Generating fringing field for wireless communication

• US 10,198,045 B1
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kong, Xiangyu, Kough, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): West, Lewis
• Application Number:
  US15/217,223
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0205 at the air interface dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A portable computing device may comprise a display, a frame, and a communication circuit. The frame may support the display. At least a portion of the frame may be electrically conductive, and the electrically conductive portion of the frame may define a slot. The communication circuit may be coupled to the slot. The communication circuit may be configured to generate a fringing field. The fringing field may include electromagnetic waves with a wavelength at least eight times a width of the slot in a widest direction of the slot.

Claims

1. A portable computing device comprising:

a display;

a frame supporting the display, at least a portion of the frame being electrically conductive, the electrically conductive portion of the frame defining a slot; and

a communication circuit coupled to the slot, the communication circuit being configured to generate a fringing field, the fringing field including electromagnetic waves with a wavelength at least eight times a width of the slot in a widest direction of the slot.

2. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the wavelength is at least ten times the width of the slot in the widest direction of the slot.

3. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is configured to modulate communication signals onto the electromagnetic waves.

4. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the slot is on an opposite side of the frame than the display.

5. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit and the slot generate the fringing field, the fringing field extending out of the slot beyond the frame.

6. The portable computing device of claim 1, further comprising at least one magnet configured to mount the portable computing device to a base.

7. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the wavelength is within a licensed frequency band.

8. A portable computing device comprising:

a display;

a frame surrounding the display;

a communication circuit included in the frame, the communication circuit being configured to modulate signals onto electromagnetic waves; and

a transceiver included in the frame and coupled to the communication circuit, the transceiver being configured to transmit the electromagnetic waves with the modulated signals, the transceiver having a width in a widest direction that is no more than an eighth of a wavelength of the electromagnetic waves.

9. The portable computing device of claim 8, wherein the transceiver includes a slot.

10. The portable computing device of claim 8, wherein the transceiver includes a probe.

11. The portable computing device of claim 8, wherein the transceiver includes a wire loop.

12. A base for a portable computing device, the base comprising:

a frame;

a keyboard supported by the frame;

a communication circuit included in the frame, the communication circuit being configured to modulate signals onto electromagnetic waves, the signals being based on input into the keyboard; and

a transceiver configured to transmit a fringing field with the modulated signals, the transceiver having a width in a widest direction that is no more than a eighth of a wavelength of the electromagnetic waves.

13. The base of claim 12, wherein the transceiver includes a probe.

14. The base of claim 12, wherein the transceiver includes a wire loop.

15. The base of claim 12, wherein:

at least a portion of the frame is electrically conductive; and

the transceiver includes a slot defined by the electrically conductive portion of the frame.

16. A method performed by a portable computing device comprising a display, a frame supporting the display and defining a slot, and a communication circuit coupled to the slot, the method comprising:

modulating, by the communication circuit, baseband signals onto an electromagnetic wave, the electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of at least eight times a width of the slot in a widest direction of the slot; and

generating, by the communication circuit and the slot, a fringing field, the fringing field carrying the signals modulated onto the electromagnetic wave.