A capacitor comprises a first electrode, a second electrode provided on the first electrode, a ferroelectric film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a dielectric film provided between the ferroelectric film and the second electrode, impedance of the ferroelectric film and impedance of the dielectric film are determined such that a control voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode is equal to a capacitance boosting operating voltage, and the capacitance boosting operating voltage is determined by the following equation: $V_{\mathrm{MAX}}=\left(1+\frac{.Math.Z_2.Math.}{.Math.Z_1.Math.}\right)t_F{E}_{\mathrm{FM}}$ where V.sub.MAX is a capacitance boosting operating voltage, Z.sub.1 is impedance of the ferroelectric film, Z.sub.2 is impedance of the dielectric film, t.sub.F is a thickness of the ferroelectric film, and E.sub.FM is an electric field applied to the ferroelectric film having a maximum polarization.

A capacitor comprises a first electrode, a second electrode provided on the first electrode, a ferroelectric film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a dielectric film provided between the ferroelectric film and the second electrode, impedance of the ferroelectric film and impedance of the dielectric film are determined such that a control voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode is equal to a capacitance boosting operating voltage, and the capacitance boosting operating voltage is determined by the following equation:

[00001]$V_{\mathrm{MAX}}=\left(1+\frac{.Math.Z_2.Math.}{.Math.Z_1.Math.}\right)t_F{E}_{\mathrm{FM}}$

where V.sub.MAX is a capacitance boosting operating voltage, Z.sub.1 is impedance of the ferroelectric film, Z.sub.2 is impedance of the dielectric film, t.sub.F is a thickness of the ferroelectric film, and E.sub.FM is an electric field applied to the ferroelectric film having a maximum polarization.

Weighing and filling apparatus for controlling filling device based on a container weight. A linear actuator for driving a drive shaft coupled to container support unit is included, a weight measuring unit determines the container weight from a detected height of the drive shaft detected by a height detecting unit and a drive signal of the linear actuator at the detected height. A first acceleration signal is calculated from a specified height of the container support unit set in advance and the height detected by the height detecting unit, a second acceleration signal is calculated from the container weight and an expected weight expected to be applied to the container support unit. The container support unit is kept at the specified height by a drive signal calculated from the first and second acceleration signals.

Weighing and filling apparatus for controlling filling device based on a container weight. A linear actuator for driving a drive shaft coupled to container support unit is included, a weight measuring unit determines the container weight from a detected height of the drive shaft detected by a height detecting unit and a drive signal of the linear actuator at the detected height. A first acceleration signal is calculated from a specified height of the container support unit set in advance and the height detected by the height detecting unit, a second acceleration signal is calculated from the container weight and an expected weight expected to be applied to the container support unit. The container support unit is kept at the specified height by a drive signal calculated from the first and second acceleration signals.

A magneto-elastically-based active force sensor, used with a tow coupling between a towed and a towing vehicle or a coupling between a vehicle body and a suspension of the vehicle, which outputs a signal useful for determining forces acting on the coupling. The outputted force information may be provided by processor-enabled embedded software algorithms that take inputs from the force sensor and other sensors, may be used by one or more vehicle systems during operating of the vehicle, such as engine, braking, stability, safety, and informational systems. The force sensor includes directionally-sensitive magnetic field sensing elements inside the sensor, and shielding may be used around the sensors to reduce the influence of external magnetic fields on the sensing elements. The force sensor may be used with different tow and vehicle weight sensing coupling devices installed on different types of automobile cars and trucks.

A magneto-elastically-based active force sensor, used with a tow coupling between a towed and a towing vehicle or a coupling between a vehicle body and a suspension of the vehicle, which outputs a signal useful for determining forces acting on the coupling. The outputted force information may be provided by processor-enabled embedded software algorithms that take inputs from the force sensor and other sensors, may be used by one or more vehicle systems during operating of the vehicle, such as engine, braking, stability, safety, and informational systems. The force sensor includes directionally-sensitive magnetic field sensing elements inside the sensor, and shielding may be used around the sensors to reduce the influence of external magnetic fields on the sensing elements. The force sensor may be used with different tow and vehicle weight sensing coupling devices installed on different types of automobile cars and trucks.

A capacitor comprises a first electrode, a second electrode provided on the first electrode, a ferroelectric film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a dielectric film provided between the ferroelectric film and the second electrode, impedance of the ferroelectric film and impedance of the dielectric film are determined such that a control voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode is equal to a capacitance boosting operating voltage, and the capacitance boosting operating voltage is determined by the following equation:

[00001]$V_{\mathrm{MAX}}=\left(1+\frac{.Math.Z_2.Math.}{.Math.Z_1.Math.}\right)t_F{E}_{\mathrm{FM}}$

where V.sub.MAX is a capacitance boosting operating voltage, Z.sub.1 is impedance of the ferroelectric film, Z.sub.2 is impedance of the dielectric film, t.sub.F is a thickness of the ferroelectric film, and E.sub.FM is an electric field applied to the ferroelectric film having a maximum polarization.

A capacitor comprises a first electrode, a second electrode provided on the first electrode, a ferroelectric film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a dielectric film provided between the ferroelectric film and the second electrode, impedance of the ferroelectric film and impedance of the dielectric film are determined such that a control voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode is equal to a capacitance boosting operating voltage, and the capacitance boosting operating voltage is determined by the following equation:

[00001]$V_{\mathrm{MAX}}=\left(1+\frac{.Math.Z_2.Math.}{.Math.Z_1.Math.}\right)t_F{E}_{\mathrm{FM}}$

where V.sub.MAX is a capacitance boosting operating voltage, Z.sub.1 is impedance of the ferroelectric film, Z.sub.2 is impedance of the dielectric film, t.sub.F is a thickness of the ferroelectric film, and E.sub.FM is an electric field applied to the ferroelectric film having a maximum polarization.

A weight sensor comprises a sensing system including a target piece and a sensing element, configured to provide changes of a magnetic field, being generated by motion of the target piece. The sensing element senses these changes and provides a signal representative of the position of the target piece. An integrated circuit with processing means can process signals from the sensing element. The flexible piece receives a force stimulus, so that upon exerting a force on the flexible piece by a product due to the weight of said product, the displacement of the target piece with respect to sensing elements can be sensed.

A monolithic weighing system (100) includes a plurality of levers (120), which are joined together by thin-section joints (110). The levers, on the one hand, and the thin-section joints, on the other hand, are made of different materials or material combinations; and the levers, adjoining one of the thin-section joints on both sides thereof, have a first material (21), and the thin-section joint has a second material (22) which is different from the first material. An associated method includes (i) an additive manufacturing process, in which different materials, including the first and second material (21, 22), are applied in layers and are joined to form a single-piece weighing system blank (10), wherein the weighing system blank (10) has prospective lever regions (12) and prospective thin-section joint regions (11), and (ii) subsequent subtractive finishing of the weighing system blank at least on the prospective thin-section joint regions to obtain the weighing system.