A system may include a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of a distance between the sensor and a mechanical member associated with the sensor, a measurement circuit communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to determine a physical force interaction with the mechanical member based on the sensor signal, and a compensator configured to monitor the sensor signal and to apply a compensation factor to the sensor signal to compensate for changes to properties of the sensor based on at least one of changes in a distance between the sensor and the mechanical member and changes in a temperature associated with the sensor.

A system may include a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of a distance between the sensor and a mechanical member associated with the sensor, a measurement circuit communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to determine a physical force interaction with the mechanical member based on the sensor signal, and a compensator configured to monitor the sensor signal and to apply a compensation factor to the sensor signal to compensate for changes to properties of the sensor based on at least one of changes in a distance between the sensor and the mechanical member and changes in a temperature associated with the sensor.

This application relates to a magnetic field sensing-based noncontact button apparatus, an elevator control panel, and an operating method thereof. In one aspect, the operating method includes collecting a magnetic field sensor value corresponding to each of a plurality of buttons based on an action of a user for button manipulation. The method also includes assigning a weight value, used for activating a button, to a Z-axis value of the magnetic field sensor value corresponding to a button input direction of the user for each button and collecting number of uses of each button. The method further includes adjusting a variation width of a weight function based on the Z-axis value based on the number of uses of each button to construct a surface data set corresponding to each button, and setting the surface data set to learning data to learn an algorithm for activating the button.

An oscillating sensor device, particularly for a proximity sensor, for sensing a dynamic change of attenuation caused by a measurable physical effect includes an oscillator including a resonance circuit and an amplifier fed back to the resonance circuit and configured to maintain oscillation of the oscillator, and a control unit configured to control the open loop gain of the oscillator. The amplifier comprises a non-linear gain characteristics defining an operating point at a preset amplitude of oscillation. The control unit is configured to control the open loop gain of the oscillator so that the operating point is set to a preset amplitude of the oscillation.

Self-testing proximity testing systems and corresponding methods are discussed herein and can include a proximity probe and controller in electrical communication via a cable. A self-testing subsystem can be in communication with the controller and configured to determine whether proximity probes and cables assembled with a controller are compatible or incompatible. The self-testing subsystem can place a known impedance in electrical communication with the controller, modifying a proximity signal output by the controller. When the modified proximity signal differs from a predicted proximity signal by greater than or equal to a threshold amount, the self-testing subsystem can output a first indication indicating that incompatible proximity probes and cables are assembled with a controller. When the modified proximity signal differs from a predicted proximity signal by less than the threshold amount, the self-testing subsystem can output a second indication indicating that compatible proximity probes and cables are assembled with a controller.

A method may include receiving an input signal, generating a baseline signal based on the input signal, generating a corrected input signal by subtracting the baseline signal from the input signal, determining a threshold level change of the input signal when the corrected input signal exceeds a level change threshold, and responsive to the threshold level change, updating the baseline signal to the level change threshold.

Systems and methods for measuring an operating current and an operating voltage of an inductive proximity sensor in an improved manner. The proposed method is to measure and process the sensing parameters in a ratiometric way. A proximity sensing electronics unit receives an input signal from a proximity sensor that was derived by dividing the sensor's current by the sensor's supply voltage which produces that operating current. The division result, i.e., the quotient, is properly scaled to represent the sensor's state. The circuitry ratiometrically determines its operation status by eliminating common mode effects and variations of sensor state thresholds, allowing additional sensing parameters and health status to be measured and monitored without extending the operational range of the sensor.

Systems and methods for measuring an operating current and an operating voltage of an inductive proximity sensor in an improved manner. The proposed method is to measure and process the sensing parameters in a ratiometric way. A proximity sensing electronics unit receives an input signal from a proximity sensor that was derived by dividing the sensor's current by the sensor's supply voltage which produces that operating current. The division result, i.e., the quotient, is properly scaled to represent the sensor's state. The circuitry ratiometrically determines its operation status by eliminating common mode effects and variations of sensor state thresholds, allowing additional sensing parameters and health status to be measured and monitored without extending the operational range of the sensor.

A safety switch comprises a switching device (2) having a casing (4) housing switching means (5) connected to one or more circuits, an operating device (3) interacting with the switching means (5) for opening/closing the circuits, an unlocking mechanism (13) having an unlocking pin (14) translating with a maximum stroke from a locking position of the access to an unlocking position to operate the opening of the switching means (5), detection means (17) of the stroke of the unlocking pin (14) having a first detector (18) of the start of the stroke of the unlocking pin (14), an auxiliary unlocking control (25, 26) operatively connected to the unlocking mechanism (13) from a rest position to an operative position of unlocking of the access and promote the translation of the unlocking pin (14) The detection means (17) comprise an auxiliary detector (31) for detecting the actuation of the auxiliary unlocking control (25, 26).

A system for sensing a position of a locking bolt of an industrial locking switch includes an inductive circuit, a converter, and a master controller. The inductive circuit includes an inductive coil and a capacitor electrically connected in parallel. The inductive coil is positioned to receive a locking bolt of an industrial locking switch when the locking bolt is transitioned to a lock position. The converter is configured to convert a frequency of a current signal on the inductive circuit to a digital frequency value. The master controller is configured to generate a bolt detection signal in response to determining that the digital frequency value changes by an amount equal to or substantially equal to a defined frequency shift corresponding to a frequency shift induced by the inductive coil in response to presence of the locking bolt within the inductive coil's magnetic field.