Mobile device with antenna and capacitance sensing system with slotted metal bezel

• US 9,203,463 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Asrani, Vijay L., Shams, Khan Mohammed, Sutherland, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US14/293,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20150171916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/68 for wholly or partially suppressing the carrier or one side band
• 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 1/0281 for providing single handed use or left/right hand conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile communication device is provided having a peripheral metal bezel made up of a plurality of metal segments. At least one of the metal segments on the bezel is configured to be a main antenna that is connected to a transceiver circuit via an antenna matching circuit. Proximate to the main antenna is another metal segment on the metal bezel that is configured to be a capacitance proximity sensor. The capacitance proximity sensor, in conjunction with a capacitance sensing circuit provide information to the circuitry within the mobile communication device to tune the antenna matching circuit to impedance match the transceiver with the antenna.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a front side and a back side, wherein the front side and back side are configured to attach to each other about each of their perimeters forming a casing having an interior and an exterior;

circuitry contained within the casing interior, the circuitry comprising;

a processor;

a transceiver connected to the processor;

an antenna impedance matching circuit connected to the transceiver; and

a capacitance sensor circuit connected to the processor;

a perimeter band attached to and extending substantially about the perimeter of at least one of the front side and the back side, the perimeter band comprising;

a plurality of metal segments comprising;

a first metal segment having a first end and a second end, the first metal segment configured to be a main antenna for the mobile communication device, the first metal segment being electrically connected directly to the antenna matching circuit; and

a second metal segment adjacent to the first end of the first metal segment, the second metal segment configured to be a first capacitive sensor, the second metal segment connected via a first capacitance element to the capacitance sensor circuit; and

a plurality of spacer portions interleaved with the plurality of metal segments, each spacer portion comprising a non-conductive portion configured to electrically separate the plurality of metal segments.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metal segments further comprises a third metal segment adjacent to the second end of the first metal segment, the third metal segment configured to be a second capacitive sensor, the third metal segment connected via a second capacitance element to the capacitance sensor circuit.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the second metal segment is positioned on the perimeter band such that a user'"'"'s right hand will touch the second metal segment when the mobile device is held in the user'"'"'s right hand with the front side is facing the user.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensing circuit is configured to provide a detection signal to the processor upon sensing a capacitance change from the first capacitive sensor.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to provide the antenna impedance matching circuit a tuning control signal and wherein the antenna impedance matching circuit adjusts its impedance closely match the impedance of the main antenna with the transceiver.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metal segments further comprises:

a volume up metal segment connected via a third capacitive element to the capacitance sensor circuit; and

a volume down metal segment connected via a fourth capacitive element to the capacitance sensor circuit;

wherein the capacitance sensor circuit is configured to provide a volume up detection signal to the processor when sensing a predetermined capacitance change on the volume up metal segment; and

wherein the capacitance sensor circuit is configured to provide a volume down detection signal to the processor when sensing a predetermined capacitance change on the volume down metal segment.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metal segments further comprises:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna metal segment configured to receive GPS frequency bands;

a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth antennal metal segment configured to send and receive Wi-Fi and Bluetooth frequency bands.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of metal segments further comprises:

a first ground metal segment adjacent to the second metal segment and opposite the main antenna, the first ground metal segment being connected to a ground of the circuitry;

a second ground metal segment adjacent to the third metal segment and opposite the main antenna, the second ground metal segment being connected to the ground of the circuitry; and

wherein the first and second ground metal segments separate the first, second and third metal segments from other ones of the plurality of metal segments.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the other ones of the plurality of metal segments comprise:

a secondary antenna metal segment configured to operate as at least one of a diversity antenna and a multiple-in and multiple-out (MIMO) antenna.

10. A mobile communication device comprising:

a casing comprising a front side, a back side, and a perimeter edge about the communication device where the front side and back side meet;

circuitry contained with the casing, the circuitry comprising;

a processor;

a transceiver connected to the processor;

an antenna matching circuit connected to transceiver;

a capacitance sensor circuit connected to the processor;

a perimeter bezel about the perimeter edge, the perimeter bezel comprising;

a plurality of metal segments each separated by a non-conductive spacer portion, the plurality of metal segments comprising;

a main antenna segment configured to send and receive long range mobile communication signals, the main antenna segment having a first end and a second end, the main antenna electrically connected directly to the antenna matching circuit;

a right side capacitance sensor segment positioned next to the first end of the main antenna segment and connected to the capacitance sensor circuit via first capacitor;

a left side capacitance sensor segment positioned next the second end of the main antenna segment and connected to the capacitance sensor circuit via a second capacitor;

wherein the capacitance sensor is configured to provide the processor a capacitance detection signal when a capacitance change is sensed from either the right side or the left side capacitance sensor segments; and

wherein the processor, upon receipt the capacitance detection signal, is configured to provide a tuning control signal to the antenna matching circuit to tune the antenna matching circuit in accordance with the sensed capacitance change from either the right side or the left side capacitance sensor segments.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein:

the right side capacitance sensor segment is positioned on the perimeter bezel such that the right side capacitance sensor has a high probability of touching a user'"'"'s hand when the user is holding the mobile communication device in the user'"'"'s right hand and looking at the front side; and

the left side capacitance sensor segment is positioned on the perimeter bezel such that the left side capacitance sensor has a high probability of touching the user'"'"'s hand when the user is holding the mobile communication device in the user'"'"'s left hand and looking at the front side.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the right side capacitance sensor segments and the left side capacitance sensor segments can also be configured to function in accordance with user selected applications that operate on the mobile communication device.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the circuitry further comprises a second capacitance sensor circuit;

and

wherein the plurality of metal segments further comprises;

a volume up capacitance sensor connected to a second capacitance sensor circuit via a third capacitor; and

a volume down capacitance sensor connected to a second capacitance sensor circuit via a fourth capacitor; and

wherein the second capacitance sensor circuit is configured to provide a volume up detection signal to the processor when sensing a predetermined capacitance change on the volume up capacitance sensor segment; and

wherein the capacitance sensor circuit is configured to provide a volume down detection signal to the processor when sensing a predetermined capacitance change on the volume down capacitance sensor segment.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the capacitance sensor circuit comprises the second capacitance sensor circuit.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of metal segments further comprises:

a first grounded metal segment adjacent to the right side capacitance sensor segment, the first grounded metal segment being connected to a ground of the circuitry;

a second grounded metal segment adjacent to the left side capacitance sensor segment, the second grounded metal segment being connected to the ground of the circuitry; and

wherein the first and second grounded metal segments separate the right side capacitance sensor segment, the left side capacitance sensor segment, and the main antenna segment from other ones of the plurality of metal segments of the perimeter bezel.

16. A method of matching the impedance between a transceiver and an antenna positioned on and flush with an exterior periphery of a mobile communication device, the antenna having a first end and a second end, the method comprising:

sensing, by a capacitance sensor circuit connected to capacitance sensors adjacent to the first end and second end of the antenna, that the capacitance of one of the capacitance sensors has changed;

providing, by the capacitance sensor circuit, a capacitance detection signal to a processor when the capacitance change is sensed by the capacitance sensor circuit;

determining and providing by the processor an impedance tuning signal to an antenna matching circuit based on the capacitance detection signal;

adjusting the impedance of the antenna matching circuit to better match the impedance between the transceiver and the antenna, wherein the antenna is directly electrically connected to the antenna matching circuit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the antenna and the capacitance sensors adjacent to the first end and second end of the antenna are each comprised on a metal bezel extending about and flush with the exterior periphery of the mobile communication device and each being separated by non-conductive spacer portions.

18. A mobile communication device comprising:

a perimeter band extending about a periphery of the mobile communication device, the perimeter band comprising;

eight metal segments interposed with eight non-conductive spacer portions, such that each of the eight metal segments are electrically insulated from each other;

wherein every other one of the eight metal segments comprises a different antenna; and

wherein each of the remaining ones of the eight metal segments establishes an isolation distance of between about 5 to 25 mm between the metal segments comprising the different antennas.