Antenna isolation for portable electronic devices

• US 8,531,341 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schlub, Robert W., Hill, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCUSO, HUEDUNG XUAN CAO
• Application Number:
  US13/418,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700.MS, 343833-835
• 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 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• 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 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

Portable electronic devices are provided with wireless circuitry that includes antennas and antenna isolation elements. The antennas may include antennas that have multiple arms and that are configured to handle communications in multiple frequency bands. The antennas may also include one or more antennas that are configured to handle communications in a single frequency band. The antennas may be coupled to different radio-frequency transceivers. For example, there may be first, second, and third antennas and first and second transceivers. The first and third antennas may be coupled to the first transceiver and the second antenna may be coupled to the second transceiver. The antenna isolation elements may be interposed between the antennas and may serve to reduce radio-frequency interference between the antennas. There may be a first antenna isolation element between the first and second antennas and a second antenna isolation element between the second and third antennas.

Claims

1. Electronic device antenna structures in an electronic device, comprising:

first, second, and third resonating elements aligned along a common axis and that are each connected to a respective ground plane portion, wherein the first and second resonating elements are fed using respective antenna feed terminals and form respective first and second antennas and wherein the third resonating element is not fed by any antenna feed terminals.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first resonating element comprises a multi-band resonating element operable in at least first and second frequency bands.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first resonating element comprises a multi-band inverted-F resonating element having a first arm operable in a first frequency band and having a second arm operable in a second frequency band.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the third resonating element comprises at least a first arm that resonates in a first frequency and a second arm that resonates in a second frequency.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a portable electronic device.

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

a first transmission line having a first positive conductor coupled to the antenna feed terminal of the first resonating element and a first ground conductor coupled to the ground plane portion associated with the first resonating element; and

a second transmission line having a second positive conductor coupled to the antenna feed terminal of the second resonating element and a second ground conductor coupled to the ground plane portion associated with the second resonating element.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

first, second, and third resonating elements that are parallel to a common axis, wherein the first and second resonating elements are fed using respective antenna feed terminals and form respective first and second antennas and wherein the third resonating element is not fed by any antenna feed terminals;

a first transmission line having a first positive conductor coupled to the antenna feed terminal of the first resonating element and a first ground conductor; and

a second transmission line having a second positive conductor coupled to the antenna feed terminal of the second resonating element and a second ground conductor.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the first resonating element comprises a multi-band resonating element operable in at least first and second frequency bands.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the first resonating element comprises a multi-band inverted-F resonating element having a first arm operable in a first frequency band and having a second arm operable in a second frequency band.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the third resonating element comprises at least a first arm that resonates in a first frequency and a second arm that is longer than the first arm and that resonates in a second frequency.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the electronic device comprises a portable electronic device.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 7 further comprising conductive housing structures that are coupled to the first and second ground conductors.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

first, second, and third resonating elements that are parallel to a common axis, wherein the first and second resonating elements are fed using respective antenna feed terminals and form respective first and second antennas and wherein the third resonating element is not fed by any antenna feed terminals;

conductive housing structures that form at least part of a ground element for the first, second, and third resonating elements;

a first transmission line having a first positive conductor coupled to the antenna feed terminal of the first resonating element and a first ground conductor coupled to the conductive housing structures; and

a second transmission line having a second positive conductor coupled to the antenna feed terminal of the second resonating element and a second ground conductor coupled to the conductive housing structures.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the first resonating element comprises a multi-band resonating element operable in at least first and second frequency bands.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the first resonating element comprises a multi-band inverted-F resonating element having a first arm operable in a first frequency band and having a second arm operable in a second frequency band.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the third resonating element comprises at least a first arm that resonates in a first frequency and a second arm that is longer than the first arm and that resonates in a second frequency.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the electronic device comprises a portable electronic device.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the first resonating element comprises a multi-band inverted-F resonating element having a first arm operable in a first frequency band and having a second arm operable in a second frequency band and wherein the first arm of the multi-band inverted-F resonating element is longer than the second arm of the multi-band inverted-F resonating element.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 18 wherein the third resonating element comprises at least a first arm that resonates in a first frequency and a second arm that resonates in a second frequency and wherein the first arm of the third resonating element is longer than the second arm of the third resonating element.