Method and circuit arrangement for the activation and parameterization of an electrical device

1. A method for the activation of an electrical device, which comprises at least one electrical component whose values are mechanically variable by rotating, displacing, pressing, touching or other manipulations, comprising the following steps:

at least one first and one second threshold value are predetermined;

a time window starts after reaching the first threshold value by manipulation of the electrical component;

if the second threshold value is reached by manipulation of the electrical component within the time window, an activation signal is output;

if the second threshold value is not reached within the predeterminable time window by manipulation of the electrical component, the activation process is terminated; and

if the second threshold value is reached by manipulation of the electrical component within the time window, further manipulation of the electrical component to a switching threshold value, holding the electrical component at the switching threshold value for a specific period of time, reading out via the electrical device the switching threshold value as a new switching threshold, and storing the new switching threshold in a memory of the electrical device.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein an element with binary or analog output signal is used as an electrical component, especially one of the following components: rotary actuator, linear actuator, rotary potentiometer, slide potentiometer, variable capacitor, slider, pushbutton, touch-sensitive switch element.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein a first signal is output upon reaching the first threshold value and a second signal is output upon reaching the second threshold value within the predeterminable time window, and

wherein the first signal comprises at least one of an optical signal, an acoustic signal, and an electrical signal, and the second signal comprises at least one of an optical signal, an acoustic signal, and an electrical signal.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of a parameterization and a determination of the operating mode of the electrical device is carried out by rotating, displacing, pressing, touching or other manipulations of the electrical component in a predeterminable manner.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first threshold value is reached by first manipulation in one direction and the second threshold value is reached by a second manipulation in the same direction.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first threshold value is reached by first manipulation in one direction and the second threshold value is reached by a second manipulation in the opposite direction.

7. A circuit arrangement for the activation and parameterization of an electrical device, comprising:

at least one electrical component whose values are variable by rotating, displacing, pressing, touching or other manipulations;

a threshold value device which is set up to detect reaching at least two predeterminable or predetermined threshold values;

a timer circuit; and

a memory;

wherein the threshold values are reached by rotating, displacing, pressing, touching or other manipulations of the electrical component,

wherein upon reaching the first threshold value the timer circuit starts a predeterminable or predetermined time window,

wherein upon reaching the second threshold value the timer circuit outputs an activation signal within the predeterminable time window and releases a parameterization in form of a switch threshold setting and interrupts the activation upon exceeding the predeterminable or predetermined time window, and

wherein upon reaching the second threshold value by manipulation of the electrical component within the predeterminable or predetermined time window, further manipulation of the electrical component to a switching threshold value and holding the electrical component at the switching threshold value for a specific period of time allows the electrical device to read out the switching threshold value as a new switching threshold and to store the new switching threshold in the memory.

8. A circuit arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the electrical component is one of the following components: rotary actuator, linear actuator, rotary potentiometer, slide potentiometer, variable capacitor, slider, pushbutton, touch-sensitive switch element.

9. A circuit arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the electrical device is a sensor whose switching value is adjustable via the electrical component.

10. A circuit arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor, a distance sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor or humidity sensor, or any other sensor for detecting physical quantities.