Electronic devices with capacitive proximity sensors for proximity-based radio-frequency power control

• US 8,432,322 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Amm, David T., Schlub, Robert W., Leung, Omar S., King, Brian M., Li, Qingxiang, Ayala Vazquez, Enrique, Gomez Angulo, Rodney Andres, Jiang, Yi, Caballero, Ruben
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, DIEU HIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/632,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/872, 324/658
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• 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: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

An electronic device may have a housing in which an antenna is mounted. An antenna window may be mounted in the housing to allow radio-frequency signals to be transmitted from the antenna and to allow the antenna to receive radio-frequency signals. Near-field radiation limits may be satisfied by reducing transmit power when an external object is detected in the vicinity of the dielectric antenna window and the antenna. A capacitive proximity sensor may be used in detecting external objects in the vicinity of the antenna. The proximity sensor may have conductive layers separated by a dielectric. A capacitance-to-digital converter may be coupled to the proximity sensor by inductors. The capacitive proximity sensor may be interposed between an antenna resonating element and the antenna window. The capacitive proximity sensor may serve as a parasitic antenna resonating element and may be coupled to the housing by a capacitor.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

an antenna window in the housing;

an antenna resonating element mounted in the housing so that radio-frequency signals are transmitted through the antenna window;

a capacitive proximity sensor electrode located between the antenna resonating element and the antenna window;

a capacitance-to-digital converter having first and second inputs; and

first and second radio-frequency choke inductors coupled between the capacitive proximity sensor electrode and the capacitance-to-digital converter.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the capacitive proximity sensor comprises:

a dielectric layer; and

first and second conductive layers on opposing sides of the dielectric layer.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the dielectric layer comprises a flexible sheet of polymer.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the first and second conductive layers comprise rectangles of metal.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the dielectric layer comprises a rigid printed circuit board substrate.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the housing comprises a conductive housing, the electronic device further comprising a capacitor connected between first conductive layer and the conductive housing.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the conductive housing comprises a metal housing, the electronic device further comprising:

a positive antenna feed terminal connected to the antenna resonating element;

a ground antenna feed terminal connected to the metal housing; and

a capacitor connected between the metal housing and the capacitive proximity sensor electrode, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor electrode serves as a parasitic antenna resonating element.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the electronic device has front and rear surfaces, the electronic device further comprising a display on the front surface of the electronic device, wherein the display has an inactive region through which radio-frequency signals are transmitted from the antenna resonating element.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 7 further comprising ferrite tape between the capacitive proximity sensor electrode and the antenna window.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the capacitive proximity sensor electrode comprises:

a dielectric layer; and

first and second conductive layers on opposing sides of the dielectric layer, wherein the first conductive layer is connected to the first input by the first radio-frequency choke inductor and wherein the second conductive layer is connected to the second input by the second radio-frequency choke inductor.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 further comprising a display having display panel circuitry that is covered by a transparent dielectric cover member, wherein the antenna resonating element emits radio-frequency signals that pass through the transparent dielectric cover member without passing through the display panel circuitry.

12. A tablet computer comprising:

a conductive housing;

a dielectric antenna window in the conductive housing;

radio-frequency transceiver circuitry;

an antenna with which the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry transmits radio-frequency signals in at least one cellular telephone band, wherein the antenna comprises an antenna ground formed from at least portion of the conductive housing and an antenna resonating element mounted adjacent to the dielectric antenna window;

a capacitive proximity sensor electrode mounted between the antenna resonating element and the dielectric antenna window; and

a capacitance-to-digital converter coupled to the capacitive proximity sensor electrode.

13. The tablet computer defined in claim 12 wherein the capacitive proximity sensor comprises first and second conductive layers separated by a dielectric layer.

14. The tablet computer defined in claim 13 further comprising a pair of inductors coupled between the capacitive proximity sensor electrode and the capacitance-to-digital converter.

15. The tablet computer defined in claim 12 further comprising a capacitor having a first terminal connected to the conductive housing and a second terminal connected to the capacitive proximity sensor electrode, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor electrode serves as a parasitic antenna resonating element for the antenna.

16. An electronic device comprising:

at least one conductive housing structure to which a ground antenna feed terminal is connected;

an antenna window in the housing structure;

an antenna resonating element formed from conductive traces on a flex circuit to which a positive antenna feed terminal is connected;

radio-frequency transceiver circuitry that is coupled to the positive antenna feed terminal and the ground antenna feed terminal and that transmits radio-frequency signals through the antenna window using the antenna resonating element; and

a capacitive proximity sensor electrode interposed between the antenna resonating element and the antenna window, wherein the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry transmits the radio-frequency signals at an output power; and

circuitry coupled to the capacitive proximity sensor electrode that limits the output power when an external object is detected within a given distance of the capacitive proximity sensor electrode.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the capacitive proximity sensor electrode comprises first and second conductive layers coupled to the circuitry by respective first and second inductors and wherein the circuitry comprises a capacitance-to-digital converter that makes capacitance measurements on the capacitive proximity sensor electrode.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the capacitive proximity sensor electrode serves as a parasitic antenna resonating element, the electronic device further comprising a capacitor connected between the conductive housing structure and the capacitive proximity sensor electrode.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 18 wherein the capacitive proximity sensor comprises first and second conductive layers separated by a dielectric substrate.