A control panel having: a trim element having a first outer face and a first inner face; a support element having a second outer face oriented towards the first inner face of the trim element and a second inner face opposite to said second outer face; and a group of force sensors configured for detecting a control force applied to the first outer face within a control area. The support element has, within a detection area extending around the group of control areas, a mechanical weakening formed by a recess in the second inner face.

A switch arrangement for a lift, preferably a personnel lift or goods lift, including marked pushbuttons and an electrical conductor connection to a control device of the lift. The switch arrangement is provided with at least one elastically deformable plate element with the pushbuttons with the marking on the upper side of the button. A recognition element for the bending in the button is arranged beneath this plate element of the at least one pushbutton. In addition, an electrical conductor connection is provided from the recognition elements to the control device. As a result, it is possible for thinner and more user-friendly switch arrangements to be installed in or outside a lift, in particular for controlling it, or for general functions.

A method of recording measurement data for characterizing a response of a given type of device to an applied force, the given type defining devices of that type as comprising a defined arrangement of a surface and N force sensors of the device concerned, where N≥1, each force sensor configured to output a sensor signal, wherein in the defined arrangement the N force sensors are operatively coupled to a defined input region of the surface so as to sense a force applied to that input region, the method comprising: for a specimen device of the given type, performing at least one measurement procedure, each measurement procedure comprising at least one measurement operation, each measurement operation comprising applying a defined force at a corresponding location on the input region of the device concerned and recording measurement data for that device and location based on the sensor signals of the N force sensors of that device. Also disclosed are a related computer-implemented method of generating a characterization definition for devices of the given type, a computer-implemented method of generating a configuration definition for devices of the given type for a given use case defined by a use-case definition, a method of configuring a candidate device of the given type for the given use case, and a method of assessing or calibrating a candidate device of the given type.

A flexible switch has a deformable body and a plurality of electrodes, at least one of the electrodes being provided on the deformable body. The switch has a first state in which the electrodes are spaced apart and a second state in which the electrodes are in electrical contact, and the switch is configured to allow movement between the states when a force is applied to or removed from the deformable body.

Integrated touch displays with combined pressure and projected capacitance touch capabilities are provided. A sensing electrode layer and, optionally, a driving electrode layer, has a plurality of discrete pads deposited, patterned, printed or laminated on a cover lens or color filter substrate. Each of the discrete pads may be formed of an optically transparent conductor.

A method and an apparatus for generating a horn actuation signal. A load cell is placed inside a steering wheel, which changes its resistance when being stressed or deformed by a force transmitting part of the steering wheel. An actual voltage (V.sub.a) depending on the resistance of the load cell is measured and the horn actuation signal is generated based on the measurement of the actual voltage (V.sub.a). The actual voltage (V.sub.a) depends additionally to the resistance of the load cell and on an adjustable voltage (V.sub.ad) generated by an adjustable voltage generation unit. Additionally, the result of the measurement of the actual voltage (V.sub.a) is permanently compared to a defined value, and the adjustable voltage (V.sub.ad) is adjusted in response to the difference between the result of the measurement of the actual voltage (V.sub.a) and the defined value at least as long as no horn actuation signal is generated, such that closed circuit for controlling the actual voltage (V.sub.a) is provided.

A force sensing system for determining if a user input has occurred, the system comprising: an input channel, to receive an input from at least one force sensor; an activity detection stage, to monitor an activity level of the input from the at least one force sensor and, responsive to an activity level which may be indicative of a user input being reached, to generate an indication that an activity has occurred at the force sensor; and an event detection stage to receive said indication, and to determine if a user input has occurred based on the received input from the at least one force sensor.

A computing device can include an enclosure that defines an internal volume and an external surface. An input component can be positioned at the external surface. A processing unit and a memory can be communicatively coupled and disposed within the internal volume. A singular input/output port can be positioned at an orifice defined by the enclosure. The singular input/output port can be communicatively coupled to the processing unit and the memory. The singular input/output port can be configured to receive data and power and configured to output data from the processing unit. The computing device can include an air-moving apparatus to move air along an airflow pathway. The enclosure can include a thermally conductive base.

An input device can be integrated within an electronic device and/or operably connected to an electronic device through a wired or wireless connection. The input device can include one or more force sensors positioned below a cover element of the input device or an input surface of the electronic device. The input device can include other components and/or functionality, such as a biometric sensor and/or a switch element.

Various embodiments of pressure sensors send a plurality of control messages to a system controller. An example pressure sensor may include: a base; at least first and second conductors; a pressure sensitive material at least partially intervening between the first and second conductors; a memory; a clock; and a processor. The pressure sensitive material may have a composition configured to continuously change at least one electrical property. The processor may be configured to determine a first electrical property using the first and second conductors, associate the first electrical property with a time from the clock and write the first electrical property and the time to the memory. The processor may also be configured to calculate a time-based change in the first electrical property, correlate the time-based change with at least one of the control messages and communicate the at least one of the control messages to the system controller.