ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH CAPACITIVE PROXIMITY SENSORS FOR PROXIMITY-BASED RADIO-FREQUENCY POWER CONTROL
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a housing;
an antenna window in the housing;
an antenna resonating element mounted in the housing so that radio-frequency signals are transmitted through the antenna window; and
a capacitive proximity sensor electrode located between the antenna resonating element and the antenna window.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device may have a housing in which an antenna is mounted. An antenna window may be mounted in the housing to allow radio-frequency signals to be transmitted from the antenna and to allow the antenna to receive radio-frequency signals. Near-field radiation limits may be satisfied by reducing transmit power when an external object is detected in the vicinity of the dielectric antenna window and the antenna. A capacitive proximity sensor may be used in detecting external objects in the vicinity of the antenna. The proximity sensor may have conductive layers separated by a dielectric. A capacitance-to-digital converter may be coupled to the proximity sensor by inductors. The capacitive proximity sensor may be interposed between an antenna resonating element and the antenna window. The capacitive proximity sensor may serve as a parasitic antenna resonating element and may be coupled to the housing by a capacitor.
201 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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a housing; an antenna window in the housing; an antenna resonating element mounted in the housing so that radio-frequency signals are transmitted through the antenna window; and a capacitive proximity sensor electrode located between the antenna resonating element and the antenna window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A tablet computer comprising:
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a conductive housing; a dielectric antenna window in the conductive housing; radio-frequency transceiver circuitry; an antenna with which the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry transmits radio-frequency signals in at least one cellular telephone band, wherein the antenna comprises an antenna ground formed from at least portion of the conductive housing and an antenna resonating element mounted adjacent to the dielectric antenna window; and a capacitive proximity sensor electrode mounted between the antenna resonating element and the dielectric antenna window. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An electronic device comprising:
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at least one conductive housing structure to which a ground antenna feed terminal is connected; an antenna window in the housing structure; an antenna resonating element formed from conductive traces on a flex circuit to which a positive antenna feed terminal is connected; radio-frequency transceiver circuitry that is coupled to the positive antenna feed terminal and the ground antenna feed terminal and that transmits radio-frequency signals through the antenna window using the antenna resonating element; and a capacitive proximity sensor electrode interposed between the antenna resonating element and the antenna window. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification