Mobile communication device including an extended array sensor

• US 20040204190A1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gitzinger, Thomas, Charlier, Michael, Dietrich, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An apparatus and method utilizing a mobile communication device including a housing, an earpiece coupled to the housing, a keypad coupled to the housing, and an array sensor coupled to the housing. The array sensor is distributed across a significant portion of a face of the housing to allow the detection of various conductive profiles in close proximity to the housing. A portion of the array sensor may be positioned underneath the keypad. The mobile communication device can sense a change in a field across the array sensor and adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device based on the change in the field across the array sensor in response to a conductive profile.

Claims

1. A method of operation of a mobile communication device including an earpiece and a capacitive array sensor extending into a section of the mobile communication device including the earpiece, the method comprising:

sensing a change in a capacitive field across the capacitive array sensor which extends into a section of the mobile communication device including the earpiece; and

adjusting a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device based on the change in the capacitive field across the capacitive array sensor.

2. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing step further comprises sensing a change in a capacitive field according to a conductive profile across the capacitive array sensor which extends into a section of the mobile communication device including the earpiece.

3. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 2, wherein the conductive profile comprises a portion of a human facial profile.

4. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 2, wherein the conductive profile comprises a portion of a human hand.

5. The method of operation of-a mobile communication device according to claim 2, further comprising distinguishing between two different conductive profiles.

6. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 2, further comprising determining a type of conductive profile using a three dimensional map of the conductive profile.

7. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 1,

wherein the mobile communication device further comprises an antenna and antenna matching circuitry, and

wherein the parameter of operation comprises a tuning of the antenna matching circuitry.

8. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the parameter of operation comprises a volume of the earpiece.

9. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a distance of a portion of a human head from the capacitive array sensor,

wherein the adjusting step further comprises increasing a volume of the earpiece based on the detected distance.

10. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a distance of a portion of a human head from the capacitive array sensor,

wherein the parameter of operation comprises a sensitivity of a microphone based on the detected distance.

11. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 2, wherein the conductive profile comprises a conductive body external to the mobile communication device.

12. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 11, wherein the parameter of operation comprises an illumination of the mobile communication device.

13. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 11, wherein the parameter of operation comprises at least one of an audible alert and a performance improvement message.

14. A mobile communication device comprising:

a housing;

an earpiece coupled to the housing;

an array sensor coupled to the housing, the array sensor extending into a section of the mobile communication device including the earpiece.

15. The mobile communication device according to claim 14, further comprising a keypad, wherein a portion of the array sensor is positioned underneath the keypad.

16. The mobile communication device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a field sensing module coupled to the array sensor, the field sensing module being configured to sense a change in a field across the array sensor, and

a parameter of operation adjustment module coupled to the field sensing module, the parameter of operation adjustment module being configured to adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device in response to the change in the field across the array sensor.

17. The mobile communication device according to claim 16, further comprising a conductive profile detection module coupled to the field sensing module, the conductive profile detection module being configured to detect a conductive profile based on the change in the field sensed by the field sensing module.

18. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, wherein the conductive profile comprises a portion of a human facial profile.

19. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, wherein the conductive profile comprises a portion of a human hand.

20. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, further comprising a conductive profile distinguishing module coupled to the conductive profile detection module, the conductive profile distinguishing module being configured to distinguish between two different conductive profiles.

21. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, further comprising a conductive profile type determination module coupled to the conductive profile detection module, the conductive profile type determination module being configured to determine a type of conductive profile using a three dimensional map of the conductive profile.

22. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, further comprising:

an antenna coupled to the housing; and

antenna matching circuitry coupled to the antenna,

wherein the parameter of operation comprises a tuning of the antenna matching circuitry.

23. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, wherein the parameter of operation comprises a volume of the earpiece.

24. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a distance detection module configured to detect a distance of a portion of a human head from the array sensor,

wherein the parameter of operation adjustment module is further configured to increase a volume of the earpiece based on the detected distance.

25. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a microphone coupled to the housing;

a distance detection module coupled to the field sensing module, the distance detection module being configured to detect a distance of a portion of a human head from the array sensor,

wherein the parameter of operation adjustment module is further configured to increase a sensitivity of the microphone based on the detected distance.

26. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, wherein the conductive profile comprises a conductive body external to the mobile communication device.

27. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, wherein the parameter of operation comprises an illumination of the mobile communication device.

28. The mobile communication device according to claim 17, wherein the parameter of operation comprises-at least one of an audible alert and a message regarding improving performance.

29. A mobile communication device comprising:

a housing including

a housing face,

a first section, and

a second section,

the first section and the second section combining to cover the entire housing face;

a keypad coupled only to the first section of the housing; and

an array sensor extending substantially into the second section of the housing.

30. The mobile communication device according to claim 29,

wherein the first section comprises substantially one half of the housing face, and

wherein the second section comprises substantially one half of the housing face.

31. The mobile communication device according to claim 30, further comprising an earpiece,

wherein the earpiece is located in the second section and the array sensor extends substantially around the earpiece.