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

• US 7,403,165 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Qi, Yihong, Jarmuszewski, Perry, Man, Ying Tong
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hoang V
• Application Number:
  US11/769,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20070247389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/846, 343/748, 343/866, 343/745
• 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 dielectric substrate;

a ground plane conductor on said dielectric substrate;

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

a loop antenna conductor being relatively positioned on the overhang portion of said dielectric extension so as not to overlap said ground plane conductor; and

at least one branch conductor on said dielectric substrate and coupled to said loop antenna to define at least one feed point therefor.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said at least one branch conductor comprises a first branch conductor having a first end coupled to said loop antenna conductor and having a second end defining a first feed point, and a second branch conductor having a first end coupled to said loop antenna conductor and a second end defining a second feed point.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said 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 dielectric extension extends outwardly from said second surface.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said loop antenna conductor extends over said vertical portion of said dielectric extension and has a gap therein defining first and second ends of said loop antenna conductor.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising a tuning branch conductor on said dielectric substrate connected to said loop antenna conductor.

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

7. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising a wireless transceiver connected to said loop antenna conductor.

8. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a dielectric substrate having opposing first and second surfaces;

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

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

a loop antenna conductor being relatively positioned on the overhang portion of said dielectric extension so as not to overlap said ground plane conductor;

said loop antenna conductor having at least one tuning feature therein; and

at least one branch conductor on said dielectric substrate and coupled to said loop antenna to define at least one feed point therefor.

9. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 8 wherein said at least one branch conductor comprises a first branch conductor having a first end coupled to said loop antenna conductor and having a second end defining a first feed point, and a second branch conductor having a first end coupled to said loop antenna conductor and a second end defining a second feed point.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 8 wherein said loop antenna conductor extends over said vertical portion of said dielectric extension and has a gap therein defining first and second ends of said loop antenna conductor.

11. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 8 further comprising a tuning branch on said dielectric substrate conductor connected to said loop antenna conductor.

12. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 8 further comprising a wireless transceiver connected to said loop antenna conductor.

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

providing a dielectric extension comprising a vertical portion and an overhang portion extending outwardly from the vertical portion, with a loop antenna conductor on the overhang portion;

connecting the vertical portion of the dielectric extension to a dielectric substrate having at least one branch conductor thereon coupled to the loop antenna conductor and defining at least one feed point so that the vertical portion extends outwardly from the dielectric substrate, the overhang portion extends above an adjacent portion of the dielectric substrate, and the at least one conductor does not overlap a ground plane conductor on the dielectric substrate.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one branch conductor comprises a first branch conductor having a first end coupled to the loop antenna conductor and having a second end defining a first feed point, and a second branch conductor having a first end coupled to the loop antenna conductor and a second end defining a second feed point.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the main dielectric substrate has opposing first and second surfaces with the ground plane conductor being on the first surface, and wherein connecting the vertical portion comprises connecting the vertical portion to the first surface.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising positioning the at least one conductor to extend over the vertical portion of the dielectric extension and to have a gap therein defining first and second ends of a loop antenna conductor.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming a tuning branch conductor on the dielectric substrate connected to the loop antenna conductor.