The invention is a field device with an input unit comprising a first number of switch elements in order to generate first input signals and a second number of magnetically actuatable sensor elements assigned to the switch elements in order to generate second input signals which are OR-linked to the first input signals. Each switch element is assigned to at least two sensor elements, which are arranged and connected such that the respective second input signal is output only when at least two specified sensor elements assigned to a switch element are activated.

A switching device includes: a housing; a moveable element, including a header and first and second magnets, slidable in the housing, the moveable element moveable between released and engaged positions; and a microcontroller and first and second magnetic sensing elements facing the first and second magnets. The first and second magnetic sensing elements detect respectively first and second magnetic fields generated respectively by the first and second magnets. A pole configuration of the first magnet is opposed to a pole configuration of the second magnet and the first magnetic field is reversed and equal in magnitude to the second magnetic field. The microcontroller is able to validate that first and second output signals produced by the first and second magnetic sensing elements, respectively, from the first and second magnetic fields are reliable for determining a position of the moveable element.

A method is provided for actuating a hand-held machine tool including a drive device, with a control device for actuating the drive device and at least two capacitive sensor elements operatively connected to the control device being provided. The method includes the following method steps of determining an electrical charge of the first and second sensor element comparing the determined first electrical charge with a defined first threshold value and the determined second electrical charge with a defined second threshold value; enabling the actuation of the drive device and/or defined activation of the drive device via the control device when a predefined condition exists between the determined first electrical charge of the first sensor element and the determined detected second electrical charge of the second sensor element. A machine tool for carrying out a method of this kind is also described.

The present disclosure provides a customize input device and a customize button input method. The customize input device includes a button, a sensing module, a storage module, and a processor. The sensing module is disposed under the button for measuring a displacement of the button. The storage module is used for storing a triggering condition of the button. The processor is connected to the sensing module to compare the displacement with the triggering condition. When the displacement coincides with the triggering condition, the processor sends a triggering signal.

Thermal compensation can be applied to force measurements of a force-sensitive button. A temperature differential between an object and the force-sensitive button can result in changes in the reconstructed force by the force sensor due to thermal effects rather than actual user force, which in turn can result in degraded performance of the force sensor (e.g., false positive or inconsistent activation force). In some examples, a force-sensitive button can include a force sensor configured to measure an amount of force applied to the force-sensitive button, and a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature associated with the force sensor. The measured temperature can be used to compensate the amount of force measured by the force sensor based on the temperature associated with the force sensor. In some examples, the thermal compensation can be applied when an object is detected contacting the force-sensitive button (i.e., when rapid temperature differentials can occur).

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes: a substrate; a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode being disposed on the substrate; and an elastic layer disposed on the first electrode or the substrate, the second electrode being disposed on the elastic layer. When the elastic layer is in a natural state, the first electrode and the second electrode are not in contact, and the touch sensor is in a disconnected state; and when a user applies a pressure to the touch sensor, the elastic layer deforms, the first electrode comes into contact with the second electrode, and the touch sensor switches from the disconnected state to a connected state and generates an electrical signal.

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.

The invention is a field device with an input unit comprising a first number of switch elements in order to generate first input signals and a second number of magnetically actuatable sensor elements assigned to the switch elements in order to generate second input signals which are OR-linked to the first input signals. Each switch element is assigned to at least two sensor elements, which are arranged and connected such that the respective second input signal is output only when at least two specified sensor elements assigned to a switch element are activated.

The present invention relates to a magnetic push-button (10) comprises a fixed body and a body which is movable with respect to the fixed body along an axis of movement (X); one of the bodies, called first body (21), comprising: a magnetic element extending along the axis of movement (X) and defining a magnetic alternation along the axis of movement; the other body, called second body (22), comprising: a notching tooth made of ferromagnetic or magnetic material arranged opposite the magnetic element so as to create a push force by magnetic cooperation with the magnetic element, during a movement of the movable body (21) along the axis of movement (X); a magnetic detector placed opposite the magnetic element and configured for generating measurements quantifying each movement of the movable body along the axis of movement (X).