HEAD-HAND CAPACITANCE COMPENSATION WITH DIGITAL VARIABLE CAPACITOR

• US 20170018841A1
• Filed: 04/02/2015
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cavendish Kinetics Inc (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: PARKHURST, Ray, TORNATTA, Paul Anthony Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 10,224,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/005 with variable reactance for tuning the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a device having a capacitance sensor that detects a change in capacitance that occurs in the antenna whenever the antenna is in close proximity to a user'"'"'s hand and/or head. Following detection of the capacitance change, the capacitance of the antenna may be changed by using a variable capacitor that is coupled to the sensor through a controller.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a first antenna;

an RF source coupled to the first antenna;

a capacitive sensor capable of detecting the capacitance of the antenna;

a feedback controller coupled to the capacitive sensor; and

a first capacitor coupled to the antenna and to the feedback controller.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first capacitor is a digital variable capacitor.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the digital variable capacitor includes a plurality of MEMS devices.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the antenna is coupled to ground.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the antenna is coupled to an RF feed.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a second capacitor coupled to the antenna.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the second capacitor is a digital variable capacitor.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the digital variable capacitor comprises a plurality of MEMS.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second capacitor coupled to the antenna.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the second capacitor is a digital variable capacitor that comprises a plurality of MEMS.

11. A method, comprising:

detecting a change in capacitance of an antenna from a first capacitance to a second capacitance using a capacitive sensor that is disposed in a device; and

changing capacitance in a first variable capacitor based upon feedback from the capacitive sensor, wherein changing capacitance in the first variable capacitor changes the capacitance of the antenna from the second capacitance to the first capacitance.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

changing the first capacitance to a third capacitance with a second variable capacitor.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting the change of the third capacitance to a fourth capacitance with the capacitive sensor; and

changing the capacitance of the first variable capacitor, wherein changing the capacitance of the first variable capacitor changes the capacitance of the antenna from the fourth capacitance to the third capacitance.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first variable capacitor and the second variable capacitor are digital variable capacitors.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the digital variable capacitors each comprise a plurality of MEMS.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first variable capacitor is coupled to the antenna.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second variable capacitor is coupled to the antenna.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the antenna is coupled to ground.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the antenna is coupled to an RF feed.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein ^.the first variable capacitor is a digital variable capacitor having a plurality of MEMS.