A functional vehicle component and related methods include a functional leather assembly fixed over a vehicle component. The functional leather assembly includes a leather sheet, a flexible electronic circuit arranged on a first surface of the leather sheet that faces away from the vehicle component to thereby define an outermost surface of the leather sheet, and including a piezoelectric switch that can be actuated to make or break a conductive path in the circuit; and a pigmented coating arranged over the circuit. Upon actuation of the piezoelectric switch to make or break the conductive path in the circuit, the piezoelectric switch provides a haptic signal that indicates the actuation of the piezoelectric switch.

Provided is a light-transmitting conducive laminate which is moldable and has good designability. A light-transmitting conductive laminate is provided in which at least a surface skin material and a transparent conductive base are sequentially laminated from the input side.

An operating element for a vehicle interior is integrated in a flexible material and comprises an electroluminescent layer arranged between a first conducting layer and a second conducting layer. The arrangement of the first conducting layer, the second conducting layer and the electroluminescent layer is configured to be operable as a capacitive sensor.

A method and a device for operating a multi-channel device wherein common control of an adjustment parameter is carried out in different zones in a synchronization mode. In another operating mode, the zones are controlled separately according to the individually adjusted adjustment parameters. There are at least a first parameter adjuster and a second parameter adjuster for setting the parameters for the at least two zones. The individual operating mode, on further actuating the second parameter adjuster so the selected parameter is brought into agreement with the parameter value selected by the first parameter adjuster, the second operating mode is exited and the at least two different zones are again controlled in common in the first operating mode.

An input apparatus, a method of inputting a command, and a vehicle equipped with the input apparatus are provided. The input apparatus includes a base frame and a movable manipulation unit installed at the base frame to be movable to at least one selectable position of a plurality of selectable positions. Additionally, a controller is configured to select an application to be executed according to the at least one selectable position to which the movable manipulation unit has moved and operate the movable manipulation unit to execute an operation that corresponds to the selected application.

A steering wheel for a motor vehicle, including at least one translucent touch-sensitive wall, arranged on the inside of the rim of the steering wheel, the touch-sensitive wall having a front surface and a rear surface, the touch-sensitive wall includes a single capacitive detection sheet that is configured to detect the presence and a position of a thumb on the front surface and the presence of at least one other finger on the rear surface.

A touch input device comprising a touch device with which a user is capable of inputting a touch gesture, wherein the touch device includes a base, of which a surface has a concave shape, wherein a depth of the base is gradually increased from an outer portion toward a center portion or is uniformly maintained, a pattern groove formed in the surface of the base, a sense pattern provided in the pattern groove and including a conductive material, a wire for connecting the sense pattern to an integrated circuit, and a coating layer stacked on the base.

A user interface apparatus for a vehicle includes: a circuit part injection-molded body formed in an insert injection process in which first resin melt is injected while a circuit part is inserted; and a cover part injection-molded body coupled to the circuit part injection-molded body, and formed in an insert injection process in which second resin melt is injected while a cover part is inserted. The circuit part includes: a light emitting unit; a touch sensor that detects a touch input; and at least one processor that controls the light emitting unit in response to an event to generate light; activates the touch sensor in response to generation of the light; and generates a signal for controlling a vehicle device in response to a touch input. The cover part allows light generated by the light emitting unit to pass therethrough and illuminate a shape on the cover part.

A keypad system uses capacitive touch switches in combination with one or more mechanical switches for ultra-low-power operation and/or increased functionality. A Capacitive switches are activated by touching different regions of a housing. A microcontroller detects the activation of the touch switches and communicate a code to a remote device in response to switch activation. The microcontroller preferably has a fully operational active state and a reduced functionality sleep state. Activation of at least one mechanical switch causes the microcontroller to awaken from the reduced functionality sleep state to the fully operational active state, thereby enabling the microcontroller to determine if one or more of the capacitive switches has been activated to communicate a corresponding code to the remote device. While ideally suited to vehicle-mounted keyless entry systems, the apparatus and methods find wider applicability in diverse fields of use.

A charging cable unit for a charging column of an electric filling station has a cooling unit and a charging cable which is preferably provided with cable shoes. The coding unit includes a heat exchanger with first connections and second connections. The charging cable has a secondary coolant circuit that is fluidically connected to the second connections. The cooling unit is designed to cool the secondary coolant circuit if the first connections are fluidically connected to a common primary coolant circuit of the electric filling station. Also described is a mounting method using such a charging cable unit.