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.

A capacitive measurement circuit for a capacitive sensing device having a plurality of antenna electrodes includes: a measurement signal voltage source, a remotely controllable switching unit, and a current measurement circuit. The switching unit includes a plurality of ports and switching members that are configured to provide connections between selected ports. The measurement signal voltage source and the current measurement circuit are operatively connected to a distinct port. Each antenna electrode is individually connectable to a distinct port. The switching unit is configured to connect, within a same measurement cycle, each of the antenna electrodes to the voltage output port and the current measurement circuit for loading mode operation. The switching unit is further configured to connect at least one of the antenna electrodes to the voltage output port and at least one other antenna electrode of the antenna electrodes to the current measurement circuit for coupling mode operation.

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.

An electronic module for an inductive sensor apparatus is provided which comprises at least one voltage-controlled current source, a current source port connected to the at least one voltage-controlled current source for providing a voltage-controlled current from the at least one voltage-controlled current source, an adder device, an adder input port connected to the adder device, and an adder output port which is connected to the adder device. The current source port is connectable to an electrical resonant circuit and/or to a coil element. The adder input port is connectable to the current source port or to at least one further coil element. By way of the adder device, an operation of addition and/or subtraction of a voltage applied to the adder input port and at least one offset voltage is performed. An evaluation signal for evaluation by an evaluation device is providable at the adder output port.

A method for operating a sensor system having at least three sensor elements that can be attached on the surface of machines or components, the sensor elements having electrodes for forming electrical fields between electrodes having different electrical potential, the electrical fields changing upon the approach and/or contact of a body or an object, the electrodes acting as transmit electrode and/or as receive electrode, and the sensor elements being controlled in succession by a control device in a particular temporal or positional sequence.

A method for operating a sensor system having at least three sensor elements that can be attached on the surface of machines or components, the sensor elements having electrodes for forming electrical fields between electrodes having different electrical potential, the electrical fields changing upon the approach and/or contact of a body or an object, the electrodes acting as transmit electrode and/or as receive electrode, and the sensor elements being controlled in succession by a control device in a particular temporal or positional sequence.

A proximity sensor or switch having a sensing coil, an oscillator connected to the coil, a comparator connected to the oscillator, a reference voltage module connected to the comparator, and an output driver connected to the comparator. The voltage module may incorporate a resistor having an end connected to a high side of a power source, and a digital potentiometer having a first end connected to another end of the resistor and to the comparator, and having a second end connected to a ground side of the power source. The digital potentiometer may have a resistance that is varied with a signal. A variation of the resistance for the digital potentiometer may result in a change of a voltage from the reference voltage module which further changes a switching distance of the proximity switch to a predetermined value.

A proximity switch assembly and method are provided having wrong touch feedback and adaptive learning. The method includes the steps of detecting multiple attempted activations of a proximity switch that is not allowed, and adjusting one or more settings based on the detected multiple attempted activations to provide adaptive learning. The method also includes the steps of detecting an allowed activation of the proximity switch based on the adjusted one or more settings, and performing an action in response to the detected allowed activation. The proximity switch assembly includes one or more user perceived feedback devices for generating user perceived feedback when an attempted activation that is not allowed is detected.

A proximity switch assembly is provided. The proximity switch assembly includes a proximity switch comprising a proximity sensor providing an activation field, and control circuitry monitoring a signal responsive to the activation signal and determining an activation of the switch, detecting a first peak value above a threshold when the signal is not stable followed by a drop and a subsequent rise to a second peak value followed by a sharp drop.

A proximity switch assembly is provided. The proximity switch assembly includes a proximity switch comprising a proximity sensor providing an activation field, and control circuitry monitoring a signal responsive to the activation signal and determining an activation of the switch, detecting a first peak value above a threshold when the signal is not stable followed by a drop and a subsequent rise to a second peak value followed by a sharp drop.