Wrist-mounted-type antenna device and apparatus having the antenna device

• US 5,532,705 A
• Filed: 03/17/1994
• Issued: 07/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Hama, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wigmore, Steven
• Application Number:
  US08/214,412
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/718, 343/720, 343/741, 343/743, 343/745, 343/746, 343/749, 343/752, 343/767, 343/850, 343/866, 343/868, 455/351
• US Class Current: 343/718
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/182 associated with components mounted in the printed circuit board, e.g. insert mounted components [IMC]

Abstract

A wrist-mounted-type portable radio apparatus includes a main body having a front surface that faces away from the user'"'"'s wrist, a rear surface that faces the user'"'"'s wrist when mounted around the user'"'"'s wrist, a circuit board having electrical circuitry and arranged in the main body, and wrist bands connected to the main body for mounting the device around the user'"'"'s wrist. The radio apparatus also includes an antenna assembly fixed in the main body and the wrist bands, and arranged in the main body so that it is positioned on a side of the circuit board facing the front surface of the main body. Because the circuit board is not disposed on the front surface side of the antenna assembly, a radiation wave generated by the antenna assembly is not disturbed. Therefore, the wrist-mounted-type antenna device has high directivity and sensitivity.

Claims

1. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device comprising:

a main body having a front surface that faces away from a user'"'"'s wrist when mounted around the user'"'"'s wrist, a rear surface that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist when mounted around the user'"'"'s wrist, and a circuit board in said main body between said front surface and said rear surface, a circuit arranged on said circuit board; and

a slot antenna assembly including a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly, said antenna assembly having a reactance element connected across sides of said slot near a center of a length of said slot, said antenna assembly coupled to said circuit board and at least partly located in said main body between said front surface and said circuit board and spaced from the circuit arranged on said circuit board, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

2. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 1, further comprising a reflective member in said main body for improving an antenna gain of said antenna device, said reflective member located between said antenna assembly and said rear surface of said main body.

3. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 1, further comprising a displaying unit for displaying information on said front surface of said main body, wherein said antenna assembly that is at least partly located in said main body between said front surface and said circuit board is located along an outer edge of said displaying unit.

4. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 1, further comprising a displaying unit for displaying information on said front surface of said main body, wherein said antenna assembly that is at least partly located in said main body between said front surface and said circuit board is made of a transparent electrically conductive thin film and is located on said front surface of said main body over said displaying unit.

5. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 1, wherein said antenna assembly includes a front surface side that faces away from the user'"'"'s wrist and a rear surface side that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist, and further comprising a material layer having a high dielectric constant coated on at least one of said front surface side and said rear surface side of said antenna assembly.

6. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of wrist bands attached to said main body, portions of said antenna assembly located in said pair of wrist bands so that said antenna assembly and said slot extends through said main body and through said pair of wrist bands.

7. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device comprising:

a main body having an outer frame that defines a cavity and an outer peripheral surface of said main body, and a circuit board located inside said cavity, a circuit arranged on said circuit board; and

a slot antenna assembly attached to said outer peripheral surface of said main body and coupled to said circuit board, said antenna assembly including a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly and having a reactance element connected across sides of said slot near a center of a length of said slot, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

8. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 7, further comprising a material layer having a high dielectric constant coated on said antenna assembly.

9. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 7, wherein said antenna assembly includes a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly.

10. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device comprising:

a main body, a circuit board located in said main body, a circuit arranged on said circuit board;

a pair of wrist bands connected to said main body; and

a slot antenna assembly including a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly, said antenna assembly having a reactance element connected across sides of said slot near a center of a length of said slot, said antenna assembly attached to said wrist bands and having a first member and a second member located in said main body, said first and second members facing each other across said slot, said first member connected to a reference terminal of a high frequency wave amplifier on said circuit board, said second member connected to a feed terminal of said high frequency wave amplifier, and said second member being located farther than said first member from electromagnetic noise sources radiated by said circuit on said circuit board, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

11. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 10, wherein said first member is connected to said reference terminal via a reactance element.

12. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 10, wherein said first member is electrically connected to a power source for driving said circuit on said circuit board.

13. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 10, wherein said first member is electrically connected to a shield member that covers said electro-magnetic noise sources.

14. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 10, wherein said main body has a front surface that faces away from a user'"'"'s wrist when mounted on the user'"'"'s wrist, and a rear surface that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist when mounted on the user'"'"'s wrist, said second member is disposed on a front surface side of said circuit board that faces toward said front surface of said main body, and said circuit on said circuit board includes a local oscillator arranged on a rear surface side of said circuit board that faces toward said rear surface of said main body.

15. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 14, wherein said local oscillator is surrounded by a plurality of components having a same voltage level of said local oscillator.

16. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 10, wherein said main body has a front surface that faces away from a user'"'"'s wrist when mounted on the user'"'"'s wrist, and a rear surface that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist when mounted on the user'"'"'s wrist, said first member and said second member located between said front surface of said main body and said circuit board.

17. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 10, wherein said antenna assembly includes a front surface side that faces away from a user'"'"'s wrist and a rear surface side that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist, and further comprising a material layer having a high dielectric constant coated on at least one of said front surface side and said rear surface side of said antenna assembly.

18. A wrist-mounted-typed antenna device comprising:

a main body, a circuit board in said main body, a plurality of circuits arranged on said circuit board;

a pair of wrist bands connected to said main body;

a slot antenna assembly including a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly, said antenna assembly coupled to said circuit board located in said main body and said pair of wrist bands, said antenna assembly at least partly located between front surface of said main body and said circuit board and spaced from said plurality of circuits arranged on said circuit board; and

a reactance element located at a center of said length of said antenna assembly, said reactance element connecting two portions of said antenna assembly to each other across said slot, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

19. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 18, wherein said antenna assembly includes a first antenna element and a second antenna element having different lengths, said first antenna element located in a first one of said pair of wrist bands, said second antenna element located in a second one of said pair of wrist bands, said first and second antenna elements connected to each other through said main body, a feeding point to said first and second antenna elements located in said main body and offset a distance from a connecting point of said reactance element.

20. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 19, wherein said first antenna element in said first wrist band has a length shorter than a length of said second antenna element in said second wrist band, said first wrist band has a clasp for joining said first and second wrist bands with each other, and said second wrist band that contains said second antenna element having a longer length has at least one clasp-pan receiving hole for receiving a pin of said clasp.

21. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 20, wherein said at least one clasp-pin receiving hole of said second wrist band is arranged at a center of a width of said slot.

22. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 20, wherein said second antenna element in said second wrist band has an inner diameter corresponding to a diameter of said at least one clasp-pin receiving hole, said second antenna element in said second wrist band arranged at a portion of said antenna assembly corresponding to said clasp-pin receiving hole.

23. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 19, wherein said first antenna element has a longer length than said second antenna element, said reactance element located in said first wrist bands with said first antenna element.

24. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 23, wherein said first antenna element includes a pair of overlapping portions that project toward said slot from each side of said first antenna element, and said reactance element is a capacitor defined by said overlapping portions and a capacitive material between said overlapping portions, said overlapping portions located at a center of a length of said antenna assembly.

25. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 18, wherein said antenna assembly includes a front surface side that faces away from a user'"'"'s wrist and a rear surface side that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist, and further comprising a material layer having a high dielectric constant coated on at least one of said front surface side and said rear surface side of said antenna assembly.

26. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device comprising:

a main body, a circuit board located in said main body, a circuit arranged on said circuit board; and

a slot antenna assembly including a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly and coupled to said circuit board; and

a reactance element located at a center of said length of said antenna assembly and connected across said slot, said antenna assembly having a plurality of holes, a density of said holes in said antenna assembly increasing towards said reactance element from a distal portion of said antenna assembly, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

27. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 26, further comprising a pair of wrist bands attached to said main body, portions of said antenna assembly located in said pair of wrist bands so that said antenna assembly and said slot extends through said main body and through said pair of wrist bands.

28. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 26, wherein said reactance element is located in one of said pair of wrist bands.

29. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 26, wherein said antenna assembly includes a front surface side that faces away from a user'"'"'s wrist and a rear surface side that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist, and further comprising a material layer having a high dielectric constant coated on at least one of said front surface side and said rear surface side of said antenna assembly.

30. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device comprising:

a main body, a circuit board in said main body, a circuit arranged on said circuit board;

a wrist band connected to said main body;

a slot antenna assembly included a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly, said antenna assembly attached to said wrist band and extending through said main body; and

a reactance element located at a center of said length of said antenna assembly connected across said slot, said wrist band having a rear surface said that faces a user'"'"'s wrist, a thickness of said rear surface side of said wrist band between said antenna assembly and the user'"'"'s wrist increasing towards said reactance element relative to portions of said wrist band rear surface said located distal from said reactance element, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

31. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 30, wherein said wrist band has a plurality of raised portions on said rear surface side, a height of said plurality of raised portions being increased towards said reactance element relative to said distal portion of said wrist band.

32. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 30, wherein said reactance element is located in said wrist band.

33. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 30, wherein said antenna assembly includes a front surface side that faces away from the user'"'"'s wrist and a rear surface side that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist, and further comprising a material layer having a high dielectric constant coated on at least one of said front surface side and said rear surface side of said antenna assembly.

34. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device comprising:

a main body, a circuit board in said main body, a plurality of circuits arranged on said circuit board; and

a slot antenna assembly including a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly and coupled to said circuit board said antenna assembly having a reactance element connected across sides of said slot near a center of a length of said slot, said antenna assembly being elongated and having distal ends, said antenna assembly including means for reducing resistivity loss at said distal ends in order to reduce a resistivity for a high frequency current, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

35. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 34, wherein said means for reducing resistivity includes raised and lowered portions on a metallic plate located at least in said distal ends of said antenna assembly, said raised and lowered portions extending in a direction that corresponds to a direction in which current flows through said distal ends of said antenna assembly.

36. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 34, wherein said means for reducing resistivity includes a metallic layer having a high electrical conductivity, said metallic layer provided at least on a surface of said distal ends of said antenna assembly.

37. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 34, further comprising a pair of wrist bands attached to said main body, portions of said antenna assembly located in said pair of wrist bands so that said antenna assembly and said slot extends through said main body and through said pair of wrist bands, said distal ends of said antenna assembly located in each of the wrist bands of said pair of wrist bands.

38. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 35, further comprising a pair of wrist bands attached to said main body, portions of said antenna assembly located in said pair of wrist bands so that said antenna assembly and said slot extends through said main body and through said pair of wrist bands, said distal ends of said antenna assembly located in each of the wrist bands of said pair of wrist bands.

39. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 36, further comprising a pair of wrist bands attached to said main body, portions of said antenna assembly located in said pair of wrist bands so that said antenna assembly and said slot extends through said main body and through said pair of wrist bands, said distal ends of said antenna assembly located in each of the wrist bands of said pair of wrist bands.

40. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 34, wherein said antenna assembly includes a front surface side that faces away from a user'"'"'s wrist and a rear surface side that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist, and further comprising a material layer having a high dielectric constant coated on at least one of said front surface side and said rear surface side of said antenna assembly.

41. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device comprising:

a main body having a front surface that faces away from a user'"'"'s wrist when mounted around said user'"'"'s wrist, a circuit board in said main body, a circuit arranged on said circuit board;

a pair of wrist bands connected to said main body and having different lengths; and

a slot antenna assembly including a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly, said antenna assembly having a reactance element connected across sides of said slot near a center of a length of said slot, said antenna assembly attached to said pair of wrist bands and extending through said main body, said antenna assembly including a first member and a second member located in said main body and facing each other across said slot, said first and second members positioned on a side of said circuit board that faces said front surface of said main body, said first member connected to a reference terminal of a high frequency wave amplifier, said second member connected to a feed terminal of said high frequency wave amplifier, and said second member being located farther than said first member from electromagnetic noise sources radiated by said plurality of circuits, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

42. A wrist-mounted-type antenna device according to claim 41, wherein said antenna assembly includes a front surface side that faces away from the user'"'"'s wrist and a rear surface side that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist, and further comprising a material layer having a high dielectric constant coated on at least one of said front surface side and said rear surface side of said antenna assembly.

43. A wrist-mounted-type portable apparatus comprising:

a main body having a front surface that faces away from a user'"'"'s wrist when mounted around the user'"'"'s wrist, a rear surface that faces toward the user'"'"'s wrist when mounted around the user'"'"'s wrist, and a circuit board in said main body between said front surface and said rear surface, a circuit arranged on said circuit board; and

a slot antenna device, said antenna device including;

an antenna assembly including a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly, said antenna assembly having a reactance element connected across sides of said slot near a center of a length of said slot, said antenna assembly at least partly located in said main body between said front surface and said circuit board and coupled to said circuit board, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

44. A wrist-mounted-type portable apparatus comprising:

a main body, a circuit board in said main body, a circuit arranged on said circuit board;

a pair of wrist bands connected to said main body;

a slot antenna device, said slot antenna device including;

an antenna assembly including a slot extending along a length of said antenna assembly, said antenna assembly coupled to said circuit board located in said main body and said pair of wrist bands, said antenna assembly at least partly located in said main body between front surface of said main body and said circuit board and spaced from said circuits arranged on said circuit board; and

a reactance element located at a center of said length of said antenna assembly, said reactance element connecting two portions of said antenna assembly to each other across said slot, whereby an electric field is produced across said slot when said antenna device is operated.

45. A wrist-mounted-type portable apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said circuit includes at least a signal transmit portion so that said portable apparatus is a signal transmitting apparatus.

46. A wrist-mounted-type portable apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said circuit includes at least a receiving portion so that said portable apparatus is a signal receiving apparatus.