A tactile sensation providing apparatus includes a contact region to be touched by an operating body, a thermal sensation providing element that is disposed in the contact region and provides at least cold sensation information, and a warm sensation providing element that is disposed in the contact region and provides warm sensation information. The warm sensation providing element is disposed at least in regions that sandwich the thermal sensation providing element.

A photonic heater is provided. The photonic heater includes a current source and a transfer circuit. The transfer circuit connected to the current source. The photonic heater further includes a heating element. The heating element is connected to the transfer circuit. The transfer circuit is operable to regulate an amount of current being transferred from the current court to the heating element.

A control method for gas chemosensors having a sensitive layer, which comprises the steps of: a) measuring the resistivity of the sensitive layer at a particular moment, the sensitive layer being at a particular temperature; b) establishing a temperature profile to be applied to the sensitive layer, based on the resistivity value measured; c) obtaining the average temperature value across the temperature profiles applied to the sensitive layer during a time interval and comparing the average temperature with stored values to determine changes in the gas concentration. The invention also relates to a gas detection system comprising a gas chemosensor connected to control means connected to heating means associated with the sensitive layer, defining a control loop with sigma-delta topology.

A tape heater for keeping warm or heating an object by deforming its shape to conform to contours of the object, which comprises: a heating element; and an outer covering member that envelops and accommodates the heating element and that is composed of a porous sheet made of a resin which has a melting point of 300 C. or higher. Provided is a tape heater that deforms to conform to the contours of an object to be kept warm or the like after being placed on the object and changes its shape that has been deformed as little as possible.

A multi-purpose detection circuit for object detection and vehicle position determination is described. For example, the circuit is configurable for detecting foreign metallic objects, living objects, and a vehicle or type of vehicle above an inductive wireless power transmitter. The circuit is also configurable for determining the vehicle's position relative to the inductive wireless power transmitter. An example apparatus includes a measurement circuit including a multiplexer, electrically connected to a plurality of inductive and capacitive sense circuits, for measuring one or more electrical characteristics in each of the inductive and capacitive sense circuits according to a predetermined time multiplexing scheme. The apparatus further includes a control and evaluation circuit for evaluating the measured electrical characteristics and determining at least one of a presence of a metallic object, a living object, a vehicle, or a type of vehicle, and a vehicle position based on changes in the measured electrical characteristics.

An anti-condensing system includes a control panel configured to electrically couple between a power source and a temperature regulating display unit. The control panel includes a housing defining an interior cavity, a door selectively repositionable to facilitate accessing the interior cavity of the housing, and a circuitry assembly disposed within the interior cavity. The circuitry assembly includes a relay configured to couple to a heating element of the temperature regulating display unit, an overcurrent protection breaker coupled to the relay and directly integrated into the control panel such that the overcurrent protection device can be locked out at the control panel, and a control circuit coupled to the relay. The control circuit is configured to actively control the relay to prevent condensation from forming on the temperature regulating display unit.

The present invention relates to a snow removing apparatus of an LED traffic signal light. More specifically, the present invention relates to a snow removing apparatus of an LED traffic signal light which detects snow accumulated on the lens of a traffic signal light and heats heating coils installed in the lens to remove snow. The present invention, to achieve this purpose, is equipped with an infra-red emitting unit; an infra-red receiving unit that is installed inside a lens and receives infra-red reflected from the infra-red emitting unit; a CDS sensor installed inside a lens and which measures visible light to compensate the emitting output of the infra-red emitting unit, and; a heater that is installed in the lens and which is supplied power to generate heat, and is characterized in that the lens has a gentle curvature, with ceramic-coated coil securing grooves formed on the inside of the lens along its inside surface, with heater coils installed by inserting in the coil securing grooves.

A photonic heater is provided. The photonic heater includes a current source and a transfer circuit. The transfer circuit connected to the current source. The photonic heater further includes a heating element. The heating element is connected to the transfer circuit. The transfer circuit is operable to regulate an amount of current being transferred from the current court to the heating element.

A method for controlling a temperature of a heating element can include: measuring a temperature of the heating element using a temperature sensor; estimating a temperature of the heating element based on a heat transfer model of the heating element; calculating a variation of the estimated temperature and a variation of the measured temperature; and determining whether a failure of the temperature sensor occurs based on the calculated variation of the estimated temperature and the calculated variation of the measured temperature.

A control system for operating a heater includes a controller configured to determine an operational power level based on a measured performance characteristic of the heater, a power set-point, and a power control algorithm, determine a bake-out power level based on a measured leakage current at the heater, a leakage current threshold, and a moisture control algorithm, and select a power level to be applied to the heater. The selected power level is the lower power level from among the operational power level and the bake-out power level.