Proximity sensor and method for determining the proximity to an electrically conductive body

A proximity sensor for determining the proximity to an electrically conductive body, said sensor comprising:

• a transmitting arrangement structured and operable to transmit a transmitted alternating magnetic field at a selected frequency,
• a receiving arrangement structured and operable to register a registered alternating magnetic field,
• a detection means structured and operable to detect one or more frequencies of the registered alternating magnetic field, which are outside a predefined frequency band having the selected frequency and have an amplitude value above a predefined threshold;
• and
• a control logic comprising:
• a blocking circuit structured and operable to define one of frequencies of a predefined frequency band having a detected frequency, and a plurality of predefined frequency bands each having at least one detected frequency, as blocked frequencies for a predefined time period:
• a selection controller structured and operable to define a following frequency that follows the respectively selected frequency and is different from the respectively selected and the blocked frequencies;
• and
• a time control structured and operable to continuously select the respective following frequency of a currently selected frequency as a newly selected frequency that is one of immediately after and chronologically spaced apart from a time window predetermined for the currently selected frequency.