Abstract: An operator control panel for a household appliance includes an operator control front, a panel carrier supporting the operator control front and having a recess, and a haptic actuator guided through the recess of the panel carrier for coupling to the operator control front so that during an operator control procedure of the operator control panel the haptic actuator outputs a haptic signal as feedback to a user in response to the operator control procedure via the operator control front.

Abstract: A system comprising a first electroacoustic transducer connected to an interrogation unit and at least one second electroacoustic transducer connected to a resonator, wherein the first electroacoustic transducer and the second electroacoustic transducer form an acoustic channel and the second electroacoustic transducer forms with the resonator a passive cooperative target which, upon receiving an interrogation signal from the interrogation unit, transmits a response signal via the acoustic channel, and the interrogation signal has a higher energy than the response signal.

Abstract: An operator control panel for a household appliance includes an operator control front, a panel carrier supporting the operator control front and having a recess, and a haptic actuator guided through the recess of the panel carrier for coupling to the operator control front so that during an operator control procedure of the operator control panel the haptic actuator outputs a haptic signal as feedback to a user in response to the operator control procedure via the operator control front.

Abstract: A system comprising a first electroacoustic transducer connected to an interrogation unit and at least one second electroacoustic transducer connected to a resonator, wherein the first electroacoustic transducer and the second electroacoustic transducer form an acoustic channel and the second electroacoustic transducer forms with the resonator a passive cooperative target which, upon receiving an interrogation signal from the interrogation unit, transmits a response signal via the acoustic channel, and the interrogation signal has a higher energy than the response signal.

Abstract: An electronic appliance comprising an electrical circuit and an operating mode switching unit which can be awakened out of a sleep state into a working state in which the current consumption of the circuit is greater in than in the sleep state. To receive a radio signal, the appliance has a receiver comprising a UHF carrier that is amplitude-modulated by a modulation signal. The receiver comprises a UHF antenna connected to a passive filter stage to an input of a passive rectifier circuit. An output of the rectifier circuit is connected to a detector for the modulation signal. To wake the electrical circuit from the sleep state, the operating mode switching unit has a control connection to the detector. The appliance has a low current draw in the sleep state by matching the output impedance of the rectifier circuit to the input impedance of the detector.

Abstract: A clock signal may be generated for a receiving circuit without requiring an external oscillator. A first digital circuit may convert a first signal edge at an input into a first clock signal at an output, and a second digital circuit, in feedback connection with the first digital circuit, may generate a second signal edge at the input based on the first clock signal at the output. Then, the first circuit may convert the second signal edge at the input to a second clock signal at the output. Thus, the first circuit and the second circuit, in combination, may generate a continuous stream of signal edges at the input and clock signals at the output. The second circuit may communicate with the controller circuit that may indicate that a subsequent clock signal is needed. The controller circuit may send commands and receive status from the receiving circuit.

Abstract: A clock signal may be generated for a receiving circuit without requiring an external oscillator. A first digital circuit may convert a first signal edge at an input into a first clock signal at an output, and a second digital circuit, in feedback connection with the first digital circuit, may generate a second signal edge at the input based on the first clock signal at the output. Then, the first circuit may convert the second signal edge at the input to a second clock signal at the output. Thus, the first circuit and the second circuit, in combination, may generate a continuous stream of signal edges at the input and clock signals at the output. The second circuit may communicate with the controller circuit that may indicate that a subsequent clock signal is needed. The controller circuit may send commands and receive status from the receiving circuit.

Abstract: An appliqué is formed by a sheet having a printed first area providing a printed graphic, and a deformed second area having a relief profile providing a three dimensional formed graphic bordering the printed graphic.

Abstract: In a non-manual method and system for monitoring speech-controlled applications, a speech data stream of a user is acquired by a microphone and the speech data stream is analyzed by a speech recognition unit for the occurrence of stored key terms. An application associated with the key term is activated or deactivated upon detection of a key term within the speech data stream.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly has an improved gas sensor. The improved sensor measures the gas concentrations in the interior fluid passages within a fuel cell assembly or within fluid passages employed to transport reactant fluid streams to or from the fuel cell(s). The improved sensor is particularly suited for use in the environment within the reactant fluid passages of a solid polymer fuel cell assembly and is tolerant to the presence of water. The sensor employs an active electrode; a passive electrode; and an electrolyte in contact with both electrodes. The electrolyte is disposed on a substrate and a heater is located in thermal contact with the substrate for heating the substrate and the electrolyte.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly has an improved gas sensor. The improved sensor measures the gas concentrations in the interior fluid passages within a fuel cell assembly or within fluid passages employed to transport reactant fluid streams to or from the fuel cell(s). The improved sensor is particularly suited for use in the environment within the reactant fluid passages of a solid polymer fuel cell assembly and is tolerant to the presence of water. The sensor employs an active electrode; a passive electrode; and an electrolyte in contact with both electrodes. The electrolyte is disposed on a substrate and a heater is located in thermal contact with the substrate for heating the substrate and the electrolyte. In a preferred embodiment, the active electrode comprises platinum, the passive electrode is gold and the electrolyte comprises a layer of zirconium dioxide less than one hundred microns thick.