# US 10,484,033 B1 · User interface to enhance millimeter wave (mmWav) communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,484,033 B1 - Document ID: US10484033B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/054,766 - Filed: 2018-08-03 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-03 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Junyi Li; Vasanthan Raghavan; Juergen Cezanne; Ozge Koymen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484033B1 ## CPC - H04B 1/3838: {Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use} - G08B 7/06: using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources} - G08B 21/182: {Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold} - G09B 19/24: Use of tools - H04B 17/104: {of other parameters, e.g. DC offset, delay or propagation times} - H04M 1/72454: according to context-related or environment-related conditions - H04B 2001/3844: {with means to alert the user that a certain exposure has been reached} - H04B: TRANSMISSION - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract Wireless communications systems and methods related to providing user interfaces to inform a user of an antenna signal blockage at a wireless communication device are provided. A wireless communication device receives information associated with at least one antenna of the wireless communication device indicating that a signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked by an object. The wireless communication device outputs, via a user interface of the wireless communication device, an indication that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of wireless communication, the method comprising: receiving, by a wireless communication device, information associated with at least one antenna of the wireless communication device indicating that a signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked by an object; and outputting, by a user interface of the wireless communication device, an indication that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked, the indication including at least one of a first instruction to rotate the wireless communication device along one or more axes or a second instruction to translate the wireless communication device along one or more axes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting includes: displaying, by the user interface of the wireless communication device, a visual indicator indicating a position of the at least one antenna. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the outputting includes: displaying, by the user interface of the wireless communication device, a graphical representation of the wireless communication device with the visual indicator indicating the position of the at least one antenna on the graphical representation of the wireless communication device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the receiving includes: receiving, by the wireless communication device, at least one of a first parameter associated with a geometry of the wireless communication device or a second parameter associated with the position of the at least one antenna with respect to the geometry of the wireless communication device, wherein the displaying is based on at least one of the first parameter or the second parameter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting includes: generating, by the user interface of the wireless communication device, an audio alert to indicate that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting includes: generating, by the user interface of the wireless communication device, a vibration alert to indicate that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting includes: generating, by the user interface of the wireless communication device, a light alert to indicate that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the wireless communication device, an instruction to orient the wireless communication device such that the signal path of the at least one antenna is not blocked by the object, the instruction including at least one of the first instruction or the second instruction; and displaying, by the user interface of the wireless communication device, the instruction to orient the wireless communication device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting is further based on a determination that the at least one antenna is in an active operational state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving includes: receiving, by the wireless communication device, the information associated with an array of antennas including the at least one antenna, the information indicating that the signal path of the array of antennas is at least partially blocked. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving includes: receiving, by the wireless communication device, the information from a radio frequency integrated circuitry (RFIC) component of the wireless communication device, the RFIC component including the at least one antenna. ### Claim 12 A wireless communication device comprising: at least one antenna; a processor configured to receive information associated with the at least one antenna indicating that a signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked by an object; and a user interface configured to output an indication that the signal path of the at least one antennas is at least partially blocked, the indication including at least one of a first instruction to rotate the wireless communication device along one or more axes or a second instruction to translate the wireless communication device along one or more axes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The wireless communication device of claim 12, further comprising an array of antennas including the at least one antenna, wherein the information further indicates that a signal path of the array of antennas is at least partially blocked. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the at least one antenna operates in a millimeter wave (mmWav) band. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the user interface is further configured to output the indication by: displaying a visual indicator indicating a position of the at least one antenna. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the user interface is further configured to output the indication by: displaying a graphical representation of the wireless communication device with the visual indicator indicating the position of the at least one antenna on the graphical representation of the wireless communication device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The wireless communication device of claim 16, wherein the information includes at least one of: a first parameter associated with a geometry of the wireless communication device; or a second parameter associated with the position of the at least one antenna with respect to the geometry of the wireless communication device, and wherein the user interface is further configured to output the indication by: displaying the graphical representation of the wireless communication device with the visual indicator based on at least one of the first parameter or the second parameter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the user interface is further configured to output the indication by: generating an audio alert to indicate that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the user interface is further configured to output the indication by: generating a vibration alert to indicate that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the user interface is further configured to output the indication by: generating a light alert to indicate that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive an instruction to orient the wireless communication device such that the signal path of the at least one antenna is not blocked by the object, the instruction including at least one of the first instruction or the second instruction, and wherein the user interface is further configured to output the indication by displaying the instruction. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the user interface is further configured to output the indication based on a determination that the at least one antenna is in an active operational state. ### Claim 23 (depends on 12) The wireless communication device of claim 12, further comprising: a radio frequency integrated circuitry (RFIC) component including the at least one antenna, wherein the information is received from the RFIC component. ### Claim 24 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising: code for causing a wireless communication device to receive information associated with at least one antenna of the wireless communication device indicating that a signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked by an object; and code for causing a user interface of the wireless communication device to output an indication that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked, the indication including at least one of a first instruction to rotate the wireless communication device along one or more axes or a second instruction to translate the wireless communication device along one or more axes. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the code for causing the user interface of the wireless communication device to outputting the indication is further configured to: display a graphical representation of the wireless communication device with a visual indicator indicating a position of the at least one antenna on the graphical representation of the wireless communication device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the code for causing the user interface of the wireless communication device to output the indication is further configured to: generate at least one of an audio alert, a vibration alert, or a light alert to indicate that the signal path of the at least one antenna is at least partially blocked. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising: code for causing the wireless communication device to receive an instruction to orient the wireless communication device such that the signal path of the at least one antenna is not blocked by the object, the instruction including at least one of the first instruction or the second instruction; and code for causing the user interface of the wireless communication device to display the instruction to orient the wireless communication device. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the code for causing the wireless communication device to receive the information is further configured to receive the information associated with an array of antennas including the at least one antenna, the information indicating that the signal path of the array of antennas is at least partially blocked.