VIRTUAL FM ANTENNA

• US 20080024375A1
• Filed: 07/05/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Castella, Frederic, MARTIN, Francis Rajesh, Clement, Patrick, Bidichandani, Sameer
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/718
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method for receiving wireless signals couples an antenna input of a receiver to a human body and receives a signal conducting from said body. Impedance matching circuitry lessens signal power loss at the antenna input. Parameters of the impedance matching circuitry can be adjusted based on a detected impedance, a detected signal strength, or the frequency of the signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving wireless signals, comprising:

a receiver configured to process a signal at a frequency, said receiver having an antenna input to receive said signal; and

a coupling mechanism to be coupled to a human body, said coupling mechanism to receive said signal conducting from said human body and to transmit said signal to said receiver through said antenna input.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

impedance matching circuitry associated with said antenna input, said impedance matching circuitry configured to lessen signal power loss at said antenna input.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

digital detection circuitry to detect an impedance and to adjust parameters of said impedance matching circuitry based on said detected impedance.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said parameters include capacitance.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

digital detection circuitry to detect signal strength and to adjust parameters of said impedance matching circuitry based on said detected signal strength.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said parameters include capacitance.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry to adjust parameters of said impedance matching circuitry based on said frequency of said signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said parameters include capacitance.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises a conductive material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises a non-conductive material and is to be capacitively coupled to said human body.

11. An apparatus for receiving wireless signals, comprising:

processing means for processing a signal at a frequency;

receiving means for receiving said signal, said receiving means to transmit said signal to said processing means; and

,

coupling means for coupling said receiving means to a human body, said coupling means to receive said signal conducting from said human body and to transmit said signal to said receiving means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

impedance matching means for lessening signal power loss as said signal is transmitted from said human body to said receiving means.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

detection means for detecting an impedance; and

,

adjusting means for adjusting parameters of said impedance matching means based on a detected impedance.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

detection means for detecting signal strength; and

,

adjusting means for adjusting parameters of said impedance matching means based on a detected signal strength.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

adjusting means to adjust parameters of said impedance matching circuitry based on said frequency of said signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said coupling means comprises a conductive material.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said coupling means comprises a non-conductive material and is to be capacitively coupled to said human body.

18. A method of receiving a wireless signal, said method comprising:

coupling an antenna input to a human body;

transmitting a signal conducting from said human body through said antenna input to a receiver configured to process said signal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising;

adjusting parameters of impedance matching circuitry associated with said antenna input to lessen signal power loss.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said adjusting is in response to detecting an impedance.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said adjusting is in response to detecting signal strength.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said adjusting is based on a frequency of said signal