Antenna structure and wireless communication device using same

• US 10,038,234 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2017
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chiun Mai Communication Systems, Inc. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Chiun Mai Communication Systems, Inc. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tseng, Yu-Kai, Huang, Kuo-Lun, Chou, Ming-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): West, Lewis
• Application Number:
  US15/653,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20180026353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/10 Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

An antenna structure includes a housing, a first feed portion, a first ground portion, and a second ground portion. The housing defines a slot, a first groove, and a gap. The housing is divided into a first portion and a second portion by the slot, the first groove, and the gap. The first portion is further divided into a first radiating portion and a second radiating portion by the first feed portion. A first portion of the housing extending from the first feed portion to the first gap forms the first radiating portion. A second portion of the housing extending from the first feed portion to the groove forms the second radiating portion. The second radiating portion is shorter than the second portion. The second portion is shorter than the first radiating portion. The first portion activates a first operation mode and the second portion activates a second operation mode.

Claims

1. An antenna structure comprising:

a housing, the housing defining a slot, a first gap, and a groove, the slot comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first gap is defined on the housing corresponding to the first end and communicates with the slot;

the groove is defined on a portion of the housing between the first end and the second end, the groove communicates with the slot;

the housing is divided into a first portion and a second portion by the first gap, the groove, and the slot;

a first portion of the housing between the first gap and the groove forms the first portion; and

a second portion of the housing between the gap and the second end forms the second portion;

a first feed portion, the first feed portion electrically connected to the first portion and the first portion being divided into a first radiating portion and a second radiating portion by the first feed portion;

wherein a first portion of the housing extending from the first feed portion to the first gap forms the first radiating portion, and a second portion of the housing extending from the first feed portion to the groove forms the second radiating portion;

a first ground portion, the first ground portion electrically connected to the first radiating portion; and

a second ground portion, the second ground portion electrically connected to the second radiating portion;

wherein the second radiating portion is shorter than the second portion, the second portion is shorter than the first radiating portion, the first portion activates a first operation mode, and the second portion activates a second operation mode.

2. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the slot, the first gap, and the groove are all filled with insulating material.

3. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the housing at least comprises a front frame and a side frame, the front frame is positioned around a periphery of the side frame, the slot is defined on the side frame, and the first gap and the groove are defined on the front frame.

4. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the housing further defines a second gap, the second gap is defined on the housing corresponding to the second end and communicates with the slot, a portion of the housing between the groove and the second gap forms the second portion.

5. The antenna structure of claim 1, further comprising a radiator and two second feed portions, wherein one of the two second feed portions is electrically connected to the second portion, the other of the two second feed portions is electrically connected to the radiator, and the second portion is grounded.

6. The antenna structure of claim 5, wherein when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the first radiating portion and is grounded through the first ground portion;

when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the second radiating portion and is grounded through the second ground portion;

the first radiating portion and the second radiating portion cooperatively activate the first operation mode to generate radiation signals in a first frequency band;

when one of the two the second feed portions supplies current, the current flows through the second portion and is grounded through the second portion, the second portion activates the second operation mode to generate radiation signals in a second frequency band;

when the other of the two the second feed portions supplies current, the current flows through the radiator, and the radiator activates a third operation mode to generate radiation signals in a third frequency band.

7. The antenna structure of claim 6, wherein the first operation mode is a LTE mode, the second operation mode is a GPS/GLONASS mode, and the third operation mode is a WIFI mode.

8. The antenna structure of claim 5, wherein the radiator comprises a connecting portion, a first branch, and a second branch, the connecting portion comprises a first connecting section and a second connecting section, the first connecting section is electrically connected to one of two second feed portions to feed current to the radiator;

the second connecting section is perpendicularly connected to an end of the first connecting section to form a L-shaped structure with the first connecting section;

the first branch comprises a first extending section, a second extending section, and a third extending section, the first extending section is connected to the end of the second connecting section away from the first connecting section and extends along a direction perpendicular and away from the first connecting section to be collinear with the second connecting section;

one end of the second extending section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the first extending section away from the second connecting section, another end of the second extending section extends along a direction parallel to the first connecting section away from the first extending section;

one end of the third extending section is electrically connected to the end of the second extending section away from the first extending section, another end of the third extending section extends along a direction parallel to the second connecting section towards the first connecting section;

the second branch comprises a first resonance section and a second resonance section;

one end of the first resonance section is perpendicularly connected to a junction of the second connecting section and the first extending section, another end of the first resonance section extends along a direction parallel to the first connecting section;

one end of the second resonance section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the first resonance section away from the second connecting section and the first extending section, another end of the second resonance section extends along a direction perpendicular to the first resonance section towards the second extending section to form the L-shaped structure with the first resonance section.

9. The antenna structure of claim 5, further comprising a third ground portion, wherein the radiator comprises a first radiating arm, a second radiating arm, a third radiating arm, a fourth radiating arm, a fifth radiating arm, and a sixth radiating arm;

the second radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to a middle position of the first radiating arm, the third radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to the end of the second radiating arm away from the first radiating arm and extends along a direction parallel to the first radiating arm;

one end of the fourth radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to a junction of the second radiating arm and the third radiating arm, another end of the fourth radiating arm extends along a direction parallel to the first radiating arm away from the third radiating arm to form a H-shaped structure with the first radiating arm, the second radiating arm, and the third radiating arm;

the fifth radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to the end of the fourth radiating arm away from the third radiating arm and extends along a direction parallel to the second radiating arm;

the sixth radiating section is substantially arc-shaped, the sixth radiating arm is connected to the end of the fifth radiating arm away from the fourth radiating arm;

one of the first radiating arm and the third radiating arm is electrically connected to one of the two second feed portions, and the other of the first radiating arm and the third radiating arm is electrically connected to the third ground portion.

10. The antenna structure of claim 5, wherein the radiator comprises a first radiating arm, a second radiating arm, a fourth radiating arm, a fifth radiating arm, and a sixth radiating arm;

the first radiating arm is electrically connected to one of two second feed portions, the second radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to a middle position of the first radiating arm, one end of the fourth radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to the end of the second radiating arm away from the first radiating arm, another end of the fourth radiating arm extends along a direction parallel to the first radiating arm;

the fifth radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to the end of the fourth radiating arm away from the second radiating arm and extends along a direction parallel to the second radiating arm;

the sixth radiating section is substantially arc-shaped, the sixth radiating arm is connected to the end of the fifth radiating arm away from the fourth radiating arm.

11. The antenna structure of claim 1, further comprising a first switching circuit, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a first switching unit and a plurality of first switching elements, the first switching unit is electrically connected to the first ground portion, the first switching elements are connected in parallel to each other, one end of each first switching element is electrically connected to the first switching unit, and the other end of each first switching element is grounded;

through controlling the first switching unit to switch, the first radiating portion is switched to different first switching elements and a frequency band of the first radiating portion is adjusted.

12. The antenna structure of claim 1, further comprising a second switching circuit, wherein the second switching circuit comprises a second switching unit and a plurality of second switching elements, the second switching unit is electrically connected to the second ground portion, the second switching elements are connected in parallel to each other, one end of each second switching element is electrically connected to the second switching unit, and the other end of each second switching element is grounded;

through controlling the second switching unit to switch, the second radiating portion is switched to different second switching elements and a frequency band of the second radiating portion is adjusted.

13. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein a wireless communication device uses the first portion to receive or send wireless signals at multiple frequency bands simultaneously through carrier aggregation (CA) technology of Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A).

14. The antenna structure of claim 1, further comprising a radiator and a second feed portion, wherein the second feed portion is electrically connected to the radiator, and the second portion is grounded.

15. The antenna structure of claim 14, wherein when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the first radiating portion and is grounded through the first ground portion;

when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the second radiating portion and is grounded through the second ground portion;

the first radiating portion and the second radiating portion cooperatively activate the first operation mode to generate radiation signals in a first frequency band;

when the second feed portions supplies current, the current flows through the radiator and is coupled to the second portion, the second portion activates the second operation mode to generate radiation signals in a second frequency band;

when the current flows through the radiator, the radiator further activates a third operation mode to generate radiation signals in a third frequency band.

16. The antenna structure of claim 15, wherein the first operation mode is a LTE mode, the second operation mode is a GPS/GLONASS mode, and the third frequency band comprises a high frequency band of the first operation mode, a Bluetooth frequency band, and a WIFI frequency band.

17. The antenna structure of claim 14, wherein the radiator comprises a first radiating section, a second radiating section, a third radiating section, a fourth radiating section, and a fifth radiating section connected in that order;

the first radiating section is electrically connected to the second feed portion;

the second radiating section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the first radiating section away from the second feed portion;

the third radiating section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the second radiating section away from the first radiating section;

the fourth radiating section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the third radiating section away from the second radiating section and extends along a direction parallel to the second side portion to form a U-shaped structure with the second radiating section and the third radiating section;

the fifth radiating section is perpendicularly connected to the fourth radiating section away from the third radiating section and extends along a direction parallel to the third radiating section towards the second radiating section to form a U-shaped structure with the third radiating section and the fourth radiating section.

18. The antenna structure of claim 17, wherein when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the first radiating portion and is grounded through the first ground portion;

when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the second radiating portion and is grounded through the second ground portion;

the first radiating portion and the second radiating portion cooperatively activate the first operation mode to generate radiation signals in a first frequency band;

when the second feed portions supplies current, the current flows through the radiator and is coupled to the second portion, the second portion activates the second operation mode to generate radiation signals in a second frequency band;

when the current flows through the radiator, the radiator further activates a third operation mode to generate radiation signals in a third frequency band.

19. The antenna structure of claim 18, wherein the first operation mode is a LTE mode, the second operation mode is a GPS/GLONASS mode, and the third frequency band comprises a high frequency band of the first operation mode, a Bluetooth frequency band, and a WIFI frequency band.

20. The antenna structure of claim 19, wherein the second feed portion comprises a diplexer and a signal extractor, two output ends of the diplexer provides the WIFI 2.4G signals and LTE high frequency band signals to share a signal output/input path;

the signal extractor provides GPS/GLONASS signals and non GPS/GLONASS signals to share a signal output/input path.

21. The antenna structure of claim 19, wherein the second feed portion comprises a triplexer, the triplexer provides GPS/GLONASS signals and non GPS/GLONASS signals to share a signal output/input path.

22. A wireless communication device comprising:

an antenna structure, the antenna structure comprising;

a housing, the housing defining a slot, a first gap, and a groove, the slot comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first gap is defined on the housing corresponding to the first end and communicates with the slot;

the groove is defined on a portion of the housing between the first end and the second end, the groove communicates with the slot;

the housing is divided into a first portion and a second portion by the first gap, the groove, and the slot;

a first portion of the housing between the first gap and the groove forms the first portion; and

a second portion of the housing between the gap and the second end forms the second portion;

a first feed portion, the first feed portion electrically connected to the first portion and the first portion being divided into a first radiating portion and a second radiating portion by the first feed portion;

wherein a first portion of the housing extending from the first feed portion to the first gap forms the first radiating portion, and a second portion of the housing extending from the first feed portion to the groove forms the second radiating portion;

a first ground portion, the first ground portion electrically connected to the first radiating portion; and

a second ground portion, the second ground portion electrically connected to the second radiating portion;

wherein the second radiating portion is shorter than the second portion, the second portion is shorter than the first radiating portion, the first portion activates a first operation mode, and the second portion activates a second operation mode.

23. The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the slot, the first gap, and the groove are all filled with insulating material.

24. The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the housing at least comprises a front frame and a side frame, the front frame is positioned around a periphery of the side frame, the slot is defined on the side frame, and the first gap and the groove are defined on the front frame.

25. The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the housing further defines a second gap, the second gap is defined on the housing corresponding to the second end and communicates with the slot, a portion of the housing between the groove and the second gap forms the second portion.

26. The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the antenna structure further comprises a radiator and two second feed portions, one of the two second feed portions is electrically connected to the second portion, the other of the two second feed portions is electrically connected to the radiator, and the second portion is grounded.

27. The wireless communication device of claim 26, wherein when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the first radiating portion and is grounded through the first ground portion;

when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the second radiating portion and is grounded through the second ground portion;

the first radiating portion and the second radiating portion cooperatively activate the first operation mode to generate radiation signals in a first frequency band;

when one of the two the second feed portions supplies current, the current flows through the second portion and is grounded through the second portion, the second portion activates the second operation mode to generate radiation signals in a second frequency band;

when the other of the two the second feed portions supplies current, the current flows through the radiator, and the radiator activates a third operation mode to generate radiation signals in a third frequency band.

28. The wireless communication device of claim 27, wherein the first operation mode is a LTE mode, the second operation mode is a GPS/GLONASS mode, and the third operation mode is a WIFI mode.

29. The wireless communication device of claim 26, wherein the radiator comprises a connecting portion, a first branch, and a second branch, the connecting portion comprises a first connecting section and a second connecting section, the first connecting section is electrically connected to one of two second feed portions to feed current to the radiator;

the second connecting section is perpendicularly connected to an end of the first connecting section to form a L-shaped structure with the first connecting section;

the first branch comprises a first extending section, a second extending section, and a third extending section, the first extending section is connected to the end of the second connecting section away from the first connecting section and extends along a direction perpendicular and away from the first connecting section to be collinear with the second connecting section;

one end of the second extending section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the first extending section away from the second connecting section, another end of the second extending section extends along a direction parallel to the first connecting section away from the first extending section;

one end of the third extending section is electrically connected to the end of the second extending section away from the first extending section, another end of the third extending section extends along a direction parallel to the second connecting section towards the first connecting section;

the second branch comprises a first resonance section and a second resonance section;

one end of the first resonance section is perpendicularly connected to a junction of the second connecting section and the first extending section, another end of the first resonance section extends along a direction parallel to the first connecting section;

one end of the second resonance section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the first resonance section away from the second connecting section and the first extending section, another end of the second resonance section extends along a direction perpendicular to the first resonance section towards the second extending section to form the L-shaped structure with the first resonance section.

30. The wireless communication device of claim 26, wherein the antenna structure further comprises a third ground portion, the radiator comprises a first radiating arm, a second radiating arm, a third radiating arm, a fourth radiating arm, a fifth radiating arm, and a sixth radiating arm;

the second radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to a middle position of the first radiating arm, the third radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to the end of the second radiating arm away from the first radiating arm and extends along a direction parallel to the first radiating arm;

one end of the fourth radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to a junction of the second radiating arm and the third radiating arm, another end of the fourth radiating arm extends along a direction parallel to the first radiating arm away from the third radiating arm to form a H-shaped structure with the first radiating arm, the second radiating arm, and the third radiating arm;

the fifth radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to the end of the fourth radiating arm away from the third radiating arm and extends along a direction parallel to the second radiating arm;

the sixth radiating section is substantially arc-shaped, the sixth radiating arm is connected to the end of the fifth radiating arm away from the fourth radiating arm;

one of the first radiating arm and the third radiating arm is electrically connected to one of the two second feed portions, and the other of the first radiating arm and the third radiating arm is electrically connected to the third ground portion.

31. The wireless communication device of claim 26, wherein the radiator comprises a first radiating arm, a second radiating arm, a fourth radiating arm, a fifth radiating arm, and a sixth radiating arm;

the first radiating arm is electrically connected to one of two second feed portions, the second radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to a middle position of the first radiating arm, one end of the fourth radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to the end of the second radiating arm away from the first radiating arm, another end of the fourth radiating arm extends along a direction parallel to the first radiating arm;

the fifth radiating arm is perpendicularly connected to the end of the fourth radiating arm away from the second radiating arm and extends along a direction parallel to the second radiating arm;

the sixth radiating section is substantially arc-shaped, the sixth radiating arm is connected to the end of the fifth radiating arm away from the fourth radiating arm.

32. The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the antenna structure further comprises a first switching circuit, the first switching circuit comprises a first switching unit and a plurality of first switching elements, the first switching unit is electrically connected to the first ground portion, the first switching elements are connected in parallel to each other, one end of each first switching element is electrically connected to the first switching unit, and the other end of each first switching element is grounded;

through controlling the first switching unit to switch, the first radiating portion is switched to different first switching elements and a frequency band of the first radiating portion is adjusted.

33. The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the antenna structure further comprises a second switching circuit, the second switching circuit comprises a second switching unit and a plurality of second switching elements, the second switching unit is electrically connected to the second ground portion, the second switching elements are connected in parallel to each other, one end of each second switching element is electrically connected to the second switching unit, and the other end of each second switching element is grounded;

through controlling the second switching unit to switch, the second radiating portion is switched to different second switching elements and a frequency band of the second radiating portion is adjusted.

34. The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the wireless communication device uses the first portion to receive or send wireless signals at multiple frequency bands simultaneously through carrier aggregation (CA) technology of Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A).

35. The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the antenna structure further comprises a radiator and a second feed portion, the second feed portion is electrically connected to the radiator, and the second portion is grounded.

36. The wireless communication device of claim 35, wherein when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the first radiating portion and is grounded through the first ground portion;

when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the second radiating portion and is grounded through the second ground portion;

the first radiating portion and the second radiating portion cooperatively activate the first operation mode to generate radiation signals in a first frequency band;

when the second feed portions supplies current, the current flows through the radiator and is coupled to the second portion, the second portion activates the second operation mode to generate radiation signals in a second frequency band;

when the current flows through the radiator, the radiator further activates a third operation mode to generate radiation signals in a third frequency band.

37. The wireless communication device of claim 36, wherein the first operation mode is a LTE mode, the second operation mode is a GPS/GLONASS mode, and the third frequency band comprises a high frequency band of the first operation mode, a Bluetooth frequency band, and a WIFI frequency band.

38. The wireless communication device of claim 35, wherein the radiator comprises a first radiating section, a second radiating section, a third radiating section, a fourth radiating section, and a fifth radiating section connected in that order;

the first radiating section is electrically connected to the second feed portion;

the second radiating section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the first radiating section away from the second feed portion;

the third radiating section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the second radiating section away from the first radiating section;

the fourth radiating section is perpendicularly connected to the end of the third radiating section away from the second radiating section and extends along a direction parallel to the second side portion to form a U-shaped structure with the second radiating section and the third radiating section;

the fifth radiating section is perpendicularly connected to the fourth radiating section away from the third radiating section and extends along a direction parallel to the third radiating section towards the second radiating section to form a U-shaped structure with the third radiating section and the fourth radiating section.

39. The wireless communication device of claim 38, wherein when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the first radiating portion and is grounded through the first ground portion;

when the first feed portion supplies current, the current flows through the second radiating portion and is grounded through the second ground portion;

the first radiating portion and the second radiating portion cooperatively activate the first operation mode to generate radiation signals in a first frequency band;

when the second feed portions supplies current, the current flows through the radiator and is coupled to the second portion, the second portion activates the second operation mode to generate radiation signals in a second frequency band;

when the current flows through the radiator, the radiator further activates a third operation mode to generate radiation signals in a third frequency band.

40. The wireless communication device of claim 39, wherein the first operation mode is a LTE mode, the second operation mode is a GPS/GLONASS mode, and the third frequency band comprises a high frequency band of the first operation mode, a Bluetooth frequency band, and a WIFI frequency band.

41. The wireless communication device of claim 40, wherein the second feed portion comprises a diplexer and a signal extractor, two output ends of the diplexer provides the WIFI 2.4G signals and LTE high frequency band signals to share a signal output/input path;

the signal extractor provides GPS/GLONASS signals and non GPS/GLONASS signals to share a signal output/input path.

42. The wireless communication device of claim 40, wherein the second feed portion comprises a triplexer, the triplexer provides GPS/GLONASS signals and non GPS/GLONASS signals to share a signal output/input path.