Capacitive Proximity Sensor Configuration Including an Antenna Ground Plane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016195917-A1
Application number	US-201615072551-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 17, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2013
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of a capacitive sensor configuration for proximity detection by a playback device are provided. A example playback device includes a capacitive proximity sensor and a radio frequency (RF) antenna. While a grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is decoupled from a grounding plane of the RF antenna, the playback device determines that the playback device will be rendering audio, and responsively causes the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna while the playback device is rendering audio.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A playback device comprising:
a capacitive proximity sensor; a radio frequency (RF) antenna; one or more processors; and data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising: while a grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is decoupled from a grounding plane of the RF antenna, determining that the playback device will be rendering audio; and responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna while the playback device is rendering audio.

2 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from the grounding plane of the RF antenna.

3 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille coupled to the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor while the playback device is not rendering audio, and wherein the functions further comprise:
responsive to determining that the playback device will be rendering audio, causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from conductive speaker grille.

4 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille, and wherein the functions further comprise:
determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the conductive speaker grille.

5 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the RF antenna is arranged orthogonally to the capacitive proximity sensor.

6 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
detecting that an object is in proximity to the capacitive proximity sensor; and responsively causing a control area of the playback device to be illuminated.

7 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
detecting that an object is in proximity to the capacitive proximity sensor; and responsively caching audio content in a data storage of the playback device.

8 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
detecting that an object is in proximity to the capacitive proximity sensor; and responsively enabling an audio stage of the playback device such that an amplifier component of the audio stage is configured to produce amplified audio signals.

9 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
after causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, determining that the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna; and after determining that grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, rendering audio.

10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a playback device to perform functions comprising:
while a grounding plane of a capacitive proximity sensor of the playback device is decoupled from a grounding plane of an RF antenna of the playback device, determining that the playback device will be rendering audio; and responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna while the playback device is rendering audio.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the functions further comprise:
determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from the grounding plane of the RF antenna.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille coupled to the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor while the playback device is not rendering audio, and wherein the functions further comprise:
responsive to determining that the playback device will be rendering audio, causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from conductive speaker grille.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille, and wherein the functions further comprise:
determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the conductive speaker grille.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the RF antenna is arranged orthogonally to the capacitive proximity sensor.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the functions further comprise:
after causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, determining that the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna; and after determining that grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, rendering audio.

16 . A method comprising:
while a grounding plane of a capacitive proximity sensor is decoupled from a grounding plane of an RF antenna of the playback device, determining, by a playback device that comprises the capacitive proximity sensor, that the playback device will be rendering audio; and responsively causing, by the playback device, the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna while the playback device is rendering audio.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the functions further comprise:
determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from the grounding plane of the RF antenna.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille coupled to the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor while the playback device is not rendering audio, and wherein the functions further comprise:
responsive to determining that the playback device will be rendering audio, causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be decoupled from conductive speaker grille.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the playback device further comprises a conductive speaker grille, and wherein the functions further comprise:
determining that the playback device has stopped rendering audio; and responsively causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the conductive speaker grille.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
after causing the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to be coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna, determining that the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding plane of the RF antenna; and after determining that grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor is coupled to the grounding

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Calatayud Thomas
• Van Niekerk Carlo

Classifications

• G06F1/3231 Primary

  Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users · CPC title

• G06F1/1688

  the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title