Handheld electronic devices with isolated antennas

• US 7,808,438 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2009
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• 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:
  US12/504,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20090275370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700, 343/725, 343/767, 343/829, 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. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a housing having lateral dimensions;

a substantially rectangular ground plane element having lateral dimensions substantially equal to the lateral dimensions of the housing, wherein portions of the rectangular ground plane element define a dielectric-filled rectangular slot at one end of the rectangular ground plane element; and

first and second antennas having respective first and second antenna resonating elements, wherein the first antenna comprises a hybrid planar-inverted-F and slot antenna in which the first antenna resonating element comprises a planar resonating element that is located above the slot, wherein the planar resonating element comprises an isolation element that resonates at a common frequency with the second antenna and reduces interference between the second antenna and the first antenna during simultaneous operation of the first and second antennas.

2. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the second resonating element comprises a conductive strip that resonates in a 2.4 GHz communications band and wherein the isolation element helps to isolate the first and second antennas in the 2.4 GHz communications band.

3. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a first transceiver circuit and a second transceiver circuit, wherein the first antenna and the first transceiver circuit are configured to operate in a first communications frequency range that includes at least 850 MHz and 900 MHz cellular telephone bands and a second communications frequency range that includes at least 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz cellular telephone bands, wherein the second antenna resonating element comprises a conductive strip that resonates in a 2.4 GHz communications band, and wherein the isolation element helps to isolate the first and second antennas in the 2.4 GHz communications band.

4. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a first transceiver circuit and a second transceiver circuit, wherein the first antenna and the first transceiver circuit are configured to operate in a first communications frequency range that includes at least 850 MHz and 900 MHz cellular telephone bands and a second communications frequency range that includes at least 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz cellular telephone bands, wherein the second antenna resonating element comprises a conductive structure that resonates in a 2.4 GHz communications band, wherein the isolation element helps to isolate the first and second antennas in the 2.4 GHz communications band, and wherein the first antenna resonating element comprises a first arm that serves as the isolation element and a second arm that resonates in the second communications frequency range.

5. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a first transceiver circuit and a second transceiver circuit, wherein the first antenna and the first transceiver circuit are configured to operate in a first communications frequency range that includes at least 850 MHz and 900 MHz cellular telephone bands and a second communications frequency range that includes at least 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz cellular telephone bands, wherein the second antenna resonating element comprises an L-shaped metal strip that resonates in a 2.4 GHz communications band, wherein the isolation element helps to isolate the first and second antennas in the 2.4 GHz communications band, wherein the first antenna resonating element comprises a shorter arm that serves as the isolation element and a longer arm that resonates in the second communications frequency range, and wherein the slot is configured so that the first antenna resonates in the second communications frequency range.