Provided are a magnetic sensor, which is capable of accurately determining abnormalities, such as disconnection and a short circuit, of wiring of a magnetic sensor device, and the magnetic sensor device. An output control circuit of the magnetic sensor includes a voltage divider circuit, which is connected to an output terminal of the magnetic sensor, and an amplifier, which is configured to control a gate voltage of a MOS transistor, which is connected to the output terminal of the magnetic sensor, so that a voltage of the voltage divider circuit and a reference voltage become equal to each other, with the result that an output voltage of the magnetic sensor is determined by the reference voltage and a voltage dividing ratio of the voltage divider circuit.

A vehicular door operation detecting apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode mounted at a vehicle and positioned away from each other, a switch member switching the first electrode and the second electrode between a conductive state and an open state, and a control portion controlling the switch member and detecting an operation of the user relative to a door for the vehicle by sensing a total capacitance obtained by the first electrode and the second electrode in a first mode where the total capacitance is sensed each predetermined intermittent time and by sensing an individual capacitance of each of the first electrode and the second electrode in a second mode where the individual capacitance is sensed each detection time shorter than the predetermined intermittent time in a case where a presence of the user is determined because the total capacitance exceeds a detection threshold value.

A power supply generating circuit, a capacitive array sensing apparatus and a terminal device are provided, where the power supply generating circuit includes: a driving voltage generating circuit, configured to generate a driving voltage signal; and a pulse generating circuit, including a first input end, a second input end, a first output end and an energy storage end, where the pulse generating circuit receives the driving voltage signal through the first input end and receives a communication signal through the second input end; at a positive phase stage of the communication signal, the pulse generating circuit outputs the driving voltage signal from the first output end; and at a negative phase stage of the communication signal, the first output end does not output the driving voltage signal, and the pulse generating circuit outputs a charge to the energy storage end, where the charge is input from the first input end.

A keypad system uses capacitive touch switches in combination with one or more mechanical switches for ultra-low-power operation and/or increased functionality. A Capacitive switches are activated by touching different regions of a housing. A microcontroller detects the activation of the touch switches and communicate a code to a remote device in response to switch activation. The microcontroller preferably has a fully operational active state and a reduced functionality sleep state. Activation of at least one mechanical switch causes the microcontroller to awaken from the reduced functionality sleep state to the fully operational active state, thereby enabling the microcontroller to determine if one or more of the capacitive switches has been activated to communicate a corresponding code to the remote device. While ideally suited to vehicle-mounted keyless entry systems, the apparatus and methods find wider applicability in diverse fields of use.

A drive cycle controller includes a drive cycle switching unit and an output state determination unit. The drive cycle switching unit switches a drive cycle of a microcomputer, which monitors an output of a device, from a first drive cycle to a second drive cycle that is shorter than the first drive cycle if the microcomputer detects a change in an output of the device at an activation timing in the first drive cycle. The output state determination unit determines an output state of the device if the microcomputer confirms that the output has remained changed at an activation timing in the second drive cycle.

A method can be used for operating an optoelectronic proximity sensor. The proximity sensor includes a radiation-emitting component, a radiation-detecting component and a control unit. The radiation-emitting component is operated by means of a pulsed current. During each measurement period, the pulsed current of the radiation-emitting component has an on-time and an off-time. The pulsed current has a pulse current intensity during the on-time, and the control unit evaluates a detector signal of the radiation-detecting component and lowers the pulse current intensity for a subsequent measurement period, when the detector signal exceeds a threshold value during at least one measurement period.

A vehicular door operation detecting apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode mounted at a vehicle and positioned away from each other, a switch member switching the first electrode and the second electrode between a conductive state and an open state, and a control portion controlling the switch member and detecting an operation of the user relative to a door for the vehicle by sensing a total capacitance obtained by the first electrode and the second electrode in a first mode where the total capacitance is sensed each predetermined intermittent time and by sensing an individual capacitance of each of the first electrode and the second electrode in a second mode where the individual capacitance is sensed each detection time shorter than the predetermined intermittent time in a case where a presence of the user is determined because the total capacitance exceeds a detection threshold value.

Disclosed are devices and methods for detecting activation of an electronic device, including a biomedical and biometric device. The electronic device can operate in a low-power mode until it is determined that the electronic device is in close proximity to or in contact with a body, and activated. The electronic device can include a first sensor including a first capacitance sensor, a second sensor, and a controller coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor. The controller can receive a first signal from the first sensor and determine that the electronic device is in close proximity to or in contact with a body based on the first signal, and receive a second signal from the second sensor and determine that the electronic device is activated based on one or both of the first signal and the second signal. The electronic device can transition from the low-power mode to an active mode in response to determining that the electronic device is activated.

A capacitive sensor device is provided. The capacitive sensor device may include a clock module configured to generate a clock signal, a sensor module configured to generate a reference signal and a sense signal, and sample a difference between the reference signal and the sense signal according to the clock signal, and a current supply module configured to selectively generate a bias current according to the clock signal, and charge each of the clock module and the sensor module based on the bias current and according to the clock signal.

A switching circuit switches a first IGBT and a second IGBT. A control circuit is equipped with a first switching element that is configured to be able to control a gate current of the first IGBT, a second switching element that is configured to be able to control a gate current of the second IGBT, and a third switching element that is connected between an electrode of the first IGBT and an electrode of the second IGBT. The control circuit controls a turn on timing and turn off timing.