An operating unit for a domestic appliance has a touch-sensitive unit and an LED unit positioned on the rear thereof. The touch-sensitive unit is formed with a diffuser foil which has a top side, facing an operator, provided with a printed character layer and an underside, directed away therefrom, provided with a printed functional layer. This leads to a simpler structure of the operating unit with a smaller number of components, which permits a cost-optimized manufacturing process, and also a higher display contrast with the simultaneous reduction of undesirable reflection effects.

A control system for a vehicle interior comprising a control element for a user to interact with is provided. The control element may comprise a sensing electrode configured to provide one or more electrical signals and a non-conductive cover material provided on or over the sensing electrode. The sensing electrode may be formed of or comprise a conductive plastic. The non-conductive cover material may be formed of or comprise a non-conductive plastic. The non-conductive cover material may be or comprise an outer layer, over-layer or skin of the control element. The non-conductive cover material may provide one or more touch interactive surfaces of the control element.

Provided is a smart garnish installed on an automobile interior material (a door trim, an instrument panel, a console, or the like), and to a smart garnish for an automobile which is driven when a capacitance change is sensed by a pressed deformation of an upper case through a capacitive touch sensor pad formed of a ground (GND) and capacitive touch sensors corresponding to symbols and capacitive force sensors distributed corresponding to the ground and thus the touch and force of the desired symbol are sensed without noise.

An electronic device has a keyboard with an internal membrane. The membrane has a set of strain gauges configured to respond to a key press, such as when a collapsible dome collapses into contact with the membrane. The strain gauges are connected in a half Wheatstone bridge configuration and are positioned on the membrane in order to limit effects of temperature and subtle flexure of the membrane. The strain gauges are also configured to magnify detection of a resistance differential when a keycap is pressed with sufficient force.

Provided is a refrigeration appliance including a storage compartment, a user interface controller, and a user interface arranged in the storage compartment. The user interface is a stacked arrangement including a sensor assembly carrier, a graphic overlay, a light guide, and a printed circuit board (PCB) with a user interface controller and a self-capacitive electrode sensor. The main controller receives a signal from the user interface with self-capacitive electrode sensor and adjusts the temperature of the storage compartment based on the signal from the self-capacitive electrode sensor. A method controlling a refrigeration appliance with a stacked user interface is also provided.

Electronic control device (10) comprising: —an electronic circuit (11) having an operative face (11a) on which a plurality of LEDs (12) are mounted; —a frame (13) defining a plurality of first channels (14) which face the LEDs so as to guide their light radiation; —a composite screen (15) which covers the first channels (14) so as to be crossed by a light radiation coming from the LEDs (12) and guided by the first channels (14) towards the composite screen (15). The composite screen (15) comprises: —a diffuser layer (16) configured to homogenize a light radiation that crosses it; —an operative layer (17) having electronic tracks comprising touch-sensitive pads (18) and connection contacts (19). The electronic control device (10) further comprises at least one connector (20) which connects electrically the connection contacts (19) to the electronic circuit (11) in order to transmit to the latter electrical signals following touching, by a user, of at least one of said sensitive pads (18) on the composite screen (15).

Ambient lighting system (3) for motorcars (2) comprising: an optical system (4) comprising: RGB LED light sources (41); a structural support (40) on which said light sources (41) are placed; a diffusive module (42) adapted to diffuse light rays. The ambient lighting system (3) comprising a capacitive touch sensor (6), the latter being locally integrated in the ambient lighting system (3); and light guide modules (43), interposed between the light sources (41) and said diffusive module (42), and being adapted to guide light rays emitted by the light sources (41) and being designed to isolate the light rays emitted by each light guide module (43), in order to realize sectors (C) adapted to be illuminated with sharp contrast with the rest of the ambient lighting system (3), defining the position of at least one soft button (B), the latter being realized by means of the capacitive touch sensor (6).

A touch indicating cover includes a light-guide plastic piece, a printed circuit layer, an ink layer, a passivation layer, and a light-emitting component. The light-guide plastic piece has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, wherein the second surface of the light-guide plastic piece comprises a plurality of microstructures. The printed circuit layer is disposed on the first surface of the light-guide plastic piece. The ink layer is disposed on the printed circuit layer and the first surface of the light-guide plastic piece, wherein the ink layer comprises a light-emitting pattern region corresponding to the microstructures. The passivation film is disposed on the ink layer. The light-emitting component is embedded in the first surface of the light-guide plastic piece and connected to the printed circuit layer, wherein the light-emitting component is disposed adjacent the light-emitting pattern region.

Vehicle trim panel having a switching function comprising a decorative front panel which conceals a switching device having switching areas defined on the decorative front panel for controlling vehicle functions and a lighting device for backlighting said switching areas. Particularly the switching device comprises a sensor foil comprising a light transmitting film wherein several independent sensing areas are configured and an elastic rubber-like portion configured to be compressed between the back side of the decorative front panel and the front side of the light guide in order to keep the sensor foil in tight contact free of air-gaps with the back side of the decorative front panel. The elastic rubber-like portion comprises first attaching means to tightly and removably attach the sensor foil to either the light guide or to the decorative front panel.

A touch indicating cover includes a light-guide plastic piece, a printed circuit layer, an ink layer, a passivation layer, and a light-emitting component. The light-guide plastic piece has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, wherein the second surface of the light-guide plastic piece comprises a plurality of microstructures. The printed circuit layer is disposed on the first surface of the light-guide plastic piece. The ink layer is disposed on the printed circuit layer and the first surface of the light-guide plastic piece, wherein the ink layer comprises a light-emitting pattern region corresponding to the microstructures. The passivation film is disposed on the ink layer. The light-emitting component is embedded in the first surface of the light-guide plastic piece and connected to the printed circuit layer, wherein the light-emitting component is disposed adjacent the light-emitting pattern region.