Electronic device with angular position detection capability

Abstract

An electronic device can include wireless circuitry having a set of two or more antennas coupled to a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor. The VSWR sensor can collect VSWR measurements from radio frequency signals transmitted using the set of antennas. The antennas can be disposed on one or more substrates and / or can be formed by electrically conductive portions of a housing. Control circuitry can process the VSWR measurements to identify a distance between each antenna of the set of antennas and an external object. The control circuitry can process the distance to identify an angular position of the external object relative to the device. Based on the angular position, the control circuitry can adjust a subsequent communication, adjust a direction of a signal beam produced by a phased antenna array, identify a user input, or perform any other desired operation.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 331,504, filed May 26, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly to electronic devices having wireless circuitry. BACKGROUND

[0003] Electronic devices often have wireless capabilities. Electronic devices with wireless capabilities have wireless circuitry that includes one or more antennas. Wireless circuitry is sometimes used to perform a spatial ranging operation, in which a distance between the electronic device and an external object is estimated using radio frequency signals.

[0004] Providing wireless circuitry that accurately estimates this distance can be challenging. For example, wireless circuitry will often exhibit a blind spot near the device in which the wireless circuitry cannot accurately detect the presence of an external object. Moreover, when an external object is present within the blind spot, the wireless circuitry can have difficulty fully characterizing the position and orientation of the external object. SUMMARY

[0005] An electronic device can include wireless circuitry controlled by one or more processors. The wireless circuitry can include a set of two or more antennas communicably coupled to a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor. The VSWR sensor can collect VSWR measurements from radio frequency signals transmitted using the set of antennas. The antennas in the set of antennas can be disposed on one or more substrates and / or can be formed by electrically conductive portions of a housing of the device. The one or more processors can process the VSWR measurements to identify a distance between each antenna in the set of antennas and an external object proximate to, adjacent to, or near the set of antennas. The one or more processors can process the distances to identify an angular position of the external object relative to the device.

[0006] Based on the identified angular position, the one or more processors can perform any desired operation. For example, based on the angular position, the one or more processors can adjust subsequent communications by the one or more antennas (e.g., by reducing a maximum transmit power level of the one or more antennas). If desired, based on the angular position, the one or more processors can adjust a direction of a signal beam produced by a phased antenna array (e.g., to steer the signal beam around the external object). As another example, based on the angular position, the one or more processors can identify a user input or gesture.

[0007] One aspect of the disclosure provides an electronic device operable in an environment that includes an external object. The electronic device can include a first antenna and a second antenna. The electronic device can include a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna. The first VSWR sensor can be configured to perform a first VSWR measurement using a radio frequency signal transmitted by the first antenna. The electronic device can include a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna. The second VSWR sensor can be configured to perform a second VSWR measurement using a radio frequency signal transmitted by the second antenna. The electronic device can include one or more processors. The one or more processors can be configured to identify a first distance from the first antenna to the external object based on the first VSWR measurement. The one or more processors can be configured to identify a second distance from the second antenna to the external object based on the second VSWR measurement. The one or more processors can be configured to identify an angular position of the external object based on at least the first distance and the second distance.

[0008] One aspect of the disclosure provides a method for operating an electronic device having an antenna set, at least one voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the antenna set, and one or more processors. The antenna set can include at least two antennas. The method can include transmitting a radio frequency signal with the antenna set. The method can include collecting VSWR measurements from radio frequency signals transmitted by different antennas in the antenna set with the at least one VSWR sensor. The method can include identifying, with the one or more processors, a plurality of distances between the antenna set and an external object based on the VSWR measurements. The method can include identifying, with the one or more processors, an angular position of the external object based on the plurality of distances between the antenna set and the external object.

[0009] One aspect of the disclosure provides a method of operating an electronic device in an environment having an external object. The method can include transmitting a first radio frequency signal with a first antenna on the electronic device. The method can include transmitting a second radio frequency signal with a second antenna on the electronic device. The method can include collecting a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) measurement using the first radio frequency signal transmitted through the first antenna with a first VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna. The method can include collecting a second VSWR measurement using the second radio frequency signal transmitted through the second antenna with a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna. The method can include identifying, with one or more processors, an angular position of the external object based on at least the first VSWR measurement and the second VSWR measurement. The method can include adjusting, with the one or more processors, a subsequent transmission of the first antenna based on at least the angular position of the external object. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary electronic device having a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor for detecting an angular position of an external object, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of an exemplary VSWR sensor having a directional coupler for detecting a distance between an external object and an antenna, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 3 is a plot of a reflection coefficient as a function of frequency, which can be generated by an exemplary VSWR sensor for detecting a distance between an external object and an antenna, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 4 is a plot showing how a reflection coefficient measured by an exemplary VSWR sensor can vary over time as an external object exists at different distances from an antenna, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 5 is a plot showing how a change in reflection coefficient can be related to a distance between an antenna and an external object, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0015] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing how an external object can exist at a given angular position on a surface of an electronic device, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 7 is a flow diagram of exemplary operations involved in detecting an angular position of an external object using a VSWR sensor and multiple antennas, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0017] Figure 8 is a top view showing how multiple antennas can be used to detect an angular position of an external object, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 9 is a side view showing how multiple antennas can be used to detect an angular position of an external object, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0019] Figure 10 is a side view showing how multiple antennas can perform a beam steering operation based on a detected angular position of an external object, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0020] Figure 11This is a top view based on some implementation schemes, showing how antennas for detecting the angular position of external objects can be distributed across multiple arrays in different orientations.

[0021] Figure 12 This is a top view based on some implementation schemes, showing how antennas for detecting the angular position of external objects can be distributed across an electronic device. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Figure 1 The electronic device 10 may be: a computing device, such as a laptop computer, desktop computer, computer monitor containing an embedded computer, tablet computer, cellular phone, media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device; a smaller device, such as a wristwatch, a wristband, a headset or handset, a device embedded in glasses; or other equipment worn on a user's head; or other wearable or micro-devices, televisions, computer monitors without an embedded computer, gaming devices, navigation devices, embedded systems (such as systems in which electronic equipment with a display is installed in a kiosk or vehicle), voice-controlled speakers connected to the wireless Internet, home entertainment devices, remote control devices, game controllers, peripheral user input devices, wireless base stations or access points, equipment that enables the functions of two or more of these devices; or other electronic equipment.

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown in the functional block diagram, device 10 may include components located on or within an electronic device housing, such as housing 12. Housing 12 (sometimes referred to as a shell) may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramic, fiber composite material, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, metal alloys, etc.), other suitable materials, or combinations of these materials. In some cases, housing 12 may be partially or entirely formed of dielectric or other low-conductivity materials (e.g., glass, ceramic, plastic, sapphire, etc.). In other cases, housing 12 or at least some of the structures constituting housing 12 may be formed of metallic elements.

[0024] Device 10 may include control circuitry 14. Control circuitry 14 may include storage devices, such as storage circuitry 16. Storage circuitry 16 may include hard disk drive storage devices, non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory configured to form a solid-state drive or other electrically programmable read-only memory), volatile memory (e.g., static random access memory or dynamic random access memory), etc. Storage circuitry 16 may include storage devices and / or removable storage media integrated within device 10.

[0025] The control circuit 14 can include processing circuitry, such as the processing circuitry 18. The processing circuitry 18 can be used to control operation of the device 10. The processing circuitry 18 can include one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, host processors, baseband processors integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), etc. The control circuit 14 can be configured to perform operations in the device 10 using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware, and / or software. Software code for performing operations in the device 10 can be stored on the storage circuitry 16 (e.g., the storage circuitry 16 can include non-transitory (tangible) computer-readable storage medium that stores software code). This software code can sometimes be referred to as program instructions, software, data, instructions, or code. The software code stored on the storage circuitry 16 can be executed by the processing circuitry 18. Portions of the storage circuitry 16 can be on the processing circuitry 18 (e.g., as L1, L2, or L3 cache) if desired, while other portions of the storage circuitry 16 are off the processing circuitry 18 (e.g., on a storage drive, on a solid state memory die, etc.) but still accessible to processing circuitry 18 (e.g., over a storage interface bus).

[0026] The control circuit 14 can be used to run software on the device 10, such as a satellite navigation application, an Internet browsing application, an Internet voice over protocol (VOIP) telephone call application, an email application, a media playback application, operating system functions, etc. To support interaction with external equipment, the control circuit 14 can be used to implement communication protocols. Communication protocols that can be implemented using the control circuit 14 include Internet protocols, wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols - sometimes referred to as Wi-Fi® protocols), Bluetooth® protocols or other wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocols for other short-range wireless communication links, IEEE 802.11 ad protocols (e.g., ultra-wideband protocols), cellular telephone protocols (e.g., 3G protocols, 4G (LTE) protocols, 3GPP Fifth Generation (5G) protocols, etc.), antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) protocols, Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) protocols, etc.), antenna-based spatial ranging protocols (e.g., radio detection and ranging (RADAR) protocols or other desired distance detection protocols for signals transmitted at millimeter wave and centimeter wave frequencies), or any other desired communication protocol. Each communication protocol can be associated with a corresponding radio access technology (RAT) that specifies the physical connection method used to implement the protocol. The control circuit 14 can be used to run software on the device 10, such as a satellite navigation application, an Internet browsing application, an Internet voice over protocol (VOIP) telephone call application, an email application, a media playback application, operating system functions, etc. To support interaction with external equipment, the control circuit 14 can be used to implement communication protocols. Communication protocols that can be implemented using the control circuit 14 include Internet protocols, wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols - sometimes referred to as Wi-Fi® protocols), Bluetooth® protocols or other wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocols for other short-range wireless communication links, IEEE 802.11 ad protocols (e.g., ultra-wideband protocols), cellular telephone protocols (e.g., 3G protocols, 4G (LTE) protocols, 3GPP Fifth Generation (5G) protocols, etc.), antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) protocols, Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) protocols, etc.), antenna-based spatial ranging protocols (e.g., radio detection and ranging (RADAR) protocols or other desired distance detection protocols for signals transmitted at millimeter wave and centimeter wave frequencies), or any other desired communication protocol. Each communication protocol can be associated with a corresponding radio access technology (RAT) that specifies the physical connection method used to implement the protocol.

[0027] ​Device 10 can include input-output circuitry 20. Input-output circuitry 20 can include input-output devices 22. Input-output devices 22 can be used to allow data to be supplied to device 10 and to allow data to be provided from device 10 to external devices. Input-output devices 22 can include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. For example, input-output devices 22 can include touch sensors, displays (e.g., touch-sensitive displays and / or force-sensitive displays), light-emitting components such as displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons (mechanical, capacitive, optical, etc.), scroll wheels, touchpads, keypads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, buttons, speakers, status indicators, audio jack and other audio port components, digital data port devices, motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, and / or compasses that detect motion), capacitive sensors, temperature sensors, proximity sensors, magnetic sensors, force sensors (e.g., force sensors coupled to displays to detect pressure applied to the displays), and the like. In some configurations, keyboards, headphones, displays, pointing devices (such as trackpads, mice, and joysticks), and other input-output devices can be coupled to device 10 using wired or wireless connections (e.g., some of input-output devices 22 can be peripheral devices that are coupled to a main processing unit or other portion of device 10 via wired or wireless links).

[0028] Input-output circuitry 20 can include wireless circuitry 24 to support wireless communication and / or radio-based spatial ranging operations. Wireless circuitry 24 can include two or more antennas 40. Wireless circuitry 24 can also include baseband processor circuitry, transceiver circuitry, amplifier circuitry, filter circuitry, switching circuitry, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry, digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry, radio frequency transmission lines, and / or any other circuitry used to transmit and / or receive radio frequency signals using antennas 40.

[0029] Antennas 40 can be formed using any desired antenna structure. For example, antennas 40 can include antennas with resonant elements formed from loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures, monopole antennas, dipoles, hybrids of these designs, and the like. Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, and / or other antenna tuning components can be adjusted to adjust the frequency response and wireless performance of antennas 40 over time.

[0030] Wireless circuit 24 may use antenna 40 to transmit and / or receive radio frequency signals 38 to transmit wireless communication data between device 10 and external wireless communication equipment 28 (e.g., one or more other devices, such as device 10, a wireless access point, or a base station). Wireless communication data may be transmitted bidirectionally or unidirectionally by wireless circuit 24. Wireless communication data may include, for example, data encoded into corresponding data packets, such as wireless data associated with telephone calls, streaming media content, internet browsing, wireless data associated with software applications running on device 10, email messages, etc.

[0031] Wireless circuit 24 may include communication and / or long-range spatial ranging circuitry 26 (sometimes referred to herein simply as communication circuitry 26). Communication circuitry 26 may use antenna 40 to transmit and / or receive wireless communication data. Communication circuitry 26 may include baseband circuitry (e.g., one or more baseband processors) and one or more radio devices (e.g., radio devices having RF transceivers, modems, synthesizers, switches, filters, mixers, ADCs, DACs, amplifiers, etc.) for transmitting RF signals 38 using one or more antennas 40.

[0032] Communication circuit 26 can transmit and / or receive radio frequency signals 38 within a corresponding frequency band of a radio frequency (sometimes referred to herein as a communication band or simply a "band"). The frequency band processed by communication circuit 26 may include: a wireless local area network (WLAN) band (e.g., (IEEE 802.11) or other WLAN communication bands, such as the 2.4GHz WLAN band (e.g., 2400MHz-2480MHz), the 5GHz WLAN band (e.g., 5180MHz-5825MHz), 6E band (e.g., 5925MHz-7125MHz) and / or others Frequency bands (e.g., 1875MHz-5160MHz); Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) frequency bands such as 2.4GHz a frequency band or other WPAN communication frequency band; a cellular telephone frequency band (e.g., a frequency band of about 600 MHz to about 5 GHz, a 3G frequency band, a 4G LTE frequency band, a 5G New Radio Frequency Range 1 (FR1) frequency band below 10 GHz, a 5G New Radio Frequency Range 2 (FR2) frequency band between 20 GHz and 60 GHz, etc.); other centimeter or millimeter wave frequency bands between 10 GHz and 300 GHz; a near field communication frequency band (e.g., 13.56 MHz); a satellite navigation frequency band (e.g., a GPS frequency band of 1565 MHz to 1610 MHz, a GLONASS frequency band, a BeiDou frequency band, etc.); an ultra-wideband (UWB) frequency band operating under the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol and / or other ultra-wideband communication protocols; a communication frequency band belonging to the 3GPP family of wireless communication standards; a communication frequency band belonging to the IEEE 802.XX family of standards; and / or any other desired frequency band of interest.

[0033] The communication circuit 26 can be coupled to the antenna 40 using one or more transmit paths 34 and / or one or more receive paths 36. The communication circuit 26 can use the transmit paths 34 to transmit radio frequency signals 38, and can use the receive paths 36 to receive radio frequency signals 38. The transmit paths 34 (sometimes referred to herein as transmit chains 34) can include one or more signal paths (e.g., radio frequency transmission lines), amplifier circuits, filter circuits, switching circuits, radio frequency front-end circuits (e.g., components on a radio frequency front-end module), and / or any other desired paths or circuits for transmitting radio frequency signals from the communication circuit 26 to the antenna 40. The receive paths 36 can include one or more signal paths (e.g., radio frequency transmission lines), amplifier circuits (e.g., low noise amplifier (LNA) circuits), filter circuits, switching circuits, radio frequency front-end circuits (e.g., components on a radio frequency front-end module), and / or any other desired paths or circuits for conveying radio frequency signals from the antenna 40 to the communication circuit 26.

[0034] In addition to communicating wireless communication data, the communication circuit 26 can additionally or alternatively use the antenna 40 to perform long-range spatial ranging operations. The communication circuit 26 can include long-range spatial ranging circuitry for performing long-range spatial ranging operations. The long-range spatial ranging circuitry in the communication circuit 26 can include mixer circuitry, amplifier circuitry, transmitter circuitry (e.g., signal generators, synthesizers, etc.), receiver circuitry, filter circuitry, baseband circuitry, ADC circuitry, DAC circuitry, and / or any other desired components used in performing spatial ranging operations through the antenna 40. The long-range spatial ranging circuitry can include, for example, radar circuitry (e.g., frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar circuitry, OFDM radar circuitry, FSCW radar circuitry, phase-coded radar circuitry, other types of radar circuitry). The antenna 40 can include separate antennas for communicating wireless communication data for spatial ranging and radio frequency signals, or can include one or more antennas 40 that are used to communicate wireless communication data and perform spatial ranging. Using a single antenna 40 to communicate wireless communication data and perform spatial ranging can be used, for example, to minimize the amount of space occupied in the device 10 by the antenna 40.

[0035] When performing long-range spatial ranging operations, the long-range spatial ranging circuitry in the communication circuit 26 can use the first antenna 40 (e.g., a transmit antenna) to transmit radio frequency signals 42. The radio frequency signals 42 can include one or more signal tones, a continuous wave of radio frequency energy, a wideband signal, a chirp signal, or any other desired transmitted signal (e.g., a radar signal) used in spatial ranging operations. Unlike the radio frequency signals 38, the radio frequency signals 42 can not contain wireless communication data (e.g., cellular communication data packets, WLAN communication data packets, etc.). The radio frequency signals 42 can also sometimes be referred to herein as spatial ranging signals 42, long-range spatial ranging signals 42, or radar signals 42. The long-range spatial ranging circuitry in the communication circuit 26 can transmit the radio frequency signals 42 on one or more carrier frequencies in a corresponding radio frequency band (e.g., a band including frequencies greater than about 10 GHz, greater than about 20 GHz, less than 10 GHz, 20-30 GHz, greater than 40 GHz, etc.).

[0036] The radio frequency signal 42 can reflect off of an object external to the device 10, such as an external object 46. The external object 46 can be, for example, the ground, a building, a portion of a building, a wall, furniture, a ceiling, a person, a body part, an animal, a vehicle, a landscape or geographical feature, an obstacle, an external communication device such as the external wireless communication device 28, another device of the same type as the device 10, or a peripheral device such as a game controller or remote control, or any other physical object or entity external to the device 10. A second antenna 40 (e.g., a receive antenna) in the wireless circuit 24 can receive a reflected radio frequency signal 44. The reflected signal 44 can be a reflected version of the transmitted radio frequency signal 42 that has reflected off of the external object 46 and back to the device 10.

[0037] The long-range spatial ranging circuit in the communication circuit 26 can receive the reflected signal 44 from the second antenna 40 via a corresponding receive path 36. The control circuit 14 can process the transmitted radio frequency signal 42 and the received reflected signal 44 to detect or estimate a distance R between the device 10 and the external object 46. If desired, the control circuit 14 can also process the transmitted and received signals to identify a two- or three-dimensional spatial location (position) of the external object 46, a velocity of the external object 46, and / or an angle of arrival of the reflected signal 44. If desired, a loopback path can be coupled between the transmit path 34 and the receive path 36 for use by the long-range spatial ranging circuit. The loopback path can be used to transfer the transmitted signal on the transmit path to a receiver circuit in the long-range spatial ranging circuit. As one example, in implementations in which the long-range spatial ranging circuit performs spatial ranging using a FMCW scheme, the loopback path can be a dechirp path that transfers a chirped signal on the transmit path to a dechirp mixer in the long-range spatial ranging circuit. In these implementations, a Doppler shift in the continuous wave transmitted signal can be detected and processed to identify a velocity of the external object 46, and a time-dependent frequency difference between the radio frequency signal 42 and the reflected signal 44 can be detected and processed to identify a distance R and / or a location of the external object 46. For example, using a continuous wave signal to estimate the distance R can allow the control circuit 14 to reliably distinguish the external object 46 from other background or slower-moving objects. This example is merely illustrative, and in general the long-range spatial ranging circuit can implement any desired radar or long-range spatial ranging scheme.

[0038] The radio frequency transmission lines in the transmit path 34 and the receive path 36 can include coaxial cables, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, transmission lines formed of combinations of these types of transmission lines, etc. The transmission lines in the device can be integrated into rigid and / or flexible printed circuit boards, if desired. One or more radio frequency lines can be shared between the transmit path 34 and the receive path 36, if desired. The components of the wireless circuit 24 can be formed on one or more common substrates or modules (e.g., rigid printed circuit boards, flexible printed circuit boards, integrated circuits, chips, packages, systems-on-a-chip, etc.).

[0039] Figure 1 The examples are merely illustrative. Although the Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1, the control circuit 14 is shown as being separate from the wireless circuit 24, but the wireless circuit 24 can include processing circuitry that forms part of the processing circuitry 18 and / or storage circuitry that forms part of the storage circuitry 16 of the control circuit 14 (e.g., portions of the control circuit 14 can be implemented on the wireless circuit 24). As one example, some or all of the baseband circuitry in the communication circuit 26 can form part of the control circuit 14. The baseband processor circuitry can access, for example, a communication protocol stack on the control circuit 14 (e.g., the storage circuit 20) to: perform user plane functions at the PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, SDAP layer, and / or PDU layer; and / or perform control plane functions at the PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, RRC layer, and / or non-access stratum layer. If desired, PHY layer operations can additionally or alternatively be performed by radio frequency (RF) interface circuitry in the wireless circuit 24. In addition, the wireless circuit 24 can include any desired number of antennas 40. Each antenna 40 can be coupled to the communication circuit 26, either through dedicated transmit and / or receive paths, or through one or more transmit and / or receive paths shared between the antennas. The communication circuit 26 can transmit wireless communication data without performing spatial ranging operations (e.g., long range spatial ranging circuitry in the communication circuit 26 can be omitted), or the communication circuit 26 can perform spatial ranging operations without transmitting wireless communication data.

[0040] The long range spatial ranging circuitry in the communication circuit 26 can be used to accurately identify the distance R when the external object 46 is at a relatively long distance from the device 10. However, in practice, the long range spatial ranging circuitry exhibits a blind spot at distances less than a threshold distance R TH from the transmit antenna 40TX (e.g., about 1 cm - 2 cm). When the external object 46 is within this blind spot (e.g., at a distance less than the threshold distance R THWithin (within) the threshold distance R of antenna 40, long-distance spatial ranging circuits may not be able to identify the presence, location, and / or velocity of external object 46 with satisfactory accuracy. TH An external object 46 within the antenna 40 may be exposed to a relatively large amount of radio frequency energy (e.g., radio frequency signals 38 and / or 42 emitted from the antenna 40). In scenarios where the external object 46 is a body part or a person, the emitted radio frequency energy could, if inadvertently, cause the wireless circuit 24 to exceed specified limits or other limits regarding a specific absorption rate (SAR) (e.g., when the frequency of the transmitted signal is below 6 GHz) and / or the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) (e.g., when the frequency of the transmitted signal is above 6 GHz). To detect the presence of the external object 46 within a threshold distance R from the antenna 40... TH Within the wireless circuit 24, an ultra-short range (USR) object detector, such as a USR detector 30, may be included. The USR detector 30 can be used to detect objects at ultra-short ranges (e.g., at a threshold distance R from the antenna 40). TH The external object 46 is located at a distance within the range of the long-range spatial ranging circuit in the communication circuit 26. In other words, the USR detector 30 can perform external object detection within the blind spot of the long-range spatial ranging circuit in the communication circuit 26.

[0041] USR detector 30 may include two or more voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensors (detectors), such as VSWR sensors 32. Each VSWR sensor 32 may be placed on a corresponding transmission path 34. Using an antenna 40 coupled to its corresponding transmission path 34, each VSWR sensor 32 may collect VSWR values. VSWR values ​​may include complex scattering parameter values ​​(S-parameter values), such as reflection coefficient (return loss) values ​​(e.g., S...). 11 Value). S 11 The magnitude of the value (e.g., |S) 11 The VSWR value can indicate the amount of transmitted radio frequency energy reflected in the opposite direction along the transmission path (e.g., in response to the presence of an external object 46 at or near the corresponding antenna 40). The VSWR value collected by each VSWR sensor 32 may be insensitive to the following condition: the external object 46 is located at a distance R from the antenna 40 greater than a threshold distance. TH At a distance of [distance]. However, the VSWR value collected by the VSWR sensor 32 allows the control circuit 14 to identify when an external object 46 is located at a threshold distance R from two or more antennas 40 in the wireless circuit 24. TH Inside (e.g., within the blind spot of the long-distance spatial ranging circuit in communication circuit 26).

[0042] As such, the USR detector 30 and long-range spatial ranging circuitry can identify the presence of the external object 46 and, optionally, the distance R to the external object 46, regardless of whether the external object 46 has moved over time to a position that is relatively close or relatively far from the device 10. Moreover, the USR detector 30 can identify whether the external object 46 is present within a blind spot of the long-range spatial ranging circuitry in the communication circuitry 26, such that appropriate measures can be taken to ensure that the wireless circuitry 24 continues to satisfy any applicable SAR and / or MPE regulations. By using the same antenna 40 to both transmit the radio frequency signals 38 / 42 and measure the VSWR, the VSWR measurement will be very closely related to the amount of radio frequency energy absorbed from the transmitted radio frequency signals 38 / 42 by the external object 46, thereby providing a high degree of confidence (e.g., a higher degree of confidence than using a proximity sensor separate from the transmit antenna or transmit chain to identify whether an external object is present within a threshold distance R TH from the device 10) when using the USR detector 30 for satisfying any applicable SAR and / or MPE regulations.

[0043] In Figure 1 the example, two antennas 40 are shown as communicably coupled to respective VSWR sensors 32 in the USR detector 30. In general, any desired number N of two or more antennas 40 can be communicably coupled to respective VSWR sensors 32 (e.g., the VSWR sensors 32 can be disposed on any desired number of two or more transmit paths 34 in the wireless circuitry 24). All of the antennas 40 can have corresponding VSWR sensors 32, or only a subset of the antennas 40 can have corresponding VSWR sensors 32. By using more than one antenna 40 to collect (perform) a VSWR measurement, the control circuitry 14 can process the VSWR measurement to identify the distance R between the external object 46 and each antenna 40 having a VSWR sensor 32. The control circuitry 14 can process the distance R between the external object 46 and each antenna 40 having a VSWR sensor 32 to identify a position (e.g., an angular position) of the external object 46 relative to a surface of the device 10. The control circuitry 14 can use the identified angular position of the external object 46 to perform any desired processing tasks, such as: to perform beam steering using a phased array of antennas 40 (e.g., to steer around the external object 46); to identify a user input or gesture corresponding to the angular position of the external object 46; to adjust a maximum transmit power level for one or more antennas 40; etc.

[0044] Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of one of the VSWR sensors 32 in the wireless circuitry 24 disposed on a corresponding transmit path 34. As Figure 2As shown, the transmit path 34 can include a power amplifier (PA), such as the PA 96. An input of the PA 96 can be coupled to the communication circuitry 26. An output of the PA 96 can be coupled to a corresponding antenna 40 via a switch, such as the antenna switch 94. The output of the PA 96 can also be coupled to a matching load 88 via a switch, such as the matching load switch 90. The matching load 88 can be coupled in series between the matching load switch 90 and the ground 82. The matching load 88, the matching load switch 90, and / or the antenna switch 94 can be omitted, if desired. Figure 1

[0045] In the example shown, the VSWR sensor 32 is a directional switch coupler. This is merely illustrative, and in general, any desired VSWR sensor architecture can be used to implement the VSWR sensor 32. As shown, the VSWR sensor 32 can include a directional coupler 72 disposed on the transmit path 34 between the PA 96 and the antenna 40 (e.g., along a radio frequency transmission line in the transmit path 34 coupled between the output of the PA 96 and the antenna 40). The directional coupler 72 can have a first port (P1) coupled to the output of the PA 96 and a second port (P2) communicably coupled to the antenna 40. The directional coupler 72 can have a third port (P3) coupled to a first termination including a resistor 84 coupled in series between a termination switch 78 and the ground 82. The directional coupler 72 can also have a fourth port (P4) coupled to a second termination including a resistor 86 coupled in series between a termination switch 80 and the ground 82. The VSWR sensor 32 can have a forward (FW) switch 74 coupled between the port P3 and a measurement circuit 70 (e.g., an amplitude and / or phase detector). The VSWR sensor 32 can also have a reverse (RW) switch 76 coupled between the port P4 and the measurement circuit 70. Figure 2 Figure 2

[0046] The measurement circuit 70 can have a control path coupled to the USR detector 30 or other components in the control circuit 14, and / or some or all of the circuitry in the measurement circuit 70 can form part of the control circuit 14 (e.g., the operation of some or all of the circuitry in the measurement circuit 70 can be performed using one or more processors). The measurement circuit 70 can include, for example: a power detector, such as the power detector 98, an in-phase and quadrature-phase (I / Q) detector (e.g., an ADC), logic, such as the comparator / logic 102 (e.g., one or more logic gates, etc.), and / or a memory, such as the memory 104. The memory 104 can form part of the storage circuitry 16, for example. The I / Q detector 100 can be omitted, if desired. Figure 1 Figure 1 Figure 1 ​​​​​one or more ADCs in one or more receive paths of the receive paths 36 of the VSWR sensor 32 form.

[0047] When collecting (performing) VSWR measurements (e.g., S-parameter values, such as S 11 The PA 96 can output a transmit test signal sigtx (e.g., while the antenna switch 94 is closed) when collecting (performing) VSWR measurements (e.g., S-parameter values, such as S Figure 1 The PA 96 can output a transmit test signal sigtx (e.g., while the antenna switch 94 is closed) when collecting (performing) VSWR measurements (e.g., S-parameter values, such as S Figure 1 The PA 96 can output a transmit test signal sigtx (e.g., while the antenna switch 94 is closed) when collecting (performing) VSWR measurements (e.g., S-parameter values, such as S Figure 1 The PA 96 can output a transmit test signal sigtx (e.g., while the antenna switch 94 is closed) when collecting (performing) VSWR measurements (e.g., S-parameter values, such as S For example, the sequence signal generator 108 can be used to generate the test signal sigtx. The sequence signal generator 108 can be part of a long-range space ranging circuit in the communication circuit 26 (e.g., the test signal sigtx can be a continuous wave or wideband that can also be used to perform long-range space ranging operations), can be part of a transceiver that transmits wireless communication data in the communication circuit 26 (e.g., the test signal sigtx can also carry wireless communication data), or can be formed as part of the VSWR sensor 32 separate from the communication circuit 26. Additionally or alternatively, a simple local oscillator such as the local oscillator (LO) 106 can generate the test signal sigtx.

[0048] The VSWR sensor 32 can use the transmit signal sigtx to perform forward path measurements and reverse path measurements when performing VSWR measurements. When performing forward path measurements, the FW switch 74 is closed, the RW switch 76 is open, the switch 80 is closed, and the switch 78 is open such that the test signal sigtx is decoupled from the transmit path 34 by the directional coupler 72 and routed to the measurement circuit 70 by the FW switch 74. The measurement circuit 70 can measure and store the amplitude (magnitude) and / or phase of the test signal sigtx for further processing (e.g., as forward signal phase and magnitude measurements). For example, the power detector 98 (e.g., a peak detector, diode and capacitor, etc.) can measure the magnitude of the test signal sigtx and can store the magnitude on the memory 104. As another example, the I / Q detector 100 can take I / Q measurements on the memory 104 for the forward path.

[0049] At least some of the signal in the test signal sigtx will be reflected by antenna 40 (e.g., due to impedance discontinuity between transmit path 34 and antenna 40, subjected to impedance load from any external object at or near antenna 40) and returned to PA 96 as the reflected test signal sigtx'. When performing a reverse path measurement, FW switch 74 is open, RW switch 76 is closed, switch 80 is open, and switch 78 is closed, such that the reflected test signal sigtx' is decoupled from transmit path 34 via directional coupler 72 and routed to measurement circuit 70 via RW switch 76. Measurement circuit 70 (e.g., power detector 98 or I / Q detector 100) can measure and store the amplitude (amplitude) and / or phase of the reflected test signal sigtx' for further processing (e.g., as a reverse signal phase and amplitude measurement). Comparator / logic 102 and / or control circuit 14 ( Figure 1 It can process stored forward and reverse phases, as well as amplitude measurements, to identify complex scattering parameter values, such as S. 11 Value. S 11 The characteristic of the value lies in the scalar value |S 11 | and the corresponding phase. Thus, the VSWR sensor 32 can measure the VSWR value (e.g., S). 11 Value, |S 11 The VSWR value (e.g., value) can be used to determine when an external object is within a distance less than or equal to a threshold R. TH The distance R is such that when the external object 46 is located at a distance R from the antenna 40, the distance R is greater than the threshold distance. TH When the distance R is reached, the communication circuit 26 ( Figure 1 The long-distance spatial ranging circuit in the ) can also use antenna 40 to identify distance R.

[0050] If needed, control circuit 14 can compare the VSWR measurement with one or more thresholds to identify the distance R. Figure 3 This is a graph illustrating how VSWR measurements taken by VSWR sensor 32 can be compared with multiple thresholds to identify the distance R between an external object 46 and the corresponding antenna 40. Curve 110 plots the distances at the thresholds R. TH When there is no external object 46 inside, the reflection S-parameter S 11 The amplitude of the frequency change (i.e., |S) 11 As shown by curve 110, when the external object 46 is absent, |S 11 | It can have relatively high values ​​across the entire frequency band B of interest.

[0051] When external object 46 is at a threshold distance R from antenna 40 TH Within this timeframe, curve 112 plots |S 11|S 11 | can have a relatively low value across the entire frequency band B. Generally, once the external object 46 is within the threshold distance R TH |S 11 | will continue to decrease, as indicated by arrow 114. The control circuit 14 can use the VSWR sensor 32 to collect VSWR values (e.g., |S 11 | values, such as those shown by curve 110 and curve 112) and can process the collected VSWR values to identify the distance R (e.g., by comparing the collected |S TH | values to one or more threshold levels TH) when the external object 46 is within the threshold distance R 11 .

[0052] For example, when the measured |S 11 | value is less than a first threshold TH0, the control circuit 14 can determine (e.g., identify, deduce, estimate, etc.) that the external object 46 is located at a first distance R from the antenna 40 (e.g., within the threshold distance R TH ); when the measured |S 11 | value is less than a second threshold TH1, the control circuit 14 can determine that the external object 46 is located at a second distance R from the antenna 40 that is closer than the first distance; when the measured |S 11 | value is less than a third threshold TH2, the control circuit 14 can determine that the external object 46 is located at a third distance R from the antenna 40 that is closer than the second distance, and so on. Beyond the threshold distance R TH , in response to changes in the distance between the antenna 40 and the external object 46, |S 11 | will exhibit no change or negligible change. At these relatively far distances, long-range spatial ranging circuitry (e.g., in the communication circuit 26) can be used to detect the presence, location (e.g., distance R), and / or velocity of the external object 46. Figure 1

[0053] Figure 3 The examples are merely illustrative, in which, based on the magnitude of the VSWR measurement (e.g., |S 11 | measurement) performed using the antenna 40, the control circuit 14 identifies the distance R between a given antenna 40 and the external object 46. Additionally or alternatively, based on the phase of the S11 measurement, the control circuit 14 can identify the distance R. Additionally or alternatively, based on changes in the VSWR measurement over time, the control circuit 14 can identify the distance R.

[0054] Figure 4 ​|S 11 | values that a given VSWR sensor 32 can make when an external object 46 is present at different distances (distances R) from the corresponding antenna 40. The plots of |S Figure 4 | values that the VSWR sensor 32 can make at sample times TO-T3 when an external object (e.g., a living object) is present at a first distance R from the antenna 40 (e.g., within a threshold distance R TH | values that the VSWR sensor 32 can make at sample times TO-T3 when an external object (e.g., a living object) is present at a first distance R from the antenna 40 (e.g., within a threshold distance R 11 | values that the VSWR sensor 32 can make at sample times TO-T3 when an external object (e.g., a living object) is present at a first distance R from the antenna 40 (e.g., within a threshold distance R 11 | values that the VSWR sensor 32 can make at sample times TO-T3 when an external object (e.g., a living object) is present at a first distance R from the antenna 40 (e.g., within a threshold distance R 11 | values that the VSWR sensor 32 can make at sample times TO-T3 when an external object (e.g., a living object) is present at a first distance R from the antenna 40 (e.g., within a threshold distance R 11 | values that the VSWR sensor 32 can make at sample times TO-T3 when an external object (e.g., a living object) is present at a first distance R from the antenna 40 (e.g., within a threshold distance R

[0055] The control circuit 14 can identify (e.g., detect, generate, calculate, compute, estimate, etc.) changes in |S 11 | measurements over time to identify a distance between the antenna 40 and the external object (e.g., by comparing the identified changes to one or more threshold change levels). In this way, the control circuit 14 can perform distance detection based on any desired metric of changes in VSWR (e.g., |S 11 |) measurements over time. For example, the control circuit 14 can perform distance detection based on a difference between a maximum |S 11 | value and a minimum |S 11 | value measured at each sample time. For point 116, the control circuit 14 can identify (e.g., calculate, compute, generate, determine, etc.) a first difference value Δ1 that is equal to a difference between a maximum |S 11 | value B (e.g., as measured at time T1) and a minimum |S 11 | value C (e.g., as measured at time T2) of point 116. Similarly, for point 118, the control circuit 14 can identify a second difference value Δ2 that is equal to a difference between a maximum |S 11| value A (e.g., as measured at time Tl) and the minimum |S 11 | value D (e.g., as measured at time TO) is greater than distance value Δ1, and thus indicates that external object 46 is located at a closer distance from antenna 40 than when distance value Δ1 was measured.

[0056] Figure 4 The examples of FIGS. 12A-12B are merely illustrative. In practice, point 116 and point 118 can have other values. In the example of FIG. 12A, point 116 is located at a distance Rl from antenna 40, and point 118 is located at a distance R2 from antenna 40. In the example of FIG. 12B, point 116 is located at a distance Rl from antenna 40, and point 118 is located at a distance R3 from antenna 40. Figure 4 In the example of FIGS. 12A-12B, four sampling times TO-T3 are used to identify changes in |S 11 | for performing living object detection. This is merely illustrative, and in general, any desired number of sampling times can be used to identify changes in |S 11 | for performing living object detection. Each sampling time can be separated by 10 ms, 20 ms, 1-20 ms, greater than 20 ms, 10-50 ms, or any other desired period. The sampling times need not be uniformly spaced.

[0057] Figure 5 The curve 120 of FIG. 12C illustrates one example of how changes in |S 11 | can be related to distances between external object 46 and antenna 40. If desired, control circuit 14 can compare the identified changes in VSWR measurements (e.g., differences Δ) to curve 120 to identify corresponding distances R between external object 46 and antenna 40. As shown by curve 120, when difference Δ1 is measured, control circuit 14 can determine that external object 46 is located at a first distance Rl (e.g., by identifying the horizontal coordinate on curve 120 that corresponds to difference Δ1), and when difference Δ2 is measured, control circuit can determine that external object 46 is located at a second distance R2. This is merely illustrative, and if desired, control circuit 14 can identify distances R by comparing differences Δ to one or more threshold differences, by comparing differences Δ to entries in a lookup table, database, or other data structure, etc. Curve 120 can be stored on device 10 (e.g., during factory calibration, manufacturing, assembly, testing, etc.). Figure 5 The examples of FIG. 12C are merely illustrative, and in practice, curve 120 can have other shapes.

[0058] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The examples of FIGS. 12A-12B are merely illustrative, and in general, control circuit 14 can identify any desired measure of changes in |S 11 | for performing living object detection. This is merely illustrative, and in general, any desired number of sampling times can be used to identify changes in |S 11 | measurements over time, changes in |S11 | measure rate of change over time and / or any other desired measure of change for comparison to one or more thresholds to identify the distance R.

[0059] In summary, the control circuit 14 can use the VSWR measurements (e.g., |S 11 | values) measured by the VSWR sensors 32 or use changes in the VSWR measurements (e.g., changes in |S 11 | values over time) collected / performed by the VSWR sensors 32 to detect (e.g., identify, determine, estimate, calculate, count out, derive, etc.) the distance R between the external object 46 and the corresponding antenna 40. The control circuit 14 can process the distance R between the external object 46 and each of the N antennas 40 in the set of antennas 40 with corresponding VSWR sensors 32 to identify the angular position of the external object 46.

[0060] Figure 6 One example of how the angular position of the external object 46 can be defined is shown. As one example, the external object 46 is shown herein as a human finger. This is merely illustrative, and in general the external object 46 can be other body parts of a user of the device 10, other people or animals, furniture, walls, ceilings, floors, peripheral devices or accessories such as game controllers, user interfaces / input devices, or headphones, and / or any other object external to the device 10.

[0061] In the example of Figure 6 , the control circuit on the device 10 (e.g., the control circuit 14 of Figure 1 ) uses a spherical coordinate system to determine the position and orientation of the external object 46 relative to a (lateral) surface 122 of the device 10. The surface 122 may, for example, be a surface of a housing wall (e.g., the housing 12 of Figure 1 ), a surface of a cover layer (e.g., a dielectric cover layer) for the device 10, a surface of a display over or mounted to the housing, a surface of an antenna module over or within the device 10, or any other desired surface over, at, or within the device 10. The surface 122 need not be planar.

[0062] In this type of coordinate system, the control circuit 14 can process the distances R between two or more antennas 40 (e.g., as identified using VSWR measurements collected as described above in connection with Figures 2-5 ) to determine (e.g., calculate, detect, estimate, derive, generate, etc.) an azimuth angle Θ and / or an elevation angle When viewed in the -Z direction, point P can be laterally located between two or more antennas 40 in device 10 with corresponding VSWR sensor 32 (e.g.).

[0063] In identifying the angular position of the external object 46 (e.g., spherical coordinates (θ, ... When the angle of arrival (sometimes referred to herein as the angle of arrival) is defined, the control circuit 14 may define a reference plane and a reference vector, such as reference vector 126, at the transverse surface 122. Reference vector 126 may lie within the reference plane (e.g., transverse surface 122).

[0064] like Figure 6 As shown, the external object 46 can be separated from point P by a distance R (e.g., in the case where the distance R is the magnitude of the position vector extending from point P to the external object 46). The pitch angle of the external object 46... The elevation angle (sometimes referred to as the height angle) can be measured as the angle between the position vector extending from point P to the outer object 46 and the reference plane (e.g., the transverse surface 122). The azimuth angle θ of the outer object 46 can be measured as the angle of the outer object 46 about the reference plane (e.g., the angle between reference vector 126 and vector 128, which is the horizontal projection of the position vector extending from point P to the outer object 46 into the reference plane). Figure 6 In the example, the azimuth angle θ and pitch angle of the external object 46 Each is greater than 0°.

[0065] If needed, other axes can be used to define reference vector 126 (e.g., reference vector 126 can point in any direction). Other angles can be used to characterize the angular position of external object 46 (e.g., the angle between the normal vector (axis) 124 of surface 122 and the position vector extending from point P to external object 46, which is equal to...). (Other angles, etc.) Figure 6 The example is merely illustrative, where the angular position of the outer object 46 is expressed in spherical coordinates (e.g., as angular position (θ, ...). The reference plane can be arbitrarily chosen and does not need to correspond to the presence of a surface of the device 10, such as surface 122. Generally, the control circuit 14 can use any desired coordinate system (e.g., Cartesian, polar, cylindrical, other coordinate systems, etc.) to characterize or identify the angular position of the external object 46.

[0066] Figure 7This is a flowchart illustrating exemplary operations that can be performed by device 10 to identify the angular position of an external object 46 using VSWR values ​​collected using multiple antennas 40 on device 10 (e.g., a group of N antennas 40, each with a corresponding VSWR sensor 32 communicatively coupled to it along a corresponding transmission path 34). The number N can be, for example, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more than eight. Each of the N antennas 40 can be positioned on or distributed at different points on device 10.

[0067] In operation 130, control circuit 14 can control wireless circuit 24 to transmit test signal sigtx through each of N antennas 40. Figure 2 The test signal sigtx can be transmitted simultaneously (e.g., all at once) or sequentially (one after another) through each of the N antennas 40. The test signal sigtx can be transmitted on a single carrier frequency or within a certain frequency band / band. Once one or more VSWR sensors 32 have detected that the external object 46 is within a threshold distance R of the corresponding antenna 40... TH Internally, or in response to any desired triggering condition, N antennas 40 can begin transmitting test signals sigtx (e.g., once VSWR measurements (such as |S...) are performed). 11 When the measurement reaches a predetermined threshold, the application or software calls the control circuit 14).

[0068] As another example, once device 10 has determined that the collected wireless performance metric data falls outside a predetermined range, control circuitry 14 can perform operation 130. In this example, wireless circuitry 24 can collect wireless performance metric data associated with the radio frequency performance of antenna 40. For example, wireless performance metric data may include signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) data, received signal strength indication (RSSI) data, or other metrics. Figure 1 Any other desired performance metric data acquired during the transmission of radio frequency signal 38, the transmission of radio frequency signal 42, the reception of radio frequency signal 38, and / or the reception of reflected signal 44. Control circuitry 14 can compare the collected wireless performance metric data with wireless performance metric values ​​within a predetermined range, which are associated with the following: at a threshold distance R TH Satisfactory radio frequency performance and / or operation of wireless circuit 24 when no external objects are present (e.g., satisfactory RSSI values, SNR values, etc. within a predetermined range). The predetermined range of wireless performance metrics can be characterized by an upper threshold or value and / or a lower threshold or value.

[0069] In this example, wireless performance metric data can be used to determine whether external object 46 is within a threshold distance R. THA rough indicator within. For example, if the external object 46 is at a distance R... TH Internally, external objects 46 may partially block or cover one or more antennas 40 (thus preventing the antennas from properly receiving radio frequency signals), or may undesirably load or detune one or more antennas 40 in the device 10, etc. This can indicate a threshold distance R when the collected wireless performance metric data falls outside a predetermined range. TH The potential presence of external object 46 within the area. However, this can indicate the presence of external object 46 when the collected wireless performance metric data falls within a predetermined range. TH It is highly unlikely that an external object exists inside (e.g., because there is no threshold distance R). TH When an external object is inside, wireless circuit 24 is performing a predictable, nominal operation. If the collected wireless performance metric data falls within a predetermined range (thus indicating the threshold distance R), then... TH If no external object exists within the system, the VSWR sensor 32 can collect background VSWR measurements for background removal when needed. Generally, operation 130 can be performed in response to any desired triggering condition.

[0070] In operation 132, control circuit 14 can use the corresponding VSWR sensor 32 coupled to each of the N antennas 40 (e.g., Figure 2 The measurement circuit 70 is used to perform at least N VSWR measurements (e.g., S) for each of the N antennas 40 using the transmitted test signal sigtx. 11 Value, |S 11 |Value,|S 11 |The time change of the value, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 The difference Δ, etc. Control circuitry 14 can perform VSWR measurements on each of the N antennas 40 simultaneously (e.g., when all N antennas 40 transmit test signals sigtx simultaneously) or sequentially (e.g., when all N antennas 40 transmit test signals sequentially). Operation 132 can be performed simultaneously with operation 130, for example. In the example of sequentially performing VSWR measurements, if desired, two or more (e.g., all) of the N antennas 40 can share a single transmission path 34 and VSWR sensor 32.

[0071] In operation 134, control circuitry 14 can process these VSWR measurements for each of the N antennas 40 to identify (e.g., determine, detect, estimate, calculate, compute, derive, etc.) the corresponding distance R between each of the N antennas 40 and the external object 46. Control circuitry 14 can identify the distance R by comparing the VSWR measurements to one or more thresholds. For example, by using the |S| collected by each of the N antennas 40...11 |Value and Figure 3 The threshold TH is compared, by... Figure 4 The difference Δ between the threshold and one or more thresholds or with Figure 5 By comparing the curve 120 with the VSWR measurement, and by comparing the phase of the VSWR measurement with one or more thresholds, the control circuit 14 can identify the distance R. The control circuit 14 does not need to use the same method to calculate the VSWR of each of the N antennas 40 (e.g., using the VSWR measurement over time for some of the N antennas 40, while simultaneously using the |S| for the other N antennas 40). 11 | Value is used to identify distance R, etc., control circuit 14 can identify distance R).

[0072] If needed, control circuit 14 can identify the distance R while simultaneously performing VSWR background cancellation. For example, control circuit 14 can use VSWR sensor 32 to identify the distance R from the corresponding antenna 40 when other external objects are not present. TH Within a certain timeframe (e.g., in cases where the background VSWR measurement also considers the presence of a removable device housing), a background VSWR measurement is collected. The control circuit 14 can then use the background VSWR measurement to determine the threshold distance R. TH Subsequent VSWR measurements collected when memory is in external object 46 (as performed in operation 132) undergo background elimination (e.g., by subtracting background VSWR measurements from subsequent VSWR measurements).

[0073] In operation 136, control circuitry 14 can process each of the N identified distances R (e.g., the identified distance R between each of the N antennas 40 and the external object 46) to identify (e.g., determine, calculate, estimate, derive, generate, triangulate, resolve, etc.) the external object 46 relative to device 10. Figure 6 The angular position of surface 122 or any other desired reference plane. By performing geometric calculations based on the distance R identified between the N antennas 40 and the external object 46 and the known (predetermined) interval / spacing between each of the N antennas, the control circuit 14 can identify the angular position of the external object 46 (e.g., a point (θ, y) in spherical coordinates or any other desired coordinate system). Each distance R can be, for example, the radius of a sphere centered on the corresponding antenna 40 relative to the potential location of device 10. Control circuitry 14 can identify the position of external object 46 as the location / point where each of the N spheres intersects in space. Control circuitry 14 can then identify the angular position of external object 46 as any desired point on the transverse surface 122 (e.g., Figure 6the angle of the vector extending from the point P to the location / point in space where each of the N spherical surfaces intersects (e.g., relative to any desired vector such as Figure 6 the angle of the vector 126, 128 and / or 124, or other vectors in any desired coordinate system). In spherical coordinates, this angle can be characterized, for example, by a spherical point (0, ) in addition or alternatively, the control circuit 14 can use a lookup table, database, or other data structure to identify the angular position, which maps different distance values R for each of the N antennas to different angular positions (in any desired angular coordinate system with respect to any desired reference point or reference vector) of the external object 46. The lookup table, database, or other data structure can be populated during design, manufacture, assembly, testing, or calibration of the device 10, and / or can be populated / updated by an end user during operation of the device 10.

[0074] In operation 138, based on the identified angular position of the external object 46, the control circuit 14 can perform any desired processing operation. For example, in operation 140, based on the angular position of the external object 46, the control circuit 14 can adjust the transmit power level or maximum transmit power level of one or more antennas 40 on the device 10 (e.g., the control circuit 14 can increase the transmit power level or maximum transmit power level of antennas 40 that are relatively farther away from the external object 46, and / or can decrease the transmit power level or maximum transmit power level of antennas 40 that are relatively closer to the external object 46). If desired, based on the identified angular position, the control circuit 14 can disable or activate antennas 40 (e.g., the control circuit 14 can switch off antennas 40 that are too close to the external object 46). These techniques can, for example, help ensure that the device 10 continues to meet prescribed limits on radio frequency energy exposure (e.g., SAR / MPE limits).

[0075] As another example, in operation 142, based on the identified angular position of the external object 46, the control circuit 14 can adjust the angle of a signal beam produced by a phased antenna array of antennas 40 in the device 10 (e.g., the N antennas 40 used to collect VSWR measurements and / or other antennas 40). For example, the control circuit 14 can adjust (steer) the signal beam around the identified angular position (e.g., to point the signal beam at a different angle than the identified angular position). This can prevent the signal beam from overlapping with the external object, thereby helping the device 10 meet prescribed limits on radio frequency energy exposure, while also allowing the device 10 to continue performing wireless operations on the signal beam without the external object blocking the signal beam.

[0076] As a further example, in operation 144, based on the identified angular position, control circuitry 14 can identify a user input action, such as a gesture action. Control circuitry 14 can identify a particular user input or gesture that corresponds to the identified angular position and / or to a particular change in the angular position of external object 46 over time (e.g., over multiple iterations of operations 130-136). The user input or gesture may, for example, form a user input used by a software application running on device 10 to perform any desired processing task, operation, or function. The gesture may, for example, be used to control, execute, or coordinate an on-screen action displayed on a display of device 10 by the software application. Figure 7

[0077] Figure 7 Examples are merely illustrative. Operations 140, 142, and / or 144 can be omitted. Based on the identified angular position of external object 46 and / or the angular position of external object 46 over time (e.g., over multiple iterations of operations), control circuitry 14 can perform any other desired processing operation or device function. Figure 7

[0078] Figure 8 is a top view showing one example of how N = 4 antennas 40 can be used to identify an angular position of external object 46. In the example of Figure 8 VSWR sensor 32. In examples where N antennas collect VSWR measurements sequentially, two or more antennas can share a single transmit path 34 and VSWR sensor 32. Antennas 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and / or 40-4 can also be used to transmit wireless communication data and / or perform long-range spatial ranging for Figure 1 communication circuitry 26. If desired, some or all of antennas 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4 can form part of a phased antenna array (e.g., antennas 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4 can be a four-element phased antenna array).

[0079] As Figure 8 ​​As shown, antennas 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4 can be formed on or within a substrate, such as substrate 146. Substrate 146 can be a printed circuit, such as a rigid or flexible printed circuit board, can be a plastic, ceramic, or glass substrate, can be a housing wall or cover layer for device 10, can be part of a display for device 10, or can be any other desired dielectric material. This example is merely illustrative, and if desired, each antenna can be disposed on a respective substrate 146, these antennas can be distributed across two or more substrates 146, or one or more of these antennas can be disposed in device 10 without a substrate. The uppermost surface of substrate 146 can, for example, be formed with... Figure 6 Surface 122.

[0080] During the angle detection operation, antennas 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4 can each transmit a test signal sigtx (e.g., in...). Figure 7 During processing operation 130). The VSWR sensor 32 coupled to antennas 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4 can perform VSWR measurements using the test signal sigtx emitted by each antenna (e.g., in...). Figure 7 During processing operation 132). The control circuit 14 can process the VSWR measurement performed by antenna 40-1 to identify the distance R1 between antenna 40-1 and external object 46; it can process the VSWR measurement performed by antenna 40-2 to identify the distance R2 between antenna 40-2 and external object 46; it can process the VSWR measurement performed by antenna 40-3 to identify the distance R3 between antenna 40-3 and external object 46; and it can process the VSWR measurement performed by antenna 40-4 to identify the distance R4 between antenna 40-4 and external object 46.

[0081] Figure 8 The top view shows the lateral projection of distances R1-R4 in the XY plane. Figure 9 These are side views of antennas 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4 on substrate 146 (e.g., along...). Figure 8 (The direction of arrow 148 is intercepted). Figure 9The projections of the distances R1-R4 in the X-Z plane are shown (e.g., the distances R1-R4 can be the magnitudes of three-dimensional position vectors extending from the antennas 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4 to the external object 46, respectively). The distance R1 can correspond to the radius of a sphere of potential locations of the external object 46 centered on the antenna 40-1. The distance R2 can correspond to the radius of a sphere of potential locations of the external object 46 centered on the antenna 40-2. The distance R3 can correspond to the radius of a sphere of potential locations of the external object 46 centered on the antenna 40-3. The distance R4 can correspond to the radius of a sphere of potential locations of the external object 46 centered on the antenna 40-4.

[0082] At the processing operation 136 of Figure 7 , the control circuit 14 can process the distances R1-R4 to identify the angular position of the external object 46 (e.g., by identifying the angular position of the point / position at which each sphere corresponding to the distances R1-R4 intersects, by comparing the distances R1-R4 to a lookup table of angular positions, etc.). For example, in spherical coordinates, the control circuit 14 can identify: an angle Θ at the point P to the external object 46 relative to a reference vector 46( Figure 8 ), and an angle Figure 6 at the point P to the external object 46 relative to the lateral surface of the substrate 146 (e.g., The point P can be located between the antennas 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4 (e.g., equidistant from them), or can be located at any other desired location on the lateral surface of the substrate 146. This is merely illustrative, and in general the control circuit 14 can use any desired coordinate system and relative to any desired location on the device 10 (e.g., the point P) to identify the angular position of the external object 46. The example of using N = 4 antennas 40 to identify the angular position of the external object 46 is merely illustrative, and in general N can have other values greater than two. The N antennas can be arranged in any desired pattern (e.g., in a two-dimensional array pattern, a one-dimensional array pattern, a concentric ring pattern, etc.), and can be formed using any desired type of antenna resonating element. Figure 8 and Figure 9 The example of using N = 4 antennas 40 to identify the angular position of the external object 46 is merely illustrative, and in general N can have other values greater than two. The N antennas can be arranged in any desired pattern (e.g., in a two-dimensional array pattern, a one-dimensional array pattern, a concentric ring pattern, etc.), and can be formed using any desired type of antenna resonating element.

[0083] Figure 10 is a side view showing how the angular position of the external object 46 can be used to perform a beam steering operation (e.g., at the processing operation 142 of Figure 7 . As Figure 10As shown, device 10 may include a phased antenna array 156 (sometimes referred to herein as array 156, antenna array 156, or array 156 of antennas 40). The phased antenna array 156 may include M antennas 40, such as a first antenna 40-1, an Mth antenna 40-M, and so on. The antennas in the phased antenna array 156 may be disposed on substrate 146, another substrate, or may be distributed across two or more substrates. The phased antenna array 156 may be coupled to an RF transmission line path 150 (e.g., for forming...). Figure 1 The transmit path 34 and / or receive path 36 are radio frequency transmission line paths. For example, the first antenna 40-1 in the phased antenna array 156 may be coupled to the first radio frequency transmission line path 150-1, the Mth antenna 40-M in the phased antenna array 156 may be coupled to the Mth radio frequency transmission line path 150-M, and so on. Some, zero, or all of the M antennas in the phased antenna array 40 may be located in the middle of the N antennas 40 used to identify the external object 46 at an angular position. Although the antennas 40 are described herein as forming a phased antenna array, the antennas 40 in the phased antenna array 156 may sometimes be referred to as collectively forming a single phased array antenna (e.g., in the case where each antenna 40 in the phased array antenna forms an antenna element or radiator of that phased array antenna).

[0084] RF transmission line paths 150 can each be coupled to transceiver circuits, such as... Figure 1 The 5G NR transceiver is located in the communication circuit 26. Each RF transmission line path 150 may include one or more RF transmission lines, a positive signal conductor, and a ground signal conductor. The positive signal conductor may be coupled to the positive antenna feed terminal on the antenna resonant element of the corresponding antenna 40. The ground signal conductor may be coupled to the ground antenna feed terminal on the antenna ground of the corresponding antenna 40.

[0085] The antennas 40 in the phased antenna array 156 can be arranged in any desired number of rows and columns or in any other desired pattern (e.g., the antennas do not need to be arranged in a grid pattern with rows and columns). During signal transmission operation, the radio frequency transmission line path 150 can be used to transmit signals from the communication circuit 26 ( Figure 1 The transceiver signal (e.g., radio frequency signal, such as millimeter wave and / or centimeter wave signal) in the phased antenna array 156 is provided for wireless transmission. During signal reception operation, the radio frequency transmission line path 150 can be used to transmit the signal received at the phased antenna array 156 (e.g., from...) Figure 1 The external wireless equipment 28) transmits data to the transceiver in the communication circuit 26.

[0086] The use of multiple antennas 40 in the phased antenna array 156 allows for a radio frequency beamforming arrangement (sometimes referred to herein as a radio frequency beam steering arrangement) to be implemented by controlling the relative phase and amplitude (voltage) of the radio frequency signals transmitted by the antennas. In Figure 10 In the example of FIG. 1, the antennas 40 in the phased antenna array 156 each have a corresponding radio frequency phase and amplitude controller 152 (e.g., a first phase and amplitude controller 152-1 placed on the radio frequency transmission line path 150-1 can control the phase and amplitude of the radio frequency signal processed by the antenna 40-1, an Mth phase and amplitude controller 152-M placed on the radio frequency transmission line path 150-M can control the phase and amplitude of the radio frequency signal processed by the antenna 40-M, and so on).

[0087] The phase and amplitude controllers 152 can each include circuitry for adjusting the phase of the radio frequency signals on the radio frequency transmission line paths 150 (e.g., phase shifter circuitry) and / or circuitry for adjusting the amplitude of the radio frequency signals on the radio frequency transmission line paths 150 (e.g., power amplifier and / or low noise amplifier circuitry). The phase and amplitude controllers 152 are sometimes collectively referred to herein as beam steering or beamforming circuitry (e.g., beam steering circuitry that steers the beam of the radio frequency signals transmitted and / or received by the phased antenna array 156).

[0088] The phase and amplitude controllers 152 can adjust the relative phase and / or amplitude of the transmit signals provided to each of the antennas in the phased antenna array 156, and can adjust the relative phase and / or amplitude of the receive signals received by the phased antenna array 156. If desired, the phase and amplitude controllers 152 can include phase detection circuitry for detecting the phase of the receive signals received by the phased antenna array 156. The terms “beam,” “signal beam,” “radio frequency beam,” or “radio frequency signal beam” can be used herein to collectively refer to the wireless signals transmitted and received by the phased antenna array 156 in a particular direction. A signal beam can exhibit a peak gain that is oriented in a particular beam pointing direction at a corresponding beam pointing angle (e.g., based on constructive and destructive interference of the signal combination from each of the antennas in the phased antenna array). The term “transmit beam” can sometimes be used herein to refer to a radio frequency signal transmitted in a particular direction, while the term “receive beam” can sometimes be used herein to refer to a radio frequency signal received from a particular direction.

[0089] If, for example, the phase and amplitude controller 152 is adjusted to generate a first set of phases and / or amplitudes for the transmitted radio frequency (RF) signal, the transmitted signal will form a transmitted beam oriented in a first direction, such as the direction of the external object 46. However, if the phase and amplitude controller 152 is adjusted to generate a second set of phases and / or amplitudes for the transmitted signal, the transmitted signal will form a transmitted beam as shown in beam 160, oriented in direction 158, pointing away from the external object 46. Similarly, if the phase and amplitude controller 152 is adjusted to generate the first set of phases and / or amplitudes, the RF signal can be received from the direction of the external object 46 (e.g., the RF signal in the beam). If the phase and amplitude controller 152 is adjusted to generate the second set of phases and / or amplitudes, the RF signal can be received from direction 158, as shown in beam 160.

[0090] It can be based on from Figure 1 The control circuit 14 receives corresponding control signals 154 to control each phase and amplitude controller 152 to produce the desired phase and / or amplitude (e.g., control signal 154-1 can be used to control the phase and / or amplitude provided by phase and amplitude controller 152-1, control signal 154-M can be used to control the phase and / or amplitude provided by phase and amplitude controller 152-M, etc.). If needed, the control circuit 14 can actively adjust the control signals 154 in real time to manipulate the transmit or receive beam over time in different desired directions (e.g., to different desired beam pointing angles). Figure 10 In the examples, for simplicity, beam manipulation is shown as being performed on a single degree of freedom (e.g., towards). Figure 10 (Left and right sides of the page). However, in reality, the beam can operate in two or more degrees of freedom (e.g., in three dimensions, in and out). Figure 10 The phased antenna array 156 can be manipulated on a single degree of freedom (e.g., when the antennas 40 in the phased antenna array are arranged in a one-dimensional pattern) or on a page (and on the left and right of that page). The phased antenna array 156 may have a corresponding field of view over which beam manipulation can be performed (e.g., within a hemisphere or a segment of a hemisphere of the entire phased antenna array). If desired, the device 10 may include multiple phased antenna arrays, each oriented in a different direction to provide coverage from multiple sides of the device.

[0091] exist Figure 7 During processing operation 136, control circuit 14 can determine that the external object 46 is in directional (angular position) J relative to phased antenna array 156. Figure 7During processing operation 142, control circuit 14 can adjust phase and amplitude controller 152 to manipulate signal beam 160 in direction 158 (e.g., away from direction J) so that the signal beam does not overlap with external object 46. This helps ensure that phased antenna array 156 continues to comply with regulations regarding RF exposure and / or ensures that phased antenna array 156 can transmit wireless communication data and / or perform spatial ranging operations, even if external object 46 is present in the vicinity of phased antenna array 156.

[0092] If needed, N antennas 40 for identifying the angular position of an external object 46 can be distributed across two or more substrates. Figure 11 This is a top view of device 10, which shows an example of how N antennas 40 can be distributed across two substrates.

[0093] like Figure 11 As shown, the N antennas 40 used to identify the angular position of an external object 46 may include a first antenna group 40 disposed on a first substrate 146A and a second antenna group 40 disposed on a second substrate 146B within the housing 12 of the device 10. The first antenna group may be arranged in a one-dimensional pattern on the substrate 146A, and the second antenna group may be arranged in a one-dimensional pattern on the substrate 146B. Because a single one-dimensional antenna array may not be sufficient to resolve ambiguities in the angular position of the external object 46, the second antenna group 40 on the substrate 146B may be oriented perpendicular to the first antenna group 40 on the substrate 146A (e.g., the antennas 40 on the substrate 146A may be arranged along a first axis, the antennas 146B may be arranged along a second axis, and the second axis may be oriented perpendicular to the first axis). The first antenna group and the second antenna group can then resolve the correct angular position of the external object 46. The first antenna group and the second antenna group 40 may radiate from the back of the device 10 (e.g., the side of the device 10 opposite to the display of the device 10) or from the front of the device 10. Substrates 146A and 146B can be, for example, narrow enough to allow N antennas distributed across substrates 146A and 146B to perform VSWR measurements through a passive region of the display on the front side of device 10 (e.g., a region of the display overlapped by a dielectric capping layer and laterally positioned between the active light-emitting region of the display and the peripheral conductive housing structure of device 10). If desired, the first and second antenna groups can form a corresponding one-dimensional phased antenna array 156. Alternatively, the N antennas 40 can be arranged in a two-dimensional array pattern on one or more substrates 146.

[0094] These examples are merely illustrative. Some or all of the N antennas 40 need not be arranged on the substrate 146 or in any array pattern. More generally, the N antennas 40 used to measure the angular position of the external object 46 can be at any desired locations on the device 10. Figure 12 is a top view showing illustrative locations for some or all of the N antennas 40 used to measure the angular position of the external object 46.

[0095] As shown in Figure 12 one or more of the N antennas 40 can be located in one or more sub-regions 164 on or in the device 10, such as a sub-region 164-1 in the upper left corner of the device 10, a sub-region 164-2 in the upper right corner of the device 10, a sub-region 164-3 in the lower left corner of the device 10, a sub-region 164-4 in the lower right corner of the device 10, one or more sub-regions 164-5 in the center of the device 10, and / or one or more sub-regions 164-6 laterally between the active area of the display of the device 10 and the housing 12.

[0096] Spacing two or more of the N antennas 40 a relatively large distance apart and increasing the number N of antennas 40 used to perform the VSWR measurement can increase the resolution with which the control circuit 14 can determine the angular position of the external object 46. The control circuit 14 can determine the angular position of the external object 46 with an angular resolution as high as, for example, 1-2°. In Figure 12 In the example of FIG. 1-2, one or more of the N antennas 40 located in the sub-regions 164-1, 164-2, 164-3, and 164-4 can have radiating elements (e.g., antenna resonating element arms) formed by electrically conductive portions of the housing 12 (e.g., a peripheral conductive housing structure that extends around the side periphery of the device 10) that are separated / defined by the dielectric-filled gaps 162 in the housing 12. Antennas formed by electrically conductive portions of the housing 12 can also be used to transmit cellular telephone data, WLAN data, GPS data, etc. Figure 12 The example of FIG. 1-2 is merely illustrative. In general, the housing 12 can have any desired shape.

[0097] The methods and operations described above in connection with Figures 1-12 may be performed by components of the device 10 using software, firmware, and / or hardware (e.g., special-purpose circuitry or hardware). Software code for performing these operations can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a tangible computer-readable storage medium) stored on one or more of the components of the device 10 (e.g., the memory 18). Figure 1of the memory circuit 16). This software code sometimes can be referred to as software, data, instructions, program instructions, or code. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can include a drive, a non-volatile memory element, such as a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), a removable flash drive or other removable medium, other types of random access memory, and the like. The software stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can be executed by processing circuitry (e.g., the processing circuitry 18 of the memory circuit 16, etc.) on one or more of the components of the device 10. The processing circuitry can include a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a dedicated integrated circuit with processing circuitry, or other processing circuitry. If applicable, the processing circuitry can include a system on a chip (SoC) with the processing circuitry and other components of the device 10. Figure 1 Figure 1 and Figure 2 The components of the device 10 can be implemented using hardware (e.g., circuitry components, digital logic gates, etc.) and / or using software.

[0098] The device 10 can collect and / or use personal identifiable information. It is well understood that the use of personal identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized and accepted as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled in a manner that minimizes the risks it faces from unauthorized or illegal processing, accidental loss, damage or destruction, and that provides users with an opportunity to control how their personal identifiable information is used.

[0099] According to one embodiment, there is provided an electronic device operable in an environment comprising an external object, the electronic device comprising: a first antenna and a second antenna; a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna, the first VSWR sensor configured to perform a first VSWR measurement using a radio frequency signal transmitted by the first antenna; a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna, the second VSWR sensor configured to perform a second VSWR measurement using a radio frequency signal transmitted by the second antenna; and one or more processors configured to identify a first distance from the first antenna to the external object based on the first VSWR measurement, identify a second distance from the second antenna to the external object based on the second VSWR measurement, and identify an angular position of the external object based on at least the first distance and the second distance.

[0100] According to another embodiment, the electronic device comprises a third antenna and a third VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the third antenna, the third VSWR sensor configured to perform a third VSWR measurement using a radio frequency signal transmitted by the third antenna, the one or more processors are further configured to: identify a third distance from the third antenna to the external object based on the third VSWR measurement; and identify the angular position of the external object based on the third distance.

[0101] ​According to another embodiment, the electronic device includes a substrate, the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna are disposed on the substrate.

[0102] According to another embodiment, the electronic device includes a phased antenna array including the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, the phased antenna array is configured to produce a steerable signal beam.

[0103] According to another embodiment, the electronic device includes: a first substrate, the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed on the first substrate; and a second substrate separate from the first substrate, the third antenna is disposed on the second substrate.

[0104] According to another embodiment, the electronic device includes a fourth antenna on a second substrate, the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed along a first axis, the third antenna and the fourth antenna are disposed along a second axis, and the first axis is oriented perpendicular to the first axis.

[0105] According to another embodiment, the electronic device includes a housing having a peripheral conductive housing structure, the peripheral conductive housing structure includes segments extending between dielectric gaps in the peripheral conductive housing structure, and the first antenna has an antenna resonating element arm formed by the segments.

[0106] According to another embodiment, the second antenna is disposed on a substrate located within the housing.

[0107] According to another embodiment, the one or more processors are configured to identify the first distance by comparing the first VSWR measurement to one or more thresholds.

[0108] According to another embodiment, the one or more processors are configured to identify the first distance by comparing a change in the first VSWR measurement over time to one or more thresholds.

[0109] According to another embodiment, the electronic device includes a phased antenna array configured to produce a signal beam, the one or more processors are configured to adjust a pointing direction of the signal beam based on an angular position of the external object.

[0110] According to another embodiment, the one or more processors are configured to identify a user input to the electronic device based on an angular position of the external object.

[0111] According to another embodiment, the one or more processors are configured to reduce a maximum transmit power level of the first antenna based on an angular position of the external object.

[0112] According to one embodiment, a method for operating an electronic device having an antenna group, at least one voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the antenna group, and one or more processors, the antenna group comprising at least two antennas, and the method comprising: transmitting, with the antenna group, radio frequency signals; collecting, with the at least one VSWR sensor, VSWR measurements from the radio frequency signals transmitted by different antennas in the antenna group; identifying, with the one or more processors, a plurality of distances between the antenna group and an external object based on the VSWR measurements; and identifying, with the one or more processors, an angular position of the external object based on the plurality of distances between the antenna group and the external object.

[0113] According to another embodiment, identifying the angular position comprises: comparing the plurality of distances to a lookup table that maps distances between the antenna group and the external object to different angular positions.

[0114] According to another embodiment, the method comprises: transmitting, with at least one antenna in the antenna group, radar signals; and identifying, with the one or more processors, a distance between the external object and the electronic device based at least in part on the radar signals transmitted by the at least one antenna in the antenna group.

[0115] According to one embodiment, a method for operating an electronic device in an environment having an external object, the method comprising: transmitting, with a first antenna on the electronic device, a first radio frequency signal; transmitting, with a second antenna on the electronic device, a second radio frequency signal; collecting, with a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna, first VSWR measurements using the first radio frequency signal transmitted by the first antenna; collecting, with a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna, second VSWR measurements using the second radio frequency signal transmitted by the second antenna; identifying, with one or more processors, an angular position of the external object based at least on the first VSWR measurements and the second VSWR measurements; and adjusting, with the one or more processors, subsequent transmissions by the first antenna based at least on the angular position of the external object.

[0116] According to another embodiment, identifying the angular position of the external object comprises: identifying, based on the first VSWR measurements, a first distance from the first antenna to the external object; identifying, based on the second VSWR measurements, a second distance from the second antenna to the external object; and identifying, based at least on the first distance and the second distance, the angular position of the external object.

[0117] According to another embodiment, transmitting the second radio frequency signal comprises: transmitting the second radio frequency signal at the same time as the first antenna transmits the first radio frequency signal.

[0118] According to another embodiment, adjusting the subsequent transmission comprises reducing the transmission power level of the first antenna.

[0119] The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments can be implemented independently or in any combination.

Claims

1. An electronic device capable of operating in an environment that includes an external object, the electronic device comprising: a first antenna and a second antenna; a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna, the first VSWR sensor configured to perform a first VSWR measurement using a radio frequency signal emitted by the first antenna; a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna, the second VSWR sensor configured to perform a second VSWR measurement using a radio frequency signal emitted by the second antenna; and one or more processors configured to identify, based on the first VSWR measurement, a first distance from the first antenna to the external object, identify, based on the second VSWR measurement, a second distance from the second antenna to the external object, and identify, based on at least the first distance and the second distance, an angular position of the external object, wherein the first antenna is spatially separated from the second antenna, the first distance is different from the second distance, and the one or more processors are configured to identify the angular position using a geometric calculation based on the first distance and the second distance.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a third antenna; and a third VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the third antenna, wherein the third VSWR sensor is configured to perform a third VSWR measurement using a radio frequency signal emitted by the third antenna, the one or more processors further configured to identify, based on the third VSWR measurement, a third distance from the third antenna to the external object, and identify, based on the third distance, the angular position of the external object.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, further comprising: a substrate, wherein the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna are disposed on the substrate.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising: a phased antenna array comprising the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, wherein the phased antenna array is configured to produce a steerable signal beam.

5. The electronic device of claim 2, further comprising: a first substrate, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed on the first substrate; and a second substrate separate from the first substrate, wherein the third antenna is disposed on the second substrate.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, further comprising: a fourth antenna on the second substrate, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed along a first axis, the third antenna and the fourth antenna are disposed along a second axis, and the second axis is oriented perpendicular to the first axis.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: ​ ​ ​ A housing having a peripheral conductive housing structure, wherein the peripheral conductive housing structure includes segments extending between dielectric gaps in the peripheral conductive housing structure, and wherein the first antenna has antenna resonating element arms formed by the segments.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the second antenna is disposed on a substrate positioned within the housing.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to identify the first distance by comparing the first VSWR measurement to one or more thresholds.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to identify the first distance by comparing a change in the first VSWR measurement over time to one or more thresholds.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a phased antenna array configured to produce a signal beam, wherein the one or more processors are configured to adjust a pointing direction of the signal beam based on the angular position of the external object.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to identify a user input to the electronic device based on the angular position of the external object.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to reduce a maximum transmit power level of the first antenna based on the angular position of the external object.

14. A method for operating an electronic device having a set of antennas, at least one voltage standing wave ratio, VSWR, sensor communicably coupled to the set of antennas, and one or more processors, the set of antennas including at least two antennas, and the method comprising: transmitting, with the set of antennas, radio frequency signals; collecting, with the at least one voltage standing wave ratio, VSWR, sensor, VSWR measurements from the radio frequency signals transmitted by different antennas in the set of antennas; identifying, with the one or more processors, a plurality of distances between the set of antennas and an external object based on the VSWR measurements; and identifying, with the one or more processors, an angular position of the external object based on the plurality of distances between the set of antennas and the external object, wherein identifying the angular position includes performing a geometric calculation based on the plurality of distances and a predetermined spacing between the different antennas in the set of antennas.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the angular position includes: comparing the plurality of distances to a lookup table that maps distances between the set of antennas and the external object to different angular positions.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising: transmitting, with at least one antenna in the set of antennas, radar signals; and identifying, with the one or more processors, a distance between the external object and the electronic device based at least in part on the radar signals transmitted by the at least one antenna in the set of antennas.

17. A method of operating an electronic device in an environment having an external object, the method comprising: transmitting, with a first antenna on the electronic device, a first radio frequency signal; transmitting, with a second antenna on the electronic device, a second radio frequency signal; collecting, with a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna, a first VSWR measurement using the first radio frequency signal transmitted through the first antenna; collecting, with a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna, a second VSWR measurement using the second radio frequency signal transmitted through the second antenna; identifying, with one or more processors, an angular position of the external object based on at least the first VSWR measurement and the second VSWR measurement; and adjusting, with the one or more processors, a subsequent transmission of the first antenna based on at least the angular position of the external object, wherein identifying the angular position of the external object comprises identifying, based on the first VSWR measurement, a first distance from the first antenna to the external object, identifying, based on the second VSWR measurement, a second distance from the second antenna to the external object, and performing a geometric calculation based on the first distance and the second distance and a predetermined separation between the first antenna and the second antenna.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic device further comprises: a first radio frequency transmission line coupled to the first antenna, the first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor comprising a first directional switch coupler disposed along the first radio frequency transmission line; and a second radio frequency transmission line coupled to the second antenna, the second VSWR sensor comprising a second directional switch coupler disposed along the second radio frequency transmission line. transmitting the second radio frequency signal concurrently with the first antenna transmitting the first radio frequency signal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the second radio frequency signal comprises: reducing a transmission power level of the first antenna.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting the subsequent transmission comprises: ​

Images