Tunable antennas for handheld devices

• US 7,671,804 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Zhijun, Caballero, Ruben
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tan
• Application Number:
  US11/516,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means

Abstract

A compact tunable antenna for a handheld electronic device and methods for calibrating and using compact tunable antennas are provided. The antenna can have multiple ports. Each port can have an associated feed and ground. The antenna design can be implemented with a small footprint while covering a large bandwidth. The antenna can have a radiating element formed from a conductive structure such as a patch or helix. The antenna can be shaped to accommodate buttons and other components in the handheld device. The antenna may be connected to a printed circuit board in the handheld device using springs, pogo pins, and other suitable connecting structures. Radio-frequency switches and passive components such as duplexers and diplexers may be used to couple radio-frequency transceiver circuitry to the different feeds of the antenna. Antenna efficiency can be enhanced by avoiding the use of capacitive loading for antenna tuning.

Claims

1. A tunable multipart handheld electronic device patch antenna, comprising:

a ground terminal;

a substantially planar radiating element located above the ground terminal that is electrically connected to the ground terminal; and

at least first and second antenna feeds, wherein the first antenna feed is electrically connected to the radiating element at a first location, wherein the second antenna feed is electrically connected to the radiating element at a second location that is different from the first location, wherein the first antenna feed and the ground terminal form a first antenna port through which antenna signals are transmitted and received, and wherein the second antenna feed and the ground terminal form a second antenna port through which antenna signals are transmitted and received.

2. The tunable multiport handheld electronic device patch antenna defined in claim 1 wherein the substantially planar radiating element and ground terminal form a planar-inverted-F antenna (PIFA) structure and wherein the first and second antenna feeds form feeds for the PIFA structure.

3. The tunable multiport handheld electronic device patch antenna defined in claim 2 wherein the radiating element comprises a metal antenna structure without adjustable capacitive loading.

4. The tunable multiport handheld electronic device patch antenna defined in claim 2 wherein the radiating element comprises first, second, and third integral elongated portions, wherein the first elongated portion forms the ground terminal, wherein the second elongated portion forms the first feed, and wherein the third elongated portion forms the second feed.

5. The tunable multiport handheld electronic device patch antenna defined in claim 2 wherein the radiating element comprises metal and is configured to operate at a frequency range associated with a first cellular telephone band when the first antenna port is used and is configured to operate at a frequency range associated with a second cellular telephone band that is different from the first cellular telephone band when the second antenna port is used.

6. The tunable multiport handheld electronic device patch antenna defined in claim 5 wherein selecting between the first port and second port occurs without the use of adjustable capacitive loading, and wherein the first and second cellular telephone bands are selected from the group consisting of an 850 MHz band, a 900 MHz band, an 1800 MHz band, a 1900 MHz band, and a 2170 MHz band.

7. Tunable multiport antenna circuitry comprising:

a substantially planar radiating element;

a circuit board having a ground conductive path and first and second antenna feed conductive paths;

a ground electrical connecting structure that connects the ground conductive path to the radiating element and serves as a ground terminal for the radiating element;

a first feed electrical connecting structure that electrically connects the first feed conductive path on the circuit board to the radiating element at a first location and serves as a first feed terminal for the radiating element, wherein the first feed terminal and the ground terminal form a first antenna port through which antenna signals are transmitted and received; and

a second feed electrical connecting structure that electrically connects the second feed conductive path on the circuit board to the radiating element at a second location distinct from the first location and serves as a second feed terminal for the radiating element, wherein the second feed terminal and the second ground terminal form a second antenna port through which antenna signals are transmitted and received.

8. The tunable multiport circuitry defined in claim 7 wherein at least one of the ground electrical connecting structure, the first feed electrical connecting structure, and the second feed electrical connecting structure comprises a spring-loaded pin.

9. The tunable multiport circuitry defined in claim 7 wherein at least one of the ground electrical connecting structure, the first feed electrical connecting structure, and the second feed electrical connecting structure comprises a piece of bent conductor that serves as a spring.

10. The tunable multiport circuitry defined in claim 7 wherein at least one of the ground electrical connecting structure, the first feed electrical connecting structure, and the second feed electrical connecting structure comprises a piece of bent conductor formed as an integral part of the radiating element that serves as a spring and that is soldered to one of the conductive paths on the circuit board.

11. The tunable multiport circuitry defined in claim 7 wherein the circuit board has a third feed conductive path, the circuitry further comprising:

a third feed electrical connecting structure that electrically connects the third feed conductive path on the circuit board to the radiating element at a third location distinct from the first and second locations and that serves as a third feed terminal for the radiating element.