Systems and methods having a touchless operating panel with buttons and an electronic circuit (EC). The system including a proximity sensor (PS) associated with an associated button and positioned proximate thereto. The PS arranged to generate a button detection zone around the associated button and detect a presence within the button detection zone. When the PS detects a presence of an object within the button detection zone in a time period, the EC receives proximity values about the detection from the PS. The EC detects if activation of the PS is intentional or unintentional, based on inputting into an activation assessment module, the received proximity values and any other proximity values received from one or more other PSs. When a detection is made that the PS is intentionally activated regarding the presence of the object within the button detection zone. The EC generates and emits a command action.

The present description concerns a button capable of being activated by the proximity of a user's finger, including: a time-of-flight distance sensor; and a control circuit, coupled to the distance sensor and configured to transmit a control signal, where the control circuit is configured to perform a switching of the signal, between a first state and a second state, conditioned at least by the detection by the sensor, for a first time period, of an object at a distance shorter than a first threshold.

A light reception/emission element module comprises a substrate, a light emitting element disposed on the substrate, a first light receiving device disposed on the substrate apart from the light emitting element, and an upper wall located above the substrate. The upper wall comprises a facing surface facing the light emitting element and the first light receiving element. The light reception/emission element module of the disclosure further comprises a second light emitting element disposed on the substrate. The upper wall further comprises a first light passing portion located above the light emitting element, a second light passing portion located above the second light receiving element, and an intermediate portion located in a region between the first light passing portion and the second light passing portion. At least part of a lower surface of the intermediate portion comprises the facing surface.

An optical encoder includes first, second, and third light receiving elements (A, B, C) that are sequentially disposed and adjacent to each other; and a detection signal generation unit (50) that outputs a detection trigger (Ts) when an output level of the second light receiving element (B) that receives incident light after the first light receiving element (A) is higher than an output level of the first light receiving element A, and outputs a non-detection trigger (Te) when an output level of the third light receiving element (C) that receives incident light after the second light receiving element (B) is higher than the output level of the second light receiving element (B).

A switch device includes an operating knob on which a tilting operation is performed, a detected portion that tilts with the tilting operation of the operating knob, a detection portion that detects movement of the detected portion, and a substrate on which the detection portion is arranged. The detection portion is aligned in an in-plane direction of the substrate and performs a switching operation upon detection of movement of the detected portion in the in-plane direction.

A control method of an inputter comprises an operation in which at least one of the inputter and an electronic apparatus connected to the inputter acquires reference data, an operation in which a manipulation detector of the inputter outputs a manipulation detection signal, an operation in which a light source of the inputter irradiates a first light, an operation in which a light detector detects a first reflected light that is incident to the light detector among the irradiated first light, and an operation in which at least one of the inputter and the electronic apparatus compares a detection result of the first reflected light and the reference data, and identifies whether the manipulation detector outputting the manipulation signal malfunctions, based on a comparison result.

A key structure including a circuit board, a membrane, a positioning frame, a sensor module, a scissor leg, and a key cap is provided. The membrane is disposed on the circuit board and is electrically connected to each other. The positioning frame is disposed on the membrane. The sensor module is disposed on the membrane and is electrically connected to the circuit board. The scissor leg is connected to the positioning frame and is adapted to move up and down relative to the positioning frame. The key cap is detachably disposed at the scissor leg and is spaced with positioning frame. The key cap has a reflective plane and a shaft component. The reflective plane faces the membrane. The shaft component is extended from the reflective plane and penetrates through the scissor leg and the positioning frame to abut the membrane. The sensor module is aligned with the reflective plane.

A light reception/emission element module comprises a substrate, a light emitting element disposed on the substrate, a first light receiving device disposed on the substrate apart from the light emitting element, and an upper wall located above the substrate. The upper wall comprises a facing surface facing the light emitting element and the first light receiving element. The light reception/emission element module of the disclosure further comprises a second light emitting element disposed on the substrate. The upper wall further comprises a first light passing portion located above the light emitting element, a second light passing portion located above the second light receiving element, and an intermediate portion located in a region between the first light passing portion and the second light passing portion. At least part of a lower surface of the intermediate portion comprises the facing surface.

A full-screen optical component, applied to an electronic device comprising a display screen, comprising a backlight module, an active light sensor including a sensor and a light emitter, and a dimmer. The display screen and the active light sensor are located on two opposite sides of the backlight module. The backlight module includes a first prism film and a second prism film stacked on the first prism film. The first prism film includes several first prisms. The second prism film includes several second prisms. The first prism includes a first in-light surface, and the second prism includes a second in-light surface. A display surface of the display screen, the first in-light surface, and the second in-light surface are disposed in parallel. The dimmer is configured to direct light emitted by the light emitter to the first in-light surface at an incident angle that is inclined relative to a vertical direction.

A method and apparatus for ranging finding of signal transmitting devices is provided. The method of signal reception is digitally based only and does not require receivers that are analog measurement devices. Ranging can be achieved using a single pulse emitting device operating in range spaced relation with a minimum of a single signal transmitter and a single digital receiver and processing circuitry. In general a plurality of transmitting pulsed emitters may be ranged and positioned virtually simultaneously in 3-dimensions (XYZ coordinates) using a configuration of a plurality of digital receivers arranged in any fixed 3-dimensional configuration. Applications may involve at least one single transmitter to receiver design to determine range, or at least one transmitted reflecting signal off from an object to determine range.