Adjustable wireless circuitry with antenna-based proximity detector

• US 8,781,420 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schlub, Robert W., Caballero, Ruben
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J
• Application Number:
  US12/759,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20110250928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 455/101, 455/115.1, 455/121, 455/127.1, 455/269, 455/272, 455/273, 455/276.1, 455/277.1, 455/277.2, 455/278.1, 455/296
• US Class Current: 455/127.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

An electronic device such as a portable electronic device has wireless communications circuitry. Antennas in the electronic device may be used in transmitting radio-frequency antenna signals. A coupler and antenna signal phase and magnitude measurement circuitry may be used to determine when external objects are in the vicinity of the antenna by making antenna impedance measurements. In-band and out-of-band phase and magnitude signal measurements may be made in determining whether external objects are present. Additional sensors such as motion sensors, light and heat sensors, acoustic and electrical sensors may produce data that can be combined with the proximity data gathered using the antenna-based proximity sensor. In response to detecting that an external object such as a user'"'"'s body is within a given distance of the antenna, the electronic device may reduce transmit powers, switch antennas, steer a phased antenna array, switch communications protocols, or take other actions.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an antenna with which the electronic device transmits radio-frequency signals;

phase and magnitude detector circuitry that is coupled to the antenna and that makes radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude measurements;

storage and processing circuitry that determines whether an external object is adjacent to the antenna by processing the radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude measurements; and

wireless circuitry that uses the antenna to transmit the radio-frequency signals at a given transmit power, wherein the storage and processing circuitry is configured to adjust the transmit power based on the radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude measurements, wherein the storage and processing circuitry is further configured to reduce the transmit power in response to determining that the external object is adjacent to the antenna by processing the radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude measurements, wherein the antenna is included in a plurality of antennas that are operable to transmit the radio-frequency signals, wherein the phase and magnitude detector circuitry is coupled to each of the plurality of antennas, wherein the storage and processing circuitry determines for each antenna whether the external object is adjacent to that antenna, and wherein the storage and processing circuitry is configured to temporarily disable a given antenna of the plurality of antennas in response to determining that the external object is adjacent to the given antenna.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the wireless circuitry comprises:

a transceiver; and

power amplifier circuitry, wherein the storage and processing circuitry is configured to lower the transmit power by adjusting the transceiver and power amplifier circuitry when it is determined that the external object is within a given distance of the antenna.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a capacitive proximity sensor, wherein the storage and processing circuitry is configured to adjust the transmit power based on the radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude measurements and based on data from the capacitive proximity sensor.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a motion sensor, wherein the storage and processing circuitry is configured to adjust the transmit power based on the radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude measurements and based on data from the motion sensor.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising at least first and second sensors, wherein the storage and processing circuitry is configured to adjust the transmit power based on the radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude measurements and based on data from the first and second sensors.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a proximity sensor, wherein the storage and processing circuitry is configured to adjust the transmit power based on the radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude measurements and based on data from the proximity sensor.

7. A method of using an electronic device, comprising:

transmitting radio-frequency antenna signals through an antenna in the electronic device at a transmit power;

with phase and magnitude detector circuitry that is coupled to the antenna in the electronic device, making radio-frequency antenna signal phase and magnitude measurements to determine whether an external object is adjacent to the antenna;

in response to determining that the external object is within a given distance of the antenna using the phase and magnitude detector circuitry, reducing the transmit power;

gathering sensor input data from a proximity sensor; and

weighting data from the phase and magnitude circuitry and data from the proximity sensor using a weighting scheme, wherein adjusting the transmit power comprises adjusting the transmit power based on the weighted data from the phase and magnitude detector circuitry and from the proximity sensor.

8. The method defined in claim 7 further comprising:

gathering sensor input data from a motion sensor, wherein adjusting the transmit power comprises adjusting the transmit power based on information from the phase and magnitude detector circuitry and from the motion sensor.

9. The method defined in claim 7 further comprising:

gathering sensor input data from an infrared heat sensor, wherein adjusting the transmit power comprises adjusting the transmit power based on information from the phase and magnitude detector circuitry and from the infrared heat sensor.

10. A method of using an electronic device, comprising:

transmitting radio-frequency antenna signals through an antenna in the electronic device at a transmit power;

with phase and magnitude detector circuitry that is coupled to the antenna in the electronic device, making radio-frequency antenna signal phase and magnitude measurements to determine whether an external object is adjacent to the antenna;

in response to determining that the external object is within a given distance of the antenna using the phase and magnitude detector circuitry, reducing the transmit power; and

gathering sensor input data from a sensor selected from the group consisting of;

a camera sensor and an acoustic sensor, wherein adjusting the transmit power comprises adjusting the transmit power based on information from the phase and magnitude detector circuitry and from the sensor.

11. A portable electronic device comprising:

at least one antenna having an antenna impedance; and

circuitry that determines whether an external object is adjacent to the antenna by making phase and magnitude measurements on radio-frequency antenna signals associated with the antenna to monitor the antenna impedance, wherein the at least one antenna comprises an antenna in a phased antenna array and wherein the circuitry is configured to adjust the phased antenna array based on the phase and magnitude measurements, wherein the antenna comprises multiple resonating element arms and a switch that selectively couples the antenna resonating element arms.

12. The portable electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the portable electronic device comprises a cellular telephone transceiver coupled to the antenna, wherein the circuitry that determines whether the external object is adjacent to the antenna comprises a coupler interposed between the cellular telephone transceiver and the antenna.

13. The portable electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the circuitry that determines whether the external object is adjacent to the antenna comprises radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude detector circuitry that receives radio-frequency signals from the coupler.

14. The portable electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the cellular telephone transceiver transmits signals in a communications band and wherein the radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude detector circuitry is configured to make in-band antenna impedance measurements at frequencies within the communications band.

15. The portable electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the cellular telephone transceiver transmits signals in a communications band and wherein the radio-frequency signal phase and magnitude detector circuitry is configured to make out-of-band antenna impedance measurements at frequencies outside of the communications band.

16. The portable electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the portable electronic device comprises a transceiver coupled to the antenna, wherein the transceiver transmits data using a given communications protocol, using a given communications band, and using a given data rate, and wherein the circuitry is configured to adjust a selected one of:

the given communications protocol, the given communications band, and the given data rate in response to determining that the external object is adjacent to the antenna.