Computing device having an antenna

• US 7,301,783 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Homer, Steven S., Doczy, Paul J., Solomon, Mark C., Wolff, Stacy
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley; P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan; Thanh S.
• Application Number:
  US10/235,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20040047139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: 361/796, 361/679, 361/680, 361/681, 361/683, 343/702, 343/725, 343/767, 343/770, 343/846
• US Class Current: 361/816
• 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: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode

Abstract

A system for promoting wireless communication. The system utilizes a computing device and an antenna. The antenna is disposed in a protected location within the computing device. However, the antenna is positioned such that the materials from which the computing device is formed do not substantially interfere with the transmission of wireless communication signals.

Claims

1. A system for promoting wireless communication, comprising:

a portable computer having a plastic housing, a transparent display screen panel mounted in the plastic housing in front of a display module, wherein the transparent display screen panel comprises an antenna oriented in a position unobstructed by the plastic housing and the display module.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable computer comprises a tablet PC.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the transparent display screen panel comprises a glass material.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the transparent display screen panel comprises a writing surface.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plastic housing comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls, the transparent display screen panel being coupled to the plurality of sidewalls in a position generally parallel with the bottom wall.

6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna is mounted on and behind the transparent display screen panel.

7. A portable computer, comprising:

a housing;

a microprocessor disposed within the housing;

a display disposed within the housing; and

a transparent display screen panel attached to the housing in front of the display, wherein the transparent display screen panel comprises an antenna disposed at a position that permits receipt of wireless signals without passage of the wireless signals through the housing and the display.

8. The portable computer as recited in claim 7, wherein the housing is a tablet PC housing.

9. The portable computer as recited in claim 7, wherein the antenna is configured to process wireless signals broadcast according to an IEEE 802.11 standard.

10. The portable computer as recited in claim 7, wherein the antenna is configured to process wireless signals broadcast according to an IEEE 802.15 standard.

11. The portable computer as recited in claim 7, wherein the housing comprises a bottom wall generally parallel to the display screen panel.

12. The portable computer as recited in claim 7, wherein the antenna is disposed on and behind the transparent display screen panel.

13. A computer display, comprising:

a display; and

a transparent display screen panel, in front of the display, comprising an antenna at a position that allows signals to pass through the transparent display screen panel to the antenna.

14. The computer display as recited in claim 13, wherein the transparent display screen panel is mounted in a housing and has a lower percentage content of metallics than the housing.

15. The computer display as recited in claim 14, wherein the housing comprises a tablet PC housing.

16. The computer display as recited in claim 15, further comprising a microprocessor disposed within the housing.

17. The computer display as recited in claim 16, further comprising a keyboard coupleable to the housing.

18. The computer display as recited in claim 13, wherein the transparent display screen panel is substantially free of metallics to reduce interference with wireless signals passing to the antenna.

19. The computer display as recited in claim 13, wherein the housing comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls that extend from the bottom wall to the transparent display screen panel.

20. The computer display as recited in claim 13, wherein the antenna is mounted on and behind the transparent display screen panel.

21. A method of manufacturing an electronic device, comprising:

providing a housing with a base and a plurality of sidewalls;

positioning a display between the plurality of sidewalls; and

positioning a transparent display screen panel in front of the display between the plurality of sidewalls, the transparent display screen panel having an antenna in a position that limits interference of the housing and the display with signal transmission.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein providing comprises providing a portable computer housing.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein providing comprises providing a tablet PC housing.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising selecting a material for the transparent display screen panel having a lower metallic content than the material from which the housing is formed.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein selecting comprises using a material comprising glass.

26. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising placing a microprocessor within the housing.

27. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the antenna is coupled to a rear surface of the transparent display screen panel.

28. A method of promoting wireless communication with a portable computer device, comprising:

mounting an antenna against an interior surface of a transparent computer display panel in front of a display.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein mounting comprises locating the antenna within a tablet PC housing.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising eliminating shielding material from an area about the antenna.

31. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising forming the transparent computer display panel from a glass material.