Handheld electronic devices with isolated antennas

• US 7,595,759 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schlub, Robert W., Zavala, Juan, Hill, Robert J., Caballero, Ruben
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US11/650,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700.MS, 343/725, 343/767, 343/846
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/521 reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence

Abstract

Handheld electronic devices are provided that contain wireless communications circuitry having at least first and second antennas. An antenna isolation element reduces signal interference between the antennas, so that the antennas may be used in close proximity to each other. A planar ground element may be used as a ground by the first and second antennas. The first antenna may be formed using a hybrid planar-inverted-F and slot arrangement in which a planar resonating element is located above a rectangular slot in the planar ground element. The second antenna may be formed from an L-shaped strip. The planar resonating element of the first antenna may have first and second arms. The first arm may resonate at a common frequency with the second antenna and may serve as the isolation element. The second arm may resonate at approximately the same frequency as the slot portion of the hybrid antenna.

Claims

1. Wireless communications circuitry in a handheld electronic device comprising:

first and second wireless transceiver circuits that transmit and receive radio-frequency signals;

first and second transmission lines associated respectively with the first and second wireless transceiver circuits for conveying the radio frequency signals;

first and second antennas, wherein the first antenna is connected to the first transmission line and wherein the second antenna is connected to the second transmission line; and

an isolation element associated with the first antenna that resonates in a frequency band in which the second antenna operates and reduces interference between the first antenna and the second antenna during simultaneous antenna operation, wherein the first antenna comprises a hybrid planar-inverted-F and slot antenna and wherein the isolation element is formed as part of a planar-inverted-F resonating element in the hybrid planar-inverted-F and slot antenna.

2. Wireless communications circuitry in a handheld electronic device comprising:

first and second wireless transceiver circuits that transmit and receive radio-frequency signals;

first and second transmission lines associated respectively with the first and second wireless transceiver circuits for conveying the radio frequency signals;

first and second antennas, wherein the first antenna is connected to the first transmission line and wherein the second antenna is connected to the second transmission line; and

an isolation element associated with the first antenna that resonates in a frequency band in which the second antenna operates and reduces interference between the first antenna and the second antenna during simultaneous antenna operation, wherein the first antenna comprises a hybrid planar-inverted-F and slot antenna having a planar-inverted-F resonating element, wherein the planar-inverted-F resonating element comprises a shorter arm and a longer arm, and wherein the isolation element is formed from the shorter arm.

3. Wireless communications circuitry in a handheld electronic device comprising:

first and second wireless transceiver circuits that transmit and receive radio-frequency signals;

first and second transmission lines associated respectively with the first and second wireless transceiver circuits for conveying the radio frequency signals;

first and second antennas, wherein the first antenna is connected to the first transmission line and wherein the second antenna is connected to the second transmission line; and

an isolation element associated with the first antenna that resonates in a frequency band in which the second antenna operates and reduces interference between the first antenna and the second antenna during simultaneous antenna operation, wherein the first antenna comprises a hybrid planar-inverted-F and slot antenna having a planar-inverted-F resonating element, wherein the second antenna comprises a strip antenna, wherein the planar-inverted-F resonating element comprises a shorter arm and a longer arm, and wherein the isolation element is formed from the shorter arm.