Wireless communication device and information-processing apparatus which can hold the device

• US 20030080906A1
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyasaka, Toshiki
• Granted Patent: US 6,670,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/088 Quick-releasable antenna elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

A wireless communication device to be removably held in a host apparatus. The wireless communication device comprises a printed circuit board, a cover, and a planar antenna module. The printed circuit board comprises electronic components configured to perform wireless communication. The cover covers the electronic components and the upper surface of the board. The planar antenna module has an electromagnetic radiation surface and is provided in the upper surface of the cover such that it is substantially flush with an outer surface of the host apparatus during operation of the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A planar antenna to be removably held in a surface of a host apparatus having a wireless communication function, said planar antenna comprising:

an electromagnetic radiation surface that is substantially flush with the surface of the host apparatus during wireless communication.

2. A wireless communication device removably held in a host apparatus, said wireless communication device comprising:

a planar antenna module having an electromagnetic radiation surface substantially flush with a surface of the host apparatus during operation of the wireless communication device.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, wherein the surface of the host apparatus is an outer surface such that the electromagnetic radiation surface is substantially flush with the outer surface during operation of the wireless communication device.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, further comprising a printed circuit board including electronic components configured to perform wireless communication, wherein the electromagnetic radiation surface is electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

5. The wireless communication device according to claim 4, further comprising a cover for covering the printed circuit board and the electronic components.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 5, wherein the planar antenna module is provided in an upper surface of the cover such that when the wireless communication device is held in the host apparatus the upper surface of the cover and the electromagnetic radiation surface are substantially flush with the surface of the host apparatus.

7. The wireless communication device according to claim 6, wherein the surface of the host apparatus is an outer surface such that the electromagnetic radiation surface is substantially flush with the outer surface during operation of the wireless communication device.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 4, further comprising a connector provided on a surface of the printed circuit board and configured to connect the printed circuit board to the host apparatus.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 8, wherein the surface of the printed circuit board is a lower surface of the printed circuit board.

10. The wireless communication device according to claim 4, further comprising a power source removably mounted on the printed circuit board and electrically connected thereto for supplying electric power to the electronic components.

11. The wireless communication device according to claim 10, wherein the power source is rechargeable.

12. The wireless communication device according to claim 11, wherein the power source remains mounted on the printed circuit board during recharging and wherein the power source is recharged by a power source providing power to the host apparatus.

13. The wireless communication device according to claim 4, further comprising a solar power source electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

14. The wireless communication device according to claim 10, wherein the power source is removably mounted on a lower surface of the printed circuit board.

15. The wireless communication device according to claim 6, wherein the cover has an inner surface covered with a metal layer.

16. The wireless communication device according to claim 6, wherein the upper surface of the cover has a recess, and the planar antenna module is provided in the recess.

17. The wireless communication device according to claim 6, further comprising a solar cell module provided in the upper surface of the cover, surrounding the planar antenna module and including a plurality of solar cells for generating electric power to be supplied to the electronic components.

18. A wireless communication device removably held in a host apparatus, said wireless communication device comprising:

a printed circuit board including electronic components configured to perform wireless communication; and

a planar antenna module having an electromagnetic radiation surface substantially flush with a surface of the host apparatus during operation of the wireless communication device, the electromagnetic radiation surface being electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

19. An information-processing apparatus for performing wireless communication, comprising:

a housing having a surface and a recess therein; and

a wireless communication device removably provided in the recess and including a planar antenna module having an electromagnetic radiation surface substantially flush with the surface of the information-processing apparatus during operation of the wireless communication device.

20. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the surface of the information-processing apparatus is an outer surface such that the electromagnetic radiation surface is substantially flush with the outer surface during operation of the wireless communication device.

21. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the wireless communication device further includes a printed circuit board including electronic components configured to perform wireless communication.

22. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the wireless communication device further includes a cover for covering the printed circuit board and the electronic components.

23. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the planar antenna module is provided in an upper surface of the cover such that when the wireless communication device is provided in the recess, the upper surface of the cover and the electromagnetic radiation surface are substantially flush with the surface of the information-processing apparatus.

24. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the wireless communication device further includes a connector provided on a lower surface of the printed circuit board configured to connect the printed circuit board to the information-processing apparatus, and a power source electrically connected to the printed circuit board for supplying electric power to the electronic components.

25. An information-processing apparatus for performing wireless communication, comprising:

a housing having a surface and a recess therein; and

a wireless communication device removably provided in the recess, the wireless communication device comprising;

a printed circuit board having electronic components thereon configured to perform wireless communication; and

a planar antenna module having an electromagnetic radiation surface substantially flush with a surface of the information-processing apparatus during operation of the wireless communication device, the electromagnetic radiation surface being electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

26. An information-processing apparatus for performing wireless communication, comprising:

a housing;

a display unit rotatable, with respect to the housing, between an opened position and a closed position, and having a front surface and a back surface, the back surface having a recess therein; and

a wireless communication device removably provided in the recess and including a planar antenna module having an electromagnetic radiation surface substantially flush with the back surface of the information-processing apparatus during operation of the wireless communication device.

27. An information-processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the display unit incorporates a flat panel display exposed at the front surface and having a back surface covered with a metal plate for shielding against electromagnetic waves.

28. A wireless communication device to be removably held in a recess made in a surface of a host apparatus, said wireless communication device comprising:

a housing configured to be held in the recess, the housing having an upper surface; and

a planar antenna module having an electromagnetic radiation surface provided in the upper surface, the electromagnetic radiation surface being substantially flush with a surface of the host apparatus during operation of the wireless communication device.

29. A method of providing wireless communication in a host apparatus, comprising:

providing a planar antenna to be removably held in a surface of the host apparatus, the planar antenna including an electromagnetic radiation surface that is substantially flush with the surface of the host apparatus during wireless communication.

30. A method of providing wireless communication in a host apparatus, comprising:

providing a wireless communication device to be removably held in a host apparatus, said wireless communication device including;

a planar antenna module having an electromagnetic radiation surface substantially flush with a surface of the host apparatus during operation of the wireless communication device.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein providing a wireless communication device to be removably held in a host apparatus comprises providing a wireless communication device to be removably held in an outer surface of the host apparatus such that the electromagnetic radiation surface is substantially flush with the outer surface of the host apparatus during operation of the wireless communication device.

32. The method according to claim 30, further comprising providing a printed circuit board with the wireless communication device, the printed circuit board including electronic components configured to perform wireless communication.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising providing a cover for covering the printed circuit board and the electronic components.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein said planar antenna module is provided in an upper surface of the cover such that when the wireless communication device is held in the host apparatus the upper surface of the cover and the electromagnetic radiation surface are substantially flush with the surface of the host apparatus.

35. The method according to claim 33, further comprising providing a connector on a surface of the printed circuit board, the connector being configured to connect the printed circuit board to the host apparatus.

36. The method according to claim 32, further comprising providing a power source removably mounted on the printed circuit board for supplying electric power to the electronic components.

37. The method according to claim 33, providing a metal layer on an inner surface of the cover.

38. The method according to claim 34, further comprising providing a recess in the upper surface of the cover in which the planar antenna module is embedded.