A proximity sensor includes a sensor cable that includes a first electrode wire and a second electrode wire arranged parallel to each other, an insulation covering both the first electrode wire and the second electrode wire, and a shield partially covering a surface of the insulation so as to form an opening, the first electrode wire and the second electrode wire being arranged to have different distances to the opening, and a detector circuit that includes a first capacitance detecting portion for detecting a first capacitance to be detected by the first electrode wire, a second capacitance detecting portion for detecting a second capacitance to be detected by the second electrode wire, and a differential output portion for outputting a difference between the first capacitance and the second capacitance.

A transform is used to transform raw sensor data from the time domain to the frequency or sequency domain. The transformed data falls into several signal bins. The transformed data in at least one of the signal bins is analyzed to determine whether a touch event or release event has occurred.

A detection method includes: obtaining periodically and repeatedly sensor values output from a capacitive sensor; determining whether the sensor values obtained exceed threshold Th1; calculating, as first difference value ?1.sub.X of each of target sensor values C.sub.X, a difference between target sensor value C.sub.X and sensor value C.sub.X+1 immediately before the target sensor value; calculating, as second difference value ?2.sub.X of each of target sensor values C.sub.X, a difference between (i) first difference value ?1.sub.X of target sensor value C.sub.X and (ii) first difference value ?1.sub.X+1 of sensor value C.sub.X+1 immediately before target sensor value C.sub.X; comparing each of second difference values ?2.sub.X calculated and threshold Th2, and selecting one sensor value C.sub.Ret based on a result of the comparing; and outputting the one sensor value C.sub.Ret selected.

A capacitive sensing device includes an antenna electrode for emitting an alternating electric field in response to an alternating voltage caused in the antenna electrode and a control and evaluation circuit configured to maintain the alternating voltage equal to an alternating reference voltage by injecting a current into the antenna electrode and to measure the current. The control and evaluation circuit includes a microcontroller with a digital output for providing a digital signal and a low-pass filter operatively connected to the digital output for generating the alternating reference voltage by low-pass-filtering the digital signal.

A system includes a robot having contact surfaces and a sensor array having a spatially distributed touch sensors disposed on the contact surfaces. Each touch sensor has an identifier and outputs an analog signal at a set of frequencies associated with the identifier The sensor array outputs a combined analog signal representative of a combination of the analog signals outputted by the touch sensors. The system includes an analog-to-digital converter that generates a digital signal in a time domain based on the combined analog signal. The system includes one or more processing units that transforms the digital signal from the time domain to a frequency domain and detects locations of touch within the sensor array based on frequencies observed the frequency domain and the identifiers of the touch sensors.

A transform is used to transform raw sensor data from the time domain to the frequency or sequency domain. The transformed data falls into several signal bins. The transformed data in at least one of the signal bins is analyzed to determine whether a touch event or release event has occurred.

A transform is used to transform raw sensor data from the time domain to the frequency or sequency domain. The transformed data falls into several signal bins. The transformed data in at least one of the signal bins is analyzed to determine whether a touch event or release event has occurred.

A detection method includes: obtaining periodically and repeatedly sensor values output from a capacitive sensor; determining whether the sensor values obtained exceed threshold Th1; calculating, as first difference value 1.sub.X of each of target sensor values C.sub.X, a difference between target sensor value C.sub.X and sensor value C.sub.X+1 immediately before the target sensor value; calculating, as second difference value 2.sub.X of each of target sensor values C.sub.X, a difference between (i) first difference value 1.sub.X of target sensor value C.sub.X and (ii) first difference value 1.sub.X+1 of sensor value C.sub.X+1 immediately before target sensor value C.sub.X; comparing each of second difference values 2.sub.X calculated and threshold Th2, and selecting one sensor value C.sub.Ret based on a result of the comparing; and outputting the one sensor value C.sub.Ret selected.

A transform is used to transform raw sensor data from the time domain to the frequency or sequency domain. The transformed data falls into several signal bins. The transformed data in at least one of the signal bins is analyzed to determine whether a touch event or release event has occurred.

The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement for detecting a capacitance of a capacitive component and/or a change in the capacitance of a capacitive component, which circuit arrangement comprises, inter alia a monostable flipflop controllable by a control signal and having at least two inputs and one output, wherein a first input of the flipflop is provided for the control signal, and a second input is connected to a capacitive component. The circuit arrangement further comprises a conversion device, which is connected to the output of the monostable flipflop, and an evaluation unit, which is connected to the conversion device in order to evaluate the signal voltage and from this to generate at least one detection value, which indicates the capacitance and/or a change in the capacitance of the capacitive component.