Antenna device and electric appliance using the same

• US 6,879,293 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Masahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US10/371,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20040051670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700.MS, 343/767, 343/770, 343/841, 343/815, 343/833, 343/834, 455/90.3
• 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: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/16 Folded slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/378 Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements
• 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

In an antenna device, an antenna element incorporated in a housing provided with a display unit is omnidirectional. An antenna device comprises a housing for allowing a display unit for displaying visual information to be disposed on the principal surface F₁, and an antenna element incorporated in the housing for radiating a radio wave from an end face F₂ contacting with the principal surface F₁ of the housing.

Claims

1. An antenna device, comprising:

a housing for allowing a display unit for displaying visual information to be disposed on a principal surface, said housing incorporating an electromagnetic shielding component; and

an antenna element incorporated in the housing for radiating a radio wave from a surface including at least one of an end face contacting with the principal surface of the housing and an edge of the end face.

2. The antenna device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna element radiates the radio wave from the surface including at least either the end face positioned above the housing or the end face positioned sideways, or the edge of the end face of at least either the end face positioned above the housing or the end face positioned sideways.

3. The antenna device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the antenna element comprises a slot antenna for radiating a radio wave from an opening or insulating region formed in the surface including the end face of the housing surrounded by a conductor region or the edge of the end face.

4. The antenna device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conductor region is shared with an electromagnetic shield region of the housing for shielding undesired radiation from electronic circuits.

5. The antenna device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the opening is closed by an insulating member.

6. The antenna device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the opening is closed by an insulating member.

7. The antenna device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the antenna element comprises a slot antenna installed inside of the housing.

8. The antenna device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the antenna element comprises a micro strip antenna, installed in the surface including the end face of the housing, the edge of the end face or the inside of the housing, including a strip formed at one side of a dielectric substrate and a grounding conductor at the other side.

9. The antenna device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a parasitic element is disposed at the strip forming side of the antenna element.

10. The antenna device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the parasitic element is disposed along the inside or outside of the housing.

11. The antenna device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the antenna element comprises one of an inverted F-type antenna and a monopole antenna installed inside of the housing.

12. The antenna device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises a slot antenna for radiating a radio wave from an opening or insulating region formed in the surface including the end face of the housing surrounded by a conductor region or the edge of the end face.

13. The antenna device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the conductor region is shared with an electromagnetic shield region of the housing for shielding undesired radiation from electronic circuits.

14. The antenna device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the opening is closed by an insulating member.

15. The antenna device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the opening is closed by an insulating member.

16. The antenna device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises a slot antenna installed inside of the housing.

17. The antenna device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises a micro strip antenna, installed in the surface including the end face of the housing, the edge of the end face or the inside of the housing, including a strip formed at one side of a dielectric substrate and a grounding conductor at the other side.

18. The antenna device as claimed in claim 17, wherein a parasitic element is disposed at the strip forming side of the antenna element.

19. The antenna device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the parasitic element is disposed along the inside or outside of the housing.

20. The antenna device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises one of an inverted F-type antenna and a monopole antenna installed inside of the housing.

21. An electronic appliance comprising an antenna device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a current feeding unit for feeding an electric power of specified frequency to the antenna element.

22. The antenna device of claim 1, wherein said incorporated antenna maintains an omnidirectional antenna characteristic.

23. The antenna device of claim 1, wherein said incorporated antenna comprises a surface-mounted antenna mounted onto an inside surface of said housing.

24. The antenna device of claim 23, wherein said surface-mounted antenna comprises a slot antenna.

25. The antenna device of claim 23, wherein said surface-mounted antenna comprises a microstrip antenna.

26. The antenna device of claim 23, wherein said surface-mounted antenna comprises an inverted F-type antenna.

27. The antenna device of claim 23, wherein said surface-mounted antenna comprises a monopole antenna mounted on a conductor plate.

28. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a housing that incorporates an electromagnetic shielding component; and

an antenna element incorporated as a component in said apparatus, wherein said electromagnetic shielding component serves as a component for said antenna element to provide an omnidirectional antenna characteristic.

29. The electronic apparatus of claim 28, wherein said apparatus comprises a computer.

30. The electronic apparatus of claim 28, wherein said apparatus is portable.

31. The electronic apparatus of claim 28, wherein said antenna comprises one of:

a slot antenna;

a micro strip antenna;

an inverted F-type antenna; and

a monopole antenna.

32. The electronic apparatus of claim 28, wherein said antenna has a radiation opening formed therein and a dielectric cover for said opening.

33. The electronic apparatus of claim 28, wherein said antenna includes at least one parasitic element.

34. An electronic apparatus having a display panel, said display panel comprising:

a display unit;

a housing allowing said display unit to be disposed as a principal surface thereof, said housing incorporating at least one section of conductive material on at least one end face contacting said principal surface; and

an antenna element integrated into said housing for radiating a radio wave from a surface including at least one of said end face and an edge of said end face, wherein said antenna radiates through an opening surrounded by conductive material of one or more said at least one section of conductive material.

35. The electronic apparatus of claim 34, wherein one of said at least one section of conductive material comprises an electromagnetic shielding component for said display panel.

36. The electronic apparatus of claim 34, wherein said apparatus comprises a computer.

37. The electronic apparatus of claim 34, wherein said apparatus is portable.

38. The electronic apparatus of claim 34, wherein said antenna comprises one of:

a slot antenna;

a micro strip antenna;

an inverted F-type antenna; and

a monopole antenna.

39. The electronic apparatus of claim 34, wherein said antenna has a radiation opening formed therein and a dielectric cover for said opening.

40. The electronic apparatus of claim 34, wherein said antenna includes at least one parasitic element.