RF Antenna Proximity Sensing in a Playback Device
AssigneeSonos, Inc.
InventorsThomas Calatayud, Jonathon Reilly
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example embodiment includes a playback device comprising a wireless communications interface that includes an RF antenna, a capacitive proximity sensor comprising a grounding plane that is coupled to the RF antenna, one or more processors, and a data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform operations. The operations include detecting that an object is in proximity to the capacitive proximity sensor and responsively preparing the playback device to play back audio.
Claims20
A playback device comprising:
- a wireless communications interface that includes an RF antenna;
- a capacitive proximity sensor comprising a grounding plane that is coupled to the RF antenna;
- one or more processors;
- and
- a data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform operations comprising:
- detecting that an object is in proximity to the capacitive proximity sensor;
- and
- responsively preparing the playback device to play back audio.
A playback device comprising:
- a wireless communications interface that includes an RF antenna;
- a capacitive proximity sensor comprising a grounding plane that is coupled to the RF antenna;
- a control system that detects that an object is in proximity to the capacitive proximity sensor and responsively prepares the playback device to play back audio.
A capacitive sensing system comprising:
- a capacitive proximity sensor that includes a grounding plane, wherein the grounding plane is oriented so as to sense proximity in a first direction;
- a wireless communications interface that includes an RF antenna, wherein the RF antenna is coupled to the grounding plane, and wherein the RF antenna is oriented so as to sense proximity in a second direction that is different from the first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.