# US 12,114,270 B2 · Methods and apparatus for user equipment to differentiate human grip from protective covers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,114,270 B2 - Document ID: US12114270B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/654,904 - Filed: 2022-03-15 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-12 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Seunghwan Kim; Udara Fernando; Eyosias Yoseph Imana; Robert Gilmore - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12114270B2 ## CPC - H04B 1/3838: {Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use} - H04W 52/146: {Uplink power control} - H04B 3/52: Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides - H04B 7/0456: Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting - H04B 7/0608: {Antenna selection according to transmission parameters} - H04B 7/10: Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity - H04B 17/0085: {using test signal generators} - H04W 52/0254: {detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device} - H04W 52/225: {Calculation of statistics, e.g. average or variance} - H04W 52/241: {taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR or Eb/lo} - H04W 52/242: {taking into account path loss} - H04W 52/246: {where the output power of a terminal is based on a path parameter calculated in said terminal} - H04W 52/325: {Power control of control or pilot channels} - H04W 52/367: {Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range} - H04W 52/42: in systems with time, space, frequency or polarisation diversity - H04B 17/336: Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract Methods and apparatus for distinguishing between an antenna of a user equipment (UE) being blocked by a cover (e.g., a protective rubber or plastic case) or by human tissue (e.g., a finger or palm). The transmission power of uplink (UL) signals may be adjusted accordingly, with relatively higher transmission power for open space or a cover and relatively lower transmission power for human tissue. One example method for wireless communications by a UE generally includes transmitting a first signal from the UE, receiving a plurality of signals at the UE based on the transmitted first signal, determining values for at least two different types of parameters based on the received plurality of signals, determining an environmental scenario for the UE based on the values for the at least two different types of parameters, and transmitting a second signal using a transmission power based on the determined environmental scenario. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for wireless communications by a wireless device, comprising: wirelessly reading an identification tag associated with a cover covering at least a portion of the wireless device; determining a type of the cover based on the identification tag associated with the cover; transmitting a signal based on the determined type of the cover; and selecting an antenna array codebook, from a plurality of predefined antenna array codebooks, based on the determined type of the cover, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the signal according to the selected antenna array codebook. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cover is a protective case for the wireless device and wherein the identification tag indicates a particular model of the protective case. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the type of the cover comprises comparing the type of the cover determined based on the identification tag with a type of the cover determined using a detection technique. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the detection technique comprises: transmitting another signal from the wireless device; receiving a plurality of signals at the wireless device based on the transmitted other signal, wherein the received plurality of signals comprises a vertical polarization component signal and a horizontal polarization component signal; and determining the type of the cover based on the vertical polarization component signal and the horizontal polarization component signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the type of the cover is determined in the detection technique based on at least one of: a statistic of a cross-polarization ratio between the vertical polarization component signal and the horizontal polarization component signal; or a statistic of a signal-to-noise ratio based on the vertical polarization component signal and the horizontal polarization component signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the identification tag indicates one or more properties of the cover. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a transmission power of the signal is based on the determined type of the cover and on radio frequency (RF) exposure limits. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the identification tag indicates a material of the cover. ### Claim 9 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a receiver configured to wirelessly read an identification tag associated with a cover covering at least a portion of the apparatus; a processing system configured to: determine a type of the cover based on the identification tag associated with the cover; and determine a transmission power based on the determined type of the cover; and a transmitter configured to transmit a signal from the apparatus using the determined transmission power; and an antenna array coupled to the transmitter, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the signal from the apparatus via the antenna array using the determined transmission power and wherein the signal comprises a beamformed signal or a millimeter wave signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cover is a protective case for the apparatus and wherein the identification tag indicates a particular model of the protective case. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the processing system is further configured to select an antenna array codebook, from a plurality of predefined antenna array codebooks, based on the determined type of the cover; and the transmitter is configured to transmit the signal via the antenna array according to the selected antenna array codebook. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein to determine the type of the cover, the processing system is configured to compare the type of the cover determined based on the identification tag with a type of the cover determined using a detection technique. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein to perform the detection technique: the transmitter is further configured to transmit another signal from the apparatus; the receiver is further configured to receive a plurality of signals based on the transmitted other signal, wherein the received plurality of signals comprises a vertical polarization component signal and a horizontal polarization component signal; and the processing system is further configured to determine the type of the cover in the detection technique based on the vertical polarization component signal and the horizontal polarization component signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processing system is configured to determine the type of the cover in the detection technique based on at least one of: a statistic of a cross-polarization ratio between the vertical polarization component signal and the horizontal polarization component signal; or a statistic of a signal-to-noise ratio based on the vertical polarization component signal and the horizontal polarization component signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the identification tag indicates one or more properties of the cover. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the identification tag indicates a material of the cover. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing system is configured to determine the transmission power based on the determined type of the cover and on radio frequency (RF) exposure limits. ### Claim 18 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a receiver configured to wirelessly read an identification tag associated with a cover covering at least a portion of the apparatus; a processing system configured to determine a type of the cover based on the identification tag associated with the cover; a transmitter configured to transmit a signal from the apparatus; and an antenna array coupled to the transmitter, wherein: the processing system is further configured to select an antenna array codebook, from a plurality of predefined antenna array codebooks, based on the determined type of the cover; and the transmitter is configured to transmit the signal via the antenna array according to the selected antenna array codebook. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein to determine the type of the cover, the processing system is configured to compare the type of the cover determined based on the identification tag with a type of the cover determined using a detection technique. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the identification tag indicates one or more properties of the cover, or wherein the identification tag indicates a material of the cover.