INTERFACE, COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM

• US 20150207913A1
• Filed: 04/01/2015
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: NAKANO, Shinichi, MIURA, Teppei, KATO, Noboru
• Granted Patent: US 9,819,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• 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 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A power supply coil is disposed on a rear surface of a display via a shield plate. When a current flows in the power supply coil, a magnetic flux emitted from the power supply coil traverses an opening of the shield plate. As a result, the power supply coil and the shield plate are electromagnetically coupled and the shield plate defines and functions as an antenna. Accordingly, a communication terminal communicates favorably with a smartcard, which is a device positioned on a front surface side of the display.

Claims

1. A communication terminal comprising:

a display device that displays information on a surface on a first side thereof;

a shield plate disposed on a second side of the display device that is opposite to the first side; and

a power supply coil that electromagnetically couples with the shield plate;

wherein

the power supply coil is, when viewed from a normal direction of the surface on the first side of the display device, disposed so that a coil opening portion of the power supply coil is at least partially positioned farther outward than an outer contour end portion of the shield plate and so that the power supply coil at least partially overlaps with the shield plate; and

the shield plate defines and functions as an antenna that communicates with a communication partner positioned on the first side of the display device.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the display device includes a transparent electrode;

the transparent electrode is thinner than a radius of an opening in the coil opening portion; and

a magnetic flux emitted from the power supply coil or a magnetic flux from the communication partner passes through a gap in the transparent electrode.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the display device includes a transparent electrode;

the transparent electrode is narrower and thinner than a coil pattern that configures the power supply coil; and

a magnetic flux emitted from the power supply coil or a magnetic flux from the communication partner passes through a gap in the transparent electrode.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the shield plate is disposed between the display device and the power supply coil.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the power supply coil is disposed between the display device and the shield plate.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein an opening portion that exposes the coil opening portion is provided in the shield plate.

7. The communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the opening portion includes an opening provided in the shield plate and a slit extending from the opening to an outer edge of the shield plate.

8. The communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein the opening portion includes a slit in the shield plate.

11. The communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a touch panel overlapping with the surface on the first side of the display device.

12. The communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the touch panel is an electrostatic capacitance touch panel.

13. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a liquid crystal panel.

14. The communication terminal according to claim 13, wherein the liquid crystal panel includes a plurality of transparent electrodes arranged at equal or substantially equal intervals in a first direction and a plurality of transparent electrodes that face the transparent electrodes and are arranged at equal or substantially equal intervals in a second direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

15. The communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit that communicates with an external device via the power supply coil.

16. The communication terminal according to claim 15, wherein the communication unit carries out near-field communication with the external device.

9. A communication terminal comprising:

a display device that displays information on a surface on a first side thereof;

a shield plate disposed on a second side of the display device; and

a power supply coil that electromagnetically couples with the shield plate;

wherein

the shield plate defines and functions as an antenna that communicates with a communication partner positioned on the first side of the display device; and

the display device displays information enabling a position of the power supply coil to be seen in a display screen corresponding to the surface on the first side.

10. The communication terminal according to claim 9, wherein the display device displays information enabling a position where sensitivity of the power supply coil is highest to be seen in the display screen.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a program that when run on a computer carries out a procedure for displaying information enabling a position of a power supply coil to be seen in a display screen corresponding to a surface on a first side of a display device of a communication terminal including the display device that displays information on the surface on the first side, a shield plate disposed on a second side of the display device that is opposite from the surface on the first side, and a power supply coil that electromagnetically couples with the shield plate, the shield plate defining and functioning as an antenna that communicates with a communication partner positioned on the first side of the display device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a program that when run on a computer carries out a procedure for displaying information enabling a position where a sensitivity of a power supply coil is highest to be seen in a display screen corresponding to a surface on a first side of a display device of a communication terminal including the display device that displays information on the surface on the first side, a shield plate disposed on a second side of the display device that is opposite from the surface on the first side, and a power supply coil that electromagnetically couples with the shield plate, the shield plate defining and functioning as an antenna that communicates with a communication partner positioned on the first side of the display device.