Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same in consideration of communication environment

• US 9,532,322 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Baek, Il Seob, Yu, Yong Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US14/593,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20150119100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 455/117, 455/575.7, 455/129, 455/522, 379/185
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• 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: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/288 taking into account the usage mode, e.g. hands-free, data transmission, telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/38 TPC being performed in particular situations

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same in consideration of communication environment are provided. The mobile terminal includes a grip sensor unit for generating sensing signals corresponding to user grip, a control unit for identifying a grip pattern on the basis of sensing signals from the grip sensor unit, for extracting communication control information associated with the identified grip pattern, and for performing at least one of power control and antenna tuning control; and a communication means to which power control and antenna tuning are applied under control of the control unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one proximity sensor; and

one or more processors operatively coupled with the at least one proximity sensor, the one or more processors configured to;

identify, via the at least one proximity sensor, a distance between an object external to the apparatus and at least one portion of the apparatus;

identify an elapsed time based at least in part on a determination that the distance falls within a specified range; and

determine, based at least in part on a determination that the distance falls within a specified range and the elapsed time falls within a specified period of time, a transmission power according to specified data such that a specific absorption rate (SAR) can be adjusted.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

reduce, via a communication circuitry operatively coupled with the one or more processors, the transmission power based at least in part on the determination that the distance falls into a specified range.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

increase, via the communication circuitry, the transmission power according to another specified data such that the transmission power can be changed to another power level, based at least in part on a determination that the distance falls into another specified range.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

provide, via an output device operatively coupled with the one or more processors, a notification associated with the determining to a user, the output device including at least one of a display or a speaker.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

adjust, via a communication circuitry operatively coupled with the one or more processors, a resonance frequency according to another specified data to control the communication circuitry.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the specified data comprises a control table to adjust the transmission power of a communication circuitry operatively coupled with the one or more processors.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the specified data comprises at least one of amplitude of a signal corresponding to the distance, power control information related to the transmission power, or circuitry control information related to a communication circuitry operatively coupled with the one or more processors.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one proximity sensor comprises at least one grip sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one proximity sensor is formed in an interior of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object comprises at least one portion of a human body.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communication circuitry operatively coupled with the one or more processors, the communication circuitry including at least one of an antenna, a power amplifier, or a circuit element.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors comprises at least one of a control unit, an antenna controller, or a display controller.

13. A method comprising:

identifying, via at least one proximity sensor, a distance between an object external to an electronic device and at least one portion of the electronic device;

identify an elapsed time based at least in part on a determination that the distance falls within a specified range; and

determining, based at least in part on a determination that the distance falls into a specified range and the elapsed time falls within a specified period of time, a transmission power according to specified data such that a radiation characteristic associated with the electronic device can be adjusted.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

reducing, via a communication circuitry, the transmission power based at least in part on the determination that the distance falls into a specified range.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

automatically increasing, via the communication circuitry, the transmission power according to another specified data to change the transmission power to another power level based at least in part on a determination that the distance falls into another specified range.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

adjusting, via a communication circuitry, a resonance frequency according to control information related to the communication circuitry.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the specified function comprises at least one of a voice call function, a video call function, an internet function or a message function.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining comprises:

determining another transmission power corresponding to the function.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifying comprises:

identifying a duration in which the distance stays in the specified range.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining comprises:

determining the transmission power based at least in part on a determination that the duration falls into a specified duration range.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the identifying of the duration comprises:

refraining from determining the transmission power based at least in part on a determination that the duration falls into another specified duration range.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the radiation characteristic comprises a specific absorption rate (SAR).

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

identifying, via at least one proximity sensor, a distance between an object external to an electronic device and at least one portion of the electronic device;

identify an elapsed time based at least in part on a determination that the distance falls within a specified range; and

determining, based at least in part on a determination that the distance falls into a specified range and the elapsed time falls within a specified period of time, a transmission power according to specified data such that a radiation characteristic associated with the electronic device can be adjusted.