PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-12181559-B2
Application Number: US-202117331504-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices with angular location detection capabilities

Abstract:
An electronic device may include wireless circuitry having a set of two or more antennas coupled to voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensors. The VSWR sensors may gather VSWR measurements from radio-frequency signals transmitted using the set of antennas. The antennas may be disposed on one or more substrates and/or may be formed from conductive portions of a housing. Control circuitry may process the VSWR measurements to identify the ranges between each of the antennas in the set of antennas and an external object. The control circuitry may process the ranges to identify an angular location of the external object with respect to the device. The control circuitry may adjust subsequent communications based, adjust the direction of a signal beam produced by a phased antenna array, identify a user input, or perform any other desired operations based on the angular location.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device operable in an environment that includes an external object, the electronic device comprising:
 a first antenna and a second antenna; 
 a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna, the first VSWR sensor being configured to perform a first VSWR measurement using radio-frequency signals transmitted by the first antenna; 
 a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna, the second VSWR sensor being configured to perform a second VSWR measurement using radio-frequency signals transmitted by the second antenna; 
 one or more processors configured to
 identify a first range from the first antenna to the external object based on the first VSWR measurement, 
 identify a second range from the second antenna to the external object based on the second VSWR measurement, and 
 identify an angular location of the external object based at least on the first range and the second range; 
 
 a first radio-frequency transmission line coupled to the first antenna, the first VSWR sensor including a first directional switch coupler disposed along the first radio-frequency transmission line; and 
 a second radio-frequency transmission line coupled to the second antenna, the second VSWR sensor including a second directional switch coupler disposed along the second radio-frequency transmission line, wherein the first antenna is spatially separated from the second antenna, the first range is different from the second range, and the one or more processors is configured to identify the angular location using a geometric calculation based on the first range and the second range. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third antenna; and 
 a third VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the third antenna, wherein the third VSWR sensor is configured to perform a third VSWR measurement using radio-frequency signals transmitted by the third antenna, the one or more processors being further configured to
 identify a third range from the third antenna to the external object based on the third VSWR measurement, and 
 identify the angular location of the external object based on the third range. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a substrate, wherein the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna are disposed on a substrate. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a phased antenna array that includes the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, wherein the phased antenna array is configured to produce a steerable signal beam. 
 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first substrate, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed on the first substrate; and 
 a second substrate that is separate from the first substrate, wherein the third antenna is disposed on the second substrate. 
 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a fourth antenna on the second substrate, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed along a first axis, the third antenna and the fourth antenna are disposed along a second axis, and the first axis is oriented perpendicular to the first axis. 
 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors is configured to identify the first range by comparing the first VSWR measurement to one or more threshold values. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors is configured to identify the first range by comparing a variation in the first VSWR measurement over time to one or more threshold values. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a phased antenna array configured to produce a signal beam, wherein the one or more processors is configured to adjust a pointing direction of the signal beam based on the angular location of the external object. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors is configured to identify a user input to the electronic device based on the angular location of the external object. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors is configured to reduce a maximum transmit power level of the first antenna based on the angular location of the external object. 
     
     
       12. An electronic device operable in an environment that includes an external object, the electronic device comprising:
 a first antenna and a second antenna; 
 a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna, the first VSWR sensor being configured to perform a first VSWR measurement using radio-frequency signals transmitted by the first antenna; 
 a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna, the second VSWR sensor being configured to perform a second VSWR measurement using radio-frequency signals transmitted by the second antenna; 
 one or more processors configured to
 identify a first range from the first antenna to the external object based on the first VSWR measurement, 
 identify a second range from the second antenna to the external object based on the second VSWR measurement, and 
 identify an angular location of the external object based at least on the first range and the second range; and 
 
 a housing having peripheral conductive housing structures, wherein the peripheral conductive housing structures include a segment extending between dielectric gaps in the peripheral conductive housing structures, and wherein the first antenna has an antenna resonating element arm formed from the segment. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein the second antenna is disposed on a substrate located within the housing. 
     
     
       14. A method for operating an electronic device having a set of antennas, at least one voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the set of antennas, and one or more processors, the set of antennas including at least two antennas and the method comprising:
 with the set of antennas, transmitting radio-frequency signals; 
 with the at least one VSWR sensor, gathering VSWR measurements from the radio-frequency signals transmitted by different antennas in the set of antennas; 
 with the one or more processors, identifying a plurality of ranges between the set of antennas and an external object based on the VSWR measurements; and 
 with the one or more processors, identifying an angular location of an external object based on the plurality of ranges between the set of antennas and the external object, wherein identifying the angular location comprises:
 performing a geometric calculation based on the plurality of ranges and a predetermined spacing between the different antennas in the set of antennas. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein identifying the angular location comprises:
 comparing the plurality of ranges to a lookup table that maps ranges between the set of antennas and the external object to different angular locations. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 with at least one antenna in the set of antennas, transmitting radar signals; and 
 with the one or more processors, identifying a range between the external object and the electronic device based at least in part on the radar signals transmitted by the at least one antenna in the set of antennas.

Description:
FIELD 
     This disclosure relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with wireless circuitry. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices are often provided with wireless capabilities. An electronic device with wireless capabilities has wireless circuitry that includes one or more antennas. The wireless circuitry is sometimes used to perform spatial ranging operations in which radio-frequency signals are used to estimate a distance between the electronic device and external objects. 
     It can be challenging to provide wireless circuitry that accurately estimates this distance. For example, the wireless circuitry will often exhibit a blind spot near the device within which the wireless circuitry is unable to accurately detect the presence of external objects. In addition, it can be difficult for the wireless circuitry to fully characterize the location and orientation of external objects when present within the blind spot. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may include wireless circuitry controlled by one or more processors. The wireless circuitry may include a set of two or more antennas communicably coupled to voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensors. The VSWR sensors may gather VSWR measurements from radio-frequency signals transmitted using the set of antennas. The antennas in the set of antennas may be disposed on one or more substrates and/or may be formed from conductive portions of a housing for the device. One or more processors may process the VSWR measurements to identify the ranges between each of the antennas in the set of antennas and an external object at, adjacent, or proximate to the set of antennas. The one or more processors may process the ranges to identify an angular location of the external object with respect to the device. 
     The one or more processors may perform any desired operations based on the identified angular location. For example, the one or more processors may adjust subsequent communications by one or more of the antennas based on the angular location (e.g., by reducing a maximum transmit power level of one or more of the antennas). If desired, the one or more processors may adjust the direction of a signal beam produced by a phased antenna array based on the angular location (e.g., to steer the signal beam around the external object). As another example, the one or more processors may identify a user input or gesture based on the angular location. 
     An aspect of the disclosure provides an electronic device operable in an environment that includes an external object. The electronic device can include a first antenna and a second antenna. The electronic device can include a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna. The first VSWR sensor can be configured to perform a first VSWR measurement using radio-frequency signals transmitted by the first antenna. The electronic device can include a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna. The second VSWR sensor can be configured to perform a second VSWR measurement using radio-frequency signals transmitted by the second antenna. The electronic device can include one or more processors. The one or more processors can be configured to identify a first range from the first antenna to the external object based on the first VSWR measurement. The one or more processors can be configured to identify a second range from the second antenna to the external object based on the second VSWR measurement. The one or more processors can be configured to identify an angular location of the external object based at least on the first range and the second range. 
     An aspect of the disclosure provides a method for operating an electronic device having a set of antennas, at least one voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the set of antennas, and one or more processors. The set of antennas can include at least two antennas. The method can include with the set of antennas, transmitting radio-frequency signals. The method can include with the at least one VSWR sensor, gathering VSWR measurements from the radio-frequency signals transmitted by different antennas in the set of antennas. The method can include with the one or more processors, identifying a plurality of ranges between the set of antennas and the external object based on the VSWR measurements. The method can include with the one or more processors, identifying an angular location of the external object based on the plurality of ranges between the set of antennas and the external object. 
     An aspect of the disclosure provides a method of operating an electronic device in an environment having an external object. The method can include with a first antenna on the electronic device, transmitting first radio-frequency signals. The method can include with a second antenna on the electronic device, transmitting second radio-frequency signals. The method can include with a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensor communicably coupled to the first antenna, gathering a first VSWR measurement using the first radio-frequency signals transmitted using the first antenna. The method can include with a second VSWR sensor communicably coupled to the second antenna, gathering a second VSWR measurement using the second radio-frequency signals transmitted using the second antenna. The method can include with one or more processors, identifying an angular location of the external object based at least on the first VSWR measurement and the second VSWR measurement. The method can include with the one or more processors, adjusting a subsequent transmission by the first antenna based at least on the angular location of the external object. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a functional block diagram of an illustrative electronic device having voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensors for detecting the angular location of an external object in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  2    is a circuit diagram of an illustrative VSWR sensor having a directional coupler for detecting the range between an external object and an antenna in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  3    is a plot of reflection coefficient as a function of frequency that may be produced by an illustrative VSWR sensor for detecting the range between an external object and an antenna in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  4    is a plot showing how the reflection coefficient measured by an illustrative VSWR sensor may vary at different times when external objects are present at different ranges from an antenna in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  5    is a plot showing how reflection coefficient variation may be correlated to the range between an antenna and an external object in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view showing how an external object may be present at a given angular location over an electronic device surface in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  7    is a flow chart of illustrative operations involved in detecting the angular location of an external object using VSWR sensors and multiple antennas in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  8    is a top view showing how multiple antennas may be used to detect the angular location of an external object in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  9    is a side view showing how multiple antennas may be used to detect the angular location of an external object in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  10    is a side view showing how multiple antennas may perform beam steering operations based on the detected angular location of an external object in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  11    is a top view showing how antennas used to detect the angular location of an external object may be distributed across multiple arrays at different orientations in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  12    is a top view showing how antennas used to detect the angular location of an external object may be distributed across an electronic device in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic device  10  of  FIG.  1    may be a computing device such as a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wristwatch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, a wireless internet-connected voice-controlled speaker, a home entertainment device, a remote control device, a gaming controller, a peripheral user input device, a wireless base station or access point, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     As shown in the functional block diagram of  FIG.  1   , device  10  may include components located on or within an electronic device housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as a case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, metal alloys, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some situations, parts or all of housing  12  may be formed from dielectric or other low-conductivity material (e.g., glass, ceramic, plastic, sapphire, etc.). In other situations, housing  12  or at least some of the structures that make up housing  12  may be formed from metal elements. 
     Device  10  may include control circuitry  14 . Control circuitry  14  may include storage such as storage circuitry  16 . Storage circuitry  16  may include hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid-state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Storage circuitry  16  may include storage that is integrated within device  10  and/or removable storage media. 
     Control circuitry  14  may include processing circuitry such as processing circuitry  18 . Processing circuitry  18  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . Processing circuitry  18  may include on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, host processors, baseband processor integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), etc. Control circuitry  14  may be configured to perform operations in device  10  using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware, and/or software. Software code for performing operations in device  10  may be stored on storage circuitry  16  (e.g., storage circuitry  16  may include non-transitory (tangible) computer readable storage media that stores the software code). The software code may sometimes be referred to as program instructions, software, data, instructions, or code. Software code stored on storage circuitry  16  may be executed by processing circuitry  18 . If desired, portions of storage circuitry  16  may be located on processing circuitry  18  (e.g., as L1 and L2 cache), whereas other portions of storage circuitry  16  are located external to processing circuitry  18  (e.g., while remaining accessible to processing circuitry  18  via a memory interface). 
     Control circuitry  14  may be used to run software on device  10  such as satellite navigation applications, internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactions with external equipment, control circuitry  14  may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using control circuitry  14  include internet protocols, wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as Wi-Fi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol or other wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocols, IEEE 802.11ad protocols (e.g., ultra-wideband protocols), cellular telephone protocols (e.g., 3G protocols, 4G (LTE) protocols, 3GPP Fifth Generation (5G) protocols, etc.), antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols (e.g., global positioning system (GPS) protocols, global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) protocols, etc.), antenna-based spatial ranging protocols (e.g., radio detection and ranging (RADAR) protocols or other desired range detection protocols for signals conveyed at millimeter and centimeter wave frequencies), or any other desired communications protocols. Each communications protocol may be associated with a corresponding radio access technology (RAT) that specifies the physical connection methodology used in implementing the protocol. 
     Device  10  may include input-output circuitry  20 . Input-output circuitry  20  may include input-output devices  22 . Input-output devices  22  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. Input-output devices  22  may include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. For example, input-output devices  22  may include touch sensors, displays (e.g., touch-sensitive and/or force-sensitive displays), light-emitting components such as displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons (mechanical, capacitive, optical, etc.), scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, buttons, speakers, status indicators, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or compasses that detect motion), capacitance sensors, temperature sensors, proximity sensors, magnetic sensors, force sensors (e.g., force sensors coupled to a display to detect pressure applied to the display), etc. In some configurations, keyboards, headphones, displays, pointing devices such as trackpads, mice, and joysticks, and other input-output devices may be coupled to device  10  using wired or wireless connections (e.g., some of input-output devices  22  may be peripherals that are coupled to a main processing unit or other portion of device  10  via a wired or wireless link). 
     Input-output circuitry  20  may include wireless circuitry  24  to support wireless communications and/or radio-based spatial ranging operations. Wireless circuitry  24  may include two or more antennas  40 . Wireless circuitry  24  may also include baseband processor circuitry, transceiver circuitry, amplifier circuitry, filter circuitry, switching circuitry, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry, digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry, radio-frequency transmission lines, and/or any other circuitry for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals using antennas  40 . 
     Antennas  40  may be formed using any desired antenna structures. For example, antennas  40  may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures, monopole antennas, dipoles, hybrids of these designs, etc. Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, and/or other antenna tuning components may be adjusted to adjust the frequency response and wireless performance of antennas  40  over time. 
     Wireless circuitry  24  may use antennas  40  to transmit and/or receive radio-frequency signals  38  to convey wireless communications data between device  10  and external wireless communications equipment  28  (e.g., one or more other devices such as device  10 , a wireless access point or base station, etc.). Wireless communications data may be conveyed by wireless circuitry  24  bidirectionally or unidirectionally. The wireless communications data may, for example, include data that has been encoded into corresponding data packets such as wireless data associated with a telephone call, streaming media content, internet browsing, wireless data associated with software applications running on device  10 , email messages, etc. 
     Wireless circuitry  24  may include communications and/or long range spatial ranging circuitry  26  (sometimes referred to herein simply as communications circuitry  26 ). Communications circuitry  26  may transmit and/or receive wireless communications data using antennas  40 . Communications circuitry  26  may include baseband circuitry (e.g., one or more baseband processors) and one or more radios (e.g., radios having radio-frequency transceivers, modems, synthesizers, switches, filters, mixers, ADCs, DACs, amplifiers, etc.) for conveying radio-frequency signals  38  using one or more antennas  40 . 
     Communications circuitry  26  may transmit and/or receive radio-frequency signals  38  within a corresponding frequency band at radio frequencies (sometimes referred to herein as a communications band or simply as a “band”). The frequency bands handled by communications circuitry  26  may include wireless local area network (WLAN) frequency bands (e.g., Wi-Fi® (IEEE 802.11) or other WLAN communications bands) such as a 2.4 GHz WLAN band (e.g., from 2400 to 2480 MHz), a 5 GHz WLAN band (e.g., from 5180 to 5825 MHz), a Wi-Fi® 6E band (e.g., from 5925-7125 MHz), and/or other Wi-Fi® bands (e.g., from 1875-5160 MHz), wireless personal area network (WPAN) frequency bands such as the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® band or other WPAN communications bands, cellular telephone frequency bands (e.g., bands from about 600 MHz to about 5 GHz, 3G bands, 4G LTE bands, 5G New Radio Frequency Range 1 (FR1) bands below 10 GHz, 5G New Radio Frequency Range 2 (FR2) bands between 20 and 60 GHz, etc.), other centimeter or millimeter wave frequency bands between 10-300 GHz, near-field communications frequency bands (e.g., at 13.56 MHz), satellite navigation frequency bands (e.g., a GPS band from 1565 to 1610 MHz, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) band, a BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) band, etc.), ultra-wideband (UWB) frequency bands that operate under the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol and/or other ultra-wideband communications protocols, communications bands under the family of 3GPP wireless communications standards, communications bands under the IEEE 802.XX family of standards, and/or any other desired frequency bands of interest. 
     Communications circuitry  26  may be coupled to antennas  40  using one or more transmit paths  34  and/or one or more receive paths  36 . Communications circuitry  26  may uses transmit paths  34  to transmit radio-frequency signals  38  and may use receive paths  36  to receive radio-frequency signals  38 . Transmit paths  34  (sometimes referred to herein as transmit chains  34 ) may include one or more signal paths (e.g., radio-frequency transmission lines), amplifier circuitry, filter circuitry, switching circuitry, radio-frequency front end circuitry (e.g., components on a radio-frequency front end module), and/or any other desired paths or circuitry for transmitting radio-frequency signals from communications circuitry  26  to antenna(s)  40 . Receive paths  36  may include one or more signal paths (e.g., radio-frequency transmission lines), amplifier circuitry (e.g., low noise amplifier (LNA) circuitry), filter circuitry, switching circuitry, radio-frequency front end circuitry (e.g., components on a radio-frequency front end module), and/or any other desired paths or circuitry for conveying radio-frequency signals from antenna(s)  40  to communications circuitry  26 . 
     In addition to conveying wireless communications data, communications circuitry  26  may additionally or alternatively use antennas  40  to perform long range spatial ranging operations. Communications circuitry  26  may include long range spatial ranging circuitry for performing long range spatial ranging operations. The long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  may include mixer circuitry, amplifier circuitry, transmitter circuitry (e.g., signal generators, synthesizers, etc.), receiver circuitry, filter circuitry, baseband circuitry, ADC circuitry, DAC circuitry, and/or any other desired components used in performing spatial ranging operations using antennas  40 . The long range spatial ranging circuitry may include, for example, radar circuitry (e.g., frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar circuitry, OFDM radar circuitry, FSCW radar circuitry, a phase coded radar circuitry, other types of radar circuitry). Antennas  40  may include separate antennas for conveying wireless communications data and radio-frequency signals for spatial ranging or may include one or more antennas  40  that are used to both convey wireless communications data and to perform spatial ranging. Using a single antenna  40  to both convey wireless communications data and perform spatial ranging may, for example, serve to minimize the amount of space occupied in device  10  by antennas  40 . 
     When performing long range spatial ranging operations, the long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  may use a first antenna  40  (e.g., a transmit antenna) to transmit radio-frequency signals  42 . Radio-frequency signals  42  may include one or more signal tones, continuous waves of radio-frequency energy, wideband signals, chirp signals, or any other desired transmit signals (e.g., radar signals) for use in spatial ranging operations. Unlike radio-frequency signals  38 , radio-frequency signals  42  may be free from wireless communications data (e.g., cellular communications data packets, WLAN communications data packets, etc.). Radio-frequency signals  42  may sometimes also be referred to herein as spatial ranging signals  42 , long range spatial ranging signals  42 , or radar signals  42 . The long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  may transmit radio-frequency signals  42  at one or more carrier frequencies in a corresponding radio frequency band such (e.g., a frequency band that includes frequencies greater than around 10 GHz, greater than around 20 GHz, less than 10 GHz, 20-30 GHz, greater than 40 GHz, etc.). 
     Radio-frequency signals  42  may reflect off of objects external to device  10  such as external object  46 . External object  46  may be, for example, the ground, a building, part of a building, a wall, furniture, a ceiling, a person, a body part, an animal, a vehicle, a landscape or geographic feature, an obstacle, external communications equipment such as external wireless communications equipment  28 , another device of the same type as device  10  or a peripheral device such as a gaming controller or remote control, or any other physical object or entity that is external to device  10 . A second antenna  40  (e.g., a receive antenna) in wireless circuitry  24  may receive reflected radio-frequency signals  44 . Reflected signals  44  may be a reflected version of the transmitted radio-frequency signals  42  that have reflected off of external object  46  and back towards device  10 . 
     The long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  may receive reflected signals  44  from the second antenna  40  via a corresponding receive path  36 . Control circuitry  14  may process the transmitted radio-frequency signals  42  and the received reflected signals  44  to detect or estimate the range R between device  10  and external object  46 . If desired, control circuitry  14  may also process the transmitted and received signals to identify a two or three-dimensional spatial location (position) of external object  46 , a velocity of external object  46 , and/or an angle of arrival of reflected signals  44 . If desired, a loopback path may be coupled between the transmit path  34  and the receive path  36  used by the long range spatial ranging circuitry. The loopback path may be used to convey transmit signals on the transmit path to receiver circuitry in the long range spatial ranging circuitry. As an example, in embodiments where the long range spatial ranging circuitry performs spatial ranging using an FMCW scheme, the loopback path may be a de-chirp path that conveys chirp signals on the transmit path to a de-chirp mixer in the long range spatial ranging circuitry. In these embodiments, doppler shifts in continuous wave transmit signals may be detected and processed to identify the velocity of external object  46 , and the time dependent frequency difference between radio-frequency signals  42  and reflected signals  44  may be detected and processed to identify range R and/or the position of external object  46 . Use of continuous wave signals for estimating range R may allow control circuitry  14  to reliably distinguish between external object  46  and other background or slower-moving objects, for example. This example is merely illustrative and, in general, the long range spatial ranging circuitry may implement any desired radar or long range spatial ranging scheme. 
     The radio-frequency transmission lines in transmit paths  34  and receive paths  36  may include coaxial cables, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, transmission lines formed from combinations of transmission lines of these types, etc. Transmission lines in device may be integrated into rigid and/or flexible printed circuit boards if desired. One or more radio-frequency lines may be shared between transmit path(s)  34  and receive path(s)  36  if desired. The components of wireless circuitry  24  may be formed on one or more common substrates or modules (e.g., rigid printed circuit boards, flexible printed circuit boards, integrated circuits, chips, packages, systems-on-chip, etc.). 
     The example of  FIG.  1    is merely illustrative. While control circuitry  14  is shown separately from wireless circuitry  24  in the example of  FIG.  1    for the sake of clarity, wireless circuitry  24  may include processing circuitry that forms a part of processing circuitry  18  and/or storage circuitry that forms a part of storage circuitry  16  of control circuitry  14  (e.g., portions of control circuitry  14  may be implemented on wireless circuitry  24 ). As an example, some or all of the baseband circuitry in communications circuitry  26  may form a part of control circuitry  14 . The baseband processor circuitry may, for example, access a communication protocol stack on control circuitry  14  (e.g., storage circuitry  20 ) to: perform user plane functions at a PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, SDAP layer, and/or PDU layer, and/or to perform control plane functions at the PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, RRC, layer, and/or non-access stratum layer. If desired, the PHY layer operations may additionally or alternatively be performed by radio-frequency (RF) interface circuitry in wireless circuitry  24 . In addition, wireless circuitry  24  may include any desired number of antennas  40 . Each antenna  40  may be coupled to communications circuitry  26  over dedicated transmit and/or receive paths or over one or more transmit and/or receive paths that are shared between antennas. Communications circuitry  26  may convey wireless communications data without performing spatial ranging operations (e.g., the long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  may be omitted) or communications circuitry  26  may perform spatial ranging operations without conveying wireless communications data. 
     The long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  may be used to accurately identify range R when external object  46  is at relatively far distances from device  10 . However, in practice, the long range spatial ranging circuitry exhibits a blind spot to nearby external objects at distances less than threshold range R TH  (e.g., around 1-2 cm) from device  10 . When external object  46  is located within this blind spot (e.g., within threshold range R TH  from transmit antenna  40 TX), the long range spatial ranging circuitry may be unable to identify the presence, location, and/or velocity of external object  46  with a satisfactory level of accuracy. External objects  46  within threshold range R TH  of antenna(s)  40  may be exposed to relatively high amounts of radio-frequency energy (e.g., from the radio-frequency signals  38  and/or  42  that are transmitted by antenna(s)  40 ). In scenarios where external object  46  is a body part or person, if care is not taken, this transmitted radio-frequency energy may cause wireless circuitry  24  to exceed regulatory limits or other limits on specific absorption rate (SAR) (e.g., when the transmitted signals are at frequencies below 6 GHz) and/or maximum permissible exposure (MPE) (e.g., when the transmitted signals are at frequencies above 6 GHz). In order to detect the presence of external object  46  within threshold range R TH  from antenna(s)  40 , wireless circuitry  24  may include an ultra-short range (USR) object detector such as USR detector  30 . USR detector  30  may serve to detect external object  46  at ultra-short ranges (e.g., at ranges within threshold range R TH  from antenna(s)  40 ). In other words, USR detector  30  may perform external object detection within the blind spot of the long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26 . 
     USR detector  30  may include two or more voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) sensors (detectors) such as VSWR sensors  32 . Each VSWR sensor  32  may be interposed on a respective transmit path  34 . Each VSWR sensor  32  may gather VSWR values using the antenna  40  coupled to its respective transmit path  34 . The VSWR values may include complex scattering parameter values (S-parameter values) such as reflection coefficient (return loss) values (e.g., S 11  values). The magnitude of the S 11  values (e.g., |S 11 | values) may be indicative of the amount of transmitted radio-frequency energy that is reflected in a reverse direction along the transmit path (e.g., in response to the presence of external object  46  at or adjacent to the corresponding antenna  40 ). The VSWR values gathered by each VSWR sensor  32  may be insensitive to situations where external object  46  is located at distances greater than threshold range R TH  from antenna(s)  40 . However, the VSWR values gathered by VSWR sensors  32  may allow control circuitry  14  to identify when external object  46  is located within threshold range R TH  from two or more of the antennas  40  in wireless circuitry  24  (e.g., within the blind spot of the long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26 ). 
     In this way, USR detector  30  and the long range spatial ranging circuitry may identify the presence of external object  46  and optionally the range R to external object  46 , regardless of whether external object  46  has moved to a position that is relatively close or relatively far from device  10  over time. In addition, USR detector  30  may identify the presence of external object  46  within the blind spot of the long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  so that suitable action can be taken to ensure that wireless circuitry  24  continues to satisfy any applicable SAR and/or MPE regulations. By using the same antenna(s)  40  to both transmit radio-frequency signals  38 / 42  and measure VSWR, the VSWR measurements will be very closely correlated with the amount of radio-frequency energy absorbed by external object  46  from the transmitted radio-frequency signals  38 / 42 , thereby providing high confidence in the use of USR detector  30  for meeting any applicable SAR and/or MPE regulations (e.g., greater confidence than in scenarios where proximity sensors that are separate from the transmit antenna or transmit chain are used to identify the presence of external objects within threshold range R TH  of device  10 ). 
     In the example of  FIG.  1   , two antennas  40  are illustrated as being communicable coupled to respective VSWR sensors  32  in USR detector  30 . In general, a set of any desired number N of two or more antennas  40  may be communicably coupled to a respective VSWR sensor  32  (e.g., VSWR sensors  32  may be disposed/interposed on any desired number of two or more of the transmit paths  34  in wireless circuitry  24 ). All of the antennas  40  may have a corresponding VSWR sensor  32  or only a subset of the antennas  40  may have a corresponding VSWR sensor  32 . By using more than one antenna  40  to gather (perform) VSWR measurements, control circuitry  14  may process the VSWR measurements to identify the range R between external object  46  and each antenna  40  having a VSWR sensor  32 . Control circuitry  14  may process the range R between external object  46  and each of the antennas  40  having a VSWR sensor  32  to identify the location (e.g., the angular location) of external object  46  relative to a surface of device  10 . Control circuitry  14  may use the identified angular location of external object  46  to perform any desired processing tasks, such as to perform beam steering using a phased antenna array of antennas  40  (e.g., to steer around external object  46 ), to identify a user input or gesture corresponding to the angular location of external object  46 , to adjust the maximum transmit power level for one or more antennas  40 , etc. 
       FIG.  2    is a circuit diagram of one of the VSWR sensors  32  in wireless circuitry  24  disposed on a corresponding transmit path  34 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , transmit path  34  may include a power amplifier (PA) such as PA  96 . The input of PA  96  may be coupled to communications circuitry  26  of  FIG.  1   . The output of PA  96  may be coupled to a corresponding antenna  40  via a switch such as antenna switch  94 . The output of PA  96  may also be coupled to matched load  88  via a switch such as matched load switch  90 . Matched load  88  may be coupled in series between matched load switch  90  and ground  82 . Matched load  88 , matched load switch  90 , and/or antenna switch  94  may be omitted if desired. 
     In the example of  FIG.  2   , VSWR sensor  32  is a directional switch coupler. This is merely illustrative and, in general, VSWR sensor  32  may be implemented using any desired VSWR sensor architecture. As shown in  FIG.  2   , VSWR sensor  32  may include directional coupler  72  interposed on transmit path  34  between PA  96  and antenna  40  (e.g., along a radio-frequency transmission line in transmit path  34  coupled between the output of PA  96  and antenna  40 ). Directional coupler  72  may have a first port (P 1 ) coupled to the output of PA  96  and a second port (P 2 ) communicably coupled to antenna  40 . Directional coupler  72  may have a third port (P 3 ) coupled to a first termination that includes resistor  84  coupled in series between termination switch  78  and ground  82 . Directional coupler  72  may also have a fourth port (P 4 ) coupled to a second termination that includes resistor  86  coupled in series between termination switch  80  and ground  82 . VSWR sensor  32  may have a forward (FW) switch  74  coupled between port P 3  and measurement circuitry  70  (e.g., an amplitude and/or phase detector). VSWR sensor  32  may also have a reverse (RW) switch  76  coupled between port P 4  and measurement circuitry  70 . 
     Measurement circuitry  70  may have a control path coupled to other components in USR detector  30  or control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) and/or some or all of measurement circuitry  70  may form a part of control circuitry  14  (e.g., the operations of some or all of measurement circuitry  70  may be performed using one or more processors). Measurement circuitry  70  may include, for example, a power detector such as power detector  98 , an in-phase and quadrature-phase (I/Q) detector (e.g., an ADC), logic such as comparator/logic  102  (e.g., one or more logic gates, etc.), and/or memory such as memory  104 . Memory  104  may form a part of storage circuitry  16  of  FIG.  1   , for example. If desired, I/Q detector  100  may be formed from one or more ADCs in one of the receive paths  36  of wireless circuitry  24  ( FIG.  1   ). 
     When gathering (performing) VSWR measurements (e.g., S-parameter values such as S 11  values), PA  96  may output a transmit test signal sigtx (e.g., while antenna switch  94  is closed). Test signal sigtx may be a radar transmit signal transmitted by long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  (e.g., radio-frequency signals  42  of  FIG.  1   ), a wireless communications data transmit signal transmitted by communications circuitry  26  (e.g., radio-frequency signals  38  of  FIG.  1   ), or a dedicated test signal for use in VSWR measurement (e.g., one or more tones transmitted by a signal generator, local oscillator, and/or other signal generation circuitry in USR detector  30  of  FIG.  1   ). For example, a sequential signal generator  108  may be used to generate test signal sigtx. Sequential signal generator  108  may be a part of the long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  (e.g., test signal sigtx may be a continuous wave or wideband that can also be used in performing long range spatial ranging operations), may be a part of a transceiver in communications circuitry  26  that transmits wireless communications data (e.g., test signal sigtx may also carry wireless communications data), or may be formed as a part of USR detector  30  that is separate from communications circuitry  26 . Additionally or alternatively, a simple local oscillator such as local oscillator (LO)  106  may generate test signal sigtx. 
     In performing VSWR measurements, VSWR sensor  32  may perform forward path measurements and reverse path measurements using transmit signal sigtx. When performing forward path measurements, FW switch  74  is closed, RW switch  76  is open, switch  80  is closed, and switch  78  is open so that test signal sigtx is coupled off from transmit path  34  by directional coupler  72  and routed to measurement circuitry  70  through FW switch  74 . Measurement circuitry  70  may measure and store the amplitude (magnitude) and/or phase of test signal sigtx for further processing (e.g., as a forward signal phase and magnitude measurement). For example, power detector  98  (e.g., a peak detector, diode and capacitor, etc.) may measure the magnitude of test signal sigtx and may store the magnitude on memory  104 . As another example, I/Q detector  100  may make I/Q measurements for the forward path that are stored on memory  104 . 
     At least some of test signal sigtx will reflect off of antenna  40  (e.g., due to impedance discontinuities between transmit path  34  and antenna  40 , subject to impedance loading from any external objects at or adjacent to antenna  40 ) and back towards PA  96  as reflected test signal sigtx′. When performing reverse path measurements, FW switch  74  is open, RW switch  76  is closed, switch  80  is open, and switch  78  is closed so that reflected test signal sigtx′ is coupled off of transmit path  34  by directional coupler  72  and routed to measurement circuitry  70  through RW switch  76 . Measurement circuitry  70  (e.g., power detector  98  or I/Q detector  100 ) may measure and store the amplitude (magnitude) and/or phase of reflected test signal sigtx′ for further processing (e.g., as a reverse signal phase and magnitude measurement). 
     Comparator/logic  102  and/or control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may process the stored forward and reverse phase and magnitude measurements to identify complex scattering parameter values such as S 11  values. The S 11  values are characterized by a scalar magnitude |S 11 | and a corresponding phase. In this way, VSWR sensor  32  may measure VSWR values (e.g., S 11  values, |S 11 | values, etc.) that can be used to determine when external object  46  is located at a range R that is less than or equal to threshold range R TH . Long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  ( FIG.  1   ) may also use antenna  40  to identify range R when external object  46  is located at a range R that is beyond threshold range R TH  from antenna  40 . 
     If desired, control circuitry  14  may compare the VSWR measurements to one or more threshold values to identify range R.  FIG.  3    is a plot showing how VSWR measurements made by VSWR sensor  32  may be compared to multiple threshold values to identify range R between external object  46  and the corresponding antenna  40 . Curve  110  plots the magnitude of reflection S-parameter Si (i.e., |S 11 |) as a function of frequency in the absence of external object  46  within threshold range R TH . As shown by curve  110 , in the absence of external object  46 , |S 11 | may have a relatively high value across a frequency band of interest B. 
     Curve  112  plots |S 11 | as a function of frequency when external object  46  is within threshold range R TH  from antenna  40 . As shown by curve  112 , |S 11 | may have a relatively low value across frequency band B due to the presence of external object  46 . In general, once external object  46  is within threshold range R TH , |S 11 | will continue to decrease, as shown by arrow  114 , as the object approaches the corresponding antenna  40 . Control circuitry  14  may gather VSWR values using VSWR sensor  32  (e.g., |S 11 | values such as those shown by curves  110  and  112 ) and may process the gathered VSWR values to identify range R when external object  46  is within threshold range R TH  (e.g., by comparing the gathered |S 11 | values to one or more threshold levels TH). 
     For example, when the measured |S 11 | value is less than a first threshold TH 0 , control circuitry  14  may determine (e.g., identify, deduce, estimate, etc.) that external object  46  is located at a first range R from antenna  40  (e.g., within threshold range R TH ), when the measured |S 11 | is value less than a second threshold TH 1 , control circuitry  14  may determine that external object  46  is located at a second range R from antenna  40  that is closer than the first range, when the measured |S 11 | value is less than a third threshold TH 2 , control circuitry  14  may determine that external object  46  is located at a third range R from antenna  40  that is closer than the second range, etc. Beyond threshold range R TH , |S 11 | will exhibit no change or a negligible change in response to changes in distance between antenna  40  and external object  46 . At these relatively far distances, the long range spatial ranging circuitry in communications circuitry  26  ( FIG.  1   ) may be used to detect the presence, position (e.g., range R), and/or velocity of external object  46 . 
     The example of  FIG.  3    in which control circuitry  14  identifies the range R between a given antenna  40  and external object  46  based on the magnitude of the VSWR measurements (e.g., |S 11 | measurements) performed using that antenna  40  is merely illustrative. Additionally or alternatively, control circuitry  14  may identify range R based on the phase of the S 11  measurements. Additionally or alternatively, control circuitry  14  may identify range R based on variations in the VSWR measurements over time. 
       FIG.  4    is a plot of different reflection coefficient (return loss) magnitude measurements (|S 11 | values) that may be made by a given VSWR sensor  32  as a function of time in the presence an external object  46  at different distances (ranges R) from the corresponding antenna  40 . Points  116  of  FIG.  4    illustrate |S 11 | measurements that may be made by VSWR sensor  32  at sampling times T 0 -T 3  in the presence of an external object (e.g., an animate object) at a first range R from antenna  40  (e.g., within threshold range R TH ). The external object may be, for example, a body part such as a hand, finger, or head. As shown by points  116 , there is a relatively high amount of variation in |S 11 | as a function of time in the presence of the external object at the first range R from antenna  40  (e.g., due to minute movements of the external object relative to static/inanimate objects such as a removable device case). Points  118  illustrate |S 11 | measurements that may be made by VSWR sensor  32  at times T 0 -T 3  in the presence of the external object at a second range R from antenna  40  that is closer than the first range. As shown by points  118 , there is even more variation in |S 11 | as a function of time in the presence of the external object at the second range R from antenna  40  (e.g., because minute movements of the external object produce a greater variation in the impedance loading of antenna  40  and thus the gathered VSWR measurements at closer ranges). 
     Control circuitry  14  may identify (e.g., detect, produce, compute, calculate, estimate, etc.) variations in the |S 11 | measurements over time to identify the range between antenna  40  and the external object (e.g., by comparing the identified variation to one or more threshold variation levels). Control circuitry  14  may perform range detection in this way based on any desired metric for the variation of VSWR (e.g., |S 11 |) measurements over time. For example, control circuitry  14  may perform range detection based on the difference between the maximum |S 11 | value and the minimum |S 11 | value measured at each of the sampling times. For points  116 , control circuitry  14  may identify (e.g., compute, calculate, generate, determine, etc.) a first difference value Δ 1  that is equal to the difference between the maximum |S 11 | value B of points  116  (e.g., as measured at time T 1 ) and the minimum |S 11 | value C of points  116  (e.g., as measured at time T 2 ). Similarly, for points  118 , control circuitry  14  may identify a second difference value Δ 2  that is equal to the difference between the maximum |S 11 | value A of points  116  (e.g., as measured at time T 1 ) and the minimum |S 11 | value D of points  118  (e.g., as measured at time T 0 ). Difference value Δ 2  is greater than distance value Δ 1  and is therefore indicative of external object  46  being located at a closer range to antenna  40  than when distance value Δ 1  is measured. 
     The example of  FIG.  4    is merely illustrative. Points  116  and  118  may have other values in practice. In the example of  FIG.  4   , four sampling times T 0 -T 3  are used to identify variations in |S 11 | for performing animate object detection. This is merely illustrative and, in general, any desired number of sampling times may be used to identify variations in |S 11 | for performing animate object detection. Each sampling time may be separated by 10 ms, 20 ms, 1-20 ms, more than 20 ms, 10-50 ms, or any other desired period. The sampling times need not be evenly spaced. 
     Curve  120  of  FIG.  5    shows one example of how variation in IS may be correlated with the range between external object  46  and antenna  40 . If desired, control circuitry  14  may compare the identified variation in the VSWR measurements (e.g., difference value Δ) to curve  120  to identify the corresponding range R between external object  46  and antenna  40 . As shown by curve  120 , control circuitry  14  may determine that external object  46  is located at first range R 1  when difference value Δ 1  is measured (e.g., by identifying the horizontal coordinate on curve  120  corresponding to difference value Δ 1 ) and may determine that that external object  46  is located at second range R 2  when difference value Δ 2  is measured. This is merely illustrative and, if desired, control circuitry  14  may identify range R by comparing the measured difference value Δ to one or more threshold difference values, by comparing difference value Δ to entries in a lookup table, database, or other data structure, etc. Curve  120  may be stored on device  10  (e.g., during factory calibration, manufacture, assembly, testing, etc.). The example of  FIG.  5    is merely illustrative and, in practice, curve  120  may have other shapes. 
     The example of  FIGS.  4  and  5    is merely illustrative and, in general, control circuitry  14  may identify any desired metric of variance in |S 11 | for comparison to one or more threshold values in identifying the range R between external object  46  and antenna  40 . As other examples, control circuitry  14  may identify the mean and variance of the |S 11 | measurements over time, the rate of change of |S 11 | measurements over time, and/or any other desired variation metrics for comparison to one or more threshold values for identifying range R. 
     In summary, control circuitry  14  may use VSWR measurements (e.g., |S 11 | values) measured using VSWR sensor  32  or variations in the VSWR measurements (e.g., variations in the |S 11 | values over time) gathered/performed using VSWR sensor  32  to detect (e.g., identify, determine, estimate, compute, calculate, deduce, etc.) the range R between external object  46  and the corresponding antenna  40 . Control circuitry  14  may process the range R between external object  46  and each antenna  40  in the set of N antennas  40  having a corresponding VSWR sensor  32  to identify the angular location of external object  46 . 
       FIG.  6    illustrates one example of how the angular location of external object  46  may be defined. External object  46  is illustrated as a human finger herein as an example. This is merely illustrative and, in general, external object  46  may be other body parts of the user of device  10 , other humans or animals, furniture, walls, ceilings, the ground, a peripheral device or accessory such as a gaming controller, user interface/input device, or headset, and/or any other object external to device  10 . 
     In the example of  FIG.  6   , the control circuitry on device  10  (e.g., control circuitry  14  of  FIG.  1   ) uses a spherical coordinate system to determine the location and orientation of external object  46  relative to a (lateral) surface  122  of device  10 . Surface  122  may, for example, be a surface of a housing wall for device  10  (e.g., housing  12  of  FIG.  1   ), a surface of a cover layer for device  10  (e.g., a dielectric cover layer), a surface of a display on or mounted to the housing, the surface of an antenna module on or within device  10 , or any other desired surface on, at, or within device  10 . Surface  122  need not be planar. 
     In this type of coordinate system, control circuitry  14  may process the range R between two or more antennas  40  (e.g., as identified using VSWR measurements gathered using the two or more antennas as described above in connection with  FIGS.  2 - 5   ) to determine (e.g., calculate, compute, detect, estimate, deduce, generate, etc.) an azimuth angle θ and/or an elevation angle φ that characterize (identify) the angular location of external object  46  relative to a point P on surface  122  (or some other reference surface). When viewed in the −Z direction, point P may be laterally located between two or more of the antennas  40  in device  10  having a corresponding VSWR sensor  32  (for example). 
     In identifying the angular location of external object  46  (e.g., a spherical coordinate value (θ, φ), sometimes referred to herein as angle-of-arrival), control circuitry  14  may define a reference plane at lateral surface  122  and a reference vector such as reference vector  126 . Reference vector  126  may lie within the reference plane (e.g., lateral surface  122 ). 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , external object  46  may be separated from point P by range R (e.g., where range R is the magnitude of a positional vector extending from point P to external object  46 ). The elevation angle φ (sometimes referred to as altitude) of external object  46  may be measured as the angle between the positional vector extending from point P to external object  46  and the reference plane (e.g., lateral surface  122 ). The azimuth angle θ of external object  46  may be measured as the angle of external object  46  around the reference plane (e.g., the angle between reference vector  126  and vector  128 , which is the horizontal projection of the positional vector extending from point P to external object  46  within the reference plane). In the example of  FIG.  6   , the azimuth angle θ and elevation angle φ of external object  46  are each greater than 0°. 
     If desired, other axes may be used to define reference vector  126  (e.g., reference vector  126  may point in any direction). Other angles may be used to characterize the angular location of external object  46  (e.g., the angle between the normal vector (axis)  124  of surface  122  and the positional vector extending from point P to external object  46 , which is equal to 90°−φ, other angles, etc.). The example of  FIG.  6    in which the angular position of external object  46  is characterized using spherical coordinates (e.g., as an angular position (θ, φ)) is merely illustrative. In general, control circuitry  14  may characterize or identify the angular location of external object  46  using any desired coordinate system (e.g., rectangular/Cartesian coordinates, polar coordinates, cylindrical coordinates, other coordinate systems, etc.) about any desired reference axes. The reference plane may be arbitrarily selected if desired and need not coincide with the presence of a surface of device  10  such as surface  122 . 
       FIG.  7    is a flow chart of illustrative operations that may be performed by device  10  to identify the angular location of external object  46  using VSWR values gathered using multiple antennas  40  on device  10  (e.g., a set of N antennas  40  each having a respective VSWR sensor  32  communicatively coupled thereto along a respective transmit path  34 ). The number N may be two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more than eight, as examples. Each of the N antennas  40  may be disposed at different points on/across device  10 . 
     At operation  130 , control circuitry  14  may control wireless circuitry  24  to transmit test signals sigtx ( FIG.  2   ) over each of the N antennas  40 . Test signals sigtx may be transmitted over each of the N antennas  40  concurrently (e.g., simultaneously) or sequentially (in series). Test signals sigtx may be transmitted at a single carrier frequency or over a range/sweep of frequencies. The N antennas  40  may begin transmitting test signals sigtx once one or more of the VSWR sensors  32  has already detected that external object  46  has passed within threshold range R TH  of the corresponding antenna  40  or in response to any desired trigger condition (e.g., an application or software call on control circuitry  14 , once VSWR measurements such as IS  11 I measurements reach a predetermined threshold value, etc.). 
     As another example, the control circuitry  14  may perform operation  130  once device  10  has determined that gathered wireless performance metric data has fallen outside of a predetermined range. In this example, wireless circuitry  24  may gather wireless performance metric data associated with the radio-frequency performance of antenna(s)  40 . The wireless performance metric data may include signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) data, receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) data, or any other desired performance metric data gathered during the transmission of radio-frequency signals  38 , the transmission of radio-frequency signals  42 , the reception of radio-frequency signals  38 , and/or the reception of reflected signals  44  of  FIG.  1   , for example. Control circuitry  14  may compare the gathered wireless performance metric data with a predetermined range of wireless performance metric values associated with satisfactory radio-frequency performance and/or the operation of wireless circuitry  24  in the absence of external objects within threshold range R TH  (e.g., a predetermined range of satisfactory RSSI values, SNR values, etc.). The predetermined range of wireless performance metric values may be characterized by an upper threshold limit or value and/or a lower threshold limit or value. 
     In this example, the wireless performance metric data may serve as a coarse indicator for whether external object  46  is within threshold range R TH . For example, if external object  46  is within range R TH , external object  46  may partially block or cover one or more antennas  40  (thereby preventing the antenna from properly receiving radio-frequency signals), may undesirably load or detune one or more antennas  40  in device  10 , etc. When the gathered wireless performance metric data falls outside of the predetermined range, this may be indicative of the potential presence of external object  46  within threshold range R TH . However, when the gathered wireless performance metric data falls within the predetermined range, this may indicate that it is very unlikely that there is an external object present within threshold range R TH  (e.g., because wireless circuitry  24  is performing nominally as expected in the absence of an external object within threshold range R TH ). If the gathered wireless performance metric data falls within the predetermined range (thereby indicating that there is no external object within threshold range R TH ), VSWR sensor(s)  32  may gather background VSWR measurements for performing background cancellation if desired. In general, operation  130  may be performed in response to any desired trigger condition. 
     At operation  132 , control circuitry  14  may use the respective VSWR sensor  32  (e.g., measurement circuitry  70  of  FIG.  2   ) coupled to each of the N antennas  40  to perform at least N VSWR measurements (e.g., S 11  values, |S 11 | values, time-variations in the |S 11 | values such as difference values Δ of  FIGS.  4  and  5   , etc.) for each of the N antennas  40  using the transmitted test signals sigtx. Control circuitry  14  may perform the VSWR measurements for each of the N antennas  40  concurrently (e.g., when the N antennas  40  transmit test signals sigtx concurrently) or sequentially (e.g., when the N antennas  40  transmit test signals sequentially). Operation  132  may, for example, be performed concurrently with operation  130 . In examples where the VSWR measurements are performed sequentially, two or more (e.g., all) of the N antennas  40  may share a single transmit path  34  and VSWR sensor  32  if desired. 
     At operation  134 , control circuitry  14  may process the VSWR measurements for each of the N antennas  40  to identify (e.g., determine, detect, estimate, calculate, compute, deduce, etc.) the respective range R between each of the N antennas  40  and external object  46 . Control circuitry  14  may identify ranges R by comparing the VSWR measurements to one or more threshold values. For example, control circuitry  14  may identify ranges R by comparing IS values gathered using each of the N antennas  40  to threshold values TH of  FIG.  3   , by comparing difference values Δ of  FIG.  4    to one or more threshold values or to curve  120  of  FIG.  5   , by comparing the phases of the VSWR measurements to one or more threshold values, etc. Control circuitry  14  need not use the same method to calculate VSWR for each of the N antennas  40  (e.g., control circuitry  14  may identify range R using variations in the VSWR measurements over time for some of the N antennas  40  while identifying range R using |S 11 | values for others of the N antennas  40 , etc.). 
     If desired, control circuitry  14  may identify range R while also performing VSWR background cancellation. For example, control circuitry  14  may use the VSWR sensor(s)  32  to gather background VSWR measurements in the absence of other external objects within threshold range R TH  from the corresponding antenna(s)  40  (e.g., where the background VSWR measurements also take into account the presence of the removable device case). Control circuitry  14  may then use the background VSWR measurements to perform background cancellation on subsequent VSWR measurements (e.g., as performed at operation  132 ) that are gathered in the presence of external object  46  within threshold range R TH  (e.g., by subtracting the background VSWR measurements from the subsequent VSWR measurements). 
     At operation  136 , control circuitry  14  may process each of the N identified ranges R (e.g., the range R identified between each of the N antennas  40  and external object  46 ) to identify (e.g., determine, calculate, estimate, deduce, generate, triangulate, resolve, etc.) the angular location of external object  46  relative to surface  122  of device  10  ( FIG.  6   ) or any other desired reference plane. Control circuitry  14  may identify the angular location of external object  46  (e.g., a point (θ, φ) in spherical coordinates or any other desired coordinate system) by performing geometric calculations based on (using) the identified ranges R between the N antennas  40  and external object  46  and the known (predetermined) separation/spacing between each of the N antennas. Each range R may, for example, be the radius of a sphere of potential locations for device  10  centered on the corresponding antenna  40 . Control circuitry  14  may identify the location of external object  46  as the location/point where each of the N spheres intersect in space. Control circuitry  14  may then identify the angular location of external object  46  as the angle of a vector extending from any desired point on lateral surface  122  (e.g., point P of  FIG.  6   ) to the location/point where each of the N spheres intersect in space (e.g., angles relative to any desired vectors such as vectors  126 ,  128 , and/or  124  of  FIG.  6    or other vectors and in any desired coordinate system). In spherical coordinates, this angle may be characterized by a spherical point (θ, φ), for example. Additionally or alternatively, control circuitry  14  may identify the angular location using a lookup table, database, or other data structure that maps different range values R for each of the N antennas to different angular locations for external object  46  (in any desired angular coordinate system about any desired reference points or reference vectors). The lookup table, database, or other data structure may be populated during design, manufacture, assembly, testing, or calibration of device  10  and/or may be populated/updated during operation of device  10  by an end user. 
     At operation  138 , control circuitry  14  may perform any desired processing operations based on the identified angular location of external object  46 . For example, at operation  140 , control circuitry  14  may adjust the transmit power level or maximum transmit power level of one or more of the antennas  40  on device  10  based on the angular location of external object  46  (e.g., control circuitry  14  may increase the transmit power level or the maximum transmit power level of antennas  40  that are relatively far from external object  46  and/or may decrease the transmit power level or maximum transmit power level of antennas  40  that are relatively close to external object  46 ). If desired, control circuitry  14  may disable or activate antennas  40  based on the identified angular location (e.g., control circuitry  14  may switch antennas  40  that are too close to external object  46  out of use). These techniques may, for example, help to ensure that device  10  continues to satisfy regulatory limits on radio-frequency energy exposure (e.g., SAR/MPE limits). 
     As another example, at operation  142 , control circuitry  14  may adjust the angle of a signal beam produced by a phased antenna array of the antennas  40  in device  10  (e.g., the N antennas  40  used to gather VSWR measurements and/or other antennas  40 ) based on the identified angular location of external object  46 . For example, control circuitry  14  may adjust (steer) the signal beam around the identified angular location (e.g., to point the signal beam in a different angle than the identified angular location). This may prevent the signal beam from overlapping the external object, thereby helping device  10  to satisfy regulatory limits on radio-frequency energy exposure while also allowing device  10  to continue to perform wireless operations over the signal beam without the external object blocking the signal beam. 
     As yet another example, at operation  144 , control circuitry  14  may identify a user input action such as a gesture action based on the identified angular location. Control circuitry  14  may identify a particular user input or gesture corresponding to the identified angular location and/or corresponding to particular changes in angular location of external object  46  over time (e.g., over multiple iterations of operations  130 - 136  of  FIG.  7   ). The user input or gesture may, for example, form a user input used by software applications running on device  10  to perform any desired processing tasks, operations, or functions. The gestures may, for example, be used to control, perform, or coordinate on-screen actions displayed on a display for device  10  using the software applications. 
     The example of  FIG.  7    is merely illustrative. Operations  140 ,  142 , and/or  144  may be omitted. Control circuitry  14  may perform any other desired processing operations or device functions based on the identified angular location of external object  46  and/or the identified angular location of external object  46  over time (e.g., over multiple iterations of the operations of  FIG.  7   ). 
       FIG.  8    is a top view showing one example of how N=4 antennas  40  may be used to identify the angular location of external object  46 . In the example of  FIG.  8   , antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and  40 - 4  may each be coupled to a respective transmit path  34  having a respective VSWR sensor  32 . In examples where the N antennas gather VSWR measurements sequentially, two or more of the antennas may share a single transmit path  34  and VSWR sensor  32 . Antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and/or  40 - 4  may also be used to convey wireless communications data and/or to perform long range spatial ranging for communications circuitry  26  of  FIG.  1   . If desired, some or all of antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and  40 - 4  may form part of a phased antenna array (e.g., antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and  40 - 4  may be a four-element phased antenna array). 
     As shown in  FIG.  8   , antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and  40 - 4  may be formed on or within a substrate such as substrate  146 . Substrate  146  may be a printed circuit such as a rigid printed circuit board or flexible printed circuit, may be a plastic, ceramic, or glass substrate, may be a housing wall or cover layer for device  10 , may be a portion of a display for device  10 , or may be any other desired dielectric material. This example is merely illustrative and, if desired, each antenna may be disposed on a respective substrate  146 , the antennas may be divided between two or more substrates  146 , or one or more of the antennas may be disposed in device  10  without a substrate. The uppermost surface of substrate  146  may, for example, form surface  122  of  FIG.  6   . 
     During angular detection operations, antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and  40 - 4  may each transmit test signals sigtx (e.g., while processing operation  130  of  FIG.  7   ). The VSWR sensor(s)  32  coupled to antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and  40 - 4  may perform VSWR measurements using the test signals sigtx transmitted by each of the antennas (e.g., while processing operation  132  of  FIG.  7   ). Control circuitry  14  may process the VSWR measurement(s) performed using antenna  40 - 1  to identify the range R 1  between antenna  40 - 1  and external object  46 , may process the VSWR measurement(s) performed using antenna  40 - 2  to identify the range R 2  between antenna  40 - 2  and external object  46 , may process the VSWR measurement(s) performed using antenna  40 - 3  to identify the range R 3  between antenna  40 - 3  and external object  46 , and may process the VSWR measurement(s) performed using antenna  40 - 4  to identify the range R 4  between antenna  40 - 4  and external object  46 . 
     The top view of  FIG.  8    shows the lateral projections of ranges R 1 -R 4  in the X-Y plane.  FIG.  9    is a side view of the antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and  40 - 4  on substrate  146  (e.g., as taken in the direction of arrow  148  of  FIG.  8   ).  FIG.  9    shows the projections of ranges R 1 -R 4  in the X-Z plane (e.g., ranges R 1 -R 4  may be the magnitudes of three-dimensional position vectors extending from antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and  40 - 4  to external object  46 , respectively). Range R 1  may correspond to the radius of a sphere of potential locations for external object  46  that is centered on antenna  40 - 1 . Range R 2  may correspond to the radius of a sphere of potential locations for external object  46  that is centered on antenna  40 - 2 . Range R 3  may correspond to the radius of a sphere of potential locations for external object  46  that is centered on antenna  40 - 3 . Range R 4  may correspond to the radius of a sphere of potential locations for external object  46  that is centered on antenna  40 - 4 . 
     Control circuitry  14  may process ranges R 1 -R 4  to identify the angular location of external object  46  while processing operation  136  of  FIG.  7    (e.g., by identifying the angular position of the point/location where each of the spheres corresponding to ranges R 1 -R 4  intersect, by comparing ranges R 1 -R 4  to a lookup table of angular locations, etc.). For example, control circuitry  14  may identify the angle θ at point P to external object  46  relative to reference vector  126  ( FIG.  8   ) and the angle φ at point P to external object  46  relative to the lateral surface of substrate  146  (e.g., lateral surface  122  of  FIG.  6   ) in spherical coordinates. Point P may be located between (e.g., equidistant from) antennas  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 ,  40 - 3 , and  40 - 4  or may be at any other desired location on the lateral surface of substrate  146 . This is merely illustrative and, in general, control circuitry  14  may identify the angular location of external object  46  using any desired coordinate system and with respect to any desired location (e.g., point P) on device  10 . The example of  FIGS.  8  and  9    in which N=4 antennas  40  are used to identify the angular location of external object  46  is merely illustrative and, in general, N may have other values greater than two. The N antennas may be arranged in any desired pattern (e.g., in a two-dimensional array pattern, a one-dimensional array pattern, a pattern of concentric rings, etc.) and may be formed using any desired type of antenna resonating elements. 
       FIG.  10    is a side view showing how the angular location of external object  46  may be used to perform beam steering operations (e.g., while processing operation  142  of  FIG.  7   ). As shown in  FIG.  10   , device  10  may include a phased antenna array  156  (sometimes referred to herein as array  156 , antenna array  156 , or array  156  of antennas  40 ). Phased antenna array  156  may include M antennas  40  such as a first antenna  40 - 1 , an Mth antenna  40 -M, etc. The antennas in phased antenna array  156  may be disposed on substrate  146 , on another substrate, or may be distributed across two or more substrates. Phased antenna array  156  may be coupled to radio-frequency transmission line paths  150  (e.g., radio-frequency transmission line paths used to form transmit path(s)  34  and/or receive path(s)  36  of  FIG.  1   ). For example, a first antenna  40 - 1  in phased antenna array  156  may be coupled to a first radio-frequency transmission line path  150 - 1 , an Mth antenna  40 -M in phased antenna array  156  may be coupled to an Mth radio-frequency transmission line path  150 -M, etc. Some, none, or all of the M antennas in phased antenna array  40  may be among the N antennas  40  used to identify the angular location of external object  46 . While antennas  40  are described herein as forming a phased antenna array, the antennas  40  in phased antenna array  156  may sometimes also be referred to as collectively forming a single phased array antenna (e.g., where each antenna  40  in the phased array antenna forms an antenna element or radiator of the phased array antenna). 
     Radio-frequency transmission line paths  150  may each be coupled to transceiver circuitry such as a 5G NR transceiver in communications circuitry  26  of  FIG.  1   . Each radio-frequency transmission line path  150  may include one or more radio-frequency transmission lines, a positive signal conductor, and a ground signal conductor. The positive signal conductor may be coupled to a positive antenna feed terminal on an antenna resonating element of the corresponding antenna  40 . The ground signal conductor may be coupled to a ground antenna feed terminal on an antenna ground for the corresponding antenna  40 . 
     The antennas  40  in phased antenna array  156  may be arranged in any desired number of rows and columns or in any other desired pattern (e.g., the antennas need not be arranged in a grid pattern having rows and columns). During signal transmission operations, radio-frequency transmission line paths  150  may be used to supply signals (e.g., radio-frequency signals such as millimeter wave and/or centimeter wave signals) from the transceiver in communications circuitry  26  ( FIG.  1   ) to phased antenna array  156  for wireless transmission. During signal reception operations, radio-frequency transmission line paths  150  may be used to convey signals received at phased antenna array  156  (e.g., from external wireless equipment  28  of  FIG.  1   ) to the transceiver in communications circuitry  26 . 
     The use of multiple antennas  40  in phased antenna array  156  allows radio-frequency beam forming arrangements (sometimes referred to herein as radio-frequency beam steering arrangements) to be implemented by controlling the relative phases and magnitudes (amplitudes) of the radio-frequency signals conveyed by the antennas. In the example of  FIG.  10   , the antennas  40  in phased antenna array  156  each have a corresponding radio-frequency phase and magnitude controller  152  (e.g., a first phase and magnitude controller  152 - 1  interposed on radio-frequency transmission line path  150 - 1  may control phase and magnitude for radio-frequency signals handled by antenna  40 - 1 , an Mth phase and magnitude controller  152 -M interposed on radio-frequency transmission line path  150 -M may control phase and magnitude for radio-frequency signals handled by antenna  40 -M, etc.). 
     Phase and magnitude controllers  152  may each include circuitry for adjusting the phase of the radio-frequency signals on radio-frequency transmission line paths  150  (e.g., phase shifter circuits) and/or circuitry for adjusting the magnitude of the radio-frequency signals on radio-frequency transmission line paths  150  (e.g., power amplifier and/or low noise amplifier circuits). Phase and magnitude controllers  152  may sometimes be referred to collectively herein as beam steering or beam forming circuitry (e.g., beam steering circuitry that steers the beam of radio-frequency signals transmitted and/or received by phased antenna array  156 ). 
     Phase and magnitude controllers  152  may adjust the relative phases and/or magnitudes of the transmitted signals that are provided to each of the antennas in phased antenna array  156  and may adjust the relative phases and/or magnitudes of the received signals that are received by phased antenna array  156 . Phase and magnitude controllers  152  may, if desired, include phase detection circuitry for detecting the phases of the received signals that are received by phased antenna array  156 . The term “beam,” “signal beam,” “radio-frequency beam,” or “radio-frequency signal beam” may be used herein to collectively refer to wireless signals that are transmitted and received by phased antenna array  156  in a particular direction. The signal beam may exhibit a peak gain that is oriented in a particular beam pointing direction at a corresponding beam pointing angle (e.g., based on constructive and destructive interference from the combination of signals from each antenna in the phased antenna array). The term “transmit beam” may sometimes be used herein to refer to radio-frequency signals that are transmitted in a particular direction whereas the term “receive beam” may sometimes be used herein to refer to radio-frequency signals that are received from a particular direction. 
     If, for example, phase and magnitude controllers  152  are adjusted to produce a first set of phases and/or magnitudes for transmitted radio-frequency signals, the transmitted signals will form a transmit beam that is oriented in a first direction such as the direction of external object  46 . If, however, phase and magnitude controllers  152  are adjusted to produce a second set of phases and/or magnitudes for the transmitted signals, the transmitted signals will form a transmit beam as shown by beam  160  that is oriented in direction  158 , which points away from external object  46 . Similarly, if phase and magnitude controllers  152  are adjusted to produce the first set of phases and/or magnitudes, radio-frequency signals (e.g., radio-frequency signals in a receive beam) may be received from the direction external object  46 . If phase and magnitude controllers  152  are adjusted to produce the second set of phases and/or magnitudes, radio-frequency signals may be received from direction  158 , as shown by beam  160 . 
     Each phase and magnitude controller  152  may be controlled to produce a desired phase and/or magnitude based on a corresponding control signal  154  received from control circuitry  14  of  FIG.  1    (e.g., the phase and/or magnitude provided by phase and magnitude controller  152 - 1  may be controlled using control signal  154 - 1 , the phase and/or magnitude provided by phase and magnitude controller  152 -M may be controlled using control signal  154 -M, etc.). If desired, control circuitry  14  may actively adjust control signals  154  in real time to steer the transmit or receive beam in different desired directions (e.g., to different desired beam pointing angles) over time. In the example of  FIG.  10   , beam steering is shown as being performed over a single degree of freedom for the sake of simplicity (e.g., towards the left and right on the page of  FIG.  10   ). However, in practice, the beam may be steered over two or more degrees of freedom (e.g., in three dimensions, into and out of the page and to the left and right on the page of  FIG.  10   ) or in a single degree of freedom (e.g., when the antennas  40  in phased antenna array are arranged in a one-dimensional pattern). Phased antenna array  156  may have a corresponding field of view over which beam steering can be performed (e.g., in a hemisphere or a segment of a hemisphere over the phased antenna array). If desired, device  10  may include multiple phased antenna arrays that each face a different direction to provide coverage from multiple sides of the device. 
     While processing operation  136  of  FIG.  7   , control circuitry  14  may determine that external object  46  is at direction (angular location) J with respect to phased antenna array  156 . While processing operation  142  of  FIG.  7   , control circuitry  14  may adjust phase and magnitude controllers  152  to steer signal beam  160  in direction  158  (e.g., away from direction J) so the signal beam does not overlap external object  46 . This may help to ensure that phased antenna array  156  continues to comply with regulations on RF exposure and/or to ensure that phased antenna array  156  is able to convey wireless communications data and/or perform spatial ranging operations despite the presence of external object  46  in proximity to phased antenna array  156 . 
     If desired, the N antennas  40  used to identify the angular location of external object  46  may be distributed across two or more substrates.  FIG.  11    is a top view of device  10  showing one example of how the N antennas  40  may be distributed across two substrates. 
     As shown in  FIG.  11   , the N antennas  40  used to identify the angular location of external object  46  may include a first set of antennas  40  on a first substrate  146 A and a second set of antennas  40  on a second substrate  146 B disposed within housing  12  of device  10 . The first set of antennas may, for example, be arranged in a one-dimensional pattern on substrate  146 A whereas the second set of antennas are arranged in a one-dimensional pattern on substrate  146 B. Because a single one-dimensional array of antennas may be insufficient to fully resolve ambiguities in the angular location of external object  46 , the second set of antennas  40  on substrate  146 B may be oriented perpendicular to the first set of antennas  40  on substrate  146 A (e.g., the antennas  40  on substrate  146 A may be disposed along a first axis, the antennas  146 B may be disposed along a second axis, and the second axis may be oriented perpendicular to the first axis). The first and the second sets of antennas may then be able to resolve the correct angular location of external object  46 . The first set of antennas  40  and the second set of antennas  40  may radiate through a rear face of device  10  (e.g., a face of device  10  opposite to a display for device  10 ) or may radiate through the front face of device  10 . Substrates  146 A and  146 B may, for example, be sufficiently narrow so as to allow the N antennas distributed across substrate  146 A and  146 B to perform VSWR measurements through an inactive area of a display on the front face of device  10  (e.g., an area of the display that is overlapped by a dielectric cover layer and that is laterally interposed between an active light-emitting area of the display and peripheral conductive housing structures for device  10 ). The first and second sets of antennas may form respective one-dimensional phased antenna arrays  156  if desired. Additionally or alternatively, the N antennas  40  may be disposed in a two-dimensional array pattern on one or more substrates  146 . 
     These examples are merely illustrative. Some or all of the N antennas  40  need not be disposed on substrate  146  or arranged in any array pattern. More generally, the N antennas  40  used to measure the angular location of external object  46  may be distributed across any desired locations on device  10 .  FIG.  12    is a top view showing illustrative locations for distributing some or all of the N antennas  40  used to measure the angular location of external object  46 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  12   , one or more of the N antennas  40  may be located within one or more regions  164  on or within device  10  such as region  164 - 1  at the top-left corner of device  10 , region  164 - 2  at the top-right corner of device  10 , region  164 - 3  at the bottom-left corner of device  10 , region  164 - 4  at the bottom-right corner of device  10 , one or more regions  164 - 5  within a central region of device  10 , and/or one or more regions  164 - 6  laterally interposed between an active area of a display for device  10  and housing  12 . 
     Separating two or more of the N antennas  40  by relatively large distances and increasing the number N of antennas  40  used to perform VSWR measurements may increase the resolution with which control circuitry  14  is able to determine the angular location of external object  46 . Control circuitry  14  may determine the angular location of external object  46  with an angular resolution of as fine as 1-2°, for example. In the example of  FIG.  12   , one or more of the N antennas  40  located in regions  164 - 1 ,  164 - 2 ,  164 - 3 , and  164 - 4  may have radiating elements (e.g., antenna resonating element arms) formed from conductive segments of housing  12  (e.g., peripheral conductive housing structures that run around the lateral periphery of device  10 ) that are separated/defined by dielectric-filled gaps  162  in housing  12 . The antennas formed from conductive portions of housing  12  may also be used to convey cellular telephone data, WLAN data, GPS data, etc. The example of  FIG.  12    is merely illustrative. In general, housing  12  may have any desired shape. 
     The methods and operations described above in connection with  FIGS.  1 - 12    may be performed by the components of device  10  using software, firmware, and/or hardware (e.g., dedicated circuitry or hardware). Software code for performing these operations may be stored on non-transitory computer readable storage media (e.g., tangible computer readable storage media) stored on one or more of the components of device  10  (e.g., storage circuitry  16  of  FIG.  1   ). The software code may sometimes be referred to as software, data, instructions, program instructions, or code. The non-transitory computer readable storage media may include drives, non-volatile memory such as non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM), removable flash drives or other removable media, other types of random-access memory, etc. Software stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media may be executed by processing circuitry on one or more of the components of device  10  (e.g., processing circuitry  18  of  FIG.  1   , etc.). The processing circuitry may include microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs), application-specific integrated circuits with processing circuitry, or other processing circuitry. The components of  FIGS.  1  and  2    may be implemented using hardware (e.g., circuit components, digital logic gates, etc.) and/or using software where applicable. 
     Device  10  may gather and/or use personally identifiable information. It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20210526
Publication Date: 20241231
Grant Date: 20241231
Priority Date: 20210526
Inventors: HUR, JOONHOI
MENKHOFF, ANDREAS
SOGL, BERNHARD
Schrattenecker, Jochen
VAZNY, RASTISLAV
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q3/34", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q3/34", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S7/415", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S13/56", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S13/536", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S7/358", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S13/426", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S7/4013", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S2013/0254", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S13/4454", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S13/36", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S5/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S13/426", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/28", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S3/14", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q3/34", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S13/426", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 84158240