MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE WITH SHUNT COMPONENT AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20120021701A1
• Filed: 01/12/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Wong, Joshua Kwan Ho, Whitmore, John Alfred, Cooke, Adrian Matthew, Downs, Steven Eugene, van Wonterghem, Jari Kristian
• Granted Patent: US 8,615,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0464 Annular ring patch
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing including at least one electrically conductive housing portion configured to function as an antenna. The mobile wireless communications device may also include a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by the portable housing, and wireless transceiver circuitry carried by the PCB and including at least one circuit element carried by the PCB. The mobile wireless communications device may also include at least one current shunt component coupled between the at least one electrically conductive housing portion and the at least one circuit element.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing comprising at least one electrically conductive housing portion configured to function as an antenna;

a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by said portable housing;

wireless transceiver circuitry comprising at least one circuit element carried by said PCB; and

at least one current shunt component coupled between said at least one electrically conductive housing portion and said at least one circuit element.

2. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said PCB and said at least one electrically conductive housing portion are positioned to define an air gap therebetween.

3. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, further comprising a dielectric material body between said PCB and said at least one electrically conductive housing portion.

4. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one electrically conductive housing portion comprises an electrically conductive ring along a perimeter of said portable housing.

5. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one current shunt component comprises a plurality of current shunt components.

6. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one circuit element comprises at least one conductive trace.

7. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one electrically conductive housing portion comprises at least one metallic material portion.

8. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one circuit element comprises at least one programmable circuit element.

9. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one circuit element comprises a plurality of impedance elements coupled together at a common node;

and wherein said at least one current shunt component is coupled to the common node.

10. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one circuit element comprises at least one inductor.

11. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one circuit element comprises at least one capacitor.

12. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one current shunt component comprises at least one inductor.

13. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one current shunt component comprises at least one capacitor.

14. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing comprising at least one electrically conductive ring configured to function as an antenna;

a printed circuit board (PCB) positioned relative to said electrically conductive ring to define an air gap therebetween;

wireless transceiver circuitry comprising at least one circuit element carried by said PCB; and

at least one current shunt component coupled between said at least one electrically conductive ring and said at least one circuit element.

15. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 14, further comprising a dielectric material body between said PCB and said at least one electrically conductive ring.

16. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 14, wherein said at least one current shunt component comprises a plurality of current shunt components.

17. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 14, wherein said at least one circuit element comprises at least one conductive trace.

18. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 14, wherein said at least one circuit element comprises at least one of a programmable circuit element, an inductor, and a capacitor.

19. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 14, wherein said at least one current shunt component comprises at least one of an inductor and a capacitor.

20. A method of making a mobile wireless communications device comprising a portable housing comprising at least one electrically conductive housing portion configured to function as an antenna, a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by the portable housing, and wireless transceiver circuitry comprising at least one circuit element carried by the PCB, the method comprising:

coupling at least one current shunt component between the at least one electrically conductive housing portion and the at least one circuit element.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the PCB is positioned to define an air gap with the at least one electrically conductive housing portion.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising positioning a dielectric material body between the PCB and the at least one electrically conductive housing portion.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the at least one circuit element comprises a plurality of impedance elements coupled together at a common node;

and wherein coupling the at least one current shunt component comprises coupling the at least one current shunt component to the common node.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein coupling the at least one current shunt component comprises coupling at least one of an inductor and a capacitor.