Patent ID: 8400419

Claim:
A communication device comprising: a processor that executes a communication application; at least one transceiver, coupled to the processor, that communicates radio frequency (RF) signals with at least one remote station in accordance with the communication application; at least one antenna; a programmable antenna interface that couples the at least one antenna to the at least one transceiver; an inductive touch screen, coupled to the processor and the at least one transceiver, that provides a user interface for the communication application, the touch screen comprising: a display layer for displaying information; an inductor grid, coupled to display layer, that includes a plurality of inductive elements; at least one switch matrix, coupled to the inductor grid, that selects a selected one of the plurality of inductive elements in response to at least one selection signal in a first mode of operation, and that couples together a group of the plurality of inductive elements in a second mode of operation to operate as an antenna for data communication with a remote station; a dual mode driver, coupled to the at least one switch matrix and the inductor grid, that generates the at least one selection signal and that: in the first mode of operation, drives the selected one of the plurality of inductive elements to detect a touch object in proximity to the selected one of the plurality of inductive elements and that generates touch screen data in response thereto; and in a second mode of operation, couples the group of the plurality of inductive elements to the programmable antenna interface; wherein the dual mode driver includes: a measurement circuit that detects a touch object in proximity to the selected one of the plurality of inductive elements in the first mode of operation; a controller for generating a control signal that indicates one of, a first mode or operation and a second mode of operation; and a mode switch, coupled to the controller, that responds to the control signal by: coupling the selected one of the plurality of inductive elements to the measurement circuit when the control signal indicates the first mode of operation; and coupling the group of the plurality of inductive elements to the programmable antenna interface.