A touch-based control device can include an exterior panel that includes a groove region and a surrounding region, one or more touch sensors for detecting touch inputs performed anywhere on a substantial portion of the exterior panel, and a sensing module comprising one or more processors to detect, via the one or more touch sensors, touch inputs performed by a user on the exterior panel. The sensing module can interpret the touch input based on at least one of (i) a region where the touch input occurred, or (ii) a type of the touch input, and control a connected device based on the interpreted touch input.

A control device having an exterior panel and a control module, where the control module includes a sensor layer, and the exterior panel overlays the sensor layer. The control module is configured to determine one or more characteristics of a touch input, and to select a scene based at least in part on the one or more determined characteristics of the touch input. The control module further controls an operational aspect of each device of the set in accordance with the selected scene.

Disclosed are an inductive force sensor and a method of operating the same. An inductive force sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a reference resonance circuit, a first resonance circuit, and a determination circuit configured to obtain information about a first resonant frequency, attributable to first inductance due to an inductive coil based on the displacement between a target and the inductive coil formed by an external force input in a Z-axis direction, and a reference resonant frequency. The determination circuit determines the displacement of the target and the external force in the Z-axis direction based on the first resonant frequency and the reference resonant frequency.

A device may include a display portion that includes a display housing and a display at least partially within the display housing. The device may also include a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and including a bottom case, a top case coupled to the bottom case and defining an array of raised key regions, and a sensing system below the top case and configured to detect an input applied to a raised key region of the array of raised key regions.

The purpose is to provide a tactile information conversion device, a tactile information conversion method, and a tactile information conversion program, which are usable for general purposes by presenting or sensing an arbitrary tactile feeling. In order to provide tactile information to an output unit capable of outputting physical quantities including electricity, force, temperature, vibration, and/or time and space, at least two or more of the physical quantities are selected according to a tactile feeling to be presented, tactile information for presenting the predetermined tactile feeling is generated based on the physical quantities that have been selected, and the tactile information that has been generated is output to the output unit.

An RFID tag is provided with an RFID chip and an antenna and interactive switch electrically coupled to the RFID chip. When a user physically interacts with the switch (such as by pressing the switch with a finger), the antenna transmits an input signal to an RFID reader of an RFID-based control system. The RFID reader, in turn, transmits a control signal to an electronic device for controlling the device. The RFID tag may be incorporated into any of a number of devices, such as a keyboard or article of clothing, and can function to operate a variety of electronic devices, including audio-visual devices and gaming systems.

A device may include a display portion that includes a display housing and a display at least partially within the display housing. The device may also include a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and including a bottom case, a top case coupled to the bottom case and defining an array of raised key regions, and a sensing system below the top case and configured to detect an input applied to a raised key region of the array of raised key regions.

The purpose is to provide a tactile information conversion device, a tactile information conversion method, and a tactile information conversion program, which are usable for general purposes by presenting or sensing an arbitrary tactile feeling. In order to provide tactile information to an output unit capable of outputting physical quantities including electricity, force, temperature, vibration, and/or time and space, at least two or more of the physical quantities are selected according to a tactile feeling to be presented, tactile information for presenting the predetermined tactile feeling is generated based on the physical quantities that have been selected, and the tactile information that has been generated is output to the output unit.

Disclosed herein are optical stacks that are stable to light exposure by incorporating one or more UV-blocking layers.

A touch and force sensitive rocker switch or button array for a portable electronic device can include multiple dome switches or force sensors, as well as a capacitive sensing surface that can detect finger location and swipes. A cosmetic surface can cover the entire elongated switch/button and portions of device housing proximate the button, and can be configured to transfer each of multiple types of input there through to the button and also provide a seal to the device housing interior. The cosmetic surface can be a flexible polymer to allow local deformation, and/or the entire surface can tilt or bend to permit inputs to transfer there through. The elongated button/switch can be raised from a surface of the device, and can be located along a side of the device, with a front face of the device being a touchscreen, such as for a smart phone or watch.