IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,009,071
Granted Patent B2
US 10,009,071 · App. 15/531,770 · Granted Jun 26, 2018

Antenna and communication apparatus

Inventor: Katsuyuki Tanaka (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
H04B5/0081H01Q1/242H04B13/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,009,071
App. No.
15/531,770
Granted
Jun 26, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an antenna and a communication apparatus that enables both near field communication using a magnetic field and near field communication using an electric field. The communication apparatus includes a first near field communication unit that performs communication in a non-contact manner using a magnetic field, a second near field communication unit that performs communication in a non-contact manner using an electric field, and an antenna shared by communication of the first near field communication unit and communication of the second near field communication unit. The present disclosure is applicable, for example, to near field communication in which communication using a magnetic field is performed in a non-contact manner, a communication apparatus that enables near field communication using an electric field in a non-contact manner, and the like.

Claims (36)

1. An antenna, comprising:

a coil, wherein the coil is connected to a first near field communication (NFC) processor, and

wherein the first NFC processor processes a first signal based on a magnetic field of the coil; and

a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is connected to a second NFC processor, and

wherein the second NFC processor processes a second signal based on an electric field of the capacitor, wherein the first NFC processor is different from the second NFC processor, and

wherein the antenna is shared between the first NFC processor and the second NFC processor.

2. The antenna according to claim 1 , wherein

the second NFC processor is associated with a human body communication, and wherein the human body communication uses a human body as a communication medium.

3. The antenna according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a switch configured to turn on or off an electrical connection of each of the coil and the capacitor.

4. The antenna according to claim 1 , wherein

the capacitor includes two flat plate-like electrodes.

5. The antenna according to claim 4 , wherein

the two flat plate-like electrodes have slits.

6. A first communication apparatus, comprising:

a first near field communication (NFC) processor;

a second NFC processor different from the first NFC processor;

an antenna that comprises:

a coil, wherein the coil is connected to the first NFC processor, and

wherein the first NFC processor is configured to process a first signal based on a magnetic field of the coil; and

a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is connected to the second NFC processor, and

wherein the second NFC processor is configured to process a second signal based on an electric field of the capacitor;

a first NFC unit configured to communicate with a second communication apparatus in a non-contact manner, wherein the first NFC unit is configured to communicate based on the magnetic field; and

a second NFC unit configured to communicate with the second communication apparatus in a non-contact manner, wherein the second NFC unit is configured to communicate based on the electric field,

wherein the antenna is shared between the first NFC processor and the second NFC processor.

7. The first communication apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the second NFC unit is further configured to:

communicate with the second communication apparatus based on a human body as a communication medium.

8. The first communication apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the antenna further includes

a switch configured to turn on or off an electrical connection of each of the coil and the capacitor.

9. The first communication apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a controller configured to control the switch.

10. The first communication apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the capacitor includes two flat plate-like electrodes.

11. The first communication apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the two flat plate-like electrodes have slits.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2017
From: TANAKA, KATSUYUKI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042688/0457 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-247587 · Dec 8, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170272128A1 · Sep 21, 2017
Cited By (3)
US 12,615,095 US 12,627,320 US 12,689,409