Abstract: A method for operating a stove including providing a plurality of burners beneath a cooktop surface and a plurality of visible-light emitters mounted under the surface for separately, variably illuminating edges of the surface adjacent to each of the burners, providing a touch-and-proximity sensor for detecting objects above the surface, illuminating at least one edge of the surface in response to the sensor detecting a pot suspended above one of the burners, and intensifying the illuminating commensurate with proximity of the pot to the one burner, as further detected by the sensor.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor of an electronic device that includes a touch sensitive and pressure sensitive display, cause the processor to enable a user interface of the electronic device, by which a glide gesture along the display and an amount of pressure applied to the display both generate the same user interface command.

Abstract: A method for operating a stove including providing a plurality of burners beneath a cooktop surface and a plurality of visible-light emitters mounted under the surface for separately, variably illuminating edges of the surface adjacent to each of the burners, providing a touch-and-proximity sensor for detecting objects above the surface, illuminating at least one edge of the surface in response to the sensor detecting a pot suspended above one of the burners, and intensifying the illuminating commensurate with proximity of the pot to the one burner, as further detected by the sensor.

Abstract: A touch sensor including a housing, a light guide mounted in the housing the light guide featuring an aperture through which light exits and enters the light guide, and an inner surface facing the interior of the housing, the sensor further includes two light emitters mounted in the housing for emitting light beams into the light guide that exit the aperture at diverging angles and a light receiver mounted in the housing for receiving reflected light beams entering the aperture at an angle of incidence different than the diverging angles.

Abstract: A touch sensor including a housing, a light guide mounted in the housing the light guide featuring an aperture through which light exits and enters the light guide, and an inner surface facing the interior of the housing, the sensor further includes two light emitters mounted in the housing for emitting light beams into the light guide that exit the aperture at diverging angles and a light receiver mounted in the housing for receiving reflected light beams entering the aperture at an angle of incidence different than the diverging angles.

Abstract: A keypad for use in conjunction with a touch-sensitive panel, the keypad including a frame surrounding a touch-sensitive panel, including a plurality of buttons suspended by the frame above the touch-sensitive panel, each of the buttons including a rigid member that is lowered through the frame when pressure is applied from above, and a resilient body attached to the rigid member and to the frame for raising the rigid member when the pressure from above is released, wherein the rigid members are exposed below the frame.