Abstract: A sensor system comprises a plurality of receiving antennas. Another plurality of antennas functions as transmitting antennas. The antennas may be placed on a deformable substrate. The deformable substrate may be part of a band that is worn proximate to a hand.

Abstract: Described herein is a car entertainment and navigation system that includes a user interface controller, a detecting circuit, and a selection circuit. The detecting circuit includes a selection circuit, capacitance-sensing circuitry to determine a location of a touch proximate to one or more electrodes of the touch screen display based on capacitance measurements of a plurality of electrodes of the touch screen made during a first mode of operation of the detecting circuit, and user-detecting circuitry to determine a location of a user corresponding to the touch based on signal measurements of a capacitively-coupled signal at the one or more electrodes made during a second mode of operation of the detecting circuit. The selection circuit is configurable to selectively couple the capacitance-sensing circuitry to the plurality of electrodes during the first mode and selectively coupling the user-detecting circuitry to the one or more electrodes during the second mode.

Abstract: A load control device for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control device comprising a semiconductor switch operable to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load, the semiconductor switch having a control input for controlling the semiconductor switch between a non-conductive state and a conductive state; a controller operatively coupled to the control input of the semiconductor switch for controlling the semiconductor switch between the non-conductive state and the conductive state; a touch sensitive front surface; a touch sensitive device responsive to a point actuation on the touch sensitive front surface, the point actuation characterized by a position and a force, the touch sensitive device comprising a resistive divider and an output operatively coupled to the controller for providing a control signal to the controller; and a capacitor coupled to the output of the touch sensitive device for stabilizing the c

Abstract: A user interface for a lighting control has a touch sensitive front surface; a four-wire resistive touch pad responsive to a point actuation on the front surface, the touch pad having a longitudinal resistive element for providing a first control signal representative of the position of the point actuation along the longitudinal axis, and a lateral resistive element for providing a second control signal representative of the position of the point actuation along the lateral axis; a controller receiving the first and second control signals; a first capacitor coupled between the lateral resistive element and a circuit common that charges and discharges through the longitudinal resistive element of the resistive touch pad to stabilize the first control signal; and first, second, and third switches controlled by the controller to provide a DC supply voltage to the resistive elements and to couple a respective resistive element to the controller.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for safely and securely storing materials. A plurality of smart tiles sense traffic and generate traffic data. A network transmits the traffic data from the smart tiles. A computer determines a plurality of normal traffic patterns from the traffic data. In addition, the computer detects an abnormal traffic pattern from the traffic data. The computer activates a security response in response to the abnormal traffic pattern.

Abstract: A touch switch is composed of an EL light emitting layer configured by stacking a fluorescent layer and an insulation layer between first electrodes and a second electrode, a judgment unit for making a judgment on touch manipulation with the first electrode by an operator and an EL driving unit for driving the EL light emitting layer for light emitting, with each of a plurality of first electrodes, each of plurality of fluorescent layers and each of plurality of insulation layers being provided as a set and the second electrode being provided as a single electrode with respect to the plurality of first electrodes, wherein the judgment unit makes a judgment on which of the plurality of first electrodes has been touched by an operator on the basis of a high-frequency component inputted from the second electrode through the first electrode each time the touch switch is touched by an operator.

Abstract: A load control device, such as a dimmer switch, has a touch sensitive actuator, such as a three-wire touch sensitive screen, that produces an output voltage representing the position of a manual pressure touch along a longitudinal axis of the actuator. A stabilizing circuit receives the output voltage of the actuator and comprises, for example, a capacitor. The stabilizing circuit operates to prevent the detection of transient touches and touches having less than a certain actuation force, such that the output voltage is responsive only to the position of the touch. In addition, a usage detection circuit may also be coupled to the output voltage of the actuator for determining whether the touch is presently occurring. Alternatively, the actuator may comprise a four-wire touch sensitive screen that produces a first output voltage received by the stabilizing circuit and a second output voltage received by the usage detection circuit.

Abstract: A touch panel includes a light-transmittable upper substrate, a light-transmittable upper resistor layer on a lower surface of the upper substrate, a light-transmittable lower substrate, a light-transmittable lower resistor layer on an upper surface of the lower substrate, an adhesive layer on an upper surface of the upper substrate, and a light-transmittable plate on the adhesive layer. The upper substrate is made of material having oxygen and nitrogen removed therefrom. The lower resistor layer faces the upper resistor layer by a distance. The light-transmittable plate disables oxygen and nitrogen to pass through the plate substantively. Even being used in high temperatures, this touch panel does not produce an air bubble in the adhesive layer, hence allowing a user to clearly view a display device through the touch panel.

Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source provides improved sensory feedback to a user of the load control device. The load control device comprises a touch screen actuator having a touch sensitive front surface responsive to a plurality of point actuations, each characterized by a position and a force. The touch screen actuator has an output operatively coupled to a controller for providing a control signal representative of the position of the point actuation. The load control device further comprises a visual display and an audible sound generator, both responsive to the controller. The controller is operable to cause the visual display to illuminate and the audible sound generator to generate an audible sound in response to the control signal of the touch screen actuator.

Abstract: The present invention focuses on the development of a high-performance solar photovoltaic (PV) energy conversion system. The power circuit of the invention is made of a two-stage circuit, connecting a step-up DC-DC converter and a full-bridge inverter in serial. The present invention uses an adaptive perturbation and observation method to increase tracking speed of maximum power position and at the same time reduces energy loss. In addition, the full-bridge inverter's output has to have the same phase with the utility power in order to achieve unit power factor and increase the system efficiency. The present invention uses voltage type current control full-bridge inverter to achieve the goal of merging into utility grid. The present invention provides an active Sun tracking system, by utilizing the character of changing in open circuit output voltage with Sun radiation strength to follow the Sun, and decreases the system cost and increases system effectiveness.

Abstract: The invention discloses a system including floor tiles for monitoring the movements of individuals across a floor surface. The system is comprised of a plurality of floor tiles electrically and mechanically interconnected. The floor tiles are monitored to determine where, when and how weight is applied to the floor tiles. The system may also comprise an identification system comprising individual transmitters and a receiver. The receiver is tied into the tile monitoring system to allow the identification of an individual on the floor surface.

Abstract: A touch operated control system is provided that advantageously provides enhanced functionality, including a programmable timer that sets a light coupled to the dimmer to OFF after a predetermined period of time. The control system generally includes a conductive housing provided with a power receptacle, a power switch, a fuse, and a printed circuit board mounted within the housing. The printed circuit board includes switching circuitry by means of a programmed integrated circuit operationally connected to the housing, and a timer is operationally connected to the switching circuitry. By touching the housing, the switching circuitry is activated to automatically connect or remove power to or from the power receptacle. The sequence and duration of the touch activation function varies the system response to provide enhanced control, functionality and flexibility.

Abstract: An on/off control circuit is provided that controls the application of power to a device. The effectiveness of the on/off control circuit is optimized with regard to cost, power consumption, component life, and utility. An R-C circuit is used to provide a time-delayed turn-on, and turn-off, of the device being controlled, accompanied by a latch that retains the on/off state and controls the coupling of a power source to the device being controlled. The latch is configured as a data flip-flop (DFF) with a clocking signal that is controlled by the time-delayed switch input. The flip-flop has an inverted output signal as its input, thereby providing a toggled on/off operation. The latch also includes an independent reset input, thereby allowing an independent turn-off operation by power management controllers within the device being controlled. In the quiescent state, the preferred embodiment consumes less than half a microWatt of power.

Abstract: A multi-user touch system includes a surface on which are a pattern of mounted antennas. A transmitter transmits uniquely identifiable signals to each antenna. Receivers are capacitively coupled to different users, the receivers are configured to receive the uniquely identifiable signals. A processor then associates a specific antenna with a particular users when multiple users simultaneously touch any of the antennas.

Abstract: A touch operated control system is provided that advantageously provides enhanced functionality, including a programmable timer that sets a light coupled to the dimmer to OFF after a predetermined period of time. The control system generally includes a conductive housing provided with a power receptacle, a power switch, a fuse, and a printed circuit board mounted within the housing. The printed circuit board includes switching circuitry by means of a programmed integrated circuit operationally connected to the housing, and a timer is operationally connected to the switching circuitry. By touching the housing, the switching circuitry is activated to automatically connect or remove power to or from the power receptacle. The sequence and duration of the touch activation function varies the system response to provide enhanced control, functionality and flexibility.

Abstract: A system for supplying at least one electrical apparatus with a touch control. The system may be utilized in a home automation system for supplying electrical equipment, e.g., light bulbs, motors, strip lights, electrical power points, etc., or may be utilized to form part of equipment, e.g., a lamp, lamp stand, etc. The system may include treated zones formed by chemical treatment of an electrically insulating support material to provide the zones with a reduced electrical impedance to allow leakage current flow. The treated zones may be electrically coupled to a detection input of an electrical control circuit to allow the leakage current to be detected by the detection input and enable the electrical control circuit to control a switch in accordance with the leakage currents, which are generated in the treated zone when a user touches the treated zone.

Abstract: A control circuit for an electrical appliance having an inductive load includes a signal conditioning element, a control element, a power conditioning element, a power adjustment element, and a switching element. The control circuit is sensitive to input received from a sensor which in turn is sensitive to a touch on an outside of a conductive casing of the appliance or a sharp sound. A separate touch pad is used if the appliance has a non-conductive casing. The load is typically a motor for driving a fan unit. The fan unit may be used either independently or as part of an appliance such as a humidifier, dehumidifier, heater, or air purifier.

Abstract: Light socket improvements include a thermal conductor which removes heat by inducing a flow of air within the socket and/or which acts as heat sink that more efficiently transfers heat to the socket support thereby enabling use of higher wattage light bulbs. The conductor may, if desired, also function as a control signal input. Other improvements simplify wiring procedures and assure safety by providing a lockable internal chamber for power terminals within the socket housing. Some embodiments of the invention include electronic control circuits and enable selection of any of a variety of modes of controlling the light sockets by touch or by other forms of signal input including remote control and optional joint or independent control of individual sockets in a light fixture which has a plurality of sockets.

Abstract: A light socket for engaging and energizing a light bulb is adapted for attachment to a lamp base or other light fixture and has an internal chamber in which a touch responsive control circuit is disposed. The circuit has a solid state switch element which transmits voltage to the bulb in response to a change of capacitance at an input terminal and which preferably progressively changes light output in response to successive changes of capacitance. Heat damage to the solid state switch element is avoided, enabling use of higher wattage light bulbs, by a heat sink member which extends from the switch element to a location at which it contacts the lamp or other light fixture. In the preferred form, the heat sink is electrically connected to the control circuit input terminal and, in conjunction with metallic portions of the lamp or other light fixture, further functions as a component of the touch sensing system.

Abstract: A system to control power from a source to a load consists of a cover plate, a touch-operable device that is mounted behind a flexible area on the cover plate, and a power control circuit that responds in accordance with a signal generated by the touch-operable device. The system is operated by touching a point within the flexible area of the cover plate to activate the device. In a preferred embodiment, the system provides power over a continuous range of values, depending on the particular point at which the device is activated. Alternatively, the system operates as a switch, alternately turning power on or off when any point on the flexible area is touched. The control circuit preferably includes an electronically adjustable voltage divider. The system is well-adapted to permit control of power to a load from multiple locations. The appearance of the front surface of the cover plate can be dictated entirely by aesthetic considerations and can, if desired, be entirely featureless.

Abstract: A multi-way electronic control switch having a central control unit and a plurality of remote touch pads. The central control unit is wired between power and a load, and may be wired as a single pole, single throw switch. Each remote touch pad is connected to the central control unit via a single conducting wire. The central control unit senses signals from a remote touch pad and varies the power to the load accordingly.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement is useful for controlling the brightness of a lamp (L) connected to a mains alternating voltage (N) by means of a sensor (SE) arranged on the lamp. The mains alternating voltage (N) is rectified by a rectifier (GL) and supplied to a transformer circuit (P, S) designed as a half-bridge transformer. The primary part (P) of the electronic transformer (P, S) is controlled by a brightness signal (H) which is modified, by a control unit (ST) connected to the sensor (SE), in function of the contact of the sensor (SE). The lamp (L) is connected to the secondary part of the transformer circuit (P, S).

Abstract: A touch responsive power control system in which the majority of the signal processing functions are achieved through digital circuitry and includes a controllable pulse generator responsive to the change in capacitance caused by a human touch at a touch sensitive control point of the device to be regulated. The magnitude of the change in capacitance caused by the human touch is encoded in the form of the number of pulses contained in a pulse train or a series of pulse trains over a selected time period. The number of pulses is counted and digitally compared with a stored count. If the present count is different from the stored count, the stored count is adjusted and an error signal proportional to the difference between counts is supplied, after a sufficient interval, to a load driver which adjusts the power level supplied to the load from an electrical power source.

Abstract: A touch control circuit is disclosed, which delivers power at any one of a plurality of different levels. To accomplish this, a line cycle delay timer provides a plurality of output signals, each signal being spaced apart in time from the line voltage zero crossing time and from each other. Power level memory and gating means gate the timer output signals to the power delivery means so as to trigger the power delivery means at any one of a number of different levels. A touch detector is connected to the power level memory means. Touch detector circuitry alters the power level memory so as to correspondingly alter the power delivered by the power delivery means when the touch detector is touched.

Abstract: A proximity switch e.g. for a domestic a.c. supply is connected in-line e.g. in the live line of the supply between live and switch live terminals. No direct connection is made to the neutral line. Switching is performed by a triac T which receives a gate input 17 from a control circuit K that includes a proximity switch (FIGS. 5, 6). The control circuit K has a power supply comprising a charge storage capacitor C1 that is charged from the live terminal through a first impedance (diodes D3, D4) and a unidirectional first path through diode D1 when the triac T is conductive. When the triac T is switched to a non-conductive state, the capacitor C1 is charged from the switch live terminal through a second unidirectional path including diode D1 and a second impedance R2.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive potentiometer for an operator control panel. A linear strip having a polymeric resistor film is provided as an operator actuatable control. The stray capacitance of an operator's body, when the operator touches the strip along its length, unbalances a transformer bridge and provides a voltage proportional to the position of the operator's finger along the length of the polymeric resistor. The potentiometer is suitable for use in any operator control environment where it is desired to (1) rapidly and quickly approach a control range without multiple turns required by optical position encoder-type control devices, or (2) rapidly and quickly be reset to a null or zero state upon the completion of a control in preparation for a subsequent control.

Abstract: A small electronic module to regulate the power delivered to a lamp or similar appliance is plugged into the household electrical outlet and the lamp to be controlled is, in turn, plugged into the module. Each time the lamp is touched the power to the bulb increases by one step, typically in the sequence OFF, DIM, INTERMEDIATE, FULL, OFF. The module device operates by sensing the capacitance change when the lamp is touched and communication between the lamp and the device occurs through the lamp cord.

Abstract: A touch operated switch for control of electrical lighting, appliances, machinery and equipment which requires non sparking fail-safe operation. The switch utilizes digital complementary metal oxide semi-conductor technology which requires nearly insignificant standby power and incorporates a unique count down reset circuit which prevents extraneous operation from static discharge, radio frequency (RF) signals or power line transients. The switch will only respond to the electromagnetic flux generated by the power source that the controlled load is connected to. All other signals or pulses of differing frequencies are ignored by the switch thereby preventing inadvertent operation. Due to the limited number of discreet components utilized the total cost of manufacture will be extremely low and is expected to be less than the present manufacturing cost of the standard wall-type light switches that this invention will replace.

Abstract: This patent presents a touch-responsive switch which incrementally varies AC voltage supplied to an electrical apparatus. The invention includes digital circuitry which compares a control pulse train with a touch affected pulse train to create a switching pulse. The switching pulse is synchronous with the line frequency and controls truncating of individual cycles of line power to regulate voltage applied to an appliance as a function of the number of times a touch plate has been touched. The switching pulse also provides on/off switching as one of the available incremental steps. The circuit components are incorporated in an interface assembly which connects the appliance receptacle to a source of AC voltage.

Abstract: A keyboard operated controller for controlling a plurality of lighting devices has a memory which includes a plurality of addressed multiposition registers wherein the positions store control indicia for the respective lighting devices. A finger-operated keyboard generates addresses which select the registers to control the states of the lighting devices. There is also provided means for loading the control indicia into the registers via another keyboard.

Abstract: A switching circuit controlled by the approach of a body into close proximity to its probe and operative to control the flow of power from an AC source to a load using a silicon control switching device enabled by an oscillator generating narrow gate pulses whenever the oscillator is in turn enabled by a flip-flop, which disables the oscillator in its first stable state and which enables the oscillator in its second stable state. Ambient electrical signals picked up by the probe are shaped into suitable form for triggering the flip-flop from one to the other of said stable states, and the shaping circuitry and the flip-flop comprise CMOS integrated circuits which are used for the purpose of achieving very low current drain and high sensitivity to an increase in ambient signals picked up at the probe, means being provided to adjust threshold sensitivities of the shaping circuit.

Abstract: A small electronic module to regulate the power delivered to a lamp or similar appliance is plugged into the household electrical outlet and the lamp to be controlled is, in turn, plugged into the module. Each time the lamp is touched the power to the bulb increases by one step, typically in the sequence OFF, DIM, INTERMEDIATE, FULL, OFF. The module device operates by sensing the capacitance change when the lamp is touched and communication between the lamp and the device occurs through the lamp cord.

Abstract: A multi-user touch system includes a surface on which are a pattern of mounted antennas. A transmitter transmits uniquely identifiable signals to each antenna. Receivers are capacitively coupled to different users, the receivers are configured to receive the uniquely identifiable signals. A processor then associates a specific antenna with a particular user when multiple users simultaneously touch any of the antennas.