# US 2019/0376325 A1 · System for detecting approach and/or contact of a user and ultra high frequency communication with a portable user apparatus

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- Number: US 2019/0376325 A1
- Document ID: US20190376325A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/431,923
- Filed: 2019-06-05
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-06
- Assignees: Continental Automotive France; Continental Automotive GmbH
- Applicants: Continental Automotive France; CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GmbH
- Inventors: Grégory SIGUIER; Olivier GERARDIERE; John Jefferson LACKEY; Maxime MICHEAU
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376325A1

## CPC

- E05B 81/77: {comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user}
- H01Q 1/3241: {particular used in keyless entry systems}
- E05B 81/78: as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
- G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks}
- G07C 9/00944: {Details of construction or manufacture}
- H01Q 1/3233: {particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems}
- H01Q 1/3283: {side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted (mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271)}
- H01Q 1/48: Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
- H03K 17/955: using a capacitive detector
- H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches}
- E05Y 2900/531: Doors
- G07C 2209/64: using a proximity sensor
- G07C 2209/65: using means for sensing the user's hand
- H03K 2017/9602: {characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes}
- H03K 2217/960765: Details of shielding arrangements
- H03K 2217/96078: Sensor being a wire or a strip, e.g. used in automobile door handles or bumpers
- E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF

## Abstract

Disclosed is a system for detecting approach and/or contact of a user and Ultra High Frequency communication with a portable user apparatus, intended to be embedded on board an automotive vehicle, the system including: a device for detecting approach and/or contact, including a sensor for detecting approach and/or contact and an electronic control unit; a conducting metal surface, suitable for the conduction of electric charges; and a communication device, including an Ultra High Frequency antenna emitting an electromagnetic field at an Ultra High Frequency wavelength, and a management unit for managing the emission and reception of data of the antenna. The conducting metal surface takes the form of a continuous path including a plurality of meanders spread over a length at least equal to: L=λ/6 wherein L is a total length of the meanders, and λ is a wavelength of the Ultra High Frequency antenna.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system (20) for detecting approach and/or contact of a user and Ultra High Frequency communication with a portable user apparatus, intended to be embedded on board an automotive vehicle, said system comprising:
a device for detecting approach and/or contact, comprising a sensor for detecting approach and/or contact and an electronic control unit (61),
a conducting metal surface (60), suitable for the conduction of electric charges,
a communication device, comprising an Ultra High Frequency antenna (50) emitting an electromagnetic field at an Ultra High Frequency wavelength (A), and a management unit (51) for managing the emission and reception of data of said antenna, the presence of this conducting metal surface disturbing the operation of the Ultra High Frequency antenna (50) and rendering the Ultra High Frequency communication inoperative in certain zones Zj around the system (20),
wherein the conducting metal surface (60) takes the form of a continuous path comprising a plurality of meanders (M) spread over a length (L) at least equal to:
L=λ/6
with:
L total length of the meanders,
λ: wavelength of the Ultra High Frequency antenna.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system (20) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part of the plurality of meanders (M) takes the form of slots, or of sawteeth, or of sinusoid.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system (20) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UHF antenna (50) being defined by a longitudinal axis (XX′) and a transverse axis (YY′), wherein at least part of the plurality of meanders (M) is oriented along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis (XX′), or parallel along the transverse axis (YY′), or along an inclined axis with respect to one or the other of the axis parallel to the longitudinal axis (XX′) or to the transverse axis (YY′).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system (20) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor for detecting approach and/or contact is a capacitive sensor and that the conducting metal surface (60) is an electrode of said sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conducting metal surface (60′) is an electrical ground plane (100).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A handle (P) of automotive vehicle door (1), comprising a system (20) as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An automotive vehicle, comprising a system (20) as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The system (20) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the UHF antenna (50) being defined by a longitudinal axis (XX′) and a transverse axis (YY′), wherein at least part of the plurality of meanders (M) is oriented along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis (XX′), or parallel along the transverse axis (YY′), or along an inclined axis with respect to one or the other of the axis parallel to the longitudinal axis (XX′) or to the transverse axis (YY′).

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The system (20) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor for detecting approach and/or contact is a capacitive sensor and that the conducting metal surface (60) is an electrode of said sensor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The system (20) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensor for detecting approach and/or contact is a capacitive sensor and that the conducting metal surface (60) is an electrode of said sensor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system (20) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sensor for detecting approach and/or contact is a capacitive sensor and that the conducting metal surface (60) is an electrode of said sensor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the conducting metal surface (60′) is an electrical ground plane (100).

### Claim 13 (depends on 3)

The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conducting metal surface (60′) is an electrical ground plane (100).

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conducting metal surface (60′) is an electrical ground plane (100).

### Claim 15 (depends on 2)

A handle (P) of automotive vehicle door (1), comprising a system (20) as claimed in claim 2.

### Claim 16 (depends on 3)

A handle (P) of automotive vehicle door (1), comprising a system (20) as claimed in claim 3.

### Claim 17 (depends on 4)

A handle (P) of automotive vehicle door (1), comprising a system (20) as claimed in claim 4.

### Claim 18 (depends on 5)

A handle (P) of automotive vehicle door (1), comprising a system (20) as claimed in claim 5.

### Claim 19 (depends on 2)

An automotive vehicle, comprising a system (20) as claimed in claim 2.

### Claim 20 (depends on 3)

An automotive vehicle, comprising a system (20) as claimed in claim 3.