A capacitive detection device that may include at least one electrode of a capacitive sensor, an alternating voltage source, a device for measuring a complex value of impedance or admittance between the detection electrode and an electrical circuit reference point and a calibration resistor, and a switching device arranged so as to connect the voltage source to the electrode, in the measurement mode, and to connect the voltage source to the calibration resistor and disconnect the voltage source from the electrode, in the calibration mode. The measuring device is arranged so as to measure a first complex value of the calibration resistor, during operation in the calibration mode; to measure a second complex value between the electrode and the electrical circuit reference point during operation in measurement mode, and to correct the second measured complex value according to the first measured complex value.

A circuit structure and a method for carrying out an alternating heating and capacitive measuring mode by a common heating wire is presented. The method includes carrying out a heating mode, during which from a switching by a control circuit switching elements are in a conducting state, the switching elements are connected in series, so that the heating wire is supplied with a heating current from two different heating potentials; triggering a change into a detecting mode by the control circuit, so that the switching elements switch from the heating mode into a measuring mode, during which the switching elements are in a blocking state, so that the two different heating potentials are each interrupted several times; carrying out the measuring mode, in which the capacitance of the heating wire relative to a reference potential is determined by a detecting circuit by applying to the heating wire an alternating voltage.

A vehicle interior assembly, such as a vehicle seat or a steering wheel, includes a cover assembly covering a frame. The cover assembly includes a vinyl or non-woven textile cover and an electrically conductive coating layer (“ECCL”) within an A-surface of the cover. The ECCL may function as a heater, a capacitive touch control, or lighting. Another cover assembly includes first and second ECCLs within an A-surface of a cover. The first ECCL functions as a heater and the second ECL functions as a capacitive touch control. Another cover assembly includes an ECCL and a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) coating layer within an A-surface of a cover. The ECCL functions as a heater dependent on current received from a power source via the PTC coating layer. The PTC coating layer regulates the current received by the ECCL from the power source dependent on a temperature of the PTC coating layer.

A composite sheath for a vehicle steering wheel, the steering wheel comprising a rim and at least one first electrical device, such as a switch or light strip, the composite sheath being arranged to cover the rim at least partially, the composite sheath comprising at least one second electrical device, such as a resistive heating wire or a metal weft for a capacitive sensor, characterized in that wherein the composite sheath further comprises an electrical conductor arranged so as to be connected to the at least one first electrical device.

A steering wheel for a motor vehicle is presented. The steering wheel includes a steering wheel hub configured for the detachable attachment to a steering shaft of the motor vehicle; a steering wheel rim fixed to the steering wheel hub; at least one electrode, which is integrated into the steering wheel rim, for the capacitive detection of a touch on the steering wheel rim; an electrically conductive connection disposed outside the steering wheel to apply an electrical measuring potential for touch detection to the electrode, and to detect the touch on the steering wheel rim; a non-volatile data storage unit on or in the steering wheel, wherein the non-volatile data storage unit is in each case configured or developed to be read out by a reading unit disposed outside the steering wheel and connected to the electronic evaluation unit in a data-transmitting manner.

A method of heating a vehicle member, comprising at least one first electrical heating unit and at least one second electrical heating unit, the method comprising: a first step with a step consisting of supplying current to the first electrical heating unit until at least one zone reaches a setpoint temperature, and with a step consisting of determining a first electrical energy supplied to the first electrical heating unit, a second step with a step consisting of supplying the first electrical heating unit in order to keep the priority area of the member at the setpoint temperature and with a step consisting of delivering to the second electrical heating unit a second electrical energy, calculated based on the first electrical energy.

A microclimate control system for a seated occupant includes a seat having a cushion and a back respectively including a first array of pressure sensors and a second array of pressure sensors. The first array of pressure sensors provides a cushion occupant output. The second array of pressure sensors provides a back occupant output. The cushion and back occupant outputs correspond to load distributions from the seated occupant. At least one thermal effector is configured to provide thermal conditioning to the seated occupant. A controller is in communication with the first and second arrays of pressure sensors and with the at least one thermal effector. The controller includes an occupant personal parameters algorithm configured to extract occupant personal parameters based upon the cushion and back occupant outputs. The occupant personal parameters include at least two of an occupant weight, an occupant height, and an occupant gender. The occupant personal parameter algorithm estimates an occupant clothing insulation value from the occupant personal parameters. The controller is configured to regulate the at least one thermal effector based upon the occupant clothing insulation value.

A flexible electric heating device includes a planar flexible carrier foil, at least two electrically conductive bus lines attached to a surface of the carrier foil, and at least one electric heating member, including first and second electrically conductive electrodes, electrically connected to one of the bus lines. Each electrode has at least one curved edge, wherein the curved edges are located at a distance and are facing each other. The heating member further includes a resistive heater layer, at least partially overlapping the curved edges of the electrodes to form a resistive connecting region. The curved edges are arranged such that locations of the resistive connecting region are facing the first electrode or the second electrode in directions parallel to at least three mutually orthogonal directions that lie in the carrier foil, wherein one of the orthogonal directions is aligned parallel to an edge of the carrier foil.

A capacitive sensor includes: a substrate that is in the form of a sheet; and a sensor electrode that is capacitive and disposed on a frontside of the substrate. The sensor electrode is a conductive fabric made by applying a metal plating on a mesh fabric that is woven of a plurality of warps and a plurality of wefts and that has openings each formed by two adjacent warps among the plurality of warps and two adjacent wefts among the plurality of wefts. An area defined by a maximum outside diameter of a warp or weft is smaller than an area of an opening space of each of the openings.

An electric power-steering control device has a substrate, a heat-generating component, and a heat-storing body. The heat-generating component is disposed on one surface of the substrate and generates heat when activated. The heat-storing body is capable of storing the heat from the heat-generating components. The heat-storing body has a main body having a rectangular plate shape and disposed on the one surface of the substrate. The heat-storing body has a notch section or a recess section.