an output indicative of the ridgevalley fingerprint pattern of a fingertip, said apparatus comprising:
a physical array having a plurality of individual distance-sensing capacitance-cells;
each capacitance-cell including a first and a second electrically ungrounded capacitor plate that are electrically isolated from each other and are placed below an ungrounded dielectric surface that is adapted for physical association with a portion of an electrically ungrounded fingertip;
each capacitance-cell including an amplifier having an electrically ungrounded input-node connected to said first capacitor plate, and having an electrically ungrounded output-node connected to said second capacitor plate;
said first and said second of capacitor plates being adapted to form a compound-capacitor with an ungrounded fingertip currently resident on said dielectric surface, said compound-capacitor providing amplifier feedback as a function of a distance between a portion of the ungrounded fingertip ridgevalley pattern and said dielectric surface; and
electrically grounded metal path means placed below said ungrounded dielectric surface in a manner to be electrically isolated from, and in a manner to physically surround, each of said capacitor plates of each of said capacitance-cells.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein:
said capacitor plates and said metal path means are placed in a common plane that is generally parallel to said dielectric surface.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein:
said metal path means is placed at a first plane that is intermediate a second plane that is occupied by said capacitor plates and a third plane that is occupied by said dielectric surface.
21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein:
said metal path means and said capacitor plates are imbedded within a dielectric layer whose upper generally planar surface comprises said dielectric surface.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein:
said capacitor plates and said metal path means are placed in a common plane that is generally parallel to said dielectric surface.
23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein:
said metal path means is placed in a first plane that is intermediate a second plane that is occupied by said capacitor plates and a third plane that is occupied by said dielectric surface.
24. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein:
said amplifier is a signal-inverting amplifier; and
said amplifier feedback is negative-signal feedback.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein:
said capacitor plates and said metal path means are placed in a common plane that is generally parallel to said dielectric surface.
26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein:
said metal path means is placed in a first plane that is intermediate a second plane that is occupied by said capacitor plates and a third plane that is occupied by said dielectric surface.
27. Distance measuring apparatus for providing an output indicative of the ridgevalley fingerprint pattern of a fingertip, said apparatus comprising:
a physical array having a plurality of individual distance-sensing capacitance-cells;
each capacitance-cell including ungrounded capacitor plate means placed below an ungrounded dielectric surface that is adapted for physical association with a portion of an electrically ungrounded fingertip;
each capacitance-cell including an amplifier having an ungrounded input-node and an ungrounded output-node that are connected to said capacitor plate means;
said capacitor plate means being adapted to form a compound-capacitor with an ungrounded fingertip currently resident on said dielectric surface, said compound-capacitor providing amplifier output-node-to-input-node feedback as a function of a distance between a portion of the ungrounded fingertip ridgevalley pattern and said dielectric surface; and
electrically grounded metal path means placed below said ungrounded dielectric surface in a manner to be electrically isolated from said capacitor plate means of each of said capacitance-cells.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 including:
scan means for providing a sequential output signal from each output-node of each amplifier of each capacitance cell, said sequential output signal being indicative of the ridgevalley fingerprint pattern of the fingertip currently resident on said dielectric surface.
29. The apparatus of claim 27 including:
start switch means operable to momentarily short said input-node to said output-node of each of said amplifiers prior to operation of said scan means.
30. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein:
said amplifier is a signal-inverting amplifier; and
said feedback is negative-signal feedback.
31. The apparatus of claim 29 including:
scan means for providing a sequential output from each amplifier of each of said capacitance cells, said sequential output comprising said an output indicative of the ridgevalley fingerprint pattern of a fingertip.
32. The apparatus of claim 31 including:
start switch means operable to momentarily short said input-node to said output-node of each of said amplifiers prior to operation of said scan means.
33. A method providing electrostatic discharge protection for vertical distance measuring apparatus that provides an output indicative of the ridgevalley fingerprint pattern of a fingertip, wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of individual distance-sensing capacitance-cells, wherein each capacitance-cell includes grounded capacitor plate means placed vertically below an ungrounded and generally horizontal dielectric surface adapted for physical association with a portion of an electrically ungrounded fingertip, wherein each capacitance-cell further includes an amplifier having an ungrounded input-node and an ungrounded output-node connected to the capacitor plate means, wherein the capacitor plate means forms a compound-capacitor with an ungrounded fingertip currently resident on the dielectric surface, and wherein the compound-capacitor provides amplifier feedback as a function of a distance between a portion of the ungrounded fingertip ridgevalley pattern and the dielectric surface, said method comprising:
providing grounded metal path means vertically below the ungrounded dielectric surface in a manner to be electrically isolated from the capacitor plate means of each of the capacitance-cells.
34. The method of claim 33 including the step of:
providing scan means operable to provide a sequential output signal from each output-node of each amplifier of each capacitance cell, the sequential output signal being indicative of the ridgevalley fingerprint pattern of a fingertip currently resident on said dielectric surface.
35. The method of claim 33 including the step of:
providing start switch means to momentarily short the input-node to the output-node of each amplifier prior to operation of said scan means.
36. Apparatus providing an electrical output that is indicative of the ridgevalley fingerprint pattern of a fingertip, said apparatus comprising:
a physical array having a dielectric layer with plurality of individual capacitance-cells formed therein;
each capacitance-cell including a first and a second electrically ungrounded capacitor plate that are electrically isolated from each other and are placed below an ungrounded dielectric surface of said dielectric layer;
said dielectric surface being adapted for physical association with an electrically ungrounded fingertip;
an amplifier for each of said capacitance-cells,
each of said amplifiers having an electrically ungrounded input-node connected to a said first capacitor plate, and having an electrically ungrounded output-node connected to a said second capacitor plate;
said first and said second of capacitor plates of each capacitor-cell forming a compound-capacitor with an ungrounded fingertip resident on said dielectric surface;
said compound-capacitors providing output-to-input amplifier feedback as a function of a distance of an ungrounded fingertip ridgevalley pattern from said dielectric surface; and
electrically grounded metal path means placed within said dielectric layer and below said ungrounded dielectric surface in a manner to be electrically isolated from and to physically surround each of said capacitor plates of each of said capacitance-cells.
37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein:
said capacitor plates and said metal path means are placed within said dielectric layer at common plane that is generally parallel to said dielectric surface.
38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein:
said capacitor plates are placed within said dielectric layer in a first plane that is generally parallel to said dielectric surface; and
said metal path means is placed within said dielectric layer in a second plane that is intermediate said first plane and said dielectric surface.
39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein:
said capacitor plates are placed within said dielectric layer in a first plane that is generally parallel to and located at a first distance from said dielectric surface; and
said metal path means is placed within said dielectric layer in a second plane that is located at a distance that is greater than said first distance from said dielectric surface.
40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein:
said metal path means includes a plurality of metal fingers that extend from said second plane and terminate in or generally adjacent to said first plane.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for monitoring and managing a plurality of utility devices installed throughout a geographic area, the method comprising:
receiving performance data for each of the plurality of utility devices;
comparing the performance data against one or more performance criteria;
assigning a deficiency value to each of the plurality of utility devices based on the comparison;
generating a composite deficiency surface based on the deficiency values of the plurality of utility devices;
classifying one or more areas of the composite deficiency surface into one or more deficiency classes, wherein each of the one or more deficiency classes is associated with a range of deficiency values;
identifying a particular area on the composite deficiency surface associated with a particular deficiency class;
determining a priority index for the identified area based on the particular deficiency value;
classifying one or more of the identified areas of the composite deficiency surface into one or more construction projects based on the priority index for the corresponding area; and
recommending at least one of the one or more construction projects.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of utility devices is selected from a group consisting of a pipe and hydrant.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
comparing the performance data of each of the plurality of utility devices against a preset value stored in a data store for determining anomaly in the performance data; and
displaying the determined anomaly for visual attention.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
visually highlighting the utility device based on the comparison of the performance data against the performance criteria.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite deficiency surface is a 3-dimensional surface including mounds and valleys representing deficiencies of the utility devices in the geographic area.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite 3-dimensional surface deficiency surface is classified into deficiency areas representing deficiencies and likelihood of failure of the utility devices in the geographic area.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the deficiency areas are grouped into a preset number of projects for addressing the deficiencies of the utility devices in the geographic area.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
filtering the performance data against one or more data anomaly criteria.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining impact of failure of one or more of the utility devices in the identified area.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining an ease of construction for the identified area.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining an actual cost of construction of assets within the project areas.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
reporting the value of each project with respect to number of customers positively affected, number of deficiencies, and number of customer complaints addressed.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying a map highlighting a location of a project.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of utility devices includes valves.
15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
highlighting pumps and tanks as deficiency points.
16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying one or more of the composite deficiency surface, likelihood of failure surface, impact surface, constructability surface, and priority index surface.
17. A system for monitoring and managing a plurality of utility devices installed throughout a geographic area, the system comprising:
a processor; and
memory coupled to the processor and storing computer instructions therein, the computer instructions for being executed by the processor, the computer instructions including:
receiving performance data for each of the plurality of utility devices;
comparing the performance data against one or more performance criteria;
assigning a deficiency value to each of the plurality of utility devices based on the comparison;
generating a composite deficiency surface based on the deficiency values of the plurality of utility devices;
classifying one or more areas of the composite deficiency surface into one or more deficiency classes, wherein each of the one or more deficiency classes is associated with a range of deficiency values;
identifying a particular area on the composite deficiency surface associated with a particular deficiency class;
determining a priority index for the identified area based on the particular deficiency value;
classifying one or more of the identified areas of the composite deficiency surface into one or more construction projects based on the priority index for the corresponding area; and
recommending at least one of the one or more construction projects.
18. The system of claim 17 wherein the program instructions further include:
comparing the performance data of each of the plurality of utility devices against a preset value stored in a data store for determining anomaly in the performance data; and
displaying the determined anomaly for visual attention.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein the composite deficiency surface is a 3-dimensional surface including mounds and valleys representing deficiencies of the utility devices in the geographic area.
20. The system of claim 17, wherein the program instructions further include:
grouping the deficiency areas into a preset number of projects for addressing the deficiencies of the utility devices in the geographic area.