What is claimed is:
1. A device for protecting a motor vehicle against theft, comprising:
a sensor for providing at least one sensor signal;
a functional unit;
an alarm-signal generator;
at least one signal processing unit for evaluating the at least one sensor signal in a first operating mode for generating a triggering signal for the functional unit, the at least one signal processing unit evaluating the at least one sensor signal in a second operating mode for generating a triggering signal for an alarm-signal generator, the second operating mode differing from the first operating mode; and
an operating-state detection unit for detecting whether at least one of the motor vehicle is in a deactivated state and an alarm function has been primed, wherein:
the second operating mode is activated when at least one of the motor vehicle is in the deactivated state and the alarm function has been primed, and
the first operating mode is activated when the motor vehicle is in an activated state.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein:
the at least one signal processing unit in the second operating mode detects the at least one sensor signal at a first instant and a second sensor signal at a second instant for producing the triggering signal for the alarm-signal generator.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein:
one of the triggering signal for the functional unit and the triggering signal for the alarm-signal generator is generated when the at least one sensor signal exceeds a predefinable limiting value.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein:
an evaluation of the at least one sensor signal in the second operating mode is started by an activation event.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein:
wherein an activation of the second operating mode is performed at least one of cyclically, as a function of an output signal of an intrusion detection unit, and an output signal of another theft-warning device.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes at least one of:
a radar sensor,
an ultrasonic sensor,
a speed sensor,
a yaw-rate sensor,
an acceleration sensor,
a tire-pressure sensor,
a travel sensor within a shock absorber,
a force sensor for determining a vehicle weight, and
a tank-level sensor.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein:
an activation of the second operating mode is evaluated in accordance with a signal of at least one of at least one touch-sensitive door switch, a touch-sensitive locking switch, an ignitionstarter switch, and an operating control element for activating an alarm-system function.
8. The device according to claim 1, wherein:
the sensor detects a surrounding field, and
the alarm-signal generator is activated when a front distance and a rear distance change in a diametrically opposed manner.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. (canceled)
2. An apparatus for manipulating droplets, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a first printed circuit board substrate comprising a first side surface and a second side surface;
(b) an array of drive electrodes disposed on the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface;
(c) a dielectric layer disposed on the first printed circuit board substrate first side covering the drive electrodes;
(d) a second substrate comprising a first side surface and a second side surface, the second substrate being substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the first printed circuit board substrate by a distance to define a space between the second substrate second side surface and the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface, wherein the distance is sufficient to contain a droplet disposed in the space; and
(e) one or more reference elements disposed on the second substrate second side surface.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the first printed circuit board substrate comprises a plurality of substrate apertures defined therein and extending from the first side surface of the first printed circuit board substrate to the second side surface of the first printed circuit board substrate and each electrode comprises an electrode aperture, wherein each electrode aperture is aligned with one of the plurality of substrate apertures to define a plurality of via holes through the apparatus.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the via holes are filled with a dielectric substance.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the via holes are filled with a resin.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the resin is a conductive epoxy or an optically transparent epoxy.
7. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the first printed circuit board substrate defines at least one droplet inlet port adjacent with at least one of the drive electrodes of the drive electrode array.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the at least one droplet inlet port is in communication with a liquid flow source selected from the group consisting of a flexible tube, a syringe, a pipettor, an external fluidic pump, a glass capillary tube, an intra-venous line, and a microdialysis lumen.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the first printed circuit board substrate defines at least one droplet outlet port adjacent with at least one of the drive electrodes of the drive electrode array.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the at least one droplet outlet port is in communication with a liquid flow source selected from the group consisting of a flexible tube, a syringe, a pipettor, an external fluidic pump, a glass capillary tube, an intra-venous line, and a microdialysis lumen.
11. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the dielectric substance is a soldermask material, spin-on material, dip-coatable material, brush or spray-coatable, vapor depositable, or sputtered material.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the soldermask material is selected from the group consisting of liquid photoimageable soldermask (LPI) and dry film soldermask (DFSS).
13. The apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising an electronic component operatively connected to the first printed circuit board substrate, the electronic component being selected from the group consisting of microcontrollers, relays, high voltage multiplexers, voltage converters, light emitting diodes (LEDs), photodiodes, photo-multiplier tubes (PMT), heating elements, thermistors, resistance temperature devices (RTDs), and electrochemical measurement electrodes.
14. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the dielectric layer disposed on the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface comprises a hydrophobic surface or coating.
15. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the one or more reference elements disposed on the second substrate second side surface comprises a hydrophobic surface or coating.
16. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the space comprises oil.
17. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the space is filled with oil.
18. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the space comprises oil and a droplet in the oil.
19. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the space is filled with oil and comprises a droplet in the oil.
20. An apparatus for manipulating droplets, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a first printed circuit board substrate comprising a first side surface and a second side surface;
(b) an array of drive electrodes disposed on the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface;
(c) a dielectric substance layer disposed on the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface covering the drive electrodes;
(d) a second substrate comprising a first side surface and a second side surface, the second substrate being substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the first printed circuit board substrate by a distance to define a space between the second substrate second side surface and the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface, wherein the distance is sufficient to contain a droplet disposed in the space; and
(e) one or more reference elements settable to a common reference potential disposed in at least substantially co-planar relation to the drive electrode array.
21. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the first printed circuit board substrate comprises a plurality of substrate apertures defined therein and extending from the first side surface of the first printed circuit board substrate to the second side surface of the first printed circuit board substrate and each drive electrode comprises an electrode aperture, wherein each drive electrode aperture is aligned with one of the plurality of substrate apertures to define a plurality of via holes through the apparatus.
22. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the via holes are filled with the dielectric substance.
23. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the via holes are filled with a resin.
24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the resin is a conductive epoxy or an optically transparent epoxy.
25. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the first printed circuit board substrate defines at least one droplet inlet port adjacent with at least one of the drive electrodes of the drive electrode array.
26. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the at least one droplet inlet port is in communication with a liquid flow source selected from the group consisting of a flexible tube, a syringe, a pipettor, an external fluidic pump, a glass capillary tube, an intra-venous line, and a microdialysis lumen.
27. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the first printed circuit board substrate defines at least one droplet outlet port adjacent with at least one of the drive electrodes of the drive electrode array.
28. The apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the at least one droplet outlet port is in communication with a liquid flow source selected from the group consisting of a flexible tube, a syringe, a pipettor, an external fluidic pump, a glass capillary tube, an intra-venous line, and a microdialysis lumen.
29. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the one or more reference elements comprises a grid of elongate structures.
30. The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the height of the grid of elongate structures is at least equal to the height of the droplet disposed on the substrate first side surface.
31. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the dielectric substance is a soldermask material, spin-on material, dip-coatable material, brush or spray-coatable, vapor depositable, or sputtered material.
32. The apparatus according to claim 31 wherein the soldermask material is selected from the group consisting of liquid photoimageable soldermask (LPI) and dry film soldermask (DFSS).
33. The apparatus according to claim 20 further comprising an electronic component operatively connected to the first printed circuit board substrate, the electronic component being selected from the group consisting of microcontrollers, relays, high voltage multiplexers, voltage converters, light emitting diodes (LEDs), photodiodes, photo-multiplier tubes (PMT), heating elements, thermistors, resistance temperature devices (RTDs), and electrochemical measurement electrodes.
34. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the dielectric layer disposed on the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface comprises a hydrophobic surface or coating.
35. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the one or more reference elements disposed on the second substrate second side surface comprises a hydrophobic surface or coating.
36. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the space comprises oil.
37. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the space is filled with oil.
38. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the space comprises oil and a droplet in the oil.
39. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the space is filled with oil and comprises a droplet in the oil.
40. An apparatus for manipulating droplets, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a first printed circuit board substrate comprising a first side surface and a second side surface;
(b) an array of drive electrodes disposed on the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface;
(c) a dielectric substance layer disposed on the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface covering the drive electrodes;
(d) a second substrate comprising a first side surface and a second side surface, the second substrate being substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the first printed circuit board substrate by a distance to define a space between the second substrate second side surface and the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface, wherein the distance is sufficient to contain a droplet disposed in the space; and
(e) an elongated reference element disposed on the second substrate second side surface.
41. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the first printed circuit board substrate comprises a plurality of substrate apertures defined therein and extending from the first side surface of the first printed circuit board substrate to the second side surface of the first printed circuit board substrate and each drive electrode comprises an electrode aperture, wherein each drive electrode aperture is aligned with one of the plurality of substrate apertures to define a plurality of via holes through the apparatus.
42. The apparatus according to claim 41 wherein the via holes are filled with the dielectric substance.
43. The apparatus according to claim 41 wherein the via holes are filled with a resin.
44. The apparatus according to claim 43 wherein the resin is a conductive epoxy or an optically transparent epoxy.
45. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the first printed circuit board substrate defines at least one droplet inlet port adjacent with at least one of the drive electrodes of the drive electrode array.
46. The apparatus according to claim 45 wherein the at least one droplet inlet port is in communication with a liquid flow source selected from the group consisting of a flexible tube, a syringe, a pipettor, an external fluidic pump, a glass capillary tube, an intra-venous line, and a microdialysis lumen.
47. The apparatus according to claim 45 wherein the first printed circuit board substrate defines at least one droplet outlet port adjacent with at least one of the drive electrodes of the drive electrode array.
48. The apparatus according to claim 47 wherein the at least one droplet outlet port is in communication with a liquid flow source selected from the group consisting of a flexible tube, a syringe, a pipettor, an external fluidic pump, a glass capillary tube, an intra-venous line, and a microdialysis lumen.
49. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the elongated reference element comprises one or more wires.
50. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the elongated reference element comprises a plate.
51. The apparatus according to claim 50 wherein the reference element plate comprises a plate surface facing the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface, and the plate surface is hydrophobic.
52. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the dielectric substance is a soldermask material, spin-on material, dip-coatable material, brush or spray-coatable, vapor depositable, or sputtered material.
53. The apparatus according to claim 52 wherein the soldermask material is selected from the group consisting of liquid photoimageable soldermask (LPI) and dry film soldermask (DFSS).
54. The apparatus according to claim 40 further comprising an electronic component operatively connected to the printed circuit board substrate, the electronic component being selected from the group consisting of microcontrollers, relays, high voltage multiplexers, voltage converters, light emitting diodes (LEDs), photodiodes, photo-multiplier tubes (PMT), heating elements, thermistors, resistance temperature devices (RTDs), and electrochemical measurement electrodes.
55. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the dielectric layer disposed on the first printed circuit board substrate first side surface comprises a hydrophobic surface or coating.
56. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the elongated reference element disposed on the second substrate second side surface comprises a hydrophobic surface or coating.
57. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the space comprises oil.
58. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the space is filled with oil.
59. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the space comprises oil and a droplet in the oil.
60. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the space is filled with oil and comprises a droplet in the oil.