Electronic device and method for performing designated function according to distance to external object, determined on basis of signal output through antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11863240-B2
Application number	US-201916978651-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2019
Priority date	Mar 5, 2018
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

The electronic device of the present invention may comprise: a first antenna and a second antenna; a communication circuit; and a processor electrically connected to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the communication circuit. The processor is configured to: control the communication circuit such that a first signal is output to the first antenna; acquire a second signal corresponding to the first signal reflected from the first antenna, and a third signal corresponding to the first signal output through the first antenna and received by the second antenna; identify a reflection coefficient at which the first signal is reflected from the first antenna, and a transmission coefficient at which the first signal is transmitted to the second antenna; and perform a designated function according to a value corresponding to a distance between the electronic device and an external object.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first antenna and a second antenna;
a communication circuit comprising a transceiver configured to generate at least one signal, at least one amplifier configured to amplify the generated signal, at least one duplexer configured to distinguish the amplified signals according to communication bands thereof, and at least one coupler configured to radiate the distinguished signals through at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna; and
a processor electrically connected to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the communication circuit,
wherein the processor is configured to:
control the communication circuit to output a first signal through the first antenna and acquire a second signal obtained through reflection of the first signal from the first antenna and a third signal acquired through reception of the first signal, output through the first antenna, through the second antenna,
identify a reflection coefficient obtained through reflection of the first signal from the first antenna and a transfer coefficient obtained through transmission of the first signal to the second antenna, based at least partially on the second signal and the third signal, and
perform a predetermined function according to a value corresponding to a distance between the electronic device and an external object, based at least partially on the reflection coefficient and the transfer coefficient,

wherein the communication circuit further comprises a switch disposed between a first coupler receiving the reflected second signal and a second coupler receiving the third signal and configured to switch at least one of the received second signal or the third signal to be transmitted to the transceiver.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to perform an operation of adjusting transmission power used for the communication to a predetermined magnitude through a communication module as at least a part of the predetermined function.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is configured to identify a value corresponding to the distance, based on a lookup table stored in the memory.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to identify at least one of a type of the external object or the distance from the external object, based at least partially on the reflection coefficient and the transfer coefficient.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to store at least one of the type of the external object or the distance from the external object, identified based at least partially on the reflection coefficient and the transfer coefficient in the lookup table.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to calculate the reflection coefficient, based on a voltage of the second signal and a voltage of the first signal, and calculate the transfer coefficient, based on a voltage of the third signal and the voltage of the first signal.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuit further comprises a first switch configured to switch the third signal and a second switch disposed between the first coupler receiving the reflected second signal and the first switch and configured to switch at least one of the received second signal or the third signal to be transmitted to the transceiver.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuit further comprises a first switch configured to switch the second signal output through a first coupler receiving the reflected second signal, a second switch configured to switch the third signal output through a second coupler receiving the received third signal, and a third switch configured to switch signals output from the first switch and the second switch to be transmitted to the transceiver.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the transceiver comprises a first port configured to acquire the reflected second signal and a second port configured to acquire the reflected third signal, and the third switch comprises a Dual Pole-Dual Throw (DPDT) switch configured to operate to receive the signal output from the first switch and transmit the signal to the first port and to receive the signal output from the second switch and transmit the signal to the second port.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the third switch comprises switching terminals corresponding to a number of antennas included in the electronic device.

11. An electronic device comprising:
a first antenna and a second antenna;
a communication circuit comprising a transceiver configured to generate at least one signal, at least one amplifier configured to amplify the generated signal, at least one duplexer configured to distinguish the amplified signals according to communication bands thereof, and at least one coupler configured to radiate the distinguished signals through at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna; and
a processor electrically connected to the first and second antennas and the communication circuit, wherein the processor is configured to:
output a first signal through the first antenna using the coupler,
acquire a second signal reflected through the first antenna and a third signal obtained by reception of the first signal, output through the first antenna, through the second antenna, based on the output first signal,
identify a reflection coefficient obtained by reflection of the first signal from the first antenna and a transfer coefficient obtained by transmission of the first signal to the second antenna, based at least partially on the second signal and the third signal, and
identify at least one of a type of an external object and a distance from the external object, based at least partially on the reflection coefficient and the transfer coefficient,

wherein the communication circuit further comprises a switch disposed between a first coupler receiving the reflected second signal and a second coupler receiving the third signal and configured to switch at least one of the received second signal or the third signal to be transmitted to the transceiver.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to store at least one of the type of the external object or the distance from the external object, identified based at least partially on the reflection coefficient and the transfer coefficient in a lookup table.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yang Dongil
• Kim Seonjun
• Oh Seunghyun
• Lee Hanyeop
• Lim Wonsub
• Na Hyoseok

Classifications

• H04B17/103 Primary

  Reflected power, e.g. return loss · CPC title

• H04B1/401

  for selecting or indicating operating mode · CPC title

• H04B17/10

  of transmitters · CPC title

• H04B17/102

  Power radiated at antenna · CPC title

• H04B17/12

  of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase · CPC title