Abstract: A method of recording 3D images of a scene based on the time-of-flight principle is described. The method includes illuminating a scene by emitting light carrying an intensity modulation, imaging the scene onto a pixel array using an optical system, detecting, in each pixel, intensity-modulated light reflected from the scene onto the pixel and determining, for each pixel, a distance value based on the phase of light detected in the pixel. The determination of the distance values includes a phase-sensitive de-convolution of the scene imaged onto the pixel array such that phase errors induced by light spreading in the optical system are compensated for.

Abstract: In an impedance measurement system, a reference impedance (2) to be measured is periodically connected and disconnected by means of switch (3) in parallel to the unknown impedance (1) to be measured. The thus generated amplitude modulation of the measurement current is demodulated, and the amplitude of the demodulated signal is indicative of the reference impedance to be measured. Using a low frequency modulation of the reference impedance enables to measure the impedance of the reference impedance without disconnecting the unknown impedance.

Abstract: A capacitive occupant detection system (10) comprises a sine signal generator (12) to apply a sine voltage signal to an antenna electrode (14) and a current measurement circuit (18, 20, 28, 30, 40) to measure current signals, based upon which a control and evaluation unit determines and outputs an occupancy state. The signal generator (12) is coupled to the antenna electrode via an amplitude adjustment stage (13), configured to adjust the amplitude of said sine voltage signal applied to said antenna electrode to an amplitude selected among at least two discrete amplitudes. The control and evaluation circuit selects one of the discrete amplitudes at a time and causes the amplitude adjustment stage to adjust the amplitude of said the voltage signal applied to the antenna electrode accordingly. The control and evaluation circuit carries out an interference detection mode and an occupant detection mode.

Abstract: An article of footwear including a pressure sensor arranged in the sole structure, where the sensor includes elongated pressure-sensing cells, each of which has an axis of main extension, each cell having a first and a second carrier film, which are attached to one another by a spacer film having an elongated opening oriented along the axis of main extension, as well as a first and a second electrode on the first and the second carrier film, respectively, where the electrodes are arranged in facing relationship with each other, so that a contact area between them increases with increasing pressure, and an electrically insulating layer is arranged within the opening having a shape such that it locally prevents direct contact between the electrodes where the insulating layer is present and enables the direct contact where it is absent, where the shape is constant or repetitionary along the axis of main extension of the cell.

Abstract: A capacitive occupant detection system comprises at least one sensing electrode to be arranged on the bottom side of a seat cushion, a seat heater like structure to be arranged on a top side of said seat cushion, and an evaluation unit operatively coupled to said at least one sensing electrode for determining a value representative of the capacitance between the at least one sensing electrode and the seat heater like structure.

Abstract: A combined seat heater and capacitive occupancy sensor comprises a heater network including a heating element (11) and a capacitive sensing circuit connected to the heating element to sense a capacitive load. A first and a second interface are provided for connecting the heating element to a first and a second terminal of a power source, respectively. Each interface comprises electronically controlled switches (3, 5; 4, 6) arranged in series and defining an intermediate node (20; 21). An oscillator (8) is AC-coupled to the intermediate nodes to apply an oscillating voltage thereto. A current measuring means (9), AC-coupled between the oscillator and the heating element, keeps the AC-potential of the heating element at least substantially equal, in amplitude and phase, to the oscillating voltage on the intermediate nodes and to derive the capacitive load from a thus resulting current flowing into the heating element.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor comprises a sensing antenna electrode (10) for capacitively coupling to a counterelectrode to form a capacitance (40, 42), this capacitance being responsive to an electric-field-influencing property of an object or person proximate to the antenna electrode. The counterelectrode may be or may not be part of the capacitive sensor. The capacitive sensor further comprises a capacitive sensing network connected to the antenna electrode to apply an oscillating signal thereto and to and to determine the capacitance based upon characteristics of the oscillating signal. The capacitive sensing network includes at least one inductor (16) and a plurality of reactive components (36) arranged to form a resonant network together with the capacitance (40, 42), the plurality of reactive components being activatable and deactivatable in such a way as to modify a resonance frequency of the resonant network.

Abstract: A seat heater, e.g. for a vehicle seat, comprises a heating element (10) for dissipating heat when a heating current flows across it and a temperature sensor (15) for providing a temperature signal indicative of the seat temperature. The seat heater comprises a common mode choke (16) with at least three windings. The heating element is connected in series between a first (16.1) and a second (16.2) thereof so as to be operatively connectable to a power source (12) via the common mode choke. The temperature sensor is connected to a third winding (16.3) of the at least three windings in such a way that the temperature signal may be received, e.g. by a temperature controller of the seat heater, via the third winding of the common mode choke.

Abstract: A method for matching the pixels (10-1, 10-2) of a first range image of a scene (18) as seen from a first point of sight (14) with pixels (12-1, 12-2) of a second range image of the scene as seen from a second point of sight (16) comprises the following steps: providing the first range image as a grid of source pixels (10), on which the scene is mapped in accordance with a first projection associated with the first point of sight, wherein each source pixel has a point in the scene projected thereon in accordance with the first projection and has associated therewith a range value determined for that point in the scene; providing a grid of target pixels (12) for the second range image and a second projection associated with the second point of sight; and for each one of the target pixels, a) determining which source pixel would have the same point (P1, P2) in the scene projected thereon in accordance with the first projection as the target pixel would have projected thereon in accordance with the second projec

Abstract: A touchpad with an input area having a straight or curved main line of extension comprises a support element, a cover having a first surface facing away from the support element and a second surface facing towards the support element and one or more spacers arranged at a periphery of the input area. The one or more spacers mount the cover on the support element in such a way that the cover spans over the support plate in the input area while it is depressible towards the support element by a force acting on the input area of the touchpad. A resistive trace is so arranged on the support element that it extends along the main line of extension of the input area. At least one terminal contacts the resistive trace at a particular point of the main line of extension of the input area and a set of detection electrodes is arranged on the second surface of the cover in facing relationship with the resistive trace.

Abstract: A gas detector (100) for remote gas detection in a target region (106) comprises a light source (102) for emitting a light beam (110) into the target region and a light sensor (112) for sensing light returning therefrom. The light beam is wavelength-modulated around an absorption wavelength of the gas. A controller (108) is operatively connected to the light sensor for detecting a presence of the gas on a path of the light beam based on returning light sensed by the light sensor. An indicator (124) that is operatively connected to the controller indicates the presence of the gas. A scanning device (104) is arranged with respect to the light source so as to scan the light beam through the target region, and with respect to the light sensor so that the light sensor receives the returning light via the scanning device. The indicator cooperates with the scanning device to indicate a position of the gas in the target region.

Abstract: An upholstered seat element for a vehicle seat comprises a foam padding (10) having a surface generally shaped in conformity with an outward surface of the vehicle seat, a trim cover disposed on the foam padding surface, a sheet-type electric device arranged between the foam padding and the trim cover and an attachment assembly securing the trim cover to the foam padding. The foam padding has at least one channel formed therein on the foam padding surface, along which channel the attachment assembly is arranged. The sheet-type device has at least one strip-shaped portion crossing the channel in at least one crossing location. The foam padding has a recess formed therein at the at least one crossing location, the recess being dimensioned in such a way that the strip-shaped portion of the film type device may slide into the recess when the upholstered seat element is subjected to a force inducing deformation of the foam padding.

Abstract: A capacitive occupant detection system comprises at least one antenna electrode to be arranged in a seat and an evaluation unit operatively coupled to said at least one antenna electrode, said evaluation unit being configured for applying, during operation, an alternating voltage signal to said antenna electrode and for detecting an amplitude and/or phase of a displacement current flowing from said antenna electrode towards ground. According to the invention said antenna electrode comprises an antenna electrode conductor and at least one dedicated ground electrode, said ground electrode being arranged at a predetermined distance of said antenna electrode conductor and extending along said antenna electrode conductor.

Abstract: An access control device comprises at least one transit authorization request device, such as an ID sensor activated by access card or badge or a biometric sensor (fingerprint, retina), said transit authorization request device to be activated by a person requesting authorization to pass through said passageway or doorway and a presence detection and tracking device for detecting the presence of a person in the vicinity of said passageway or doorway and for tracking the movement of a person within or through said passageway or doorway. According to the invention, the access control device further comprises a control unit configured for assigning a virtual transit ticket to a person after authorization to pass through said passageway or doorway has been granted to said person, said virtual transit ticket being representative of the transit privileges granted to said person, i.e.

Abstract: An active-illumination scanning imager (10) comprises a light source (14) for producing a light beam (16), an optical collimator (18) for collimating the light beam, a scanning mirror (20) for scanning the light beam through a scene (12) to be imaged, and a light detector (22) arranged with respect to the scanning mirror in such a way as to receive a fraction (24) of said light beam reflected from said scene, via the scanning mirror. The imager further includes an actuator (40) configured to position the light source and/or the optical collimator relative to each other and/or the light detector relative to the scanning mirror, and a controller (46) operatively connected to the actuator for controlling the positioning.

Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided in combination with a seat heater and a capacitive occupant detection system. The seat heater comprises a seat heating element disposed in the vehicle seat while the capacitive occupant detection system comprises a measurement circuit and an electrode arrangement, which is also disposed in the vehicle seat. The electrode arrangement includes a sensing electrode and a shielding electrode. The measurement circuit is operatively connected to the sensing electrode and to the shielding electrode and configured to keep the sensing electrode and the shielding electrode at substantially the same electric potential during the capacitive measurement. Of the seat heating element, the sensing electrode and the shielding electrode, the seat heating element is closest to a seating region of the vehicle seat and the sensing electrode is arranged between the seat heating element and the shielding electrode.

Abstract: A lidar imager for acquiring a range image of a scene comprises a light source for emitting a light beam, a scanning device for scanning the light beam across the scene and a light sensor for receiving light reflected from the scene. The scanning device comprises a spatial light modulator (SLM) configured to display holograms that deflect the light beam into different directions within the scene to be imaged.

Abstract: A capacitive sensing circuit is disclosed, wherein the transimpedance amplifier in front of the mixer in prior art is removed respectively replaced by an amplifier with low gain and consequently high dynamic range. The mixer DC offset voltage or current together with the large amplification factor required after the mixer now would result in an inacceptable DC offset at the output of the signal chain. In order to eliminate the effect of the mixer offset, the amplifying stages after the mixer are AC coupled to the mixer output and one of the signals entering the mixer is phase modulated or amplitude modulated with a known low frequency signal. An additional mixer after the AC coupled amplifying stages is driven with the same low frequency modulating signal, resulting in the wanted DC output signal responsive to the capacitance to be measured.

Abstract: A method for capacitive sensing comprises the steps of tagging a transmitting signal by modulating a sub-carrier on said signal using state of the art modulation techniques; demodulating said subcarrier out of useful/received signal to prove validity of said signal.

Abstract: A seat heater (10) with a heating element (12) connected between a first (14) and a second (16) nodes comprises a third (18) and a fourth (20) node operatively connectable to a first and a second terminal, respectively, of a power supply. A first electric component (22) providing a controllable first conductance is connected between the first and the third nodes. A second electric component (24) providing a controllable second conductance is connected between the second and the fourth nodes. A control network (26) is connected to the electric components to control the respective conductances and has a mode of operation in which it applies an oscillating signal to the heating element by modulating the first and second conductances in such a way that a voltage drop variation between the third and first nodes is opposite to a voltage drop variation between the second and fourth nodes.