Apparatus and method of detecting proximity inductively
First Claim
1. An electronic device having a proximity sensor, comprising:
- a loudspeaker (11;
703;
803) for receiving an audio signal and having a loudspeaker coil (13;
L5;
L6) with an impedance;
a proximity sensor adapted to provide a control signal (Y2;
Y3) indicative of whether an object (8) is in proximity of the device (1);
characterized by having oscillation means (C5, C6, 702;
804) coupled to the loudspeaker coil (13, L5;
L6) to provide the control signal (Y2;
Y3) in response to the impedance.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic communications device having a proximity sensor comprising: communication means (7) and a proximity sensor adapted to provide a control signal (Y2; Y3; Y4) indicative of whether an object (8) is in proximity of the device. The device is characterized by having a proximity sensor coil (L1; L2; L3; L5; L6; LP; LL) with an impedance, and oscillation means (C1, C2, 302; 601; 804) coupled to the proximity sensor coil (L1; L2; L3; L5; L6; LP; LL) to provide the control signal (Y2; Y3; Y4) in response to the impedance.
In a preferred embodiment the proximity sensor coil is a loudspeaker coil. The invention also relates to a method of detecting proximity of an object relative to a loudspeaker (11; 703; 803) with a loudspeaker coil (L5; L6) which has an impedance.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An electronic device having a proximity sensor, comprising:
-
a loudspeaker (11;
703;
803) for receiving an audio signal and having a loudspeaker coil (13;
L5;
L6) with an impedance;
a proximity sensor adapted to provide a control signal (Y2;
Y3) indicative of whether an object (8) is in proximity of the device (1);
characterized by having oscillation means (C5, C6, 702;
804) coupled to the loudspeaker coil (13, L5;
L6) to provide the control signal (Y2;
Y3) in response to the impedance.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An electronic communications device, having a proximity sensor comprising:
-
communication means, a proximity sensor adapted to provide a control signal indicative of whether an object is in the proximity of the device, a proximity sensor coil with an impedance, and oscillation means coupled to the proximity sensor coil to provide the control signal in response to the impedance, a loudspeaker having a loudspeaker coil, wherein the proximity sensor coil is integrated in the loudspeaker, wherein the oscillation means is adapted to provide a substantially fixed oscillating signal to the proximity sensor coil. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of detecting proximity of an object relative to a loudspeaker with a loudspeaker coil which has an impedance, comprising the steps of:
-
supplying an audio signal to the loudspeaker coil, supplying a radio frequency signal to the loudspeaker coil, and providing a control signal responsive to a change in the impedance and indicative of whether an object is present in proximity of the device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
-
17. An electronic device having a proximity sensor comprising:
-
communication means, a proximity sensor adapted to provide a control signal indicative of whether an object is in the proximity of the device, a proximity sensor coil with an impedance, and oscillation means coupled to the proximity sensor coil to provide the control signal in response to the impedance, a loudspeaker having a loudspeaker coil, wherein the proximity sensor coil is integrated in the loudspeaker, wherein the device comprises a front cover made of a material allowing passage of magnetic lines of flux generated by the proximity sensor coil.
-
Specification