US 12,278,628 B2
Proximity sensor for portable wireless device
Chaouki Rouaissia, Neuchâtel (CH); and Remi Le Reverend, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to SEMTECH CORPORATION, Camarillo, CA (US)
Filed by Semtech Corporation, Camarillo, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/078,169.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/297,089, filed on Jan. 6, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0216497 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. H03K 17/955 (2006.01); G01D 5/24 (2006.01); H04W 4/40 (2018.01)
CPC H03K 17/955 (2013.01) [H04W 4/40 (2018.02); G01D 5/24 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A proximity sensor for a portable wireless connected device, the sensor being arranged to determine whether a part of a user's body is near the portable connected wireless device, the sensor comprising at least one capacitive input electrode, a circuit configured to determine a capacitance of the at least one capacitive input electrode and generate, based on the capacitance, an immediate proximity status flag that becomes active when a part of a user's body is close to the proximity sensor, characterized by an averaging unit configured to generate a running average of the immediate proximity status flag in a predetermined time window, and by a decision unit generating a time-averaged proximity status flag based on an averaged or accumulated value of the immediate proximity status flag in the time window.