Wireless electronic devices with clutch barrel transceivers
First Claim
1. A portable wireless electronic device, comprising:
- an upper housing having an exterior housing surface and having at least one metal frame that supports a portion of the exterior housing surface;
a lower housing that is attached to the upper housing by a hinge;
a clutch barrel associated with the hinge that has a clutch barrel cover;
radio-frequency transceiver circuitry within the clutch barrel cover;
at least one antenna element within the clutch barrel cover; and
a transmission line path within the clutch barrel cover that connects the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry with the antenna element, wherein a portion of the metal frame forms a heat sink that draws heat away from the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Wireless portable electronic devices such as laptop computers are provided with antennas and radio-frequency transceiver circuitry. Antenna structures and transceiver circuitry may be provided within a clutch barrel in a laptop computer. The clutch barrel may have a dielectric cover. Antenna elements may be mounted within the clutch barrel cover on an antenna support structure. The antenna support structure may be mounted to a metal housing frame. The metal housing frame may have a tab-shaped extension that serves as a heat sink. The heat sink may draw heat away from the transceiver circuitry. The transceiver circuitry may be coupled to the antenna using a radio-frequency transmission line path that contains microstrip transmission lines or coaxial cable transmission lines. The transceiver circuitry may be coupled to logic circuitry on a laptop computer motherboard using a digital data communications path.
41 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A portable wireless electronic device, comprising:
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an upper housing having an exterior housing surface and having at least one metal frame that supports a portion of the exterior housing surface; a lower housing that is attached to the upper housing by a hinge; a clutch barrel associated with the hinge that has a clutch barrel cover; radio-frequency transceiver circuitry within the clutch barrel cover; at least one antenna element within the clutch barrel cover; and a transmission line path within the clutch barrel cover that connects the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry with the antenna element, wherein a portion of the metal frame forms a heat sink that draws heat away from the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Clutch barrel structures located in a clutch barrel between an upper and lower housing portion of a portable electronic device, comprising:
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antenna structures in the clutch barrel; radio-frequency transceiver circuitry in the clutch barrel; and a frame member heat sink in the clutch barrel configured to draw heat away from the transceiver circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Structures in a portable computer that has an upper housing portion, a lower housing portion, and a portable computer clutch barrel associated with a hinge that connects the upper housing portion to the lower housing portion, comprising:
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at least one antenna element in the portable computer clutch barrel; radio-frequency transceiver circuitry in the portable computer clutch barrel; and a metal frame in the upper housing, wherein the metal frame has a tab-shaped heat sink extension that serves as a heat sink for the transceiver circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification