This disclosure relates to ingress-tolerant input devices. Aspects of the disclosure relate to an ingress-tolerant switch assembly for operating an electronic device in an ingress-protected manner. The switch assembly includes a button configured to be coupled to an outer surface of an enclosure of the electronic device. The switch assembly also includes a spring operably coupled to the button and a magnet coupled to the spring. A pressing force applied by a user to the button overcomes a spring force of the spring to move the magnet into proximity of the magnetic sensor to cause the magnetic sensor to generate a sensor signal for performing a function of the electronic device.

A circuit for operating a capacitive sensor configured to be operated alternately in a first mode over a first time interval and in a second mode over a second time interval. The circuit includes a GM stage configured to receive a sensor voltage of the capacitive sensor at a first input contact and convert the sensor voltage into a sensor current to charge a first boxing capacitor with the sensor current in the second time interval, an integrator that is configured to, in the second interval, integrate a voltage applied across the first boxing capacitor over its time curve and output a resulting output voltage at a first output, and a hold circuit configured to tap the output voltage of the integrator in the second interval and hold it as a hold voltage.

One embodiment provides a method, including: detecting, using a sensor of an information handling device, a change in a magnetic field associated with the information handling device; determining, using a processor, whether the change in the magnetic field corresponds to a known command; and performing, responsive to determining that the change in the magnetic field corresponds to the known command, a function dictated by the known command. Other aspects are described and claimed.

The invention relates to an operator control unit for a measuring instrument for process or automation engineering, the operator control unit consisting of at least two adjacently arranged control panels (10a), the control panels (10a) being operated by pressing on a respective shape-variable or elastic housing region (2a) having a respective capacitive sensor element (11) disposed thereunder. The sensor elements (11) each have a first electrode (11a) as a lower plate capacitor and a counter-electrode (11b) arranged in parallel thereabove as an upper plate capacitor, and pressing on one of the housing regions (2a) causes the respective upper plate capacitor (11b) to approach the respective lower plate capacitor (11a), thus changing the capacitance. The first electrode (11a) is attached to a first carrier material (12) and the counter-electrode (11b) is attached to a second carrier material (13). According to the invention, the housing regions (2a) are arranged adjacently to one another in an uninterrupted manner, and the sensor elements (11) are parts of a multi-layered composite printed circuit board (100), which bears against the inner sides of the housing regions (2a), wherein the composite printed circuit board (100) comprises at least the first carrier material (12), which consists of a plurality of segments of rigid circuit boards each with flexible intermediate pieces arranged therebetween, and the second carrier material (13) in the form of a conductive layer, which two carrier materials are spaced apart from one another via an interposed plastic layer (15), forming a measuring chamber (17), and wherein the plastic layer (15) has a plurality of interruptions for forming the sensor elements (11) and a decoupling region (16) between the control panels (10a).

A method of assessing a user input at a virtual button of a user-input system includes: (A) configuring at least one force-measuring device including a plurality of piezoelectric micromechanical force-measuring elements (PMFEs); (B) configuring a cover layer of the user-input system including coupling the force-measuring device(s) to the cover layer at respective positions that are laterally displaced from a center point of the virtual button; (C) receiving, by each respective signal processor, the voltage signals from the PMFEs (PMFE voltage signals); (D) obtaining force-trend data from the PMFE voltage signals; and (E) assessing a user input in accordance with the force-trend data. Each of the PMFEs is configured to output voltage signals to the respective signal processor in accordance with a time-varying strain at the respective PMFE.

This disclosure relates to ingress-tolerant input devices. Aspects of the disclosure relate to an ingress-tolerant switch assembly for operating an electronic device in an ingress-protected manner. The switch assembly includes a button configured to be coupled to an outer surface of an enclosure of the electronic device. The switch assembly also includes a spring operably coupled to the button and a magnet coupled to the spring. A pressing force applied by a user to the button overcomes a spring force of the spring to move the magnet into proximity of the magnetic sensor to cause the magnetic sensor to generate a sensor signal for performing a function of the electronic device.

A keyswitch assembly includes a switch module, a support mechanism, a blocking mechanism, an enhancing light source, and a backlight source. The switch module includes a substrate, a signal generator, and a signal sensor. The signal generator generates a sensing signal. The signal sensor receives the sensing signal to obtain a sensing strength. The support mechanism is disposed on the substrate. The blocking mechanism is disposed on the substrate and has a light-permeable portion. A portion of the blocking mechanism inserts into or escapes from a gap between the signal generator and the signal sensor. The backlight source is disposed on the substrate and located outside the vertical projection of the blocking mechanism on the substrate. The enhancing light source is disposed on the substrate and located within the vertical projection of the blocking mechanism on the substrate and corresponds to the light-permeable portion.

A vehicle interior component configured to present a user interface for a vehicle occupant with vehicle systems may comprise a housing, cover structure and user interface system to present the user interface at a cover surface. The user interface may comprise a light display to transmit light from a light source and/or an input device comprising a mechanical coupling to interface with a sensor arrangement. The user interface may comprise output from the light display and/or input by interaction with the input device at the cover surface. The component may comprise a module comprising the light display and the input device. The module may comprise an absorber. The light display may comprise a light guide and/or display panel. The light guide may comprise a projection and/or icon to transmit light through an aperture and/or recess of the cover structure.

An operating apparatus is disposed on a surface of a detection panel including a transparent panel and a sensor panel. An operation body includes an upper wall, an inner peripheral wall, and an outer peripheral wall. A rotary assembly is housed in the operation body. The rotary assembly includes a supporter fixed to the detection panel and a rotational operation member rotatably supported by the supporter. The rotational operation member is rotatable together with the operation body. A press detection conductor is provided at a conductor supporting portion of the operation body. A rotation detecting conductor is provided at the rotational operation member.

An input check device includes a coordinate detection part configured to detect coordinates of a touch operation a user performs on an operating surface when operating an operating part through the operating surface; a pressing force detection part configured to detect a pressing force of the touch operation; and an identifying part configured to determine whether the operating part is ON or OFF based on the pressing force detected in the pressing force detection part, and, after determining that the operating part is switched from ON mode to OFF mode, the identifying part detects a minimum value of the pressing force; and the identifying part determines that the operating part is switched from OFF to ON when, following the detection of the minimum value, the pressing force surpasses a predetermined threshold that is set based on the minimum value and that is greater than the minimum value.