Communication module and communication apparatus having such a communication module

• US 20020183094A1
• Filed: 04/24/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Seita, Kazuhisa
• Granted Patent: US 6,973,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/526 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235

Abstract

An IC chip with IC card functions, a contactless IC card antenna, and an antenna connection circuit for connecting the IC chip and the contactless IC card antenna are provided on a mount board, and are combined to form a communication module, thereby making the communication module smaller. The communication module can be mounted on and removed from a mobile phone, thereby making it possible to downsize the mobile phone. Also, because the IC card antenna projects from a rear surface of a chassis of the mobile phone, the distance between the IC card antenna and the LCD panel or the ear receiver can be extended by the amount by which the contactless IC card antenna projects from the rear surface of the chassis, and thus the thickness of the chassis of the mobile phone can be reduced.

Claims

1. A communication module, comprising:

external communication means for communicating with an external communication object;

a loop antenna for transmitting to or receiving from said external communication means communication electromagnetic waves corresponding to contents of a communication; and

antenna connection means for connecting said external communication means and said loop antenna;

wherein said external communication means, said loop antenna and said antenna connection means are provided on a common mount member.

2. The communication module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shield member for shielding electromagnetic waves.

3. The communication module according to claim 2, wherein said shield member is positioned to face said mount member.

4. The communication module according to claim 1, further comprising:

connection means for connecting said communication module with another apparatus.

5. A mobile communication terminal apparatus, comprising:

a telecommunication antenna;

a display section;

an ear receiver section for outputting received audio;

a microphone section for inputting audio to be transmitted; and

a communication module mountable on and removable from a chassis of said mobile communication terminal apparatus;

wherein said communication module has external communication means for communicating with external communication objects, a loop antenna for transmitting to or receiving from said communication object communication electromagnetic waves corresponding to contents of a communication by said external communication means, antenna connection means for connecting said external communication means and said loop antenna, wherein said external communication means, said loop antenna and said antenna connection means are provided on a common mount member.

6. The mobile communication terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein at least part of said communication module projects from a surface of said mobile communication terminal apparatus.

7. The mobile communication terminal apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a surface of said loop antenna is covered with a soft material.

8. A mobile communication terminal apparatus, comprising:

a first chassis;

a second chassis;

a hinge section for connecting said first chassis and said second chassis so as to be foldable;

a metal containing section positioned on a surface of said first chassis; and

a contactless IC card having read and write functions;

a contactless IC card antenna, at least partly projecting from a rear surface of said first chassis, for transmitting data processed by said contactless IC card and receiving data to be processed by said contactless IC card.

9. The mobile communication terminal apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a surface of said contactless IC card antenna is formed with a soft material.

10. The mobile communication terminal apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a telecommunication antenna for communication over ranges more distant than that of said contactless IC card antenna;

wherein said telecommunication antenna is attached to said second chassis, and said contactless IC card antenna is attached to said first chassis.

11. The mobile communication terminal apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said contactless IC card antenna is positioned on an end opposite to an end on which said hinge section is provided, and wherein said telecommunication antenna is positioned close to said hinge section, and wherein when said first chassis and said second chassis are folded together, said contactless IC card antenna and said telecommunication antenna become positioned towards diagonally opposing corners of a profile of said mobile communication terminal apparatus.