Building material for house

Abstract

Provided is a building material for a house, the building material making it possible to detect a body to be detected in the vicinity of the surface of the building material, examples of which include a wall, a floor, and a door of the house, without impairing design properties. The present invention comprises a capacitance sensor having a detection region for detecting capacitance and a peripheral region provided on the outer periphery of the detection region. The capacitance sensor is incorporated into at least one of a wall, a floor, and a door of a house.

Description

Building materials for housing

[0001] The present disclosure relates to building materials for housing.

[0002] A capacitance sensor that detects the proximity of an object by detecting a change in capacitance is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] U.S. Patent No. 9,151,792

[0004] However, when the capacitance sensor described in Document 1 is externally arranged on building materials such as the walls, floors, and doors of a house, the designability of the house may be impaired. Further, in the capacitance sensor described in Document 1, when an insulator is arranged at a position overlapping the detection area, the detection sensitivity may decrease, and it may be difficult to detect a detected object on the insulator.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide building materials for housing that can detect a detected object in the vicinity of the surface of building materials such as the walls, floors, and doors of a house without impairing the designability.

[0006] The building material for housing according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a capacitance sensor having a detection area for detecting capacitance and a peripheral area provided on the outer periphery of the detection area, and the capacitance sensor is incorporated in at least one of the walls, floors, and doors of a house.

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a residential building material according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the main configuration of a capacitive sensor according to Embodiment 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III' of Figure 1, showing the residential building material and the capacitive sensor according to Embodiment 1. Figure 4 is a schematic plan view showing an example of connection between the sensor body and the processing unit of the capacitive sensor according to Embodiment 1. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the block configuration of the capacitive sensor according to the embodiment. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the drive signal generation circuit according to Embodiment 1. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of the functional circuit block configuration of the capacitive sensor according to Embodiment 1. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of electricity in the electric field generated from the peripheral electrode and the sensor electrode when an object nearby to the sensor circuit is at position P1. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of electricity in the electric field generated from the peripheral electrode and the sensor electrode when an object nearby to the sensor circuit is at position P2. Figure 10 is a main flowchart showing an example of detection processing in a capacitive sensor. Figure 11 is a subflowchart showing an example of baseline setting processing. Figure 12 is a subflowchart showing an example of detection mode determination processing. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a residential building material according to a modification 1 of Embodiment 1. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a residential building material according to a modification 2 of Embodiment 1. Figure 15 is a perspective view showing a residential building material according to Embodiment 2. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XVI-XVI' of Figure 15, showing the residential building material according to Embodiment 2. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a residential building material according to a modification 1 of Embodiment 2. Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing a residential building material according to a modification 2 of Embodiment 2. Figure 19 is a perspective view showing a residential building material according to Embodiment 3. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX-XX' of Figure 19, showing the residential building material according to Embodiment 3. Figure 21 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a capacitance sensor installed on a residential building material according to Embodiment 4. Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXII-XXII' of Figure 21, showing the residential building material and capacitance sensor according to Embodiment 4.

[0008] Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, the components described below include those that are easily conceivable to those skilled in the art, and those that are substantially the same. Moreover, the components described below can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the disclosure is merely an example, and any modifications that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art while maintaining the spirit of the invention are naturally included within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the drawings may schematically represent the width, thickness, shape, etc., of each part compared to the actual embodiment in order to clarify the explanation, but these are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention. Furthermore, in this specification and in each drawing, elements similar to those described above with respect to previously shown drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations may be omitted as appropriate.

[0009] In this specification and in the claims, when describing a manner in which one structure is placed on top of another structure, unless otherwise specified, the term "on top of" includes both cases: when one structure is placed directly on top of another structure so as to be in contact with it, and when another structure is placed above another structure via yet another structure.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a residential building material according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 1, the residential building material 100 comprises a wall 110 and a capacitance sensor 1.

[0011] The wall 110 has multiple columns 401, multiple furring strips 402, boards 403, and sheets 404.

[0012] Each of the columns 401 is installed perpendicularly to the ground. Each of the furring strips 402 is positioned to intersect with multiple columns 401. In the case of a wooden house, the columns 401 and furring strips 402 are made of wood, for example. Hereinafter, the house of Embodiment 1 will be described as a wooden house. However, if the house is made of steel, the columns 401 and furring strips 402 may be made of lightweight steel.

[0013] The thickness of the furring strip 402 is, for example, about 20 mm. However, according to JIS standards, the thickness of the furring strip 402 should be 14 mm or more.

[0014] The pitch of the furring strips 402 is, for example, 300 mm or more and 450 mm or less.

[0015] The board material 403 is attached to cover the column 401 and the furring strip 402. The board material 403 is, for example, gypsum board. The board material 403 is an insulator.

[0016] Furthermore, the thickness of the plate material 403 is, for example, 12.5 mm. The thickness of the plate material 403 may also be 9.5 mm, 12.5 mm, 15 mm, or 21 mm.

[0017] The sheet 404 is bonded to the board material 403. The sheet 404 is, for example, wallpaper. The sheet 404 is an insulator.

[0018] The distance between the furring strip 402 and the sheet 404 is approximately 50 mm at most.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the capacitance sensor 1 is enclosed within the wall 110.

[0020] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the main configuration of a capacitance sensor according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 2, the capacitance sensor 1 comprises a sensor body 40 and a detection circuit 2.

[0021] The sensor body 40 has a plurality of sensor electrodes (first electrodes) 42 and peripheral electrodes (second electrodes) 41 provided on the sensor substrate 15. The capacitance sensor 1 is a hover sensor that detects the position and movement of the object to be detected Fg (hereinafter also referred to as "hover detection") while not in contact with the surface of the sheet 404. In this embodiment, the capacitance sensor 1 performs hover detection using a self-capacitance method.

[0022] The sensor body 40 has a detection area SA and a peripheral area BE located outside the detection area SA. The detection area SA is the area where the sensor electrode 42 is provided and is for detecting an object to be detected that is close to the detection surface. The peripheral area BE is the area outside the detection area SA where the sensor electrode 42 is not provided and is the area where peripheral electrodes 41 are provided along the four sides of the detection area SA.

[0023] In the following explanation, the first direction Dx is one direction in a plane parallel to the sensor substrate 15. The second direction Dy is one direction in a plane parallel to the sensor substrate 15 and is perpendicular to the first direction Dx. The second direction Dy may intersect the first direction Dx without being perpendicular to it. The third direction Dz is perpendicular to the first direction Dx and the second direction Dy and is the normal direction to the main surface of the sensor substrate 15. Furthermore, "plan view" refers to the positional relationship when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the sensor substrate 15.

[0024] Multiple sensor electrodes 42 are arranged in a matrix on the detection area SA of the sensor substrate 15. In other words, the multiple sensor electrodes 42 are arranged side by side in the first direction Dx and the second direction Dy. Each of the multiple sensor electrodes 42 is electrically connected to the AFE circuit 16 via wiring (not shown). In this embodiment, the sensor electrodes 42 are square in shape with sides of 32 mm.

[0025] The peripheral electrodes 41 are arranged to surround the multiple sensor electrodes 42 provided in the detection region SA.

[0026] A detection circuit 2 is connected to the sensor body 40. The detection circuit 2 drives each sensor electrode 42 and detects capacitance. The detection circuit 2 includes an AFE circuit 16 that performs hover detection based on the output of the sensor body 40, and a control circuit 60 that controls the hover detection operation in the AFE circuit 16. The AFE circuit 16 is, for example, an analog front end circuit (AFE). The control circuit 60 includes, for example, an MCU (Micro Control Unit).

[0027] A processing unit 80 is connected to the detection circuit 2. The processing unit 80 is a device that functions as a host computer (HOST) for the capacitance sensor 1 according to this embodiment. The processing unit 80 is, for example, a control terminal for household equipment, but is not limited to this; any terminal capable of receiving hover operations on the capacitance sensor 1 is acceptable.

[0028] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III' of Figure 1, showing the building materials and capacitance sensor according to Embodiment 1.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the capacitance sensor 1 according to Embodiment 1 is embedded in the wall 110 of the house. The detection area SA is positioned so as not to overlap with the furring strip 402. The capacitance sensor 1 is installed inside the board material 403.

[0030] This makes it easy to enclose the capacitance sensor 1 within the wall 110. Because the furring strip 402 is thick, if the detection area SA overlaps with the furring strip 402, the sensitivity decreases. In contrast, since the detection area SA is positioned not to overlap with the furring strip 402, the capacitance sensor 1 according to Embodiment 1 has high detection sensitivity.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the capacitance sensor 1 comprises a shielding layer 14, a sensor substrate 15, a peripheral electrode 41, a sensor electrode 42, and a cover member 45.

[0032] The sensor substrate 15 is a translucent substrate such as glass or resin. Multiple sensor electrodes 42 are formed on the sensor substrate 15, and the peripheral electrode 41 and the sensor electrodes 42 are covered with a protective layer OC, thereby flattening the surface and protecting the peripheral electrode 41 and the sensor electrodes 42. The protective layer OC is a translucent resin, such as acrylic resin. The protective layer OC may be an organic resin, an inorganic resin, or a laminate of an organic resin and an inorganic resin.

[0033] The shielding layer 14 is laminated on the capacitance sensor 1. The shielding layer 14 is a conductive layer of a metallic film that has a metallic luster and is translucent. The material of the shielding layer 14 is, for example, a metallic material such as Al, Ag, or Mo. The shielding layer 14 can shield electromagnetic waves that reach the capacitance sensor 1 from the back surface of the capacitance sensor 1. In addition, the shielding layer 14 overlaps with the detection area AA of the sensor body 40 in the third direction Dz and has the same area as the detection area AA. For this reason, the shielding layer 14 has a larger area than the sensor electrode 42. Note that the shielding layer 14 may have a larger area than the detection area AA.

[0034] The cover member 45 is a protective panel that protects the front surface of the capacitance sensor 1. In a third direction Dz perpendicular to the surface of the cover member 45, the cover member 45 is laminated with the sensor substrate 15. The sensor substrate 15 is fixed to the cover member 45 via an adhesive layer AT. The adhesive layer AT is a light-transmitting adhesive called OCA (Optical Clear Adhesive). The adhesive layer AT may be a light-transmitting film with double-sided adhesive properties.

[0035] Multiple peripheral electrodes 41 and sensor electrodes 42 are provided on the same sensor substrate 15. The sensor substrate 15 is a film-like or plate-like member made of an insulating material, such as a resin film or a glass substrate. Note that the peripheral electrodes 41 and sensor electrodes 42 are not limited to being provided on the same layer of the sensor substrate 15, but may be provided on different layers of the sensor substrate 15. The sensor electrodes 42 are made of a conductive material such as copper or aluminum. Therefore, they can also be formed on substrates such as FPCs (Flexible Printed Circuits) or PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards). If the sensor electrodes 42 are to be transparent, they may be made of a light-transmitting conductive material such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) or IZO (Indium Zinc Oxide). The peripheral electrodes 41 may be made of the same material as the sensor electrodes 42, or they may be made of a different metal material than the sensor electrodes 42.

[0036] The upper surface of sheet 404 becomes the detection surface SF in hover detection. The object to be detected Fg is, for example, the palm or fingers. Fingers include the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, etc. The object to be detected Fg is just one example of a target for detection.

[0037] By enclosing the capacitance sensor 1 within the wall 110, when the object to be detected Fg comes into contact with or approaches the surface of the sheet 404 within the detection area SA, the object to be detected Fg can be detected without compromising the design. Furthermore, if the detection area SA of the capacitance sensor 1 becomes difficult to identify, the user may attach printed materials such as marks, characters, or non-conductive decorations to the sheet 404 that overlaps with the location of the detection area SA.

[0038] Figure 4 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the connection between the sensor body and the processing device of the capacitance sensor according to Embodiment 1.

[0039] As shown in Figure 4, the capacitance sensor 1 includes an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) 70. The FPC 70 is connected to a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) 46. Various circuits that constitute the detection circuit 2 are mounted on the PCB 46. In Figure 3, circuits 46a and 46b are shown as examples of various circuits that constitute the detection circuit 2. Circuits 46a and 46b are circuits that function as, for example, an AFE circuit 16 and a control circuit 60.

[0040] PCB 46 is connected to the processing unit 80 via cable 470. Cable 470 has the function of transmitting signals generated between the capacitance sensor 1 and the processing unit 80. A USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable is an example of cable 470.

[0041] Figure 5 shows an example of the block configuration of a capacitance sensor according to the embodiment.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 5, in addition to the sensor body 40, AFE circuit 16, and control circuit 60 described above, the capacitance sensor 1 includes a first power supply circuit 11 (POW1), an isolated DC-DC converter 12, a second power supply circuit 13 (POW2), a drive signal generation circuit 20, a first isolator 51, and a second isolator 52.

[0043] The plurality of sensor electrodes 42 are each connected to the AFE circuit 16. The peripheral electrode 41 and the shield layer 14 function as an active shield whose potential periodically varies in response to a change in the second reference potential GND2 given from the drive signal generation circuit 20. The AFE circuit 16 acquires an electrical signal corresponding to the self-capacitance generated in each sensor electrode 42 as a detection signal Rx.

[0044] The magnitude of the detection signal Rx obtained from each sensor electrode 42 changes according to the distance between each sensor electrode 42 and a nearby object. The AFE circuit 16 generates sensing data corresponding to the distance between each sensor electrode 42 and a nearby object based on the detection signal Rx acquired from each sensor electrode 42 and outputs the sensing data to the control circuit 60.

[0045] The processing device 80, the control circuit 60, the first power supply circuit 11, and the drive signal generation circuit 20 are included in the first reference potential block 3. Also, in the present disclosure, the second power supply circuit 13, the AFE circuit 16, and the sensor body 40 are included in the second reference potential block 4. The processing device 80, the control circuit 60, the first power supply circuit 11, and the drive signal generation circuit 20 included in the first reference potential block 3 operate with the first reference potential GND1, which is a fixed potential, as the ground potential. The second power supply circuit 13, the AFE circuit 16, and the sensor body 40 included in the second reference potential block 4 operate with the second reference potential GND2 generated by the drive signal generation circuit 20 as the ground potential.

[0046] The first power supply circuit 11 converts the voltage of the power supplied via the power supply line VBUS of the USB cable and supplies the converted power to the control circuit 60 and the drive signal generation circuit 20.

[0047] The isolated DC-DC converter 12 performs insulation and power transmission between the processing device 80 and the second power supply circuit 13. The isolated DC-DC converter 12 performs magnetic insulation type power transmission.

[0048] In the isolated DC-DC converter 12, power is supplied to the coil on the side of the first reference potential block 3 via the power line VBUS of the USB cable, so that the coil generates a magnetic field. The coil on the side of the second reference potential block 4 is provided within the influence range of the magnetic field generated by the coil on the side of the first reference potential block 3.

[0049] An induced electromotive force corresponding to the magnetic field generated by the coil on the side of the first reference potential block 3 is generated in the coil on the side of the second reference potential block 4. The power generated in the coil on the side of the second reference potential block 4 is supplied to the second power circuit 13.

[0050] The second power circuit 13 voltage-converts the power supplied from the isolated DC-DC converter 12 and supplies it to the AFE circuit 16.

[0051] The AFE circuit 16 generates a rectangular wave signal Tx as a periodic variable potential having periodicity in the variation pattern of the potential. The rectangular wave signal Tx includes the fundamental frequency component and harmonic components of the drive signal supplied to the peripheral electrode 41 and the shield layer 14 of the sensor body 40.

[0052] Also, the AFE circuit 16 acquires sensing data from the plurality of sensor electrodes 42 and outputs it to the control circuit 60 via the first isolator 51.

[0053] In the present disclosure, the signal between the AFE circuit 16 and the control circuit 60 is transmitted by an SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), which is a clock synchronization type serial interface. Note that the serial interface for transmitting the signal between the AFE circuit 16 and the control circuit 60 is not limited to SPI.

[0054] The first isolator 51 performs insulation and signal transmission between the control circuit 60 and the AFE circuit 16. The electrical signals input and output via the first isolator 51 are synchronized between the control circuit 60 and the AFE circuit 16.

[0055] The second isolator 52 provides isolation between the AFE circuit 16 and the drive signal generation circuit 20 and transmits the square wave signal Tx. The square wave signal Tx input and output via the second isolator 52 is synchronized between the AFE circuit 16 and the drive signal generation circuit 20.

[0056] The second isolator 52 performs signal transmission using an optical isolation method, for example, a photocoupler. The signal transmission method between the control circuit 60 and the AFE circuit 16 in the first isolator 51 may be the same as that of the second isolator 52, or it may be a different method. In other words, the first isolator 51 may be an optical isolation photocoupler, or a magnetic isolation digital isolator similar to that of the isolated DC-DC converter 12.

[0057] The first isolator 51 is capable of bidirectional signal transmission, from the control circuit 60 to the AFE circuit 16 and from the AFE circuit 16 to the control circuit 60. In a configuration using an optically isolated photocoupler as the first isolator 51, a photocoupler that transmits signals from the control circuit 60 to the AFE circuit 16 and a photocoupler that transmits signals from the AFE circuit 16 to the control circuit 60 are connected in parallel.

[0058] The control circuit 60 transmits various information related to sensing data and signals such as control commands to the processing unit 80.

[0059] Furthermore, the control circuit 60 outputs an electrical resistance value setting command to the digital potentiometer 22, based on reference information (DP control reference data) that shows the correspondence between the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16 and the electrical resistance value of the digital potentiometer 22, which will be described later. The command sets the electrical resistance value of the digital potentiometer 22 to an electrical resistance value corresponding to the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16. As a result, the electrical resistance value of the digital potentiometer 22 is controlled to an electrical resistance value corresponding to the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx.

[0060] The digital potentiometer 22 is a digital potentiometer circuit capable of adjusting the electrical resistance value in response to commands from the control circuit 60. The digital potentiometer 22 is located on the output transmission path of the rectangular wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16 via the second isolator 52. Hereinafter, the digital potentiometer 22 will also be referred to as the "DP circuit 22".

[0061] Furthermore, the control circuit 60 performs noise detection processing of the sensing data and position determination of the detected object based on the sensing data (coordinate calculation processing). Noise detection processing is performed to determine the amount of noise components contained in the sensing data. Coordinate calculation processing is performed to determine the position of the detected object that is close to the sensor body 40. Specifically, in the coordinate calculation processing, for example, the position in the first direction Dx, the position in the second direction Dy, and the position in the third direction Dz (see Figure 1) of the detected object that is close to the sensor body 40 can be derived. The details of the noise detection processing and coordinate calculation processing are the same as those known, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0062] In this disclosure, signals between the control circuit 60 and the processing unit 80 are transmitted via a serial interface, namely USB. Specifically, signals between the control circuit 60 and the processing unit 80 are transmitted via the signal lines D+ and D- of a USB cable. However, the serial interface for transmitting signals between the control circuit 60 and the processing unit 80 is not limited to USB.

[0063] In the configuration described above, the first reference potential block 3, which includes the processing unit 80, the control circuit 60, the first power supply circuit 11, and the drive signal generation circuit 20, and the second reference potential block 4, which includes the second power supply circuit 13, the AFE circuit 16, and the sensor body 40, are electrically isolated from each other via an isolated DC-DC converter 12, a first isolator 51, and a second isolator 52.

[0064] Furthermore, the first reference potential GND1, which is provided to the first reference potential block 3 as the ground potential, is a fixed potential held by a large electrode, such as a solid electrode. On the other hand, the second reference potential GND2, which is provided to the second reference potential block 4 as the ground potential, is a periodically fluctuating potential generated by the drive signal generation circuit 20.

[0065] In the capacitance sensor 1 according to this disclosure, the fluctuation period of the periodically fluctuating potential (second reference potential GND2) is the same as the generation period of the rectangular wave generated by the AFE circuit 16 (the rectangular wave period of the rectangular wave signal Tx). In other words, the second reference potential GND2 is a potential that fluctuates periodically in synchronization with the rectangular wave signal Tx generated by the AFE circuit 16.

[0066] Figure 6 shows an example of the configuration of a drive signal generation circuit according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 6, the drive signal generation circuit 20 includes an LPF circuit 21, an active filter circuit 23, and an amplification circuit 24.

[0067] The LPF circuit 21 replaces the DP circuit 22 with a resistor R. The LPF circuit 21 functions as a low-pass filter through an RC circuit composed of the resistor R and a subsequent capacitive element C. The intermediate wave signal, whose impedance has been converted by a voltage follower circuit connected after the RC circuit, is output to the active filter circuit 23.

[0068] The amplifier circuit 24 includes a DP circuit 22 as the input resistor element of an inverting amplifier circuit equipped with a negative feedback resistor element Rf. The output Vout of the amplifier circuit 24 is given by equation (1) below, where Vin is the input of the amplifier circuit 24. Note that the configuration may also include a phase compensation capacitor element Cf in parallel with the negative feedback resistor element Rf.

[0069] Vout=-(Rf / Rdp)×Vin...(1)

[0070] The sinusoidal wave signal, inverted and amplified by the amplification circuit 24, is impedance-converted by a voltage follower circuit connected downstream of the inverting amplification circuit and supplied as a drive signal to the peripheral electrodes 41 and shield layer 14 of the sensor body 40, as well as being provided as the second reference potential GND2, which is the ground potential of the second reference potential block 4. Depending on the polarity of the sinusoidal wave signal, the amplification circuit 24 may not perform polarity inversion.

[0071] In the configuration of the drive signal generation circuit 20 according to Embodiment 1 described above, when the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal is changed by changing the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22, no phase change occurs in the LPF circuit 21. Therefore, a decrease in detection sensitivity caused by a timing difference in the acquisition of sensing data can be suppressed.

[0072] Figure 7 shows an example of a functional circuit block configuration of a capacitance sensor according to Embodiment 1.

[0073] As shown in Figure 7, the AFE circuit 16 includes a readout circuit 161, an ADC (Analog Digital Converter) circuit 162, and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) circuit 163. Each circuit element of the AFE circuit 16 operates with the second reference potential GND2, which is a periodically fluctuating potential generated by the drive signal generation circuit 20, as the ground potential.

[0074] The reading circuit 161 acquires a detection signal Rx from each of the sensor electrodes 42.

[0075] The ADC circuit 162 converts the detection signal Rx acquired by the readout circuit 161 from an analog signal to a digital signal.

[0076] The DSP circuit 163 performs digital filtering on the digital data converted into a digital signal by the ADC circuit 162 to generate a detection signal Rx.

[0077] The AFE circuit 16 outputs the sensing data generated by the DSP circuit 163 to the control circuit 60 via the first isolator 51.

[0078] The control circuit 60 includes a readout circuit 61, a noise detection circuit 62, a coordinate calculation circuit 63, and a memory circuit 64. Each circuit element of the control circuit 60 operates with a fixed potential, the first reference potential GND1, as the ground potential.

[0079] The readout circuit 61 acquires the sensing data output from the AFE circuit 16 via the first isolator 51.

[0080] The noise detection circuit 62 performs the noise detection process described above based on the sensing data acquired by the reading circuit 61.

[0081] The coordinate calculation circuit 63 performs the above-described coordinate calculation process based on the sensing data acquired by the reading circuit 61.

[0082] The memory circuit 64 pre-stores reference data for DP control that shows the correspondence between the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16 and the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22. The reference data for DP control is, for example, a table-formatted data in which the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16 and the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 are associated one-to-one.

[0083] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the memory circuit 64 is assumed to have a threshold value pre-stored in it that is used when determining the detection mode in the detection mode setting process described later.

[0084] The control circuit 60 refers to the DP control reference data held in the memory circuit 64 and outputs an electrical resistance value setting command to set the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 so that it corresponds to the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16.

[0085] Furthermore, the control circuit 60 has the function of changing the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16. When the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16 is changed, the control circuit 60 resets the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 according to the changed fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx.

[0086] In this disclosure, the control circuit 60 has a function to change the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16. In this disclosure, the driving frequency in the self-capacitance type hover detection, that is, the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16, can be changed. This makes it possible to suppress the effects of noise. Hereinafter, changing the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx will also be referred to as "frequency hopping".

[0087] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of electricity in the electric field generated from the peripheral electrode and the sensor electrode when an object adjacent to the sensor circuit is at position P1. In other words, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of electricity in the electric field that occurs when the potential of the peripheral electrode 41 is higher than the potential of the sensor electrode 42.

[0088] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of electricity in the electric field generated from the peripheral electrode and the sensor electrode when an object adjacent to the sensor circuit is at position P2. In other words, Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of electricity in the electric field that occurs when the potential of the peripheral electrode 41 is lower than the potential of the sensor electrode 42.

[0089] The detection signal strength obtained from each of the sensor electrodes 42a, 42b, and 42c changes depending on whether the object approaching the sensor body 40 is at position P1 or at position P2.

[0090] Figure 10 is a main flowchart showing an example of the detection process in a capacitive sensor. The capacitive sensor 1 dynamically switches between a hover detection mode (first detection mode) and a touch detection mode (second detection mode) depending on the maximum value of the sensing data acquired in the detection area SA to perform sensing operations. In touch detection mode (second detection mode), it detects when the object to be detected Fg is in contact with the sheet 404 shown in Figure 3. In hover detection mode (first detection mode), it detects the position coordinates of the object to be detected Fg that is further away from the sheet 404 shown in Figure 3.

[0091] When the sensing operation by the capacitive sensor 1 begins (step S1), the capacitive sensor 1 sets a baseline in both the hover detection mode and the touch detection mode (step S2). Figure 11 is a subflowchart showing an example of the baseline setting process.

[0092] In the baseline setting process (step S2), first, the control circuit 60 sets an electrical resistance value for hover detection to the DP circuit 22 (step S21). The electrical resistance value for hover detection is, for example, a value such that the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes 6.8V.

[0093] The AFE circuit 16 acquires detection signals Rx from each sensor electrode 42 when the object to be detected is not in close proximity to the sensor body 40, and generates baseline data for hover detection based on the detection signals Rx (step S22).

[0094] Next, the control circuit 60 sets an electrical resistance value for touch detection for the DP circuit 22 (step S23). The electrical resistance value for touch detection is, for example, a value such that the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes 2.5V.

[0095] The AFE circuit 16 acquires detection signals Rx from each sensor electrode 42 when the object to be detected is not in close proximity to the sensor body 40, and generates baseline data for touch detection based on the detection signals Rx (step S24).

[0096] After executing the baseline setting process (step S2), the process returns to the main flow of the detection process shown in Figure 10. The AFE circuit 16 acquires detection signals Rx from each sensor electrode 42, generates sensing data, and transmits it to the control circuit 60. The control circuit 60 sets the detection mode based on the sensing data transmitted from the AFE circuit 16 (step S3). Figure 12 is a subflowchart showing an example of the detection mode determination process.

[0097] In the detection mode setting process (step S3), first, the control circuit 60 determines whether the current detection mode is hover detection mode or touch detection mode. More specifically, the control circuit 60 determines whether the current detection mode is hover detection mode or not (step S31).

[0098] If hover detection mode is enabled (step S31; Yes), the control circuit 60 determines whether the maximum value RDHmax among the sensing data (RDH(n), where n is a natural number from 1 to N, and N is the number of sensor electrodes in the detection area SA) within the detection area SA is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold RDHth (RDHmax ≥ RDHth, step S32). The threshold RDHth is pre-stored in the memory circuit 64.

[0099] If the maximum value of the sensing data, RDHmax, is less than the threshold RDHth (step S32; No), the control circuit 60 maintains the hover detection mode. If the maximum value of the sensing data, RDHmax, is greater than or equal to the threshold RDHth (step S32; Yes), the control circuit 60 changes the detection mode from the hover detection mode to the touch detection mode (step S33).

[0100] If the touch detection mode is active (step S31; No), the control circuit 60 determines whether the maximum value RDTmax among the sensing data (RDT(n), where n is a natural number from 1 to N, and N is the number of sensor electrodes in the detection area SA) within the detection area SA is less than a predetermined threshold RDTth (RDTmax < RDTth, step S34). The threshold RDTth is pre-stored in the memory circuit 64.

[0101] If the maximum value of the sensing data, RDTmax, is greater than or equal to the threshold RDTth (step S34; No), the control circuit 60 enters touch detection mode. If the maximum value of the sensing data, RDTmax, is less than the threshold RDTth (step S34; Yes), the control circuit 60 changes the detection mode from touch detection mode to hover detection mode (step S35).

[0102] As described above, when the object to be detected Fg is in contact with the surface of the sheet 404, the sensing data becomes significantly larger at the point where the object to be detected Fg is in contact with the surface of the sheet 404. Therefore, by performing a threshold judgment on the maximum value of the sensing data, it is possible to determine whether or not the object to be detected Fg has come into contact with (touched) the surface of the sheet 404.

[0103] The control circuit 60 sets the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 so that the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes a value corresponding to the detection mode set in the detection mode setting process (step S3). Specifically, if the detection mode is set to hover detection mode in the detection mode setting process (step S3), the control circuit 60 sets the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 so that, for example, the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes a first amplitude value (for example, 6.8V). Also, if the detection mode is set to touch detection mode in the detection mode setting process (step S3), the control circuit 60 sets the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 so that, for example, the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes a second amplitude value smaller than the first amplitude value (for example, 2.5V).

[0104] After performing the detection mode setting process (step S3), the process returns to the main flow of the detection process shown in Figure 10, and the capacitance sensor 1 performs normal sensing operation (step S4). The AFE circuit 16 acquires detection signals Rx from each sensor electrode 42, generates sensing data, and transmits it to the control circuit 60. The noise determination circuit 62 of the control circuit 60 performs the noise determination process described above based on the sensing data transmitted from the AFE circuit 16 (step S5).

[0105] Furthermore, the coordinate calculation circuit 63 performs coordinate calculation processing (step S6) based on the difference between the baseline data acquired in the baseline setting process (step S2) and the sensing data.

[0106] In Figure 10, an example is shown in which the coordinate calculation process (step S6) is performed after the noise detection process (step S5). However, the noise detection process (step S5) may be performed after the coordinate calculation process (step S6), or the noise detection process (step S5) and the coordinate calculation process (step S6) may be performed in parallel.

[0107] Next, the control circuit 60 determines whether the conditions for performing frequency hopping described above (hereinafter also simply referred to as "frequency hopping conditions") have been met (step S7).

[0108] If the frequency hopping condition is not met (step S7; No), the process proceeds to step S10.

[0109] If the frequency hopping condition is met (step S7; Yes), the control circuit 60 sets the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 to a value corresponding to the frequency of the square wave signal Tx after frequency hopping (step S8). The control circuit 60 also sets the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16 to the drive frequency after frequency hopping (step S9).

[0110] In Figure 10, an example is shown where the drive frequency is set after the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 is set. However, the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 may be set after the drive frequency is set, or the setting of the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 and the setting of the drive frequency may be performed in parallel.

[0111] In step S8, when setting the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22, the control circuit 60, for example, refers to the DP control reference data described above and sets the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 corresponding to the frequency of the square wave signal Tx after frequency hopping. As a result, the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 is controlled to an electrical resistance value corresponding to the square wave signal Tx after frequency hopping. More specifically, when the detection mode is hover detection mode, the control circuit 60 sets the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 so that, for example, the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes 6.8V. Also, when the detection mode is touch detection mode, the control circuit 60 sets the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 so that, for example, the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes 2.5V.

[0112] If the sensing operation of the capacitance sensor 1 is completed (step S10; Yes), the capacitance sensor 1 terminates its sensing operation. Examples of cases in which the sensing operation terminates include when the power supply to the capacitance sensor 1 is stopped, or when a command to terminate the sensing operation is output to the capacitance sensor 1 from the processing unit 80. If the sensing operation of the capacitance sensor 1 is not completed (step S10; No), the operations from step S3 onward are repeatedly executed.

[0113] The control circuit 60 controls the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal supplied from the drive signal generation circuit 20 to the peripheral electrode 41 and the shield layer 14, according to the sensing data output from the AFE circuit 16.

[0114] More specifically, in the detection mode setting process (step S3), when the current detection mode is hover detection mode (first detection mode), the control circuit 60 enters hover detection mode (first detection mode) if the maximum value RDHmax among the sensing data RDH(n) of the multiple sensor electrodes 42 is less than a predetermined threshold RDHth, and switches to touch detection mode (second detection mode) if the maximum value RDHmax is equal to or greater than the threshold RDHth.

[0115] Furthermore, when the current detection mode is touch detection mode (second detection mode), the control circuit 60 switches to touch detection mode (second detection mode) if the maximum value RDTmax among the sensing data RDT(n) of the multiple sensor electrodes 42 is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold RDTth, and switches to hover detection mode (first detection mode) if the maximum value RDTmax is less than the threshold RDTth.

[0116] The control circuit 60 then sets the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 so that the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes a value corresponding to the detection mode set in the detection mode setting process (step S3).

[0117] More specifically, when the detection mode set in the detection mode setting process (step S3) is the hover detection mode (first detection mode), the control circuit 60 controls the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 so that the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes the first amplitude value (for example, 6.8V).

[0118] Furthermore, when the detection mode set in the detection mode setting process (step S3) is the touch detection mode (second detection mode), the control circuit 60 controls the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 so that the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal becomes a second amplitude value (for example, 2.5V) which is smaller than the first amplitude value.

[0119] Thus, in the hover detection mode (first detection mode), the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal is controlled to be relatively large, and in the touch detection mode (second detection mode), the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal is controlled to be relatively small. This makes it possible to suppress the saturation of sensing data at the contact position when the object to be detected comes into contact with the surface of the sheet 404, and the decrease in position determination accuracy due to sensing data errors caused by capacitive coupling between adjacent sensor electrodes.

[0120] Furthermore, in a configuration in which a sine wave signal Tx output from the AFE circuit 16 is filtered to generate a sine wave signal, and this sine wave signal is amplified to generate a drive signal, a DP circuit 22 is connected in series to the input path of the amplification circuit 24. In addition, the control circuit 60 can set the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx, and the higher the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx, the smaller the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 is relatively, and the lower the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx, the larger the electrical resistance value of the DP circuit 22 is relatively.

[0121] This allows the amplitude value Vpp of the drive signal to remain constant (for example, 6.8V in hover detection mode and 2.5V in touch detection mode) even if, for example, the frequency hopping condition is met by the noise detection process and the fundamental frequency of the square wave signal Tx (the frequency of the drive signal) is changed.

[0122] (Modification 1 of Embodiment 1) Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a residential building material according to Modification 1 of Embodiment 1. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those in Embodiment 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0123] As shown in Figure 13, the residential building material 100A according to the modified example 1 of Embodiment 1 comprises a wall 110A and a capacitance sensor 1.

[0124] The wall 110A has multiple columns 401, multiple furring strips 402, a board 403A, and a sheet 404.

[0125] The plate material 403A has an opening OP1, and the capacitance sensor 1 is installed in the opening OP1. The capacitance sensor 1 is bonded to the back surface of the sheet 404.

[0126] This makes it easier to maintain the capacitance sensor 1.

[0127] (Modification 2 of Embodiment 1) Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a residential building material according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 1. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those in Embodiment 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0128] As shown in Figure 14, the residential building material 100B according to the modified example 2 of Embodiment 1 comprises a wall 110 and a capacitance sensor 1A.

[0129] The peripheral region BE of the capacitance sensor 1A overlaps with the furring strip 402, and there is an air layer AG between the capacitance sensor 1A and the plate material 403.

[0130] The width of the capacitance sensor 1A is greater than the pitch of the furring strips 402, and the capacitance sensor 1A is fixed by adjacent furring strips 402 via an air layer AG.

[0131] This makes it easy to enclose the capacitance sensor 1A within the wall 110.

[0132] (Embodiment 2) Figure 15 is a perspective view showing a residential building material according to Embodiment 2. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI' of Figure 15, showing the residential building material according to Embodiment 2. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those in Embodiment 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0133] As shown in Figure 15, the residential building material 101 according to Embodiment 2 comprises a floor 111 and a capacitance sensor 1.

[0134] The floor 111 has a plurality of main beams 501, a plurality of joists 502, boards 503, and sheets 504.

[0135] Each of the main beams 501 is installed parallel to the ground. Each of the joists 502 is arranged to intersect with the multiple main beams 501. The main beams 501 and joists 502 are made of wood, for example.

[0136] The capacitance sensor 1 is embedded in the floor 111.

[0137] The thickness of the joist 502 is, for example, 30 mm or more and 45 mm or less.

[0138] The spacing of the joists 502 is, for example, between 300 mm and 450 mm.

[0139] The board material 503 is installed so as to cover the main beam 501 and the joist 502. The board material 503 is, for example, plywood. The board material 503 is an insulator.

[0140] Furthermore, the thickness of the plate material 503 is, for example, 15 mm.

[0141] The sheet 504 is bonded to the board material 503. The sheet 504 is, for example, flooring. The sheet 504 is an insulator. The sheet 504 may also be tatami mat. As shown in Figure 16, the upper surface of the sheet 504 becomes the detection surface SF in hover detection.

[0142] As shown in Figure 16, in the floor 111 according to Embodiment 2, the detection area SA is positioned so as not to overlap with the joist 502. The capacitance sensor 1 is installed inside the board material 503.

[0143] This makes it easy to embed the capacitance sensor 1 within the floor 111.

[0144] The object to be detected, Ft, can be, for example, the shape of a foot, the point of heel contact, or the orientation of the foot. By embedding the capacitive sensor 1 in the floor 111, when the object to be detected Ft comes into contact with or approaches the surface of the sheet 504 within the detection area SA, the object to be detected Ft can be detected without compromising the design.

[0145] (Modification 1 of Embodiment 2) Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a residential building material according to Modification 1 of Embodiment 2. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those in Embodiment 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0146] As shown in Figure 17, the residential building material 101A according to the modified example 1 of Embodiment 2 comprises a floor 111A and a capacitance sensor 1.

[0147] The floor 111A has a plurality of main beams 501, a plurality of joists 502, boards 503A, and sheets 504.

[0148] The plate material 503A has an opening OP2, and the capacitance sensor 1 is installed in the opening OP2. The capacitance sensor 1 is bonded to the back surface of the sheet 504.

[0149] This makes it easier to maintain the capacitance sensor 1.

[0150] (Modification 2 of Embodiment 2) Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing a residential building material according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 2. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those in Embodiment 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0151] As shown in Figure 18, the residential building material 101B according to the modified example 2 of Embodiment 2 comprises a floor 111 and a capacitance sensor 1A.

[0152] The area BE surrounding the capacitance sensor 1A overlaps with the joist 502, and there is an air layer AG between the capacitance sensor 1A and the plate material 503.

[0153] The width of the capacitance sensor 1A is greater than the pitch of the joists 502, and the capacitance sensor 1A is fixed by the adjacent joists 502.

[0154] This makes it easier to insert the capacitance sensor 1A into the floor 111.

[0155] (Embodiment 3) Figure 19 is a perspective view showing a residential building material according to Embodiment 3. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX-XX' of Figure 19, showing a door in a house according to Embodiment 3. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those in Embodiment 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0156] As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the residential building material 102 according to Embodiment 3 comprises a door 112 and a capacitance sensor 1.

[0157] The door 112 has a first door surface 601, a second door surface 602 opposite to the first door surface 601, and an insulating material 603 sandwiched between the first door surface 601 and the second door surface 602.

[0158] The first door surface 601 and the second door surface 602 are made of wood. The first door surface 601 is the interior door surface, and the second door surface 602 is the exterior door surface. The surface of the second door surface 602 becomes the detection surface SF in hover detection.

[0159] As shown in Figure 20, in Embodiment 3, the capacitance sensor 1 is installed on the inside of the second door surface 602. However, if the first door surface 601 is the door surface on the outside, the capacitance sensor 1 may be installed on the inside of the first door surface 601.

[0160] The thermal insulation material 603 is a material that reduces heat transfer and exhibits thermal insulation performance through its chemical properties and physical structure. The thermal insulation material 603 includes materials with low thermal conductivity and heat recirculation coefficient, as well as materials that have little to no heat transfer due to convection and radiation. The thermal insulation material 603 has a higher dielectric constant than air, and examples of materials for the thermal insulation material 603 include polystyrene and urethane.

[0161] The thickness of door 112 is, for example, 82 mm.

[0162] By embedding the capacitance sensor 1 in the door 112, when the object to be detected Fg comes into contact with or approaches the surface of the first door surface 601 within the detection area SA, the object to be detected Fg can be detected without compromising the design.

[0163] Furthermore, by providing the thermal insulation material 603, the detection sensitivity can be improved compared to the case without the thermal insulation material 603.

[0164] (Embodiment 4) Figure 21 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a capacitance sensor installed in a residential building material according to Embodiment 4. Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXII-XXII' of Figure 21, showing the residential building material and capacitance sensor according to Embodiment 4. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those in Embodiment 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0165] As shown in Figure 21, the house 200 according to Embodiment 4 comprises a first area 10A and a second area 10B adjacent to the first area 10A.

[0166] A residential building material 103 is provided between the first area 10A and the second area 10B. In Embodiment 4, for example, the first area 10A is a Western-style room, and the second area 10B is a hall. Alternatively, the first area 10A may be a hall, and the second area 10B may be a hall and a Western-style room.

[0167] The residential building material 103 comprises a partition wall 113 and a capacitance sensor 1.

[0168] As shown in Figure 22, in Embodiment 4, the capacitance sensor 1 is installed on the wall surface 113t of the partition wall 113 in the second region 10B. Alternatively, the capacitance sensor 1 may be installed on the wall surface of the partition wall 113 in the first region 10A.

[0169] The thickness of the partition wall 113 is, for example, 115 mm, 130 mm, or 145 mm if the house is made of wood. If the house is made of steel, the thickness of the partition wall 113 is, for example, 70 mm or 90 mm.

[0170] The surface opposite to the wall surface 113t has a detection surface SF. The detection surface SF is the operating surface of the capacitance sensor 1, and a marker is placed on it. The capacitance sensor 1 is covered, for example, with a painting (not shown), so that it cannot be seen from the outside.

[0171] A power wiring WR is positioned between the wall surface 113t and the detection surface SF. The power wiring WR is installed inside the partition wall 113, extends along the third direction Dz, and is connected to a switch SW installed on the first region 10A side. The power wiring WR is made of a metal, such as copper. The switch SW is used to turn electrical equipment, such as lighting fixtures, on and off.

[0172] By installing the capacitance sensor 1 on the wall surface 113t, when the object to be detected Fg comes into contact with or approaches the operating surface within the detection area SA, the object to be detected Fg can be detected without compromising the design.

[0173] Furthermore, by providing a power supply wiring WR, the detection sensitivity can be improved by approximately twice as much as when there is no power supply wiring.

[0174] While preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, this disclosure is not limited to such embodiments. The content disclosed in the embodiments is merely an example, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Any modifications made without departing from the spirit of this disclosure will naturally fall within the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0175] 1, 1A Capacitive sensor 2 Detection circuit 10A First area 10B Second area 40 Sensor body 41 Peripheral electrodes 42 Sensor electrodes 100, 100A, 100B, 101, 101A, 101B, 102, 103 Building materials for houses 110, 110A Wall 111, 111A Floor 112 Door 113 Partition wall 113t Wall surface 200 House 401 Column 402 Furring strip 403, 403A, 503, 503A Board material 501 Main beam 502 Joist 601 First door surface 602 Second door surface 603 Insulation material BE Peripheral area Fg, Ft Detected object OP1, OP2 Opening SA Detection area WR Power wiring

Claims

1. A building material for a house comprising a capacitance sensor having a detection area for detecting capacitance and a peripheral area provided on the outer periphery of the detection area, wherein the capacitance sensor is embedded in at least one of the walls, floors, and doors of a house.

2. The building material for a house according to claim 1, wherein the wall comprises a column, a furring strip intersecting the column, and a board covering the column and the furring strip, and the detection area is arranged not to overlap with the furring strip.

3. The floor comprises a main beam, joists intersecting the main beam, and boards covering the joists and the main beam, and the detection area is arranged not to overlap with the joists, as described in claim 1.

4. The housing building material according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the capacitance sensor is installed inside the plate material.

5. The building material for housing according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the plate material has an opening, and the capacitance sensor is installed in the opening.

6. The building material for housing according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the peripheral region overlaps with the joist, and there is an air layer between the capacitance sensor and the board material.

7. The building material for a house according to claim 1, wherein the door has a first door surface, a second door surface opposite to the first door surface, and an insulating material sandwiched between the first door surface and the second door surface, and the capacitance sensor is installed on the inside of either the first door surface or the second door surface.

8. A building material for a house in which a capacitive sensor is installed, wherein the house comprises a first area and a second area adjacent to the first area, a partition wall is provided between the first area and the second area, the capacitive sensor is installed on the wall surface of the partition wall in either the first area or the second area, has a detection surface on the side opposite to the wall surface, and power wiring is arranged between the wall surface and the detection surface.

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