Sensor circuits for the measurement of small variations in the value of a sensing
capacitor. An alternating
voltage excites the sensing
capacitor a predetermined frequency whereby the
voltage on the sensing
capacitor reverses polarity. This
voltage on the sensing capacitor is sampled each time the voltage reverses polarity. An accumulator accumulates the sampled charges from the sensing capacitor. An output
signal that represents the charge in the charge accumulating means indicates the measured
capacitance.