Capacitive proximity sensor configuration including an antenna ground plane

• US 10,101,792 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Calatayud, Thomas, Van Niekerk, Carlo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vinh
• Application Number:
  US15/072,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20160195917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/945 Proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960765 Details of shielding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Embodiments of a capacitive sensor configuration for proximity detection by a playback device are provided. A example playback device includes a capacitive proximity sensor and a radio frequency (RF) antenna. While a grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is decoupled from a grounding plane of the RF antenna, the playback device determines that the playback device will be rendering audio, and responsively causes the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna while the playback device is rendering audio.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a transport control interface comprising one or more illuminable buttons;

one or more speakers;

an audio stage comprising one or more amplifiers configured to drive the one or more speakers;

a capacitive proximity sensor configured to detect physical movement in the horizontal plane via an electrode, the electrode comprising a radio frequency (RF) antenna;

a network interface coupled to the RF antenna;

one or more processors;

a housing carrying the one or more speakers, the audio stage, the capacitive proximity sensor, and the network interface, wherein the transport control interface is arranged on an exterior surface of the housing;

data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

detecting, via the capacitive proximity sensor, a physical movement;

in response to detecting the physical movement, illuminating the one or more illuminable buttons of the transport control interface;

detecting, via the transport control interface, an input indicating a command to play back audio content; and

in response to the input indicating the command to play back audio content, playing back the audio content via the one or more speakers.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprises:

in response to detecting the physical movement and before receiving the input indicating the command to play back the audio content, enabling the one or more amplifiers of the audio stage.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprises:

in response to detecting the physical movement and before receiving the input indicating the command to play back the audio content, pre-caching a portion of the audio content in the data storage.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of the electrode is oriented in the horizontal plane.

5. The playback device of claim 1, further comprising a metallic speaker grille covering at least one of the one or more speakers, wherein the functions further comprise:

when the playback device is playing back audio via the one or more speakers, de-coupling the metallic speaker grille from the electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor; and

when the playback device is not playing back audio via the one or more speakers, coupling the metallic speaker grille to the electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor.

6. The playback device of claim 5, wherein the metallic speaker grill is arranged vertically on the exterior of the housing.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the one or more illuminable buttons comprises a play/pause button, a skip forward button, and a skip backward button.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, via the network interface from a control device, data representing control instructions.

9. A method to be performed by a playback device,

the playback device comprising:

a transport control interface comprising one or more illuminable buttons;

one or more speakers;

an audio stage comprising one or more amplifiers configured to drive the one or more speakers;

a capacitive proximity sensor configured to detect physical movement in the horizontal plane via an electrode, the electrode comprising a radio frequency (RF) antenna;

a network interface coupled to the RF antenna;

one or more processors;

a housing carrying the one or more speakers, the audio stage, the capacitive proximity sensor, and the network interface, wherein the transport control interface is arranged on an exterior surface of the housing,

the method comprising;

detecting, via the capacitive proximity sensor, a physical movement;

in response to detecting the physical movement, illuminating the one or more illuminable buttons of the transport control interface;

detecting, via the transport control interface, an input indicating a command to play back audio content; and

in response to the input indicating the command to play back audio content, playing back the audio content via the one or more speakers.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to detecting the physical movement and before receiving the input indicating the command to play back the audio content, pre-caching a portion of the audio content in the data storage.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a longitudinal axis of the electrode is oriented in the horizontal plane.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising a metallic speaker grille covering at least one of the one or more speakers, wherein the method further comprising:

when the playback device is playing back audio via the one or more speakers, de-coupling the metallic speaker grille from the electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor; and

when the playback device is not playing back audio via the one or more speakers, coupling the metallic speaker grille to the electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising a metallic speaker grille covering at least one of the one or more speakers, wherein the method further comprising:

when the playback device is playing back audio via the one or more speakers, de-coupling the metallic speaker grille from the electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor; and

when the playback device is not playing back audio via the one or more speakers, coupling the metallic speaker grille to the electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the metallic speaker grill is arranged vertically on the exterior of the housing.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more illuminable buttons comprises a play/pause button, a skip forward button, and a skip backward button.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, via the network interface from a control device, data representing control instructions.

17. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause a playback device to perform functions,

the playback device comprising:

a transport control interface comprising one or more illuminable buttons;

one or more speakers;

an audio stage comprising one or more amplifiers configured to drive the one or more speakers;

a capacitive proximity sensor configured to detect physical movement in the horizontal plane via an electrode, the electrode comprising a radio frequency (RF) antenna;

a network interface coupled to the RF antenna;

one or more processors;

a housing carrying the one or more speakers, the audio stage, the capacitive proximity sensor, and the network interface, wherein the transport control interface is arranged on an exterior surface of the housing,

the functions comprising;

detecting, via the capacitive proximity sensor, a physical movement;

in response to detecting the physical movement, illuminating the one or more illuminable buttons of the transport control interface;

detecting, via the transport control interface, an input indicating a command to play back audio content; and

in response to the input indicating the command to play back audio content, playing back the audio content via the one or more speakers.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the functions further comprises:

in response to detecting the physical movement and before receiving the input indicating the command to play back the audio content, enabling the one or more amplifiers of the audio stage.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the functions further comprises:

in response to detecting the physical movement and before receiving the input indicating the command to play back the audio content, pre-caching a portion of the audio content in the data storage.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more illuminable buttons comprises a play/pause button, a skip forward button, and a skip backward button.