A capacitive sensing device is provided. A control circuit adjusts a capacitance value of an adjustable capacitor unit according to a digital sensing signal converted from a sensing signal by an analog-to-digital converter, such that the capacitance value of the adjustable capacitor unit approaches a background parasitic capacitor.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may comprise: at least one electrode having conductivity; a capacitance sensor, at least one switch electrically connected between the at least one electrode and the capacitance sensor, and capable of selectively connecting the at least one electrode and the capacitance sensor; and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit measures a first capacitance value by using the capacitance sensor in a state where the at least one switch is open, measures a second capacitance value corresponding to an external object contacting the at least one electrode, by using the capacitance sensor in a state where the at least one switch is connected, corrects the second capacitance value by using the first capacitance value, and determines the corrected second capacitance value as a capacitance value for the external object. Various other embodiments are possible.

A sensing circuit and a touch sensor including the same are disclosed. The sensing circuit includes a current provider configured to provide a first current between a first power source and a first node and a second current between the first node and a second power source, a bias unit configured to output first and second outputs to first and second output nodes, and a current-to-voltage converter configured to mirror the first and second currents and to output a sensing voltage. The bias unit includes a differential amplifier, first and second output transistors, and a current mirror. A first input terminal of the differential amplifier receives a reference voltage and a second input terminal of the differential amplifier is connected to a second node corresponding to a connection node of the first and second output transistors.

Provided is a metal touch sensing apparatus in which recognition performance thereof is improved, a plurality of touch parts are successively manipulated to enter into a specific mode, thereby preventing a refrigerator from being malfunctioned, and touch sensitivity of the refrigerator to be touched for the manipulation is visually adjusted, and a home appliance including the touch apparatus and a method for controlling the same.

A method for detecting the state of the proximity sensor, applied to a terminal including the proximity sensor and an antenna, includes: sending a predetermined instruction to the proximity sensor; determining whether the proximity sensor is abnormal based on a feedback result of the proximity sensor to the predetermined instruction; and maintaining the antenna transmitting power at a low power if the proximity sensor is abnormal. Through the feedback of the proximity sensor to the request to obtain the capacitance value, it is determined whether the proximity sensor can work normally, and in a case that the proximity sensor cannot work normally, the antenna transmitting power is reduced to avoid the continuous high antenna transmitting power due to the inability of the proximity sensor to work normally, which reduces the radiation to the human body.

An Arrangement (10) for a capacitive sensor device (20) of a vehicle (1), in particular for control and/or evaluation at the capacitive sensor device (20) for detecting an activating action at the vehicle (1), with at least one sensor electrode (20.1) for sensing a change in a vicinity of the vehicle (1), and with a transmission arrangement (30) for providing an output signal (A) by a frequency-dependent change of an electrical input signal (E) of the transmission arrangement (30), and with an output (30.2) of the transmission arrangement (30), which is electrically connected to the sensor electrode (20.1) in order to operate the sensor electrode (20.1) with the output signal (A), wherein the transmission arrangement (30) includes at least one filter component (30.4, 30.5) to perform the frequency-dependent change.

A capacitive proximity sensor for use in mobile devices such as smartphones and connected tables, in which it is used to switch off a display (70) when the device is brought to the ear. The capacitive sensor is arranged for rejecting spurious detection induced, for example, by condensation, ingress of water, or thermal drift, based on the time variations of a capacity seen by the readout circuit (80), Additionally, the proximity sensor may integrate signals form motion sensors, temperature sensors or other sensors, to discriminate spurious proximity signals.

A capacitive occupancy or proximity detector (10) comprises a heating circuit, an impedance measurement circuit (34, 36, 40) and a diagnostic circuit. The heating circuit includes a heating element (12). The impedance measurement circuit is connected to the heating element so as to measure impedance between the heating element and a node at ground potential. The diagnostic circuit is configured for measuring electrical resistance across the heating circuit and includes a heating current sensor (42), configured for sensing a heating current across the heating circuit, a current supply device (48) for driving a diagnostic current across the heating circuit and a current limiting ground path (50), configured for draining the diagnostic current and for blocking the heating current.

The invention relates to an actuation device (10) comprising: detection means configured to supply a position of an object interfering with at least one electromagnetic field; a means for determining a speed of motion of the object according to the position of the object supplied by the detection means; and actuation means configured to actuate an action if: the detection means supply a position of the object, and the speed of the object is lower than a predefined speed value.

It is presented a detection module (10) for detecting capacitance variations in a plant (20), comprising one or more electrodes (11) configured and arranged to be put in electrical communication with the plant (20), one or more capacitive sensors (12) in electrical communication with the electrodes (11), configured to measure capacitance through the electrodes (11) and convert it to voltage values, a control unit (13) in communication with each capacitive sensor (12), having at least one electrical or wireless communication port (14′, 14″) to other detection modules (10) or to external devices (0), and being configured to read said voltage values, process them for obtaining processed voltage values, compare said processed voltage values with a threshold value, and send a control signal to one or more external devices (0) via said at least one communication port (14′, 14″) when said processed voltage values exceed the threshold value, and a user-accessible potentiometer (15) in electrical communication with the control unit (13), the potentiometer (15) being configured to adjust said threshold value. It is also presented an interface system and a method for detecting interactions of a user with a living plant and communicating control signals using at least one of said detection module (10).