Semtech Corporation

Chaouki Rouaissia

Jerald George Ott, Iii

Sébastien Grisot

Olivier Nys

Remi Le Reverend

Hehai Zheng

Pascal Monney

Eric Vandel

Tim Cooper

Deming Li

Eric Pierre Claude Vandel

Ott Iii Jerald G

Jerald George Ott Iii

Jerald G Iii Ott

The invention relates to an electronic component for adapting a pre-set matched impedance for an antenna. The electronic component comprises 1) a capacitance measurement circuit for measuring capacitance of a sensor, wherein the measured capacitance is indicative of a use case of the antenna, 2) a Radio Frequency (RF) switch configured for electrically connecting at least one selected impedance to an RF output, wherein the at least one selected impedance is an impedance in a group of impedances having at least two elements, wherein the RF switch is capable of providing an electrical connection between any impedance in the group of impedances and the RF output, and wherein the at least one selected impedance is configured for adapting the pre-set matched impedance, and 3) a digital processor having access to at least one threshold and the measured capacitance. The digital processor is configured (i) to compare the measured capacitance of the sensor provided by the capacitance measurement circuit to the at least one threshold, (ii) to determine, based on the comparison, which impedance in the group of impedances is the at least one selected impedance, and (iii) to instruct the RF switch to provide an electrical connection between the at least one selected impedance and the RF output. The invention also relates to a method for adapting a pre-set matched impedance for an antenna.

Proximity sensor for RF control

A capacitive sensor device with a capacitance-measuring circuit, a main sense input and a reference sense input, wherein the capacitive sensor device is configured to measure, using the capacitance-measuring circuit, a current main value of capacitance seen by the main sense input and a current reference value of capacitance seen by the reference sense input, wherein the capacitive sensor device is configured to store one previously measured reference value, and wherein the capacitive sensor device is configured to use 1) the current main value, 2) the current reference value and the previously measured reference value, and 3) a current correction coefficient, the capacitive sensor device being configured to adaptively determine the current correction coefficient based on the current reference value and the previously measured reference value, for determining a corrected current main value of capacitance; the capacitive sensor device can be used in a portable electronic device.

Capacitive sensor device with drift compensation

A portable device including a capacitive proximity sensor can suppress a drift superimposed to the capacitive proximity signal and the corresponding method. A processor generates a baseline value by integrating a series of values that are derived from the slope of the proximity signal, when the slope is within stated limits, or a fixed value outside of the stated limits.

Drift suppression method, proximity sensor and wireless device

A mobile device has a proximity sensor. A compensation value of the proximity sensor is determined. The compensation value is compared to a reference compensation value to determine validity of the compensation value. A capacitance of the proximity sensor is measured. A value of the capacitance of the proximity sensor is adjusted based on the compensation value. A coefficient defining a relationship between a capacitance of the proximity sensor and a temperature of the mobile device is calculated. A temperature sensor is coupled to the proximity sensor. The temperature of the mobile device is measured. A value of the capacitance of the proximity sensor is adjusted based on the coefficient and the temperature of the mobile device. The adjusted capacitance value is compared to a threshold capacitance value to determine proximity of an object to the mobile device. A radio frequency signal is adjusted by detecting proximity.

Method and device for improved accuracy of proximity and touch detection in mobile devices

A proximity sensor for a portable wireless connected device, the sensor being arranged to determine whether a part of a user's body is near the portable connected wireless device. The sensor generates a time-averaged proximity that is alerted when the device is brought near a part of a user's body for a given time and may be periodically reset momentarily during the periods of proximity. An integration time comparable with that used in SAR testing, enables the sensor to reduce the radio power emitted by a portable device when it is near the body. The integration time can be obtained by a sigma/delta modulator configured as rate-compression unit.

Proximity sensor for portable wireless device

Environmental sensor circuit for a portable connected wireless device. The circuit includes a capacitive proximity sensor that determines when a user is close to the portable device. The device also has a magnetic field probe that provides a signal that indicates the position of a permanent magnet. The sensor circuit integrates both a digitizing unit and digital signal processing for the suppression of noise and drive in signals coming from the proximity sensor and from the magnetic field probe.

Environmental sensor circuit having a capacitive proximity sensor and magnetic field probe

A capacitive sensor with a plurality of sense inputs connectable to capacitive sense electrodes and a common reference input, each sense input and the reference input can be put in a measure state, in a ground state, or in a shield state. The sensor can be equipped with external reference capacitors between each of the sense input and the common reference terminal. The reference capacitor can be read individually by selectively pulling one of the input terminals to ground and driving the other to be equipotential with the reference input.

Multichannel capacitive sensor device

A sensor for a portable connected device. The sensor has a filter arranged to reduce a noise component on a sampled input signal. The is arranged to consider only input measurements that change systematically in a same direction, updating an output value when all the input samples in a predetermined time window are above or below a current output value and, repeating the current output value when the input samples in the time window are below and above the current output value.

Proximity sensor with nonlinear filter and method

A capacitive proximity sensor for use in mobile devices such as smartphones and connected tables, in which it is used to switch off a display () when the device is brought to the ear. The capacitive sensor is arranged for rejecting spurious detection induced, for example, by condensation, ingress of water, or thermal drift, based on the time variations of a capacity seen by the readout circuit (), Additionally, the proximity sensor may integrate signals form motion sensors, temperature sensors or other sensors, to discriminate spurious proximity signals.

Intelligent proximity detector

A proximity sensor, and a portable device equipped therewith, with at least two sense electrodes, one influencing the other. By reading twice the capacity of one electrode, while either setting the potential of the counter-electrode to guard or letting it float, the sensor of the invention discriminates between a body part, or another electrically equivalent object, and low-permittivity objects.

Advanced capacitive proximity sensor

A capacitive proximity sensor for use in mobile devices such as smartphones and connected tables, in which it is used to switch off a display () when the device is brought to the ear, and to reduce selectively the RF power when the device is in close proximity to a body part of a user, in order to fulfil regulatory SAR limits. The capacitive sensor uses two electrodes (), the first of which may also serve as RF antenna, and the other is preferably on the back of the phone and is opposite the display.

Proximity sensor and mobile wireless device

A proximity sensor, and a portable device equipped therewith, with at least two superposed sense electrodes, one partially screening the other. By reading the capacity first of one electrode, then of the other, while setting the potential of the counter-electrode either to ground or to guard, the sensor of the invention discriminates between a body part, or another electrically equivalent object, and water drops at closer distance.

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Neuchatel, Switzerland

Chaouki Rouaissia