Abstract: A method, a mobile device, and a computer program product enable capacitive proximity sensing in a mobile device. The method includes determining, by a controller of a mobile device, whether the mobile device is participating in an active phone call. In response to determining that the mobile device is participating in an active phone call, the method further includes determining if an ear speaker mode of the mobile device is enabled. In response to determining that the ear speaker mode of the mobile device is enabled, the method further includes activating a driven shield to at least partially shield a capacitance sensor from sensing object capacitance at a second side of the mobile device that is opposed to a first side with the ear speaker.

Abstract: A method, a mobile device, and a computer program product enable capacitive proximity sensing in a mobile device. The method includes determining, by a controller of a mobile device, whether the mobile device is participating in an active phone call. In response to determining that the mobile device is participating in an active phone call, the method further includes determining if an ear speaker mode of the mobile device is enabled. In response to determining that the ear speaker mode of the mobile device is enabled, the method further includes activating a driven shield to at least partially shield a capacitance sensor from sensing object capacitance at a second side of the mobile device that is opposed to a first side with the ear speaker.

Abstract: A communication device, computer program product, and method enable associating a closed position and an open position of a movable housing positionably coupled to a base housing of the communication device with alternate ones of first and second modes of antenna communication that respectively utilize an antenna array of a first sub-array aligned or not aligned in a second sub-array. The first array of first antenna(s) is housed within the base housing. The second sub-array of second antenna(s) is housed within the movable housing. The controller monitors a housing sensor positioned to detect the closed position and the open position. In response to identifying the mode, the controller configures a modem to use an excitation matrix associated with the mode comprising magnitude and phase settings to apply to each antenna of the first and the second sub-arrays to act either independently or as an array.

Abstract: A communication device provides an elongate antenna element having a first and a second end separated by an aperture. A transceiver is electrically grounded to a ground plane and communicatively coupled via an antenna feed to the elongate antenna element. A first conductor is electrically attached to a first edge of the ground plane. An antenna switching controller selectively actuates the aperture switch to be in one of the open and closed positions based on whether the communication device is positioned on a body. The open position electrically isolates (a) the first end of the elongate antenna element; (b) the second end of the elongate antenna element; and (c) the first conductor. The closed position electrically couples: (a) the first end of the elongate antenna element; (b) the second end of the elongate antenna element; and (c) the first conductor.

Abstract: A communication device provides an elongate antenna element having a first and a second end separated by an aperture. A transceiver is electrically grounded to a ground plane and communicatively coupled via an antenna feed to the elongate antenna element. A first conductor is electrically attached to a first edge of the ground plane. An antenna switching controller selectively actuates the aperture switch to be in one of the open and closed positions based on whether the communication device is positioned on a body. The open position electrically isolates (a) the first end of the elongate antenna element; (b) the second end of the elongate antenna element; and (c) the first conductor. The closed position electrically couples: (a) the first end of the elongate antenna element; (b) the second end of the elongate antenna element; and (c) the first conductor.

Abstract: An antenna subsystem of a communication device has an open cavity including an inner opening and lateral and outer sides that define a cavity. The cavity is sized less than required for cavity mode resonance at a millimeter-wave operating frequency. A millimeter-wave antenna element placed at the inner opening of the hollowed section cavity excites evanescent electromagnetic fields in the cavity. A slot antenna is formed in a metallic layer of the outer side of the cavity. A metallic sectioned proximity post has a first section positioned adjacent to and spaced apart from the millimeter-wave antenna element to couple to, and conduct, the evanescent electromagnetic field. The metallic proximity post has a second section positioned adjacent to and spaced apart from the slot antenna to couple at the millimeter-wave operating frequency, enabling re-radiation by the slot antenna.

Abstract: An electronic communication device performs a method to detect proximity of an object to the device. The method includes determining a set of mutual coupling values for at least one pair of a plurality of antennas arrays of the electronic communication device. Each mutual coupling value indicates an efficiency of a mutual coupling transmission between an antenna element of a first antenna array of a pair of antenna arrays and an antenna element of a second antenna array of the pair of antenna arrays. The method further includes determining object position relative to the plurality of antenna arrays based on the set of mutual coupling values.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a user device, can comprise a battery, a plurality of antennas, a transceiver, a charging pad interface, and a controller. The battery can be configured to power the user device. The plurality of antennas can be configured to send and receive signals to and from a wireless node. The transceiver can be configured to communicate, via the plurality of antennas, with the wireless node. The charging pad interface can be configured to detect that the apparatus is coupled to a charging pad and to receive charging power from the charging pad. The controller can be configured to change a configuration of at least one antenna from the plurality of antennas in response to the charging pad interface detecting that the apparatus is coupled to the charging pad.

Abstract: An antenna system for implementation in a wireless communication system such as a mobile device, and a wireless communication system employing such an antenna system, and a related methodology, are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a mobile device includes a display, a chassis, and one or more electrical components. The display is provided along a front surface of the mobile device, and the chassis has first and second cavities provided along a rear surface of the mobile device, the rear surface being substantially opposite the front surface. Further, the one or more electrical components is or are supported in between the display and the chassis, and the one or more electrical components provide excitation signals to one or both of the first and second cavities so as to cause electrical fields in accordance with a plurality of modes to occur respectively within the cavities at multiple frequencies, respectively.

Abstract: An electronic communication device performs a method to detect proximity of an object to the device. The method includes determining a set of mutual coupling values for at least one pair of a plurality of antennas arrays of the electronic communication device. Each mutual coupling value indicates an efficiency of a mutual coupling transmission between an antenna element of a first antenna array of a pair of antenna arrays and an antenna element of a second antenna array of the pair of antenna arrays. The method further includes determining object position relative to the plurality of antenna arrays based on the set of mutual coupling values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for wireless communication device connectivity management includes receiving one or more metrics from at least two members of a group whose members are wireless communication devices. The members of the group have agreed to share resources within the group and have their wireless connections controlled by a wireless connectivity entity. The method and apparatus also includes managing the wireless connections of the at least two members by the connectivity management entity, based on the one or more metrics, to share resources between the at least two members.

Abstract: An antenna system for implementation in a wireless communication system such as a mobile device, and a wireless communication system employing such an antenna system, and a related methodology, are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a mobile device includes a display, a chassis, and one or more electrical components. The display is provided along a front surface of the mobile device, and the chassis has first and second cavities provided along a rear surface of the mobile device, the rear surface being substantially opposite the front surface. Further, the one or more electrical components is or are supported in between the display and the chassis, and the one or more electrical components provide excitation signals to one or both of the first and second cavities so as to cause electrical fields in accordance with a plurality of modes to occur respectively within the cavities at multiple frequencies, respectively.

Abstract: An electronic device (100) includes an antenna system (150) having two antennas (110, 120). A first antenna (110) has a first antenna element (111) positioned near a first corner (191) of a planar, rectangular ground plane (165) and a second antenna element (115) positioned near a second corner of the ground plane that is diagonally across from the first corner. A second antenna (120) has a third antenna element (121) positioned near a third corner (193) of the ground plane that is adjacent to the first corner and a fourth antenna element (125) positioned near a fourth corner (195) of the ground plane that is diagonally across from the third corner. At low-band frequencies, the antenna elements (111, 115) of the first antenna (110) are driven out-of-phase relative to each other. Similarly, at low-band frequencies, the antenna elements (121, 125) of the second antenna (120) are driven out-of-phase relative to each other.

Abstract: A method and system for reconfiguring over-indexed antenna arrays in mobile devices are provided. For example, the method includes receiving sensor input that indicates an object blocking a first subset of reconfigurable antenna elements but not blocking a second subset of reconfigurable antenna elements of an over-indexed antenna array. The method also includes configuring, based on the sensor input, a number of the antenna elements in the first subset as non-active for radiating energy and a number of the antenna elements in the second subset as active for radiating energy.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a user device, can comprise a battery, a plurality of antennas, a transceiver, a charging pad interface, and a controller. The battery can be configured to power the user device. The plurality of antennas can be configured to send and receive signals to and from a wireless node. The transceiver can be configured to communicate, via the plurality of antennas, with the wireless node. The charging pad interface can be configured to detect that the apparatus is coupled to a charging pad and to receive charging power from the charging pad. The controller can be configured to change a configuration of at least one antenna from the plurality of antennas in response to the charging pad interface detecting that the apparatus is coupled to the charging pad.

Abstract: Disclosed apparatuses obtain real-time performance measurements and adaptively select multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) antennas to improve MIMO antenna performance. A correlation estimator determines an approximation of instantaneous antenna correlation values. One method includes obtaining a channel quality indicator (CQI) measurement for first and second antennas of a mobile device. The method determines a composite CQI for the two antennas and estimates the antenna correlation for the first and second antennas based on the composite CQI. The method can include performing a lookup operation in a CQI table mapping composite CQI to coding rates. The method can include obtaining a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurement for the first and second antennas of the mobile device, and estimating the antenna correlation for the first and second antennas based on the composite CQI and the SNR measurement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for wireless communication device connectivity management includes receiving one or more metrics from at least two members of a group whose members are wireless communication devices. The members of the group have agreed to share resources within the group and have their wireless connections controlled by a wireless connectivity entity. The method and apparatus also includes managing the wireless connections of the at least two members by the connectivity management entity, based on the one or more metrics, to share resources between the at least two members.

Abstract: A method and system for reconfiguring over-indexed antenna arrays in mobile devices are provided. For example, the method includes receiving sensor input that indicates an object blocking a first subset of reconfigurable antenna elements but not blocking a second subset of reconfigurable antenna elements of an over-indexed antenna array. The method also includes configuring, based on the sensor input, a number of the antenna elements in the first subset as non-active for radiating energy and a number of the antenna elements in the second subset as active for radiating energy.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure teach decreasing, in a time-averaged regime, the amount of RF energy emitted by a communications device. Generally speaking, the network tells the communications device what power level it should transmit at. If, however, the device determines that it would exceed an emission standard by transmitting at the specified power level for as long as it needs to in order to carry out its transmission duties, then the device can instead decide to transmit at a lower power level. Alternatively (or in combination), the device can, instead of transmitting all the time while it has data to send, only transmit intermittently. In either case, the emitted electromagnetic energy, as averaged over a period of time, is reduced below the maximum allowed by the standard. Later, if possible and necessary, the device can again transmit at a higher power level or more frequently.

Abstract: Disclosed apparatuses obtain real time performance measurements and adaptively select MIMO antennas to improve MIMO antenna performance under given conditions. A correlation estimator determines an approximation of instantaneous antenna correlation values. One method includes obtaining a CQI measurement for a first antenna and a second antenna of a mobile device. The method proceeds by determining a composite CQI for the two antennas and estimating the antenna correlation for the first antenna and second antenna using the composite CQI. The method may further include performing a table lookup operation in a CQI table that maps composite CQI including at least a first and second MIMO stream to coding rates. The method may further include obtaining an SNR measurement for the first antenna and the second antenna of the mobile device, and estimating the antenna correlation for the first antenna and second antenna using the composite CQI and the SNR measurement.