Electronic device for performing electric field communication

• US 10,476,552 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Nekozuka, Hikaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorowar, Golam
• Application Number:
  US16/082,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20190089416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/06 with core of ferromagnetic material H01Q7/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An electronic device according to the present disclosure is configured to perform electric field communication via an electric field transmission medium. The electronic device includes a first electrode and a second electrode for performing electric field communication, and a first magnetic sheet. The first electrode portion has at least a first loop antenna. The first magnetic sheet is disposed adjacent to the first electrode portion.

Claims

1. An electronic device that performs electric field communication via an electric field transmission medium, comprising:

a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion for performing electric field communication;

a first magnetic sheet;

a switch connected to a first loop antenna;

an electric field communication unit connected to the switch; and

a communication unit connected to the switch, wherein

the first electrode portion has at least the first loop antenna,

the first magnetic sheet is disposed adjacent to the first electrode portion,

only one of the electric field communication unit and the communication unit is selectively connected to the first loop antenna via the switch,

when the electric field communication unit is connected to the first loop antenna via the switch, both of the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion constitute a condenser configured to be capacitively coupled with an electric field around a human body, and

when the communication unit is connected to the first loop antenna via the switch, only the second electrode portion constitutes the condenser configured to be capacitively coupled with the electric field around the human body.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first loop antenna is used for non-contact communication.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode portion further has a second loop antenna.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein

the first loop antenna is used for non-contact communication;

and

the second loop antenna is used for non-contact charging.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein

one of two electrodes included in the second electrode portion is disposed inside a loop of the first loop antenna;

and

the other one of the two electrodes is disposed inside a loop of the second loop antenna.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing;

wherein

the first electrode portion, the second electrode portion, and the first magnetic sheet are disposed in an order of the first electrode portion, the first magnetic sheet, and the second electrode portion in a direction from an outer surface of the housing towards the inside of the housing.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing;

wherein

the first electrode portion, the second electrode portion, and the first magnetic sheet are disposed in an order of the second electrode portion, the first electrode portion, and the first magnetic sheet in a direction from an outer surface of the housing towards the inside of the housing; and

the second electrode portion has an electrode with a mesh structure.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, further comprising a second magnetic sheet;

wherein

the second magnetic sheet is disposed between the second electrode portion and the first electrode portion.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein one electrode included in the second electrode portion is disposed inside a loop of the first loop antenna.

10. An electronic device that performs electric field communication via an electric field transmission medium, comprising:

a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion for performing electric field communication;

a first magnetic sheet;

a switch connected to a first loop antenna;

an electric field communication unit connected to the switch; and

a charging unit connected to the switch, wherein

the first electrode portion has at least the first loop antenna,

the first magnetic sheet is disposed adjacent to the first electrode portion,

only one of the electric field communication unit and the charging unit is selectively connected to the first loop antenna via the switch,

when the electric field communication unit is connected to the first loop antenna via the switch, both of the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion constitute a condenser configured to be capacitively coupled with an electric field around a human body, and

when the charging unit is connected to the first loop antenna via the switch, only the second electrode portion constitutes the condenser configured to be capacitively coupled with the electric field around the human body.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the first loop antenna is used for non-contact charging.

12. An electronic device that performs electric field communication via an electric field transmission medium, comprising:

a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion for performing electric field communication;

a first magnetic sheet;

a first switch connected to a first loop antenna;

a second switch connected to a second loop antenna;

an electric field communication unit connected to the first switch and the second switch;

a communication unit connected to the first switch; and

a charging unit connected to the second switch, wherein

the first electrode portion has the first loop antenna and the second loop antenna,

the first magnetic sheet is disposed adjacent to the first electrode portion,

only one of the electric field communication unit and the communication unit is selectively connected to the first loop antenna via the first switch,

when the electric field communication unit is connected to the first loop antenna via the first switch, both of the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion constitute a condenser configured to be capacitively coupled with an electric field around a human body,

when the communication unit is connected to the first loop antenna via the first switch, only the second electrode portion constitutes the condenser configured to be capacitively coupled with the electric field around the human body,

only one of the electric field communication unit and the charging unit is selectively connected to the second loop antenna via the second switch,

when the electric field communication unit is connected to the second loop antenna via the second switch, both of the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion constitute a condenser configured to be capacitively coupled with an electric field around a human body, and

when the charging unit is connected to the second loop antenna via the second switch, only the second electrode portion constitutes the condenser configured to be capacitively coupled with the electric field around the human body.