Sensor pad to capacitively couple to an antenna module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9865927-B2
Application number	US-201415118586-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2014
Priority date	Apr 3, 2014
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

An example computing system may include a proximity sensor including a sensor pad with a tail and an antenna to capacitively couple to the tail to increase a bandwidth of the antenna.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing system comprising:
a proximity sensor including a sensor pad with a tail; and
an antenna module including an antenna wherein a threshold distance is disposed between the antenna and the tail to capacitively couple the antenna to the tail and increase a bandwidth of the antenna.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , further comprising a housing to house the proximity sensor and the antenna module.

3. The computing system of claim 2 , wherein a main body of the sensor pad is coupled to a back-side of the housing and the tail is coupled to a sidewall of the housing such that the tail is perpendicular to the main body.

4. The computing system of claim 2 , wherein the tail of the proximity sensor extends along a sidewall of the housing.

5. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein the sidewall includes a corner, and wherein the tail extends across the corner.

6. The computing system of claim 2 , wherein the radiating element extends along the sidewall of the housing.

7. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold distance is about 3 mm.

8. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna module comprises an inverted-F antenna.

9. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor pad and the tail comprise a conductive foil.

10. A computing system comprising:
an antenna;
a sensor pad to detect proximity of a user, wherein a tail of the sensor pad is arranged to capacitively couple to a radiating element of the antenna to increase a bandwidth of the antenna; and
a controller to control a transmit power of the antenna when a user is detected by the sensor pad.

11. The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the antenna and the controller are included in an antenna module.

12. The computing system of claim 11 , further comprising proximity sensor circuitry coupled to the sensor pad, wherein the proximity sensor circuitry is included in the antenna module.

13. The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the computing system is at least one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a tablet computer, a netbook computer, a convertible computer, a display device, a server, a set-top box, a digital recorder, a game console, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, a digital media player, a television, and a digital camera.

14. A method comprising:
providing a housing including a proximity sensor pad having a tail; and
arranging an antenna module in the housing such that a threshold distance is disposed between an antenna of the antenna module and the tail to capacitively couple to the tail and control a return loss of the antenna.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said providing comprises coupling the sensor pad to the housing such that a main body of the sensor pad is coupled to a back-side of the housing and the tail is coupled to a sidewall of the housing such that the tail is perpendicular to the main body.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• Tsai Ming-Shien

Classifications

• H01Q9/42

  with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength · CPC title

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q1/245

  with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure · CPC title

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title

• H01Q5/378

  Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements · CPC title