Radiating structure with integrated proximity sensing

• US 10,276,922 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mercer, Sean Russell, Khawand, Charbel
• Primary Examiner(s): Yushin, Nikolay K
• Application Number:
  US15/822,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20180248249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 19/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing insulators or insulating bodies manufacture of porcelain for electric insulation C04B33/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0416 having gain or transmission power control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

A wireless transmission system disclosed herein includes a radiating structure integrated into a computing device case that substantially encloses electronics of a computing device. The radiating structure includes an insulator that forms a boundary with the metal plate on the computing device case. A proximity sensor collects data from an exposure point located within the radiating structure.

Claims

1. A system for detecting proximity of an object comprising:

a radiating structure including an insulator and a conductive radiating plate formed in an exterior surface of a computing device case, the computing device case substantially enclosing electronics of a computing device, the conductive radiating plate transmitting a radio-frequency carrier wave when fed by a radio-frequency signal; and

a proximity sensor including a capacitance sensing circuit configured to detect proximity of the object by sensing capacitance changes between the conductive radiating plate and the object, the conductive radiating plate being a capacitance pad of the capacitive sensing circuit.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the conductive radiating plate is bounded by the insulator, the conductive radiating plate performing a radiating function of the radiating structure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a surface of the conductive radiating plate functions as an exposure point for detecting proximity of the object.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first inductor and a second inductor in series between the conductive radiating plate and the capacitance sensing circuit, the first inductor having a lower inductance value than an inductance value of the second inductor.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an inductor and a resistor in series between the conductive radiating plate and the capacitance sensing circuit, the resistor being closer to the capacitance sensing circuit than the inductor.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

control circuitry configured to alter transmission power of the radiating structure responsive to a measurement of the proximity sensor satisfying a human proximity condition.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the radiating structure includes a ceramic block that capacitive couples to the conductive radiating plate to drive the conductive radiating plate to produce the radio-frequency carrier wave when fed by the radio-frequency signal.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

blocking circuitry configured to block a signal transmitted by the conductive radiating plate from affecting the capacitance sensing circuit while also blocking noise from the capacitance sensing circuit from affecting a radiating function of the conductive radiating plate.

8. A device for detecting proximity of an object comprising:

a conductive radiating plate integrated into a computing device case, the computing device case-substantially enclosing electronics of the device, the conductive radiating plate transmitting a radio-frequency carrier wave when fed by a radio-frequency signal;

an insulator positioned adjacent to the conductive radiating plate; and

a proximity sensor including a capacitance sensing circuit configured to detect proximity of the object by sensing capacitance changes between the conductive radiating plate and the object, the conductive radiating plate being a capacitance pad of the capacitive sensing circuit.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

blocking a signal transmitted by the conductive radiating pad from affecting the capacitance sensing circuit; and

blocking noise from the capacitance sensing circuit from affecting a radiating function of the conductive radiating plate.

16. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

blocking circuitry configured to block a signal transmitted by the conductive radiating plate from affecting the capacitance sensing circuit while also blocking noise from the capacitance sensing circuit from affecting a radiating function of the conductive radiating plate.

17. The device of claim 8 wherein the conductive radiating plate is bounded by the insulator, the conductive radiating plate performing a radiating function of a radiating structure.

18. The device of claim 8 wherein a surface of the conductive radiating plate functions as an exposure point for detecting proximity of the object.

19. The device of claim 8 further comprising:

a first inductor and a second inductor in series between the conductive radiating plate and the capacitance sensing circuit, the first inductor having a lower inductance value than an inductance value of the second inductor.

20. The device of claim 8 further comprising:

an inductor and a resistor in series between the conductive radiating plate and the capacitance sensing circuit, the resistor being closer to the capacitance sensing circuit than the inductor.

21. The device of claim 8 further comprising:

control circuitry configured to alter transmission power of a radiating structure including the conductive radiating plate responsive to a measurement of the proximity sensor satisfying a human proximity condition.

22. The device of claim 8 further comprising:

a ceramic block that capacitive couples to the conductive radiating plate to drive the conductive radiating plate to produce the radio-frequency carrier wave when fed by the radio-frequency signal.

9. A method for detecting proximity of an object comprising:

feeding a radiating structure with a radio-frequency signal to transmit a radio-frequency carrier wave, the radiating structure including an insulator and a conductive radiating plate formed in an exterior surface of a computing device case, the conductive computing device case substantially enclosing electronics of a computing device; and

detecting proximity of the object via a capacitance sensing circuit configured to sense capacitance changes between the conductive radiating plate and the object, the conductive radiating plate being a capacitance pad of the capacitive sensing circuit.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

responsive to the detection operation, altering a transmission power of the radiating structure, responsive to satisfaction of a human proximity condition.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the conductive radiating plate performs a radiating function of the radiating structure and functions as an exposure point from which the proximity is detected.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the conductive radiating plate is bounded by the insulator.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

blocking a transmission signal generated by a radio from affecting the capacitance sensing circuit, transmission signal being blocked via a first inductor; and

blocking noise from the capacitance sensing circuit from affecting a radiating function of the conductive radiating plate via a second inductor, the first inductor being positioned in series with the second inductor, the first inductor having a lower inductance value than an inductance value of the second inductor.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein an inductor and a resistor are electrically connected between the conductive radiating plate and the capacitance sensing circuit.