A method is provided for sensing proximity of a target. The method includes sensing inductance associated with a magnetic field, wherein the inductance is affected by the target when the target is proximate the magnetic field. The method further includes providing the sensed inductance for processing. The processing includes determining an inductance value from at least the sensed inductance and estimating a parameter of a gap between a location of sensing the inductance and the target as a function of the inductance value and application of a nonlinear model of a relationship between the gap and inductance.

The invention concerns a robust user interface for electronic devices where a single measurement circuit is used to measured inductance values due to user press events through sealable surface, as well as capacitance values due to user proximity and/or touch events, and with both the measured inductance and capacitance values used to determine user input commands.

A proximity sensor for the inductive detection of objects, including a housing with a front cap, a processing and receiving unit, comprising a printed circuit board, which is configured to connect to an external control and evaluation unit, and a coil carrier, on which at least one primary coil and at least one first secondary coil are arranged circumferentially wound and spaced apart in an axial direction of an axis extending axially through the housing, wherein the first secondary coil lies closer, in the axial direction, to the end face than the primary coil, wherein a second secondary coil is arranged on the coil carrier, wherein the primary coil is arranged between the first and second secondary coils, wherein a metallic shielding element is arranged in an axial area surrounding the second secondary coil and is not arranged in an axial area surrounding the first secondary coil.

The invention relates to a sensor for determining an output value, the sensor having: a detection unit configured to detect a sensor signal; a preprocessing unit configured to determine an intermediate signal on the basis of the sensor signal and of a predefined reference signal; and an evaluation unit that is trained in accordance with a machine learning method and that is configured to determine the output value on the basis of the intermediate signal.

A user may provide finger press input to a surface such as a touch sensitive input surface. The input surface may be formed from a two-dimensional touch sensor overlapping a display of an electronic device. The electronic device and an associated device such as a finger-mounted device may form a system for gathering the finger press input from the user. A sensor may be used in monitoring when the finger-mounted device and a user's finger in the device approach the input surface of the electronic device. In response to detection of the finger near the input surface, actuators in the finger-mounted device may squeeze the finger inwardly to cause a finger pad on the finger to protrude outwardly towards the input surface, thereby softening impact between the finger and the input surface. The electronic device may also have an array of components to repel the finger-mounted device.

In an embodiment, an inductive proximity sensor includes two receiving coils and one transmitting coil arranged between the two receiving coils. The receiving coils and transmitting coil are each formed from a group of at least two individual coils on carrier boards, which are arranged parallel to one another. The carrier boards have a diameter which is smaller than or equal to 10 mm, and a winding of the receiving coils or the transmitting coil has a cross-sectional geometry in which a ratio of a base width to a height lies in the range from 0.2 to 0.3. An embodiment of a method for detecting an object using an inductive proximity sensor includes generating an alternating field using a transmitting coil of the proximity sensor and sensing, using two receiving coils of the inductive proximity sensor, a change in the alternating field caused by proximity of the object.

Provided is a proximity sensor that can limit degradation in voltage resistance. A proximity sensor includes: a housing; a coil portion that is accommodated in one end of the housing; a clamp portion that is connected to the other end of the housing; a substrate which is accommodated inside the housing and the clamp portion, and on which a circuit electrically connected to the coil portion is mounted; a shield that covers a part of the substrate located on a side of the housing; and a resin portion which is arranged inside the housing and the clamp portion, and covers at least a part of the substrate. The shield has an extension portion which extends to an inside of the clamp portion and covers at least a part of the circuit located inside the clamp portion.

This proximity sensor includes: a cylindrical housing having an opening at one end in the axial direction; a detection part housed at the other end of the housing and detecting the presence or absence of a detection target contactlessly; a substrate housed in the housing and mounted with a control circuit for controlling the detection part; a detection part shield preventing external noise from entering the detection part and including a first face part adhered to the front surface on the other side of the detection part, and a side face part configured from multiple side pieces connected to the outer periphery of the first face part and bent from the first face part to cover the side surface of the detection part; and a resin provided around the detection part and the detection part shield.

A system that combines an integrated circuit, sensors, and a detectable material on a device. The sensors are generally capable of detecting the presence of multiple substrates as well as their orientation relative to each other. In example embodiments, the sensors can also detect the velocity and direction of motion of the detectable material. In an example mode of use, the system is installed in a children's device, such as an interactive book. The detectable material is embedded in each page of the book such that the sensors can determine which page the book is open to the user. The integrated circuit can process the page open information to produce an output, such as a sound from a speaker.

A method can include in a first phase of a sensing operation, controlling at least a first switch to energize a sensor inductance; in a second phase of the sensing operation that follows the first phase, controlling at least a second switch to couple the sensor inductance to a first modulator capacitance to induce a first fly-back current from the sensor inductance, the first fly-back current generating a first modulator voltage at the first modulator capacitance, and in response to the first modulator voltage, controlling at least a third switch to generate a balance current that flows in an opposite direction to the fly-back current at the first modulator node. The first and second phases can be repeated to generate a first modulator voltage at the first modulator capacitance. the modulator voltage can be converted into a digital value representing the sensor inductance. Related devices and systems are also disclosed.