A touch-based control device is operable to detect touch input over an entirety of the control device's exterior, including at regions of an exterior panel that (i) overlay portions of a circuit board where no touch sensors exist, and/or (ii) extend beyond a perimeter of a touch region or circuit board on which touch sensors are provided.

Disclosed are keyboards and keyboard switches sensitive to touch, including, hover and pressure. The keyboard switches have transmit and receive antennae that are spaced apart such that no portion of the transmit antenna touches any portion of the receive antenna. The keyboard switches are arranged in logical rows and logical columns such that each of the keyboard switches is associated with one row and one column. Signal emitters are conductively coupled to the transmit antennae for each of the keyboard switches associated with each of the rows, and each of the signal emitters are adapted to cause each of the transmit antennae to transmit one or more source signals. Receivers are coupled to the receive antennae for each of the keyboard switches associated with each of the columns, and each of the receivers are adapted to capture a frame of signals present on the coupled receive antennae. A signal processor adapted to determine a measurement from each frame, corresponding to an amount of the source signals present on the receive antennae during a time the corresponding frame was received. The signal processor further adapted to determine a keyboard switch touch state from a range of touch states based at least in part on the corresponding measurement.

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.

A fully automatic coffee machine (1) includes an operating unit (2) having at least one touch sensor (102) for generating an operating signal, and a signal-conductor (20) to conduct the operating signal to a logic unit (202) connected to a coffee-producing assembly. The touch sensor (102), signal-conductor (20) and logic unit (202) are arranged on a common printed circuit board (10). The logic unit (202) is arranged in a logic section (200) of the printed circuit board (10) and the touch sensor (102) is arranged in a sensor section (100) on the printed circuit board (10). The logic section (200) integrally transitions into the sensor section (100), and is embodied as a logic unit flap which is released from the sensor section (100), such that and is delimited from the sensor section (100) by at least one recess (204) in the printed circuit board such that the logic section (200) is not deformed by deformation of the sensor section (100).

The present invention comprises a body-wearable, screen-free and wireless input device having a stretchable human arm sleeve composed of an elastic material, the arm sleeve having an access region within easy reach of a user's hands and fingers, a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the access region with the CPU including a rechargeable battery powering the CPU, a Bluetooth transceiver for wireless communication with a parent device, and a universal serial bus interface for wired communication with the parent device and charging the battery, and a plurality of input electrodes located on the access region and connected to the CPU by a plurality of wirings at least partially embedded within the access region with the input electrodes forming a plurality of preset key assignments that acts as a mechanical lever or electronic switch to facilitate user communication with a wirelessly connected parent device.

To provide an electronic device which can be efficiently manufactured with stable quality. A photoelectric sensor 1A includes a cable 20 of which one end is drawn into a casing 10 through a cable insertion opening portion 10c, and a lead frame 25 which is electrically connected to a circuit board 34. A conductive wire 23 of the cable 20 is bonded to the lead frame 25, and an area from the cable insertion opening portion 10c to the bonded portion between the conductive wire 23 and the lead frame 25 is continuously sealed with resin R.

Disclosed are keyboards and keyboard switches sensitive to touch, including, hover and pressure. The keyboard switches have transmit and receive antennae that are spaced apart such that no portion of the transmit antenna touches any portion of the receive antenna. The keyboard switches are arranged in logical rows and logical columns such that each of the keyboard switches is associated with one row and one column. Signal emitters are conductively coupled to the transmit antennae for each of the keyboard switches associated with each of the rows, and each of the signal emitters are adapted to cause each of the transmit antennae to transmit one or more source signals. Receivers are coupled to the receive antennae for each of the keyboard switches associated with each of the columns, and each of the receivers are adapted to capture a frame of signals present on the coupled receive antennae. A signal processor adapted to determine a measurement from each frame, corresponding to an amount of the source signals present on the receive antennae during a time the corresponding frame was received. The signal processor further adapted to determine a keyboard switch touch state from a range of touch states based at least in part on the corresponding measurement.

An input device has one or more electrodes configured for capacitive sensing, an electronic circuit, one or more conductive feed line(s) connecting the one or more electrode(s) with the electronic circuit, wherein the device is configured to increase or decrease a signal received from at least one of the electrodes through an associated feed line in function of at least one other signal from another electrode.

An input device has one or more electrodes configured for capacitive sensing, an electronic circuit, one or more conductive feed line(s) connecting the one or more electrode(s) with the electronic circuit, wherein the device is configured to increase or decrease a signal received from at least one of the electrodes through an associated feed line in function of at least one other signal from another electrode.

A capacitive detection device (20) for a vehicle comprises a sensing electrode (26) for generating an oscillatory electric field in a detection space and a shielding electrode (28) arranged on a side of the sensing electrode turned away from the detection space. The capacitive detection device comprises a circuit ground and a ground connector for connecting the circuit ground to chassis ground of the vehicle. At least one shunt capacitor is connected between circuit ground and the shielding electrode. The at least one shunt capacitor has a capacitance at least 25 times higher than the capacitance between the shielding electrode and the chassis ground of the vehicle.