Capacitive Proximity Sensor Configuration Including an Antenna Ground Plane

• US 20150091586A1
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.), Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: CALATAYUD, Thomas, Van Niekerk, Carlo
• Granted Patent: US 9,323,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/658
• 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. The playback device may include a capacitive proximity sensor configured to detect physical movement in a first direction, and a radio frequency (RF) antenna ground plane oriented at a relative angle to the capacitive proximity sensor. The capacitive proximity sensor may include a first metal electrode coupled to the RF antenna ground plane is coupled to the first metal electrode such that the capacitive proximity sensor may be further configured to detect physical movement in a second direction that is substantially the relative angle to the first direction. The playback device may be configured to determine based on a detection of physical movement by the capacitive proximity sensor, a physical approach of an entity towards the playback device from one or more of the first direction and the second direction.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a capacitive proximity sensor configured to detect physical movement in a first direction, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor includes a first metal electrode;

a radio frequency (RF) antenna ground plane oriented at a relative angle to the capacitive proximity sensor, wherein the RF antenna ground plane is coupled to the first metal electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor such that the capacitive proximity sensor is further configured to detect physical movement in a second direction, wherein the second direction is at substantially the relative angle to the first direction;

a processor; and

memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

determining based on a detection of physical movement by the capacitive proximity sensor, a physical approach of an entity towards the playback device from one or more of the first direction and the second direction.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the RF antenna ground plane comprises a copper pour in a printed circuit board.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor is capacitively coupled to the RF antenna ground plane.

4. The playback device of claim 1, further comprising a light sensor, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining an ambient light level based on a detection by the light sensor of ambient light of a control area for an playback device; and

adjusting, based on the ambient light level, a sensitivity of a capacitive proximity sensor.

5. The playback device of claim 4, wherein instructions for adjusting the sensitivity of the capacitive proximity sensor further comprise instructions executable by the processor to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

adjusting a gain level of the capacitive proximity sensor.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the relative angle between the first direction and the second direction is substantially 90 degrees.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

causing a control area of the playback device to be illuminated in response to determining the physical approach of an entity towards the playback device.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor has a first ground plane, the playback device further comprising:

a speaker grille on a surface of the playback device substantially parallel to the RF antenna ground plane, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor has a second ground plane when the speaker grille is coupled to a second metal electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor.

9. The playback device of claim 1, further comprising:

an infrared (IR) sensor configured to further detect physical movement in the first direction, wherein instructions for determining a physical approach of an entity towards the playback device from one or more of the first direction and the second direction further comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

determining the physical approach of an entity towards the playback device based on the detection of the physical movement in the first direction by both the IR proximity sensor and the capacitive proximity sensor.

10. A method comprising:

determining an ambient light level based on a detection by a light sensor of ambient light of a control area for a playback device;

adjusting, based on the ambient light level, a sensitivity of a capacitive proximity sensor, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor is configured to detect a physical movement in a first direction, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to a radio frequency (RF) antenna ground plane oriented at a relative angle to the capacitive proximity sensor, wherein the RF antenna ground plane is coupled to the first metal electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor such that the capacitive proximity sensor is further configured to detect physical movement in a second direction, wherein the second direction is at substantially the relative angle to the first direction;

determining, based on a detection of physical movement by the capacitive proximity sensor, a physical approach of an entity towards the playback device from one or more of the first direction and the second direction; and

responsively causing the control area of the playback device to be illuminated.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the RF antenna ground plane comprises a copper pour in a printed circuit board.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor is capacitively coupled to the RF antenna ground plane.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein adjusting the sensitivity of the capacitive proximity sensor further comprises:

adjusting a gain level of the capacitive proximity sensor.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the relative angle between the first direction and the second direction is substantially 90 degrees.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor to cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:

determining an ambient light level based on a detection by a light sensor of ambient light of a control area for a playback device;

adjusting, based on the ambient light level, a sensitivity of a capacitive proximity sensor, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor is configured to detect a physical movement in a first direction, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to a radio frequency (RF) antenna ground plane oriented at a relative angle to the capacitive proximity sensor, wherein the RF antenna ground plane is coupled to the first metal electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor such that the capacitive proximity sensor is further configured to detect physical movement in a second direction, wherein the second direction is at substantially the relative angle to the first direction;

determining, based on a detection of physical movement by the capacitive proximity sensor, a physical approach of an entity towards the playback device from one or more of the first direction and the second direction; and

responsively causing the control area of the playback device to be illuminated.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the relative angle between the first direction and the second direction is substantially 90 degrees.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

adjusting, based on the ambient light level, a sensitivity of an infrared (IR) proximity sensor, wherein the IR proximity sensor is configured to further detect physical movement in the first direction.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions for determining a physical approach of an entity towards the playback device from one or more of the first direction and the second direction further comprise instructions executable by the processor to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

determining the physical approach of an entity towards the playback device based on the detection of the physical movement in the first direction by both the IR proximity sensor and the capacitive proximity sensor.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the RF antenna ground plane comprises a copper pour in a printed circuit board.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor has the first ground plane, wherein a speaker grille on a surface of the playback device is substantially parallel to the RF antenna ground plane, and wherein the capacitive proximity sensor has a second ground plane when the speaker grille is coupled to a second metal electrode of the capacitive proximity sensor.