Handheld electronic device antennas

• US 7,911,387 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hill, Robert J., Schlub, Robert W., Caballero, Ruben
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Shih-Chao
• Application Number:
  US11/821,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/767, 343/846
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• 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 1/52 Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure absorbing means H01Q17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• 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

A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains a conductive housing and other conductive elements. The conductive elements may form an antenna ground plane. One or more antennas for the handheld electronic device may be formed from the ground plane and one or more associated antenna resonating elements. Transceiver circuitry may be connected to the resonating elements by transmission lines such as coaxial cables. Ferrules may be crimped to the coaxial cables. A bracket with extending members may be crimped over the ferrules to ground the coaxial cables to the housing and other conductive elements in the ground plane. The ground plane may contain an antenna slot. A dock connector and flex circuit may overlap the slot in a way that does not affect the resonant frequency of the slot. Electrical components may be isolated from the antenna using isolation elements such as inductors and resistors.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

an antenna that handles signals at radio frequencies;

an electrical component that overlaps the antenna;

control circuitry; and

at least one resistor that is electrically connected between the electrical component and the control circuitry that isolates the electrical component from the antenna at the radio frequencies, wherein the antenna comprises an antenna slot in an antenna ground plane and wherein the electrical component overlaps the antenna slot.

2. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the electrical component comprises a button that overlaps the slot.

3. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a conductive housing;

a display; and

a conductive bezel that holds the display on the housing, wherein the antenna slot has a shape defined at least partly by an opening between the conductive bezel and the conductive housing.

4. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a conductive housing;

a display;

a data port connector; and

a conductive bezel that holds the display on the housing, wherein the antenna slot has a shape defined at least partly by an opening between the conductive bezel and the conductive housing and at least partially by overlap between the data port connector and the opening, wherein the electrical component comprises a button that overlaps the slot.

5. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a conductive housing;

a display;

a data port connector;

a flex circuit connected between the data port connector and the control circuitry, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and at least one conductive trace; and

a conductive bezel that holds the display on the housing, wherein;

the antenna slot has a shape defined by an opening between the conductive bezel and the conductive housing, overlap between the data port connector and the opening, and overlap between the flex circuit and the opening; and

the electrical component comprises a button that overlaps the slot.

6. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a conductive housing;

a display;

a data port connector;

a flex circuit connected between the data port connector and the control circuitry, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and at least one conductive trace; and

a conductive bezel that holds the display on the housing, wherein;

the antenna slot has a shape defined by a substantially rectangular opening between the conductive bezel and the conductive housing, overlap between the data port connector and the rectangular opening, and overlap between the flex circuit and the rectangular opening;

the rectangular opening has an interior perimeter;

the overlap between the data port connector and the opening makes a perimeter length addition to the interior perimeter;

the overlap between the flex circuit and the opening makes a perimeter length reduction to the interior perimeter; and

the electrical component comprises a button that overlaps the slot.

7. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a conductive housing;

a display;

a data port connector;

a flex circuit connected between the data port connector and the control circuitry, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and at least one conductive trace; and

a conductive bezel that holds the display on the housing, wherein;

the antenna slot has a shape defined by a substantially rectangular opening between the conductive bezel and the conductive housing, overlap between the data port connector and the rectangular opening, and overlap between the flex circuit and the rectangular opening;

the rectangular opening has an interior perimeter;

the overlap between the data port connector and the opening makes a perimeter length addition to the interior perimeter; and

the overlap between the flex circuit and the opening makes a perimeter length reduction to the interior perimeter, wherein the perimeter length addition is substantially equal to the perimeter length reduction.

8. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a data port connector; and

a flex circuit that routes signals from the data port connector to the control circuitry, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and at least one conductive trace and wherein the antenna ground plane and a resonating element form a hybrid antenna structure for the antenna having a slot antenna portion and a planar-inverted-F portion.

9. A handheld electronic device comprising:

an antenna that handles signals at radio frequencies;

control circuitry;

a conductive housing;

a conductive data port connector; and

a ground plane formed at least partly from the conductive housing, wherein the ground plane includes an antenna slot, wherein the antenna slot has a shape defined at least partly by a rectangular opening in the ground plane and at least partly by an overlap between the data port connector and the opening.

10. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 9 further comprising a flex circuit that is connected between the data port connector and the control circuitry, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and at least one conductive trace and wherein the antenna slot shape is defined at least partly by overlap between the flex circuit and the rectangular opening.

11. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 9 further comprising a flex circuit that is connected between the data port connector and the control circuitry, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and at least one conductive trace and wherein the antenna slot shape is defined at least partly by overlap between the flex circuit and the rectangular opening, wherein:

the rectangular opening has an interior perimeter;

the overlap between the data port connector and the rectangular opening makes a perimeter length addition to the interior perimeter; and

the overlap between the flex circuit and the rectangular opening makes a perimeter length reduction to the interior perimeter, wherein the perimeter length addition is substantially equal to the perimeter length reduction.

12. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 9 further comprising:

a button that overlaps the antenna slot;

isolation elements that are electrically connected between the button and the control circuitry and that isolate the button from the antenna at the radio frequencies.

13. Handheld electronic device circuitry, comprising:

an antenna ground plane;

a first antenna resonating element that forms a first antenna with the antenna ground plane and that transmits and receives signals at radio frequencies;

a button;

processing circuitry; and

at least one resistor that is connected between the button and the processing circuitry that isolates the button from the antenna at the radio frequencies.

14. The handheld electronic device circuitry defined in claim 13 wherein the first antenna comprises a strip antenna that handles data communications at 2.4 GHz.

15. The handheld electronic device circuitry defined in claim 13 further comprising a second antenna resonating element that forms a second antenna with the antenna ground plane, wherein the antenna ground plane includes an antenna slot and wherein the second antenna comprises a hybrid antenna that is formed using the antenna slot.

16. The handheld electronic device circuitry defined in claim 13, further comprising:

a second antenna resonating element that forms a second antenna with the antenna ground plane, wherein the antenna ground plane includes an antenna slot, wherein the second antenna comprises a hybrid antenna that is formed using the antenna slot, and wherein the antenna slot has an inner perimeter;

a data port connector that defines at least part of the inner perimeter; and

a flex circuit that defines at least part of the inner perimeter, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and conductive ground and signal traces that convey signals between the data port connector and the processing circuitry.

17. The handheld electronic device circuitry defined in claim 13 further comprising:

a second antenna resonating element that forms a second antenna with the antenna ground plane, wherein the antenna ground plane includes an antenna slot and wherein the second antenna comprises a hybrid antenna that is formed using the antenna slot;

a speaker module that overlaps the antenna slot; and

at least one inductor that isolates the speaker module from the first antenna at the radio frequencies.

18. The handheld electronic device circuitry defined in claim 13, further comprising:

a second antenna resonating element that forms a second antenna with the antenna ground plane, wherein the antenna ground plane includes an antenna slot, wherein the second antenna comprises a hybrid antenna that is formed using the antenna slot, and wherein the antenna slot has an inner perimeter;

a data port connector that defines at least part of the inner perimeter;

a flex circuit that defines at least part of the inner perimeter, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and conductive ground and signal traces that convey signals between the data port connector and the processing circuitry and wherein the inner perimeter has a length;

a speaker module that overlaps the slot;

a microphone that overlaps the slot; and

inductors that isolate the speaker module and microphone from the first antenna at the radio frequencies, so that the speaker module and microphone do not affect the length of the inner perimeter.

19. The handheld electronic device circuitry defined in claim 13, further comprising:

a display;

a conductive bezel that holds the display;

a second antenna resonating element that forms a second antenna with the antenna ground plane, wherein the antenna ground plane includes an antenna slot having a shape that is defined at least partly by the conductive bezel, wherein the second antenna comprises a hybrid antenna that is formed using the antenna slot, and wherein the antenna slot has an inner perimeter;

a data port connector that defines at least part of the inner perimeter;

a flex circuit that defines at least part of the inner perimeter, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and conductive ground and signal traces that convey signals between the data port connector and the processing circuitry and wherein the inner perimeter has a length;

a speaker module that overlaps the slot;

a microphone that overlaps the slot; and

inductors that isolate the speaker module and microphone from the first antenna at the radio frequencies so that the speaker module and microphone do not affect the length of the inner perimeter.

20. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the antenna ground plane includes an antenna slot having an inner perimeter and wherein the handheld electronic device further comprises a flex circuit that defines at least part of the inner perimeter, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and conductive ground and signal traces that convey signals between a data port connector and the processing circuitry.

21. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 13 further comprising a flex circuit that defines at least part of the antenna ground plane, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and conductive ground and signal traces that convey signals between a data port connector and the processing circuitry.

22. A method for providing an antenna in a handheld electronic device that has a handheld device housing, a flex circuit, and an antenna ground plane, comprising:

providing an antenna slot in the antenna ground plane, wherein the antenna slot has an inner perimeter; and

positioning the flex circuit in the handheld device housing to define at least part of the inner perimeter for the slot, wherein the flex circuit comprises a flexible substrate and at least one conductive trace.

23. The method defined in claim 22 wherein the handheld electronic device housing comprises a conductive handheld electronic device housing, the method further comprising forming the antenna slot at least partially from the conductive handheld electronic device housing.

24. The method defined in claim 22 further comprising forming the antenna slot at least partially from a dock connector that is connected to the flex circuit.