Virtual FM antenna

• US 8,121,662 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2007
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Clement, Patrick, Bidichandani, Sameer, Castella, Frederic, Martin, Francis Rajesh
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, NHAN T
• Application Number:
  US11/773,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20080024375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.2, 455/575.6, 455/575.7, 379/428.01, 379/430.1
• US Class Current: 455/575.6
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method for receiving wireless signals couples an antenna input of a receiver to a human body and receives a signal conducting from said body. Impedance matching circuitry lessens signal power loss at the antenna input. Parameters of the impedance matching circuitry can be adjusted based on a detected impedance, a detected signal strength, or the frequency of the signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving wireless telecommunication signals, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to process a wireless telecommunication signal at a frequency, said receiver having an antenna input to receive said wireless telecommunication signal; and

a coupling mechanism to be coupled to a human body, said coupling mechanism to receive at a first end said wireless telecommunication signal conducting through said human body and to transmit at a second end said wireless telecommunication signal to said receiver, through said antenna input for processing, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises

impedance matching circuitry, and

digital detection circuitry to adjust parameters of said impedance matching circuitry based on an impedance detected at the first end by said digital detection circuitry.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said parameters include capacitance.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

digital detection circuitry to detect signal strength, and to adjust parameters of said impedance matching circuitry based on said detected signal strength.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said parameters include capacitance.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry to adjust parameters of said impedance matching circuitry based on said frequency of said wireless telecommunication signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said parameters include capacitance.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises a conductive material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises a non-conductive material and is to be capacitively coupled to said human body.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless telecommunication signal is an FM signal.

9. An apparatus for receiving wireless telecommunication signals, the apparatus comprising:

processing means for processing a wireless telecommunication signal at a frequency;

receiving means for receiving said wireless telecommunication signal, said receiving means to transmit said wireless telecommunication signal to said processing means; and

coupling means for coupling said receiving means to a human body, said coupling means to receive said wireless telecommunication signal conducting through said human body and to transmit said wireless telecommunication signal to said receiving means for processing, wherein said coupling means comprises

impedance matching means for lessening signal power loss as said wireless telecommunication signal is transmitted from said human body to said receiving means,

detecting means for detecting impedance at said human body, and

adjusting means for adjusting impedance matching means based on impedance detected by the detecting means.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

detection means for detecting signal strength; and

,

adjusting means for adjusting parameters of said impedance matching means based on a detected signal strength.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

adjusting means to adjust parameters of said impedance matching means based on said frequency of said wireless telecommunication signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said coupling means comprises a conductive material.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said coupling means comprises a non-conductive material and is to be capacitively coupled to said human body.

14. A method of receiving a wireless telecommunication signal, the method comprising:

coupling an antenna input via a coupling surface to a human body;

detecting an impedance at the coupling surface;

in response to detecting the impedance, adjusting parameters of impedance matching circuitry associated with said antenna input to lessen signal power loss;

transmitting the wireless telecommunication signal conducting through said human body via the coupling surface through said antenna input to a receiver configured to process said wireless telecommunication signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said adjusting is further in response to detecting signal strength of the wireless telecommunication signal.