Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Ryo Nakae

Kenichi Matsumoto

Yuta Saito

Masaaki Yamabayashi

Takehiko Nara

Masanori Mitsuoka

Yasunori Yanai

Kojiro Yano

Naoki Tanaka

A detection method includes: obtaining periodically and repeatedly sensor values output from a capacitive sensor; determining whether the sensor values obtained exceed threshold Th1; calculating, as first difference value Δ1of each of target sensor values C, a difference between target sensor value Cand sensor value Cimmediately before the target sensor value; calculating, as second difference value Δ2of each of target sensor values C, a difference between (i) first difference value Δ1of target sensor value Cand (ii) first difference value Δ1of sensor value Cimmediately before target sensor value C; comparing each of second difference values Δ2calculated and threshold Th2, and selecting one sensor value Cbased on a result of the comparing; and outputting the one sensor value Cselected.

Detection method, detection device, and detection system

This input system includes an input device, an electrostatic sensor, a conduction sensor, a controller, and a determiner. When a movable contact of the input device is pressed, electrostatic capacitance between a first electrode and a second electrode changes, and when the movable contact of the input device is further pressed after the electrostatic capacitance changes, a third electrode and a fourth electrode are electrically conductive to each other. The conduction sensor detects the conduction between the third electrode and the fourth electrode. The controller switches the sensing operation of the electrostatic sensor from the OFF state to the ON state after the conduction sensor detects the conduction between the third electrode and the fourth electrode. In the ON state, the electrostatic sensor outputs a detected value related to the electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Input system and control method

An input device includes a fixed electrode, first and second movable electrodes, a first elastic member having a portion and being configured to deform so as to displace the portion of the first elastic member in accordance with a movement of the first movable electrode, a second elastic member having a portion and being configured to deform so as to displace the portion of the second elastic member in accordance with a movement of the second movable electrode, and a terminal configured to output a signal corresponding to a change in a capacitance between the first and second movable electrodes. The input device is responsible to various manipulations while not preventing a click feeling from being generated.

Input device and input system

An input device includes a detection surface configured to be operated by an operation body, a first fixed electrode, a movable electrode, first and second terminals configured to be connected to an outside of the input device, and a direct-connection line electrically connecting the movable electrode to the second terminal via no capacitor. The movable electrode has a lower surface facing an upper surface of the first fixed electrode to be capacitively coupled to the first fixed electrode. The movable contact is displaceable to approach the first fixed electrode in response to a pressing of the detection surface by the operation body. The first terminal is configured to output, to the outside of the input device, a first electric signal containing a change in a capacitance between the first fixed electrode and the movable electrode. The second terminal is configured to output, from the movable electrode to the outside of the input device, a second electric signal containing a change in a capacitance between the operation body and the movable electrode. This input device improves the detection sensitivity to detect approximating or contacting the input device by the operation body.

An input device includes a pressure sensitive unit and a sensing unit. The pressure sensitive unit includes a clicking part and a pressure sensor. The clicking part has a press surface and is configured to provide a sense of click to an operation body which applies pushing force to the press surface. The pressure sensor is disposed on an opposite side of the clicking part from the press surface. The sensing unit is aligned with the pressure sensitive unit when viewed from a front side of the press surface and is configured to sense that the operation body comes in proximity to or comes into contact with a second detection surface.

An input device includes one or more pressure detectors. Each of the one or more pressure detectors includes an electrode, an elastic body on the electrode, a pressing member disposed on an opposite side of the elastic body from the electrode, and a protective member. The protection member is disposed between the elastic body and the pressing member and has higher strength than the elastic body.

Input device

The switch body includes: a wiring substrate where first to fourth fixed contact members are formed; and a movable contact member including a pressure receiving part opposite from the second fixed contact member, a first outer edge facing the first fixed contact member, and a second outer edge facing the third fixed contact member. The fourth fixed contact member is formed in a region outside a projection region being a projection of the movable contact member on the wiring substrate and is in a position facing the first outer edge when the second outer edge is moved to a region where the second fixed contact member is formed.

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Okayama, Japan

Ryo Nakae