Mobile wireless communications device comprising non-planar internal antenna without ground plane overlap

• US 7,091,911 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Qi, Yihong, Jarmuszewski, Perry, Man, Ying Tong
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V.
• Application Number:
  US11/042,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20050270242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/866, 343/846
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• 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: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing, a main dielectric substrate carried by the housing, circuitry carried by the main dielectric substrate, and a ground plane conductor on the main dielectric substrate. The mobile wireless communications device may further include an L-shaped dielectric extension comprising a vertical portion extending outwardly from the main dielectric substrate and an overhang portion extending outwardly from the vertical portion and above an adjacent portion of the main dielectric layer. A main loop antenna conductor comprising at least one conductive trace may be relatively positioned on the overhang portion of the L-shaped dielectric extension so as not to overlap the ground plane conductor.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

a main dielectric substrate carried by said housing;

circuitry carried by said main dielectric substrate;

a ground plane conductor on said main dielectric substrate;

an L-shaped dielectric extension comprising a vertical portion extending outwardly from said main dielectric substrate and an overhang portion extending outwardly from said vertical portion and above an adjacent portion of said main dielectric substrate; and

a main loop antenna conductor comprising at least one conductive trace being relatively positioned on the overhang portion of said L-shaped dielectric extension so as not to overlap said ground plane conductor.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said main dielectric substrate has opposing first and second surfaces, wherein said ground plane conductor is on the first surface, and wherein said vertical portion of said L-shaped dielectric extension extends outwardly from said second surface.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said at least one conductive trace extends over said vertical portion of said L-shaped dielectric extension and has a gap therein defining first and second ends of said main loop antenna conductor.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 3 further comprising:

a first branch conductor on said main dielectric substrate having a first end connected adjacent the first end of said main loop antenna conductor and having a second end defining a first feed point; and

a second branch conductor on said main dielectric substrate having a first end connected adjacent the second end of said main loop antenna conductor and a second end defining a second feed point.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 4 further comprising a tuning branch conductor on said main dielectric substrate connected to said main loop antenna conductor between the respective first ends of said first and second branches.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said main loop antenna conductor has at least one tuning feature therein.

7. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said housing has an upper portion and a lower portion, and further comprising an audio output transducer carried by the upper portion of said housing and connected to said circuitry;

and wherein said L-shaped dielectric extension is adjacent the lower portion of said housing.

8. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said circuitry comprises a wireless transceiver connected to said main loop antenna conductor.

9. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

a main dielectric substrate carried by said housing and having opposing first and second surfaces;

a ground plane conductor on the first surface of said main dielectric substrate;

circuitry carried by said main dielectric substrate on the second surface thereof;

an L-shaped dielectric extension comprising a vertical portion extending outwardly from the second surface of said main dielectric substrate and an overhang portion extending outwardly from said vertical portion and above an adjacent portion of said main dielectric substrate; and

a main loop antenna conductor comprising at least one conductive trace being relatively positioned on the overhang portion of said L-shaped dielectric extension so as not to overlap said ground plane conductor;

said main loop antenna conductor having at least one tuning feature therein.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 9 wherein said at least one conductive trace extends over said vertical portion of said L-shaped dielectric extension and has a gap therein defining first and second ends of said main loop antenna conductor.

11. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 10 further comprising:

a first branch conductor on said main dielectric substrate having a first end connected adjacent the first end of said main loop antenna conductor and having a second end defining a first feed point; and

a second branch conductor on said main dielectric substrate having a first end connected adjacent the second end of said main loop antenna conductor and a second end defining a second feed point.

12. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11 further comprising a tuning branch on said main dielectric substrate conductor connected to said main loop antenna conductor between the respective first ends of said first and second branches.

13. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 9 wherein said housing has an upper portion and a lower portion, and further comprising an audio output transducer carried by the upper portion of said housing and connected to said circuitry;

and wherein said L-shaped dielectric extension is adjacent the lower portion of said housing.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 9 wherein said circuitry comprises a wireless transceiver connected to said main loop antenna conductor.

15. A method for making a mobile wireless communications device comprising:

forming an L-shaped dielectric extension comprising a vertical portion and an overhang portion extending outwardly from the vertical portion, with at least one conductive trace on the overhang portion;

connecting the vertical portion of the L-shaped dielectric extension to a main dielectric substrate so that the vertical portion extends outwardly therefrom, the overhang portion extends above an adjacent portion of the main dielectric substrate, and the at least one conductive trace does not overlap a ground plane conductor on the dielectric substrate; and

mounting the main dielectric substrate in a housing of the mobile wireless communications device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the main dielectric substrate has opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the ground plane conductor is on the first surface, and wherein connecting the vertical portion comprises connecting the vertical portion to the first surface.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising positioning the at least one conductive trace to extend over the vertical portion of the L-shaped dielectric extension and to have a gap therein defining first and second ends of a main loop antenna conductor.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

forming a first branch conductor on the main dielectric substrate having a first end connected adjacent the first end of the main loop antenna conductor and having a second end defining a first feed point; and

forming a second branch conductor on the main dielectric substrate having a first end connected adjacent the second end of the main loop antenna conductor and a second end defining a second feed point.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising forming a tuning branch conductor on the main dielectric substrate connected to the main loop antenna conductor between the respective first ends of the first and second branches.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the housing has an upper portion and a lower portion, and further comprising:

positioning an audio output transducer adjacent the upper portion of the housing and connected to the circuitry; and

positioning the L-shaped dielectric extension adjacent the lower portion of the housing prior to connecting the vertical portion to the main dielectric substrate.