IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,571,933
Granted Patent B2
US 12,571,933 · App. 18/683,056 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Approach detection device

Inventor: Joao Carlos Vasconcelos De Almeida (Toulouse, FR)
Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
G01V3/12G06K7/10237G06K19/07777G06K7/10336
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,571,933
App. No.
18/683,056
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device for detecting an approach of a part of a user's body and/or of a portable user equipment, housed on board a motor vehicle, including: a near-field communication antenna configured to transmit and receive signals at a high resonant frequency between 3-30 MHz. The antenna includes at least one winding extending continuously in the form of a set of rods such that the rods have a variable capacitance connected to the antenna and the antenna is able to generate a capacitance variation in response to the approach of a part of a user's body; a measurer for measuring, through electromagnetic coupling with the antenna, an impedance variation or a frequency variation of the antenna. The measurer having a series resonant frequency at the selected high resonant frequency and able to detect the approach of a portable user equipment or the approach of a part of the user's body.

Claims (16)

1 . A device for detecting an approach of a part of a user's body and/or of a portable user equipment, intended to be housed on board a motor vehicle, comprising:

a) a near-field communication antenna (NFC) configured to transmit and receive signals at a high resonant frequency selected between 3 and 30 MHz, said NFC antenna comprising at least one winding that extends continuously in the form of a set of rods such that said rods have a variable capacitance connected to said NFC antenna and that said NFC antenna is able to generate a variation in capacitance in response to the approach of a part of a user's body; and

b) measuring means for measuring, through electromagnetic coupling with said NFC antenna, a variation in impedance or a variation in frequency of said NFC antenna, the measuring means having a series resonant frequency at the selected high resonant frequency and being able to detect the approach of a portable user equipment or the approach of a part of the user's body.

2 . The detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rods are identical to one another.

3 . The detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said NFC antenna comprises rods on two opposing sides of the perimeter.

4 . The detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said NFC antenna comprises at least one winding that extends continuously in the form of a set of comb-shaped rods such that said rods have a variable capacitance connected in parallel to said NFC antenna.

5 . The detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring means comprise a second antenna electromagnetically coupled to the NFC antenna.

6 . The detection device as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising a third antenna connected in series to the NFC antenna and electromagnetically coupled to the second antenna.

7 . A vehicle door handle, comprising a detection device as claimed in claim 1 .

8 . An inductive charger for a portable user equipment, comprising a detection device as claimed in claim 1 .

9 . A rear-view mirror for a motor vehicle, comprising a detection device as claimed in claim 1 .

10 . A motor vehicle, comprising a detection device as claimed in claim 1 .

11 . A device for detecting an approach of a part of a user's body and/or of a portable user equipment, intended to be housed on board a motor vehicle, comprising:

a) a near-field communication (NFC) antenna configured to transmit and receive signals at a high resonant frequency selected between 3 and 30 MHz, said NFC antenna comprising at least one winding that extends continuously in the form of a set of rods such that said rods have a variable capacitance connected to said NFC antenna and that said NFC antenna is able to generate a variation in capacitance in response to the approach of a part of a user's body; and

b) measuring means for measuring, through electromagnetic coupling with said NFC antenna, a variation in impedance or a variation in frequency of said NFC antenna, the measuring means having a series resonant frequency at the selected high resonant frequency and being able to detect the approach of a portable user equipment or the approach of a part of the user's body, wherein the winding defines a perimeter within which said NFC antenna extends continuously in the form of a set of comb-shaped rods.

12 . The detection device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein, with the perimeter being rectangular, the rods are in the form of copper tracks perpendicular to a length or width of the perimeter.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2024
From: VASCONCELOS DE ALMEIDA, JOAO CARLOS
To: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
Reel/Frame 068608/0974 →
Priority Claims (2)
FR 2108763 · Aug 19, 2021 · national
FR 2112322 · Nov 22, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250138214A1 · May 1, 2025
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