Direction detection device

An apparatus comprising:

• a capacitance detection unit mat provided at an entrance to a room, the capacitance detection unit including a dielectric layer, a first electrode layer provided on a first surface of the dielectric layer and including a plurality of first electrode patterns provided in a first direction that intersects a movement direction of a user through the entrance, and a second electrode layer provided on a second surface of the dielectric layer opposite the first surface, and configured to detect changes in capacitance at different times in a first region in which at least one selected from among the plurality of first electrode patterns overlaps the second electrode layer and in a second region in which at least one selected from among remaining ones of the plurality of first electrode patterns overlaps the second electrode layer;
• and
• a controller connected to the capacitance detection unit and configured to:
• detect the movement direction of the user with respect to the entrance of the room based on the different times between the first region and the second region;
• and
• output a control signal based on the movement direction.

A device, comprising:

• a capacitance detection unit including a dielectric layer, a first electrode layer provided on a first surface of the dielectric layer and including a plurality of first electrode patterns provided in a first direction, and a second electrode layer provided on a second surface of the dielectric layer opposite the first surface, and configured to detect changes in capacitance at different times in a first region in which at least one selected from among the plurality of first electrode patterns overlaps the second electrode layer and in a second region in which at least one selected from among remaining ones of the plurality first electrode patterns overlaps the second electrode layer;
• and
• a controller connected to the capacitance detection unit and configured to detect a movement direction based on the different times between the first region and the second region,
• wherein a quantity n (n being a natural number) of the plurality of first electrode patterns are provided in the first direction, and widths of a first, a second, an n−1th, and an nth patterns of the first electrode patterns are less than those of a third to an n−3th patterns of the first electrode patterns.