An earphone includes a housing that defines a force input surface opposite a touch input surface. A spring member in the housing includes a first arm that biases a touch sensor toward the touch input surface. The spring member also includes a second arm that biases a first force electrode toward the housing and allows the first force electrode to move toward a second force electrode when a force is applied to the force input surface. A non-binary amount of the force is determinable using a change in a mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode. The mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode may be measured upon detecting a touch using the touch sensor.

A sensor switch including a first sensor electrode and a second sensor electrode at least partially surrounding the first sensor electrode. An evaluation and control circuit of the sensor switch is configured to generate a switch output signal if a first sensor electrode attenuation signal indicates a high signal attenuation, a second sensor electrode attenuation signal indicates a low signal attenuation, and a cross-coupling signal from the first to the second electrode indicates a low cross-coupling.

A keyboard for secure data entry is provided. The keyboard comprises at least one or more of data entry buttons that can be depressed by a user. For each of the data entry buttons, a button actuator is provided that is movable upon the user depressing the respective data entry button and a primary capacitive sensor is provided that is arranged to determine movement of the button actuator of the respective data entry button by capacitance sampling. The button actuator is at least partly made from a conductive material. The button actuator is coupled to a defined electric potential at least during the capacitance sampling to shield the primary capacitive sensor from eavesdropping.

The present disclosure relates to a touch dimming device including a touch panel and an active color changing film. The touch panel includes a first electrode and a second electrode to perform touch detection according to a coupling capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode. The active color changing film includes a third electrode and a polymer layer. The polymer layer is configured to change a light transmittance of the active color changing film according to a voltage difference between the second electrode and the third electrode.

A mutually capacitive touch sensor includes a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode. The second capacitor electrode is adjacent and spatially separated from the first capacitor electrode. An inner region is disposed between the first capacitor electrode and the second capacitor electrode, wherein the first capacitor electrode and the second capacitor electrode are arranged to surround the inner region. The inner region may include a hole for a backlight.

An earphone includes a speaker housing; a speaker positioned in the speaker housing; a stem extending from the speaker housing, the stem defining an input surface; a conductive object disposed within the stem; a flexible circuit positioned between the stem and the conductive object; a member positioned between the flexible circuit and the conductive object operable to allow the flexible circuit to move with respect to the stem; a force sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit; and a controller operable to determine an input to the earphone using a change in capacitance detected using the force sensor electrode, the change in capacitance corresponding to a non-binary amount of a force applied to the input surface. In some examples, the earphone further includes a touch sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit.

An operator control device for a vehicle, and a method for operating such an operator control device is disclosed. The operator control device is for controlling safety-relevant functions. To this end, the operator control device has at least one user interface having at least one user input panel for user input and a sensor system for identifying a user input in the area of the user input panel, wherein the sensor system has at least one capacitive sensor device having a first, electrically conductive sensor structure and a second, capacitive sensor device having a second, electrically conductive sensor structure, the sensor structures being arranged beneath the user interface in the area of the user input panel. The first sensor structure and the second sensor structure are each configured in comb-like and/or meanderous fashion and arranged in intermeshing fashion at least in a subarea of the user input panel.

A sensor switch including a first sensor electrode and a second sensor electrode at least partially surrounding the first sensor electrode. An evaluation and control circuit of the sensor switch is configured to generate a switch output signal if a first sensor electrode attenuation signal indicates a high signal attenuation, a second sensor electrode attenuation signal indicates a low signal attenuation, and a cross-coupling signal from the first to the second electrode indicates a low cross-coupling.

A mutually capacitive touch sensor includes a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode. The second capacitor electrode is adjacent and spatially separated from the first capacitor electrode. An inner region is disposed between the first capacitor electrode and the second capacitor electrode, wherein the first capacitor electrode and the second capacitor electrode are arranged to surround the inner region. The inner region may include a hole for a backlight.

An approaching detection apparatus and an electronic device are provided. The apparatus for use in the electronic device includes: a first electrode, a second electrode, and a detection module configured to detect a variation of a mutual capacitance value between the first electrode and the second electrode. The variation of the mutual capacitance value is used to determine an approaching state of the electronic device. When a human body approaches the electronic device, the variation of the mutual capacitance value is a first variation. When a non-human body approaches the electronic device, the variation of the mutual capacitance value is a second variation. One of the first variation and the second variation is a positive value and the other thereof is a negative value.