Abstract: A vehicle interior component is disclosed. The component may provide visible light and may comprise a base, a decorative module and a light source. The decorative module may comprise an angled surface to direct light toward an inner/textured/nonplanar surface of the decorative module. The inner surface may reflect light. The decorative module may allow light to pass through the inner surface toward an outer surface of the decorative module. The component may comprise a light directing layer comprising a substantially reflective front side adjacent the inner surface of the decorative module and a substantially transparent back side.

Abstract: A capacitive multipath force sensor module includes a movable actuator, first and second stationary capacitor plates, and a central capacitor plate connected to the actuator and positioned between the stationary plates. The central plate moves by a same amount toward one stationary plate and away from the other stationary plate when the actuator is moved. In multiple successive cycles, while the first stationary plate is held at ground, (i) the central plate and the second stationary plate are connected to a voltage and (ii) are then disconnected from the voltage with the central plate being connected to a capacitor having a known capacitance value to thereby enable a charge quantity stored on the central plate to be transferred to the capacitor. After a predefined number of cycles, a voltage of the capacitor, which is indicative of an amount of movement of the actuator, is measured.

Abstract: An operating arrangement for a vehicle includes a steering column retractable into and extendable out of a dashboard, a steering shaft that is retractable and extendable relative to the steering column, a steering wheel on an end of the steering shaft, and a steering column module arranged on the steering column between the steering wheel and the dashboard. The steering column module has a screen positioned behind the steering wheel. In a manual vehicle driving mode, the steering column is extended out of the dashboard to position the steering wheel and the steering column module away from the dashboard. In an automatic (or autonomous) vehicle mode, the steering column is retracted into the dashboard to position the steering column module against the dashboard and the steering shaft is retracted relative to the steering column to position the steering wheel adjacent the dashboard with the screen resting against the steering wheel.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electrical load by means of pulse width modulation, (PWM) includes specifying a setpoint switching frequency fsetpoint and a setpoint duty ratio dsetpoint and determining the carrier frequency fch of a radio transmitter. The actual switching frequency fsw of the PWM is adapted to the carrier frequency fch of the radio transmitter in such a way that a multiple k*fsw of the actual switching frequency fsw is equal to the carrier frequency fch with an integer factor k. The actual switching frequency fsw is set to the value closest to the setpoint switching frequency fsetpoint for which the amplitude of the harmonics k*fsw in the harmonic spectrum of the actual switching frequency fsw is smaller than the amplitudes of their closest lower (k?1)*fsw and upper (k+1)*fsw adjacent harmonics.

Abstract: A switching device for actuating drive elements includes first switching elements situated on a housing surface to be actuatable by fingers of a person and a second switching element situated on a housing surface to be actuatable by a palm, a palm heel, or a thumb of the person. The first and second switching elements are formed by touch surface sensors without switching contacts. In one variation, actuation of one of the first switching elements causes actuation of a corresponding one of the drive elements only when the second switching element is actuated during the actuation of the one of the first switching elements. In another variation, simultaneous actuation of one of the first switching elements and the second switching element causes a drive element corresponding to the one of the first switching elements to be actuated according to a function corresponding to the second switching element.

Abstract: A method for determining a time of contact of a capacitive sensor includes continuously measuring a capacitance value of the capacitive sensor and processing the measured capacitance value into a digital sensor signal. The sensor signal is filtered to output a filter signal. Initial dynamics of the filter signal are identified upon the filter signal exceeding a first set filter threshold value. A time at which the filter signal falls below a second set filter threshold value is determined as being a potential time of contact of the capacitive sensor. An actual time of contact of the capacitive sensor is determined when the sensor signal relative to an offset of the sensor signal exceeds a sensor signal threshold value. The offset of the sensor signal is a value of the sensor signal prior to the contact of the capacitive sensor.

Abstract: A housing includes a cup-shaped, plastic housing case; a cooling channel guided in the housing case for fluid cooling of an electric or electronic device situated in an interior of the housing case; and a planar shielding body integrated into the housing case and traversing walls of the housing case for shielding from electromagnetic radiation. The shielding body is a metallic wire cage or trough. The cooling channel is a metallic tubing. The shielding body and the cooling channel are connected to form a frame-like, pre-assembled assembly. The pre-assembled assembly, consisting of the shielding body and the cooling channel, is extrusion-coated with a plastic or encapsulated in a plastic to form the housing case.

Abstract: A control element for roof or window adjustment in a motor vehicle includes a surface and a sensor. The surface has an introduced recess and a surface portion. The surface portion is connected to the surface in a gap-free manner above the recess. The surface portion only partially covers the recess. The sensor is formed within the surface portion or is arranged onto the bottom side thereof to detect deformations of the surface portion.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electrical load by means of pulse width modulation, (PWM) includes specifying a setpoint switching frequency fsetpoint and a setpoint duty ratio dsetpoint and determining the carrier frequency fch of a radio transmitter. The actual switching frequency fsw of the PWM is adapted to the carrier frequency fch of the radio transmitter in such a way that a multiple k*fsw of the actual switching frequency fsw is equal to the carrier frequency fch with an integer factor k. The actual switching frequency fsw is set to the value closest to the setpoint switching frequency fsetpoint for which the amplitude of the harmonics k*fsw in the harmonic spectrum of the actual switching frequency fsw is smaller than the amplitudes of their closest lower (k?1)*fsw and upper (k+1)*fsw adjacent harmonics.

Abstract: A method for detecting contact of a capacitive sensor includes transferring charge quantities in multiple successive cycles from the capacitive sensor to an integration capacitor having a known capacitance value. A voltage of the integration capacitor is measured. The measured voltage is processed to generate a sensor amplitude that is indicative of a capacitance value of the capacitive sensor. Contact of the capacitive sensor is detected based on a temporal behavior of the sensor amplitude. For instance, contact of the capacitive sensor is detected based on the rate of change of the sensor amplitude.

Abstract: A device for controlling multiple functions includes a switch panel. The switch panel includes control panels extending along a longitudinal extension of the switch panel. The switch panel is pivotably mounted about an axis of rotation parallel with the longitudinal extension to pivot about the axis of rotation in response to manual actuation of the switch panel by manual actuation of the control panels. The switch panel is movable with respect to the longitudinal extension of the switch panel and is fixed with respect to a transverse extension of the switch panel perpendicular to the longitudinal extension. Force sensors respectively associated with the control panels are distributed along the longitudinal extension of the switch panel. Actuation of the switch panel by actuating one of the control panels triggers a function depending on which one control panel is actuated and the force sensors detect which control panel is actuated.

Abstract: A bidirectional DC converter assembly includes two serially-arranged DC/DC converters. The first converter is a buck (or a buck/boost) converter to be connected to a high-voltage (HV) level of an electric vehicle. The second converter is a series resonant switching converter to be connected to a low-voltage (LV) of the vehicle. The series resonant switching converter of the second converter is formed by a DC/AC converter, a transformer, and an AC/DC converter, which are serially arranged in the stated order between the first converter and the LV level. A bidirectional peak current controller is associated with the first converter. The peak current controller is realized by a current measurement at an inductor of the first converter. The peak current controller uses the coil current value, which is modified with an offset value and thus has a constant sign, as a set point in controlling the first converter.

Abstract: A bidirectional DC converter assembly includes two serially-arranged DC/DC converters. The first converter is a buck (or a buck/boost) converter to be connected to a high-voltage (HV) level of an electric vehicle. The second converter is a series resonant switching converter to be connected to a low-voltage (LV) of the vehicle. The series resonant switching converter of the second converter is formed by a DC/AC converter, a transformer, and an AC/DC converter, which are serially arranged in the stated order between the first converter and the LV level. A bidirectional peak current controller is associated with the first converter. The peak current controller is realized by a current measurement at an inductor of the first converter. The peak current controller uses the coil current value, which is modified with an offset value and thus has a constant sign, as a set point in controlling the first converter.

Abstract: An electromagnetic feedback actuator for an operating element includes an electromagnet, a magnet armature, and a metal body. The electromagnet includes a magnetic coil and a magnetic core. The magnet armature is moveable relative to the electromagnet. The operating element includes an actuating element (e.g., touch surface, sensor surface). The magnet armature is mechanically coupled to the operating element to provide a force pulse to the operating element in response to contact with, or pressure actuation on, an actuating element of the operating element. The electromagnet is arranged in the metal body. The metal body, in integral fashion, forms the magnet armature, a magnet yoke for the magnetic core of the electromagnet, and a holder for the electromagnet. An arrangement includes at least one such electromagnetic feedback actuator coupled to an operating element.

Abstract: A steering column switch for a vehicle includes a switching lever that operates by pivoting in relation to a housing. The lever has a locking pin which assumes a stable position on a switching gate when the lever is not operated and is guided into an unstable position by operation of the lever. The switching gate guides the pin back into the stable position when operation of the lever ceases. A permanent magnet on a body of the lever is brought against an electromagnet on the housing by pivoting the lever into the unstable position. The lever is held in the unstable position by magnetic attraction between the magnets for a time in which a function associated with the lever being actuated into the unstable position is active. Afterwards, the electromagnet produces a counter magnetic field which interrupts the magnetic attraction so that the lever returns to the stable position.

Abstract: An operating device for an actuator-adjustable motor vehicle seat includes a control element and multiple force sensors. The control element has a contour which simulates the outline shape of the motor vehicle seat. Pressing actuations directed to various locations on the contour of the control element trigger different adjustment movements of the vehicle seat. The pressing actuations are detected by the force sensors which can measure horizontal and vertical forces. The actuation position and the actuation direction of a finger on the control element may be detected from the reaction forces of the force sensors. The force sensors are designed as three force sensors that measure in one dimension; two of the force sensors are situated in parallel to one another; and a third force sensor is situated perpendicularly with respect to the other two force sensors.

Abstract: A system for detecting the absolute rotational angle of a shaft rotatable more than one revolution includes a drive wheel connected to the shaft to rotate therewith. The drive wheel includes measurement sectors adjacent to one another in a circumferential direction. First and second driven wheels are engaged to the drive wheel. First and second sensors monitor rotational positions of the driven wheels to thereby detect an absolute rotational angle of the shaft. A third sensor monitors a relative angular position of the shaft in relation to a detected one of the measurement sectors to thereby detect the relative angular position of the shaft within one revolution of the shaft. The detected absolute rotational angle of the shaft is refined with the detected relative angular position of the shaft to thereby generate the absolute rotational angle of the shaft with more precision.

Abstract: An operator control system includes switches, RFID transponders, and a RFID reader. Each switch has a cap support and a switch cap. The switch caps are respectively interchangeably attachable to the cap supports. The RFID transponders are respectively attached to the switch caps. Each RFID transponder stores a respective piece of information identifying a respective control function so that the switch cap to which the RFID transponder is attached is associated with the respective control function. The RFID reader is arranged on at least one of the switches for reading the piece of information of at least one of the RFID transponders.

Abstract: An electric pushbutton switch includes a pushbutton, a rocker, and a housing. The pushbutton has a substantially rectangular actuating surface. The pushbutton is received within the housing and is displaceable connected to the housing. The pushbutton displaces with respect to the housing by way of a pressure actuation onto the actuating surface, thus triggering an electrical switching element. The rocker is box-shaped and is arranged within the housing beneath the pushbutton body and is at least partially encompassed by the pushbutton. The rocker is mounted on an inner longitudinally extending wall of the housing by a pivot bearing. By actuating the actuating surface, the rocker pivots about the pivot bearing while supporting the pushbutton along the longitudinal extension of the pushbutton.

Abstract: A camera arrangement for a vehicle includes a camera and a prism. The camera is arranged behind a windshield of the vehicle. The prism is positioned between the windshield and the camera and is coupled to the windshield by a coupling medium. The prism has a light entry surface facing the windshield and a light exit surface facing an optical imaging component of the camera. The light entry surface and/or the light exit surface is non-flat by which the prism at least partially compensates for refraction resulting from curvature of the windshield.