Electrical switch and method of generating an electrical switch output signal

An electrical switch, comprising:

• a cylindrical electrically conductive casing with a length, two opposing open distal ends, an exterior surface and an interior chamber formed from said interior surface;
• a flexible cap mounted over one of said distal open ends with a surface accessible to pressure input and a second inner surface opposite said first surface facing said interior of said chamber;
• a support frame mounted within said interior of said chamber in contact with said cap's second inner surface;
• at least one piezoelectric element mounted in said support frame within said interior of said chamber with a contact surface to receive transmitted pressure input from said cap and an opposing voltage transmission surface;
• piezoelectric signal conditioning circuitry mounted within said interior of said chamber and electrically connected to said piezoelectric element's voltage transmission surface;
• capacitive sensing circuitry mounted within said interior of said chamber;
• power supply circuitry mounted within said interior of said chamber;
• a microcontroller mounted within said interior of said chamber electrically connected to said piezoelectric signal conditioning circuitry and electrically connected to said capacitive sensing circuitry and driven by said power supply circuitry;
• switch circuitry mounted within said interior of said chamber electrically connected to and controlled by said microcontroller outputs;
• interface terminals electrically connected to said switch circuitry and extending through said second distal end of said electrically conductive casing to said exterior of said electrically conductive casing.

An electrical switch comprising:

• an electrically conductive casing;
• pressure input sensing means for generation of a pressure presence signal when pressure is exerted on the exterior of said electrically conductive casing;
• proximity detecting means for generation of a contact signal when an object comes into contact with the exterior of said electrically conductive casing;
• detection means for acknowledging concurrent existence of said pressure presence signal and said contact signal;
• control means being responsive to said detection means and operative to provide switch opening or closure.

A method of opening and closing an electrical switch comprising the steps of:

• (a) sensing the input of pressure on an electrical switch;
• (b) sensing the presence of an object in contact with an electrical switch;
• (c) sensing whether electrical switch is closed;
• (d) opening the electrical switch if the electrical switch is closed and pressure was applied concurrently with an object contacting the electrical switch;
• (e) closing the electrical switch if the electrical switch is open and pressure was applied concurrently with an object contacting the electrical switch.

A method of opening or closing an electrical switch comprising the steps of:

• (a) sensing the input of pressure on an electrical switch;
• (b) sensing the presence of an object in contact with an electrical switch;
• (c) closing the electrical switch if pressure was applied concurrently with an object contacting the electric switch;
• (d) monitoring the continual contact of the object in contact with the electrical switch;
• (e) opening the electrical switch when the object in contact with the electrical switch is removed.