Wireless handheld electronic device

• US 8,395,555 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hobson, Phillip M., Zadesky, Stephen P., Wang, Erik L., Tan, Tang Yew, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Mittleman, Adam D., Jenks, Kenneth A., Hill, Robert J., Schlub, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US13/008,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/718, 343/846, 343/741, 343/767, 343/905, 343/906, 455/575.7
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• 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 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• 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 5/371 Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• 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 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/02 for antennas

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. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a substantially rectangular periphery;

conductive structures that form a ground plane;

a conductive member that surrounds the periphery of the housing and that has at least a portion that is separated from at least part of the ground plane by a dielectric-filled opening;

at least one antenna formed from the ground plane and the portion of the conductive member;

a flexible conductive structure that forms an electrical connection to the portion of the conductive member;

a display; and

an antenna resonating element that is separate from the dielectric-filled opening and that forms part of the antenna.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a transmission line having a pair of transmission line conductors, wherein the flexible conductive structure forms at least part of an electrical path between at least one of the transmission line conductors and the conductive member.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the flexible conductive structure comprises a spring.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the conductive member extends along at least two edges of the display.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the pair of transmission line conductors comprises a ground conductor and wherein the spring connects the ground conductor to the portion of the conductive member.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the electronic device comprises a handheld electronic device and wherein the display comprises a touch screen display that is mounted in the housing and that is surrounded by the conductive member.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a substantially rectangular periphery;

conductive structures that form a ground plane;

a conductive member that surrounds the periphery of the housing and that has at least a portion that is separated from at least part of the ground plane by a dielectric-filled opening;

at least one antenna formed from the ground plane and the portion of the conductive member;

a flexible conductive structure that forms an electrical connection to the portion of the conductive member; and

a display, wherein the dielectric-filled opening comprises a closed slot that forms part of the antenna.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a pattern of traces that at least partly overlap the closed slot.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the ground plane includes a plane of conductor on a printed circuit board.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a periphery;

conductive structures that form a ground plane;

a conductive member that surrounds the periphery of the housing and that has at least a portion that is separated from at least part of the ground plane by a dielectric-filled opening;

at least one antenna formed from the ground plane and the portion of the conductive member;

a flexible printed circuit structure that forms at least part of an electrical path that is connected to the portion of the conductive member;

a metal member that contacts the portion of the conductive member and that forms part of the electrical path;

a display surrounded by the conductive member, wherein the at least one antenna formed from the ground plane and the portion of the conductive member comprises a first antenna resonating element; and

a second antenna resonating element that is separate from the dielectric-filled opening.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 further comprising a transmission line having a pair of transmission line conductors, wherein the electrical path couples one of the pair of transmission line conductors to the portion of the conductive member.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the conductive member comprises a rectangular ring-shaped metal member.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 further comprising an antenna resonating element that forms part of the antenna.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13, wherein the electronic device comprises a handheld electronic device, wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a planar inverted-F antenna resonating element that at least partly overlaps the opening.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the metal member is interposed between a conductive trace on the flex circuit and the portion of the conductive member.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 further comprising a transmission line having a pair of transmission line conductors, wherein the electrical path is extends between one of the transmission line conductors and the portion of the conductive member.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a periphery;

conductive structures that form a ground plane;

a conductive member that surrounds the periphery of the housing and that has at least a portion that is separated from at least part of the ground plane by a dielectric-filled opening, wherein the portion of the conductive member forms at least one external surface of the electronic device;

at least one antenna formed from the ground plane and the portion of the conductive member;

a flexible printed circuit structure that forms at least part of an electrical path that is connected to the portion of the conductive member; and

a metal member that contacts the portion of the conductive member and that forms part of the electrical path, wherein the metal member comprises a spring.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a periphery;

conductive structures that form a ground plane, wherein the ground plane includes conductor on a printed circuit board;

a conductive member that is separate from the conductive structures and that surrounds the periphery of the housing and that has at least a portion that is separated from at least part of the ground plane by a dielectric-filled opening;

at least one antenna formed from the ground plane and the portion of the conductive member;

a flexible printed circuit structure that forms at least part of an electrical path that is connected to the portion of the conductive member; and

a metal member that contacts the portion of the conductive member and that forms part of the electrical path.