INTEGRATED ANTENNA FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS AND WIRELESS CHARGING

• US 20140347233A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mahanfar, Alireza, De Luis, Javier Rodriguez, Shewan, Benjamin, Fleck, Rod G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,685,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/720
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/521 reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas

Abstract

Antennas, antenna systems, and components used in antenna systems are provided herein. In various examples, an integrated antenna for receiving signals for a plurality of functional modules in a computing device may include a first plurality of antenna elements for receiving signals at wireless communication frequencies and a second plurality of antenna elements for receiving signals at wireless charging frequencies. The first and the second pluralities of antenna elements may have at least one common antenna element, which may be coupled to one or more of the second plurality of antenna elements using at least one low-pass filter. The at least one common antenna element is de-coupled from one or more of the plurality of functional modules operating at the wireless communication frequencies using at least one high-pass filter.

Claims

1. An integrated antenna for transmitting and/or receiving signals for a plurality of functional modules in a computing device, the integrated antenna comprising:

a first plurality of antenna elements for receiving signals at wireless communication frequencies; and

a second plurality of antenna elements for receiving signals at one of wireless charging frequencies or NFC/RFID frequencies, wherein;

the first and the second pluralities of antenna elements have at least one common antenna element;

the at least one common antenna element is coupled to one or more of the second plurality of antenna elements using at least one low-pass filter; and

the at least one common antenna element is de-coupled from one or more of the plurality of functional modules operating at the wireless communication frequencies using at least one high-pass filter.

2. The integrated antenna according to claim 1, wherein the at least one low-pass filter comprises a filter configured to filter the signals at wireless communication frequencies.

3. The integrated antenna according to claim 1, wherein the at least one high-pass filter comprises a filter configured to filter the signals at wireless charging frequencies.

4. The integrated antenna according to claim 1, wherein the signals at wireless communication frequencies comprise one or more of cellular signals, Bluetooth signals, Wi-Fi signals, and GPS signals.

5. The integrated antenna according to claim 1, wherein the at least one common antenna element and the one or more of the second plurality of antenna elements form a wireless charging loop or a wireless charging coil for transmitting and/or receiving the signals at wireless charging frequencies.

6. The integrated antenna according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one common antenna element is communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of functional modules operating at the wireless charging frequencies using the at least one low-pass filter; and

the at least one common antenna element is configured to receive the signals at the wireless charging frequencies using one of inductive signal coupling or a capacitive signal coupling.

7. The integrated antenna according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of functional modules comprises a near-field communication (NFC) module for receiving NFC signals; and

at least a portion of the second plurality of antenna elements form a NFC loop or a NFC coil for receiving the NFC signals.

8. A wireless device, comprising:

a plurality of high-frequency antennas configured to receive signals at wireless communication frequencies;

conductive material coupled to at least two of the plurality of high-frequency antennas to form a low-frequency antenna configured to receive signals at wireless charging frequencies or near-field communication (NFC) frequencies; and

isolation circuitry that is configured to;

de-couple the conductive material from one or more wireless communication transceivers coupled to the at least two of the plurality of high-frequency antennas at wireless communication frequencies; and

couple the conductive material to the at least two of the plurality of high-frequency antennas at wireless charging frequencies.

9. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the conductive material coupled to the at least two of the plurality of high-frequency antennas form a NFC loop or a NFC coil.

10. The wireless device of claim 8, comprising:

a battery; and

a wireless charging circuit coupled to the battery, wherein;

the conductive material coupled to the at least two of the plurality of high-frequency antennas form a wireless charging loop; and

the wireless charging loop configured to inductively couple with an alternating magnetic field using contactless electromagnetic induction to generate a corresponding induced electromagnetic current in the wireless charging circuit for charging the battery.

11. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the wireless charging loop is configured to capacitively couple with the alternating magnetic field to generate the corresponding induced electromagnetic current.

12. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the isolation circuitry comprises one or more of at least one capacitor, at least one inductor, and at least one filter.

13. The wireless device of claim 8, comprising a chassis, wherein at least a portion of the conductive material comprises the chassis.

14. A wireless device, comprising:

a chassis;

at least one high-frequency antenna configured to receive signals at wireless communication frequencies, the at least one high-frequency antenna coupled to the chassis via a first filter; and

a wireless charging circuit configured to charge a battery of the mobile device using signals at wireless charging frequencies, wherein;

the wireless charging circuit is coupled to the chassis via a second filter;

the at least one high-frequency antenna is coupled to the wireless charging circuit and to the chassis via a third filter; and

the chassis, at least a portion of the at least one high-frequency antenna, and the first, second and third filters forming a wireless charging loop configured to receive the signals at wireless charging frequencies.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the wireless charging circuit is isolated from the chassis via an isolation layer, and the device further comprises:

at least one high-frequency transceiver coupled to the chassis and the at least one high-frequency antenna, the at least one high-frequency transceiver configured to process the signals at wireless communication frequencies.

16. The wireless device of claim 15, comprising:

a fourth filter configured to;

couple the at least one high-frequency transceiver to the at least one high-frequency antenna for receiving the signals at wireless communication frequencies; and

de-couple the at least one high-frequency transceiver from the wireless charging loop when receiving the signals at wireless charging frequencies.

17. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the first, second and third filters are configured to:

couple the wireless charging circuit to the wireless charging loop when the mobile device is receiving the signals at wireless charging frequencies; and

de-couple the wireless charging circuit from the at least one high-frequency antenna when the mobile device is receiving the signals at wireless communication frequencies.

18. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the at least a portion of the at least one high-frequency antenna forming the wireless charging loop is disposed between the first and third filters.

19. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the wireless charging loop configured to one of inductively or capacitively couple with an alternating magnetic field using contactless electromagnetic induction to generate a corresponding induced electromagnetic current in the wireless charging circuit for charging the battery.

20. The wireless device of claim 14, comprising:

a near-field communication (NFC) circuit configured to process NFC signals, the NFC circuit coupled to the chassis and the at least one high-frequency antenna via isolation circuitry, wherein;

the isolation circuitry de-couples the NFC circuit from the at least one high-frequency antenna when receiving the signals at wireless communication frequencies; and

the chassis, the at least one high-frequency antenna, and the isolation circuitry forming a NFC loop or NFC coil configured to receive the NFC signals.