Electronic device including grip sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11726620-B2
Application number	US-202217673053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2022
Priority date	May 20, 2021
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

According to various embodiments of the disclosure, an electronic device may comprise: a housing including: a first surface, a second surface facing in a direction opposite to the first surface, and a side surface at least partially surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface; a printed circuit board disposed between the first surface and the second surface; a first sensing element including a plurality of conductive vias arranged in parallel to the side surface in at least a portion of an edge of the printed circuit board; and a grip sensor electrically connected with the first sensing element. The grip sensor may be configured to detect a change in capacitance due to an approach or contact state of an external object to the housing, in at least a portion of the side surface of the housing using the first sensing element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing including a first surface, a second surface facing in a direction opposite to the first surface, and a side surface at least partially surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface;
a printed circuit board disposed between the first surface and the second surface;
a first sensing element including a plurality of conductive vias arranged in parallel to the side surface, in at least a portion of an edge of the printed circuit board; and
a grip sensor electrically connected with the first sensing element,
wherein the grip sensor is configured to detect a change in capacitance due to an approach or contact state of an external object to the housing, in at least a portion of the side surface of the housing using the first sensing element.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive vias extend obliquely or perpendicular to the first surface or the second surface and are arranged along a direction side by side with or parallel to the side surface.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board includes a plurality of conductive layers or a plurality of conductive patterns stacked on at least the edge of the printed circuit board, and
wherein at least one of the conductive vias are configured to electrically connect at least two of the plurality of conductive layers or electrically connect at least two of the plurality of conductive patterns.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising: a second sensing element comprising a conductor disposed adjacent to the first sensing element inside the housing and disposed to face any one of the first surface and the second surface,
wherein the grip sensor is electrically connected with the second sensing element and is configured to detect the change in capacitance due to the approach or contact state of the external object to the housing using the second sensing element.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , further comprising a communication module comprising communication circuitry electrically connected with the second sensing element,
wherein the second sensing element comprises a designated pattern, and the communication module is configured to perform wireless communication using the second sensing element.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second sensing element comprising a conductor disposed adjacent to the first sensing element inside the housing and disposed to face any one of the first surface and the second surface;
a communication module comprising communication circuitry electrically connected with the second sensing element;
a first signal line electrically connecting the communication module with the second sensing element; and
a second signal line electrically connecting the first signal line with the grip sensor,
wherein the communication module is configured to perform wireless communication using the second sensing element, and the grip sensor is configured to detect the change in capacitance due to the approach or contact state of the external object to the housing using the second sensing element.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the second signal line includes a first isolation element comprising isolation circuitry, and
wherein the first isolation element is configured as a high-impedance circuit for a radio frequency signal transferred between the communication module and the second sensing element and as a closed circuit for a signal being transferred between the grip sensor and the second sensing element based on the change in capacitance due to the approach or contact state of the external object.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising a third signal line electrically connecting the first sensing element to the second signal line and disposed between the first isolation element and the grip sensor.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensing element further includes,
a plurality of conductive via arrays comprising a combination of conductive vias selected from among the conductive vias; and
at least one second isolation element comprising a conductor alternately disposed with the conductive via arrays and forming a series connection with the conductive via arrays,
wherein the second isolation element is configured as a high-impedance circuit for a radio frequency signal and as a closed circuit for a signal based on the change in capacitance based on the approach or contact state of the external object.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a second sensing element comprising a conductor disposed to face any one of the first surface and the second surface inside the housing and disposed adjacent to the first sensing element,
wherein the grip sensor is electrically connected with the second sensing element and configured to detect the change in capacitance due to the approach or contact state of the external object to the housing using the second sensing element.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising a communication module comprising communication circuitry electrically connected with the second sensing element,
wherein the communication module is configured to perform wireless communication using the second sensing element.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second sensing element comprising a conductor disposed to face any one of the first surface and the second surface inside the housing and disposed adjacent to the first sensing element;
a communication module comprising communication circuitry electrically connected with the second sensing element and configured to perform wireless communication using the second sensing element; and
a first isolation element comprising isolation circuitry electrically connecting the second sensing element with the grip sensor,
wherein the grip sensor is electrically connected with the second sensing element and configured to detect the change in capacitance due to the approach or contact state of the external object to the housing using the second sensing element,
wherein the communication module is configured to perform wireless communication using the second sensing element, and
wherein the first isolation element is configured as a high-impedance circuit for a radio frequency signal transferred between the communication module and the second sensing element and as a closed circuit for a signal being transferred between the grip sensor and the second sensing element based on the change in capacitance due to the approach or contact state of the external object.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display disposed on the first surface and configured to output a screen through at least a portion of the first surface,
wherein the display includes a touch sensor or a pressure sensor.

14. An electronic device comprising:
a housing including a first surface, a second surface facing in a direction opposite to the first surface, and a side surface at least partially surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface;
a printed circuit board disposed between the first surface and the second surface;
a first sensing element including a plurality of conductive vias arranged in parallel to the side surface in at least a portion of an edge of the printed circuit board;
a second sensing element comprising a conductor disposed adjacent to the first sensing element between the printed circuit board and the second surface and disposed to face the second surface;
a communication module compri

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Sanguk
• Park Younghak
• Kim Joosung
• Ku Doil
• Gi Younggil
• Yang Yonghee
• Lee Youngsub

Classifications

• H04M1/0279 Primary

  Improving the user comfort or ergonomics · CPC title

• H04M1/0266

  for a display module assembly · CPC title

• H04M1/0277

  for a printed circuit board assembly · CPC title

• H04M1/02

  Constructional features of telephone sets · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title