A keyboard may be provided that has keys overlapped by a touch sensor. The keyboard may have key sensor circuitry for monitoring switching in the keys for key press input. The keyboard may also have touch sensor circuitry such as capacitive touch sensor circuitry that monitors capacitive electrodes in the touch sensor for touch sensor input such as multitouch gesture input. The keyboard may include an outer layer of fabric that overlaps the keys. The fabric may have openings that are arranged to form alphanumeric characters. Light sources may emit light that passes through the openings and illuminates the alphanumeric characters. The touch sensor may have signal lines that are not visible through the openings. The signal lines may be transparent, may be covered by a diffuser, or may circumvent the openings so that they do not overlap.

A ring input device, and more particularly to pressure-sensitive input mechanisms within the ring input device that detect pressure to initiate an operation, is disclosed. Because finger rings are often small and routinely worn, electronic finger rings can be employed as unobtrusive communication devices that are readily available to communicate wirelessly with other devices capable of receiving those communications. Ring input devices according to examples of the disclosure can detect press inputs on its band to generate inputs that can then be wirelessly communicated to companion devices.

An input detection system includes a plurality of electrodes arrayed in a detection region, and an input support device including an LC circuit, a first electrode coupled to one end side of the LC circuit, a second electrode coupled to another end side of the LC circuit, and a housing accommodating therein at least the LC circuit. The input support device is disposed overlapping with a plurality of the electrodes, the housing is a conductor, the LC circuit includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor coupled in series between the one end side and the other end side of the LC circuit, and a coupling portion between the first capacitor and the second capacitor is coupled to the housing.

An operator control device for a vehicle, and a method for operating such an operator control device is disclosed. The operator control device is for controlling safety-relevant functions. To this end, the operator control device has at least one user interface having at least one user input panel for user input and a sensor system for identifying a user input in the area of the user input panel, wherein the sensor system has at least one capacitive sensor device having a first, electrically conductive sensor structure and a second, capacitive sensor device having a second, electrically conductive sensor structure, the sensor structures being arranged beneath the user interface in the area of the user input panel. The first sensor structure and the second sensor structure are each configured in comb-like and/or meanderous fashion and arranged in intermeshing fashion at least in a subarea of the user input panel.

This disclosure relates to a sensor, a sensing device, and a sensing method. The sensor may include an upper electrode layer, a dielectric layer, and a lower electrode layer. A first dielectric layer surface of the dielectric layer may be attached to a first upper electrode surface of the upper electrode layer. A second dielectric layer surface of the dielectric layer may be attached to a first lower electrode surface of the lower electrode layer. The second dielectric layer surface may be opposite to the first dielectric layer surface. The upper electrode layer may include at least two sub-upper electrodes arranged in an array. An electrode gap may exist between the at least two sub-upper electrodes.

A control system for a vehicle includes: first electrode and second electrodes; at least one sensor electrode disposed on an vehicle component with a surface accessible to a user, the sensor electrode being adapted to generate an electric field above the surface so that a capacitance of the sensor electrode depends on a position of a body part of a user with respect to the vehicle component; and a control unit connected to the sensor electrode and adapted to: identify at least one gesture, corresponding to a motion of the body part with respect to the vehicle component, based on the capacitance of the sensor electrode; identify a control signal that corresponds to the gesture; and output the control signal. The sensor electrode has a first portion and a second portion wherein the capacitance depends on whether the body part is disposed adjacent the first portion or the second portion.

A touch display device includes a printed circuit board and a cover. The printed circuit board has a top surface, a bottom surface and soldering points. The printed circuit board includes a first printed circuit, a light element and a second printed circuit. A part of the first printed circuit is on the top surface or the bottom surface and connected with the corresponding soldering point. The light emitting element is on the top surface and electrically connected to the first printed circuit. On the top surface, the second printed circuit does not overlap with the first printed circuit. The cover covers the printed circuit board. The cover has light transmission areas which are aligned with the light elements. The second printed circuit is configured to provide a capacitance value coupled to a capacitive sensing element coupled between the second printed circuit and the cover.

Provided is an apparatus for generating a vibrotactile sensation. The apparatus for generating a vibrotactile sensation includes a light source generating light, a vibration layer generating a vibration by receiving the light, a vibration detection unit disposed adjacent to the vibration layer to detect a vibration signal of the vibration layer, and a control unit connected to the vibration detection unit to determine the vibration of the vibration layer by using the vibration signal. Here, the vibration layer includes a thermo-elastic layer that has a first thermal expansion coefficient and a photo-thermal conversion layer that is disposed on the thermo-elastic layer and has a second thermal expansion coefficient less than the first thermal expansion coefficient.

A touch panel is provided. The touch panel may include a transparent substrate (110) and a light blocking layer (120) in a touch area and on a side of the transparent substrate (110). The light blocking layer (120) may include a keyboard pattern (120a), and the keyboard pattern (120a) may include hollow characters. The light blocking layer (120) may be configured to display the characters of the keyboard pattern (120a) on the light blocking layer (120) by light passing through the hollow characters.

An apparatus for inductive sensing or capacitive sensing is described. The apparatus may include a signal generator to output on a first terminal a first signal in a first mode and a second signal in a second mode. The apparatus may include a charge measuring circuit to receive on a second terminal a third signal in the first mode and a fourth signal in the second mode. The third signal is representative of an inductance of a sense unit coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal. The fourth signal is representative of a capacitance of the sense unit.