Acoustic Coupling Based Impedance Adjustment for Mobile Wireless Communications Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile wireless communications devices face challenges in integrating wireless communications circuitry with antennas within limited space, leading to inefficient power transfer and radiation due to varying user interactions and orientations, which current solutions like RF tuners address at the cost of increased power consumption and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A mobile wireless communications device with an adjustable impedance matching network, controlled by a sensor and controller, adjusts capacitance based on acoustic coupling and proximity to optimize impedance matching between wireless communications circuitry and the antenna, reducing the need for additional circuitry and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If an adjustable impedance matching network is added to optimize antenna performance, then power transfer efficiency and radiation efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic impedance matching by adjusting the matching network parameters based on detected acoustic coupling conditions. The system transitions from static to dynamic adaptation, allowing the impedance matching network to optimize power transfer efficiency in real-time according to usage scenarios such as headset wearing or non-wearing states.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes electrical parameters (impedance values) of the matching network components based on acoustic coupling detection. By varying capacitance or inductance values in the matching network, the system optimizes power transfer efficiency without requiring additional active components, thus managing complexity while improving performance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sensor-based control is implemented to adjust impedance matching, then antenna performance is optimized across different usage scenarios, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing acoustic coupling detection mechanism (designed for echo cancellation) serve a dual purpose by also using it to control impedance matching. This multi-functional use of the sensor system optimizes antenna performance across different usage scenarios without adding dedicated sensors or control systems, thereby managing complexity while improving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing acoustic coupling detection capability to automatically adjust its impedance matching parameters. The device self-regulates its electrical characteristics based on its own operational state detection, eliminating the need for external control systems and reducing overall complexity.
3Loss of energy
If acoustic coupling detection is used to control impedance matching, then power transfer efficiency is improved, but echo cancellation performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the control of impedance matching and echo cancellation by using different processing paths for the same acoustic coupling detection data. The acoustic coupling metric is used independently to control both the impedance matching network and the echo cancellation algorithm, allowing each function to be optimized without interfering with the other, thus maintaining reliability while improving power transfer efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A mobile wireless communications device (30) may include a portable housing (31), and an antenna (32) carried by the portable housing (31). The mobile wireless communications device (30) may further include wireless communications circuitry (33) carried by the portable housing (31) and an adjustable impedance matching network (37) coupled between the wireless communications circuitry (33) and the antenna (32). An audio input transducer (34) and an audio output transducer (44) may be carried by the portable housing (31). The mobile wireless communications device (30) may further include a controller (45) carried by the portable housing (31) and configured to determine (74) an acoustic coupling between the audio input transducer (34) and the audio output transducer (44). The controller (45) may further be configured to adjust (82) the adjustable impedance matching network (37) based upon the determined acoustic coupling.