Loop antenna with integrated proximity sensing
First Claim
1. An antenna assembly configured to detect proximity of an object, the antenna assembly comprising:
- a conductive element including an antenna structure;
a capacitive proximity sensor module electrically connected to the conductive element, the capacitive proximity sensor module driving the conductive element to detect proximity of the object to the conductive element;
a radiofrequency (RF) feed antenna positioned to parasitically drive the conductive element for communications in a frequency band of RF signals; and
a second conductive element including another antenna structure, the RF feed antenna being positioned to parasitically drive the second conductive element for communications in a second frequency band of RF signals, the capacitive proximity sensor module using the second conductive element to detect proximity of the object to the second conductive element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An antenna assembly that generally combines RF communication circuitry and proximity sensing circuitry. The antenna assembly utilizes a pair of conductive elements (e.g., loop antenna structures) that are parasitically (e.g., capacitively) driven by a directly fed RF feed antenna. The pair of conductive elements are selectively tunable to communicate in a frequency band of RF communication signals by a pair of RF tuning switches. The pair of conductive elements are also utilized as electrodes for proximity sensing by a capacitive proximity sensor module. The proximity sensing module outputs a low frequency signal (as opposed to the high frequency RF signal) to the pair of conductive elements for proximity sensing. The RF tuning switches are isolated from the low frequency signal by a pair of capacitors. The capacitive proximity sensing circuitry is isolated from the RF communication signals by a pair of inductors.
237 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An antenna assembly configured to detect proximity of an object, the antenna assembly comprising:
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a conductive element including an antenna structure; a capacitive proximity sensor module electrically connected to the conductive element, the capacitive proximity sensor module driving the conductive element to detect proximity of the object to the conductive element; a radiofrequency (RF) feed antenna positioned to parasitically drive the conductive element for communications in a frequency band of RF signals; and a second conductive element including another antenna structure, the RF feed antenna being positioned to parasitically drive the second conductive element for communications in a second frequency band of RF signals, the capacitive proximity sensor module using the second conductive element to detect proximity of the object to the second conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for detecting proximity of an object comprising:
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exciting a radiofrequency (RF) feed antenna with a direct feed; parasitically driving a conductive element using the directly excited RF feed antenna, the conductive element driven for communications in a frequency band of RF signals, the conductive element including an antenna structure; parasitically driving a second conductive element using the radiofrequency (RF) feed, the second conductive element driven for communications in a second frequency band of RF signals, the second conductive element including another antenna structure; and detecting proximity of the object to the conductive element with a capacitive proximity sensor module electrically connected to the conductive element and the second conductive element, the capacitive proximity sensor module driving the conductive element and the second conductive element to detect proximity of the object. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronic device configured to detect proximity of an object comprising:
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a conductive element including an antenna structure; a second conductive element including another antenna structure; a capacitive proximity sensor module electrically connected to the conductive element, the capacitive proximity sensor module driving the conductive element to detect proximity of the object to the conductive element; and a radiofrequency (RF) feed antenna positioned to parasitically drive the conductive element for communications in a frequency band of RF signals and to parasitically drive the second conductive element for communications in a second frequency band of RF signals. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification