Capacitive Proximity Sensor Configuration Including an Antenna Ground Plane

• US 20160195917A1
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Calatayud, Thomas, Van Niekerk, Carlo
• Granted Patent: US 10,101,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/945 Proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960765 Details of shielding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Embodiments of a capacitive sensor configuration for proximity detection by a playback device are provided. A example playback device includes a capacitive proximity sensor and a radio frequency (RF) antenna. While a grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is decoupled from a grounding plane of the RF antenna, the playback device determines that the playback device will be rendering audio, and responsively causes the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna while the playback device is rendering audio.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a capacitive proximity sensor;

a radio frequency (RF) antenna;

one or more processors; and

data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

while a grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is decoupled from a grounding plane of the RF antenna, determining that the playback device will be rendering audio; and

responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna while the playback device is rendering audio.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and

responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from the grounding plane of the RF antenna.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille coupled to the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor while the playback device is not rendering audio, and wherein the functions further comprise:

responsive to determining that the playback device will be rendering audio, causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from conductive speaker grille.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille, and wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and

responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the conductive speaker grille.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the RF antenna is arranged orthogonally to the capacitive proximity sensor.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

detecting that an object is in proximity to the capacitive proximity sensor; and

responsively causing a control area of the playback device to be illuminated.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

detecting that an object is in proximity to the capacitive proximity sensor; and

responsively caching audio content in a data storage of the playback device.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

detecting that an object is in proximity to the capacitive proximity sensor; and

responsively enabling an audio stage of the playback device such that an amplifier component of the audio stage is configured to produce amplified audio signals.

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

after causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, determining that the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna; and

after determining that grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, rendering audio.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a playback device to perform functions comprising:

while a grounding plane of a capacitive proximity sensor of the playback device is decoupled from a grounding plane of an RF antenna of the playback device, determining that the playback device will be rendering audio; and

responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna while the playback device is rendering audio.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and

responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from the grounding plane of the RF antenna.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille coupled to the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor while the playback device is not rendering audio, and wherein the functions further comprise:

responsive to determining that the playback device will be rendering audio, causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from conductive speaker grille.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille, and wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and

responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the conductive speaker grille.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the RF antenna is arranged orthogonally to the capacitive proximity sensor.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the functions further comprise:

after causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, determining that the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna; and

after determining that grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, rendering audio.

16. A method comprising:

while a grounding plane of a capacitive proximity sensor is decoupled from a grounding plane of an RF antenna of the playback device, determining, by a playback device that comprises the capacitive proximity sensor, that the playback device will be rendering audio; and

responsively causing, by the playback device, the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna while the playback device is rendering audio.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and

responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from the grounding plane of the RF antenna.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille coupled to the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor while the playback device is not rendering audio, and wherein the functions further comprise:

responsive to determining that the playback device will be rendering audio, causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from conductive speaker grille.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille, and wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and

responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the conductive speaker grille.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

after causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, determining that the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna; and

after determining that grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, rendering audio.