US 11,115,138 B2 · Method for antenna occlusion detection

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for detecting obstruction of a device's antenna(s) and then changing an operation of the device. A transmission time at which an antenna of an electronic device transmitted a signal can be identified. A response signal can be detected that was received at a receiver of the electronic device subsequent to the transmission time. Based on the response signal and on the transmission time, one or more response-signal characteristics can be determined. Based on the one or more response-signal characteristics, it can be determined that the antenna or that another antenna of the electronic device is at least partly blocked from emitting or receiving signals. In response to determining that the antenna is at least partly blocked, a changed type of operation can be identified, and the changed type of operation can be performed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An electronic device comprising:

a transmitter;
a receiver;
an antenna coupled to the transmitter and to the receiver;
one or more data processors;
and
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform actions including:
identifying a transmission time at which the transmitter transmitted a signal;
detecting a response signal received at the receiver subsequent to the transmission time;
determining, based at least in part on the response signal and on the transmission time, one or more response-signal characteristics;
determining, based at least in part on the one or more response-signal characteristics, that the antenna is at least partly blocked from emitting or receiving signals;
and
in response to determining that the antenna is at least partly blocked:
identifying a subset of antennas of the electronic device that does not include the antenna;
and
performing a directionality analysis using the subset of antennas to identify a direction of another device relative to the electronic device.

12 more elements

A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a transmission time at which an antenna of an electronic device transmitted a signal;
detecting a response signal received at the electronic device subsequent to the transmission time;
determining, based at least in part on the response signal and on the transmission time, one or more response-signal characteristics;
determining, based at least in part on the one or more response-signal characteristics, that the antenna or that an other antenna of the electronic device is at least partly blocked from emitting or receiving signals;
and
in response to determining that the antenna or the other antenna is at least partly blocked,
performing a reduced precision directionality analysis to identify a direction of an other device relative to the electronic device, wherein the direction associated with the reduced precision directionality analysis is within a reduced dimensionality space as compared to a default dimensionality space associated with a default precision directionality analysis.

4 more elements

A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause one or more data processors to perform actions including:

detecting an impulse-response signal received at a receiver of an electronic device, the impulse-response signal corresponding to an impulse signal transmitted by an antenna of the electronic device;
determining, based at least in part on the impulse-response signal, one or more impulse-response-signal characteristics;
determining, based at least in part on the one or more impulse-response-signal characteristics, that the antenna or that an other antenna of the electronic device is at least partly blocked from emitting or receiving signals;
and
in response to determining that the antenna or that the other antenna is at least partly blocked:
identifying a set of antennas of the electronic device, the set excluding at least the antenna when the antenna is determined to be at least partly blocked or excluding at least the other antenna when the other antenna is determined to be at least partly blocked;
and
performing a directionality analysis using the set of antennas to identify a direction of another device relative to the electronic device.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for antenna occlusion detection

Life of this patent

Method for antenna occlusion detection

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20