ANTENNA APPARATUS WITH AN INTEGRATED PROXIMITY SENSOR AND METHODS

• US 20160065260A1
• Filed: 08/26/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pulse Finland Oy (Yageo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pulse Finland Oy (Yageo Corporation)
• Inventors: Korva, Heikki, Heikura, Ilkka
• Granted Patent: US 9,973,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/378 Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use

Abstract

Wireless wide area network (WWAN) antenna with integrated sensor and methods of using the same. In one embodiment, an antenna subsystem and proximity sensing subsystem share a grounded antenna component/parasitic element. The parasitic element can be used to broaden the operating band of the antenna feeding component and provide an input (via a capacitance change) to a proximity sensor. The parasitic element is, in one embodiment, coupled in parallel to the proximity sensor allowing for a reduction in noise due to increased isolation between the antenna subsystem and the sensing subsystem.

Claims

1. An antenna apparatus, comprising:

one or more antenna feed elements;

a parasitic element capacitively coupled to the one or more antenna feed elements, the parasitic element configured to broaden an impedance bandwidth of the one or more antenna feed elements;

a capacitor electrically coupled to a ground, the capacitor electrically coupled to the parasitic element; and

a proximity sensor electrically coupled to an ESD/decoupling circuit such that the proximity sensor is coupled in parallel to the parasitic element, the proximity sensor configured to detect a change in capacitance in the parasitic element in a presence of a human body and lower an output power of at least one of the one or more antenna feed elements in response thereto and raise the output power of at least one of the one or more antenna feed elements in an absence of the human body.

2. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing engine;

wherein the proximity sensor lowers or raises the output power of the one or more antenna feed elements via a signal sent to the processing engine.

3. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a matching circuit configured to provide frequency tuning for the one or more antenna feed elements.

4. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ESD/decoupling circuit is electrically coupled in parallel to the parasitic element, the ESD/decoupling circuit configured to block a radio frequency (RF) signal from going into the proximity sensor so as to enable detection of a capacitance change.

5. The antenna apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ESD/decoupling circuit comprises two resistors coupled in parallel with the capacitor electrically coupled to the ground.

6. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitor electrically coupled to the ground is configured to provide a radio frequency (RF) ground for the one or more antenna feed element and block a direct current (DC) path via a high impedance.

7. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the parasitic element comprises a radio frequency (RF) metallization.

8. The antenna apparatus of claim 7, wherein the parasitic element comprises a grounded metallization with a λ

/4 element.

9. The antenna apparatus of claim 7, wherein the parasitic element comprises a floating metallization with a λ

/2 element.

10. The antenna apparatus of claim 7, wherein the parasitic element comprises a dual-band parasitic element.

11. The antenna apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more antenna feed elements comprises a dual-band antenna feeding component.

12. An antenna apparatus, comprising:

an antenna feed characterized by at least one resonating frequency;

a grounded antenna component characterized to broaden an impedance bandwidth;

a proximity sensing element coupled to the grounded antenna component, the proximity sensing element configured to detect a change in capacitance in the grounded antenna component; and

a capacitor providing a radio frequency (RF) ground for the grounded antenna component but not at specific absorption rate (SAR) frequencies.

13. The antenna apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an RF controller;

wherein the proximity sensing element decreases or increases an output power of the antenna feed via a signal sent to the RF controller.

14. The antenna apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a matching circuitry element configured to provide frequency tuning of the antenna feed.

15. The antenna apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an ESD/decoupling circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the grounded antenna component, the ESD/decoupling circuit configured to block an RF signal from going into the proximity sensing element so as to enable detection of a capacitance change.

16. The antenna apparatus of claim 12, wherein the grounded antenna component comprises an RF metallization.

17. The antenna apparatus of claim 12, wherein the antenna feed comprises a dual-band antenna feeding component, and the grounded antenna component comprises a dual-band parasitic element.

18. A method of operating an antenna with an integrated proximity sensor, the method comprising:

detecting a change in capacitance at the proximity sensor coupled in parallel to a grounded antenna component;

based, at least in part, on the detecting the change in capacitance, sending, at the proximity sensor, a message indicating a presence of a human body; and

lowering a transmit power of the antenna based, at least in part, on a receipt of the message.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a second change in capacitance at the proximity sensor; and

based, at least in part, on the detecting the second change in capacitance, sending, at the proximity sensor, a second message indicating an absence of the human body.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

lowering the transmit power of the antenna based, at least in part, on a receipt of the second message.

21. A mobile apparatus, comprising:

a radio frequency engine;

a proximity sensor coupled to the radio frequency engine;

one or more antenna feed elements coupled to the radio frequency engine;

an antenna grounded element; and

a sensor element coupled with the proximity sensor;

wherein the one or more antenna feed elements and the antenna grounded element are disposed on a first surface of a substrate; and

wherein the sensor element is disposed on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface opposing the first surface.

22. The mobile apparatus of claim 21, wherein a contour for the sensor element generally mirrors a contour for the antenna grounded element.

23. The mobile apparatus of claim 22, wherein the substrate comprises a flexible printed circuit board.

24. The mobile apparatus of claim 21, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect a change in capacitance;

and

wherein the antenna grounded element is capacitively coupled with the sensor element.

25. The mobile apparatus of claim 24, wherein the one or more antenna feed elements comprises a low band antenna feed element and a high band antenna feed element;

and

wherein the mobile apparatus further comprises a matching circuit disposed between the low band antenna feed element and the high band antenna feed element.