An electronic drum, comprising: a bottom member; a drum head; a drum sensor comprising: a passive resonant circuit mounted on the drum head and having a resonant frequency; and an active resonant circuit mounted on the bottom member and configured to excite the passive resonant circuit at the resonant frequency; a sensor driver to drive the active resonant circuit with an RF drive signal at the resonant frequency; and a detector to detect a level of RF signal from the driven active resonant circuit for sensing a position and/or velocity of the drum head; and a signal processor, coupled to the detector, configured to process the detected level of RF signal to sense a position and/or velocity of the drum head for determining when the drum head is hit.

A measurement method using an inductive proximity sensor connected to a cable, the measurement method including the following steps: applying to the cable an excitation voltage at a known reference frequency; acquiring a measurement voltage representative of the excitation current that flows in the cable and in the sensor under the effect of the excitation voltage; multiplying the measurement voltage both by a first reference signal in order to obtain a first measurement signal and also by a second reference signal in order to obtain a second measurement signal; using the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal to evaluate a measurement impedance representative of the impedance of the sensor and of the cable; using the measurement impedance to estimate the inductance of the sensor or the impedance of the sensor; and comparing the inductance of the sensor or the impedance of the sensor with a predefined detection threshold in order to obtain proximity information.

A sensing system for a computer input device. The sensing system comprises an actuator to attach to a key top or button. The actuator is moveable along an axis or hinged. The sensing system further comprises a biasing element to exert a biasing force on the actuator directed along the axis. The sensing system further comprises an actuator motion sensor associated with the actuator. The actuator motion sensor comprises a passive resonant circuit configured to be moved by the actuator and having a resonant frequency, an active resonant circuit configured to excite the passive resonant circuit at the resonant frequency, a sensor driver to drive the active resonant circuit with an RF drive signal at the resonant frequency, and a detector to detect a level of RF signal from a driven actuator motion sensor for sensing a position and/or velocity of the actuator.

A method for detecting the intention of a user to lock or unlock a motor-vehicle door with a detection device integrated into a handle. The method includes continuously measuring the resonant frequency of the detection device and successively comparing the measured resonant frequency to a first threshold representative of the approach of the user and to a second threshold, higher than the first threshold, representative of the contact of the user, the intention of the user to lock or unlock the door of the vehicle being validated only if a duration between the passage of the resonant frequency below the first threshold and the passage of the resonant frequency above the second threshold is shorter than a preset duration. An associated detection device is also disclosed.

The present disclosure provides a proximity switch. The proximity switch includes an oscillating circuit. The oscillating circuit is configured to detect an object to be sensed. The oscillating circuit has a resonant frequency, and the resonant frequency is in a range of from 0.8 MHz to 20 MHz. The present disclosure further provides a method for detecting an object to be sensed.

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.

A measurement method using an inductive proximity sensor connected to a cable, the measurement method including the following steps: applying to the cable an excitation voltage at a known reference frequency; acquiring a measurement voltage representative of the excitation current that flows in the cable and in the sensor under the effect of the excitation voltage; multiplying the measurement voltage both by a first reference signal in order to obtain a first measurement signal and also by a second reference signal in order to obtain a second measurement signal; using the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal to evaluate a measurement impedance representative of the impedance of the sensor and of the cable; using the measurement impedance to estimate the inductance of the sensor or the impedance of the sensor; and comparing the inductance of the sensor or the impedance of the sensor with a predefined detection threshold in order to obtain proximity information.

A system including an assembly arranged in at least one of a seat and a steering wheel of a vehicle and a measurement circuit. The assembly includes a sensor and a heater arranged adjacent to the sensor. The measurement circuit is configured to output an excitation signal to the measurement circuit and the assembly and measure a resonant frequency of the measurement circuit and the assembly in response to the excitation signal. The measurement circuit is configured to determine a capacitance value based on the resonant frequency and determine whether a body part is in proximity to the sensor based on the capacitance value.

A capacitance measuring system detecting an occupant of a vehicle. A sensor/heater assembly is arranged in at least one of a seat or a steering wheel of a vehicle and includes a sensor and a heater arranged adjacent to the sensor. A measurement circuit is configured to output an excitation signal to the measurement circuit and the sensor/heater assembly, measure a resonant frequency of the measurement circuit and the sensor/heater assembly in response to the excitation signal; determine at least one capacitance value based on the resonant frequency; and determine whether a body part is in proximity to the sensor based on the at least one capacitance value.

An electronic device may include a conductor sensing assembly for sensing movement of a conductor, for example, in order to provide an input assembly that may be operative to detect a user's manipulation of a distance between the conductor and a portion of the conductor sensing assembly for controlling a functionality of the device. The conductor sensing assembly may include an oscillator that may produce oscillations that decay at different rates dependent upon a variable distance between a component of the conductor sensing assembly and a conductor of the input assembly. As the decay rate may be dependent on or otherwise correlate with the magnitude of a distance between the oscillator and a conductor, detection of the decay rate of the oscillator may enable determination of a state of a button input assembly that includes a conductor operative to be movable by a user with respect to the oscillator.