A touch operation sensing device includes a touch interaction switch integrally formed with a housing and including a conductive first touch member having a first insulated hole, and a sensing coil disposed inside the first touch member. The touch operation sensing device includes an oscillation circuit and a touch detection circuit. The oscillation circuit is configured to generate an oscillation signal having a variable resonance frequency based on a touch capacitance generated by an interaction with a touch body touching the first touch member, the first insulated hole, and the sensing coil. The touch detection circuit is configured to detect a touch interaction using the oscillation signal from the oscillation circuit.

An inductive sensor which includes one or more inductive coils and an inductance to digital converter. The output of the inductive sensor may be used to replace the functions of a switch and a potentiometer to initiate and control various outputs in welding-type systems and applications.

In one embodiment, an inductive/LC sensor device includes: an energy storage device for accumulating excitation energy, an LC sensor configured to oscillate using energy accumulated in the energy storage device and transferred to the LC sensor, an energy detector for detecting the energy accumulated in the energy storage device reaching a charge threshold, and at least one switch coupled with the energy detector for terminating accumulating excitation energy in the energy storage device when the charge threshold is detected having been reached by the energy detector.

Disclosed is a factor 1 and inductive sensor device including an LC resonant circuit powered by a suitable generator, an operational chain of units for acquisition by sampling and processing of the response signal, and a functional set of units for evaluating at least one temporarily set value of the processed signal and supplying detection or non-detection information. The acquisition and processing unit includes analog a unit for filtering and/or amplifying the sampled response signal, and a unit for compensating the temperature drift of the response signal by correcting the sampled signal following the digital conversion thereof, associated with or including a temperature sensor.

An inductive sensor is proposed which comprises at least one resonant circuit, an evaluation device which in a measuring phase evaluates oscillations of the at least one resonant circuit for generating sensor signals, an energy storage device, and a transfer device which in a relaxation phase of the at least one resonant circuit stores oscillation energy of the at least one resonant circuit in the energy storage device.

A proximity sensor that outputs presence or absence of a detection object or a position of the detection object as a detection result includes: a detection part configured to include a detection coil and a capacitor; an oscillation circuit configured to excite the detection part; an analog/digital conversion circuit configured to detect a signal change occurring in the detection part and output a digital signal indicating the detected signal change; a temperature detection part configured to detect a temperature inside a casing of the proximity sensor; a storage part configured to store a characteristic parameter unique to the proximity sensor in advance; a control calculation part configured to process a digital signal from the analog/digital conversion circuit to calculate a signal indicating a distance to the detection object, compensate the calculated signal using the characteristics parameter stored in the storage part, and output the compensated signal as the detection result.

A high-frequency switch includes: a first transistor connected to an input terminal and a first output terminal; a second transistor connected to the first output terminal; a third transistor connected to the second transistor and grounded; a resistor connected to a connection between the second and third transistors and grounded; a switching circuit switchable between a state in which the switching circuit allows passage of a transmitted/received signal between the input terminal and a second output terminal and a state in which the switching circuit cuts off the transmitted/received signal; and a control unit to control the first, second, and third transistors and the switching circuit. At the time of reception, the control unit brings the switching circuit into the state in which the switching circuit cuts off the transmitted/received signal, places the first and third transistors in an on-state, and places the second transistor in an off-state. At the time of transmission and reception with an automatic gain control operation, the control unit brings the switching circuit into the state in which the switching circuit allows the passage of the transmitted/received signal, brings the first and third transistors in an off-state, and brings the second transistor in an on-state.

Self-testing proximity testing systems and corresponding methods are discussed herein and can include a proximity probe and controller in electrical communication via a cable. A self-testing subsystem can be in communication with the controller and configured to determine whether proximity probes and cables assembled with a controller are compatible or incompatible. The self-testing subsystem can place a known impedance in electrical communication with the controller, modifying a proximity signal output by the controller. When the modified proximity signal differs from a predicted proximity signal by greater than or equal to a threshold amount, the self-testing subsystem can output a first indication indicating that incompatible proximity probes and cables are assembled with a controller. When the modified proximity signal differs from a predicted proximity signal by less than the threshold amount, the self-testing subsystem can output a second indication indicating that compatible proximity probes and cables are assembled with a controller.

A system may include a resistive-inductive-capacitive sensor, a measurement circuit communicatively coupled to the resistive-inductive-capacitive sensor, and a filter communicatively coupled to the measurement circuit. The measurement circuit may be configured to measure phase information associated with the resistive-inductive-capacitive sensor and based on the phase information, determine a displacement of a mechanical member relative to the resistive-inductive-capacitive sensor. The filter may be configured to isolate changes to the displacement which are significantly slower than an expected change to the displacement in response to a human interaction with the mechanical member.

A high-frequency switch includes: a first transistor connected to an input terminal and a first output terminal; a second transistor connected to the first output terminal; a third transistor connected to the second transistor and grounded; a resistor connected to a connection between the second and third transistors and grounded; a switching circuit switchable between a state in which the switching circuit allows passage of a transmitted/received signal between the input terminal and a second output terminal and a state in which the switching circuit cuts off the transmitted/received signal; and a control unit to control the first, second, and third transistors and the switching circuit. At the time of reception, the control unit brings the switching circuit into the state in which the switching circuit cuts off the transmitted/received signal, places the first and third transistors in an on-state, and places the second transistor in an off-state. At the time of transmission and reception with an automatic gain control operation, the control unit brings the switching circuit into the state in which the switching circuit allows the passage of the transmitted/received signal, brings the first and third transistors in an off-state, and brings the second transistor in an on-state.