Apparatus having capacitive sensor

• US 6,442,013 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lindgren, Ulf, Björk, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, KIM NGOC
• Application Number:
  US09/597,302
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 361/280, 361/281, 361/181, 361/179, 379/388, 379/44, 178/19, 324/658, 324/686, 324/690, 340/870.37, 340/870.3, 340/870.01
• US Class Current: 361/280
• 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 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

An electronic device (1), e.g. a mobile telephone having a front cover (6) and a capacitive proximity sensor, comprising: a first electrode (9; 27) and a second electrode (8; 21, 20), said first electrode having a large face (11, 12, 13; 29); and detector means connected to the first electrode (9, 27) and the second electrode (8, 21, 20) for detecting the capacitance of the first electrode relatively to the second electrode and for providing a control signal (Vprox) responsive to the capacitance. The large face (11, 12, 13; 29) of the first electrode is inclined relative to the front cover (6).

Claims

1. An electronic device having a capacitive proximity sensor, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode as a part of and parallel to a front cover, said first electrode having a flat surface of the plate; and

detector means connected to the first electrode and the second electrode for detecting the capacitance of the first electrode relative to the second electrode and for providing a control signal responsive to the capacitance;

wherein the flat surface of the plate of the first electrode is perpendicular to the front cover.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the flat surface of the plate of the first electrode is placed along a side of the device.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a flat surface of the plate of the second electrode is arranged parallel to at least a part of the front cover and in close vicinity of the front cover or forms a part of the front cover.

4. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is U-shaped.

5. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is arranged to substantially follow at least a part of an edge contour of the device.

6. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode comprises a flat surface of the plate arranged parallel to the front cover.

7. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode is U-shaped.

8. An electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the first and second electrodes are U-shaped and arranged in the device such that the openings of the U-shaped electrodes face each other.

9. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are insulated from an exterior of the device by means of an electrically insulating material.

10. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the detector means comprises an oscillator having an oscillating frequency that depends on the electrical capacity of the electrodes relatively to each other.

11. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a mobile telephone.

12. An electronic device having a front cover and a capacitive proximity sensor, comprising:

a first electrode and a second electrode as part of and parallel to the front cover, said first electrode having a large face; and

detector means connected to the first electrode and the second electrode for detecting the capacitance of the first electrode relative to the second electrode and for providing a control signal responsive to the capacitance;

wherein the large face of the first electrode is inclined relative to the front cover such that the large front face of the first electrode is perpendicular to the front cover.