Mobile wireless device with integrated antenna and audio transducer assembly and related methods

• US 8,660,623 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Man, Ying Tong, Qi, Yihong, Wong, Joshua Kwan Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hanidu, Ganiyu A
• Application Number:
  US12/902,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20110111814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.5, 455/575.7, 455/550.1, 455/90.3, 455/269, 455/550, 455/562, 455/556.1, 455/422.1, 455/575.9, 455/462, 455/67.13, 343/895, 343/772, 343/781, 343/872, 343/756, 343/812, 343/878, 343/788, 343/901, 343/702, 343/713, 343/715
• US Class Current: 455/575.5
• 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 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a circuit board carried by the portable housing, a wireless communications circuit carried by the circuit board, and an audio circuit carried by the circuit board. The device may further include an antenna assembly including an antenna carrier frame coupled to the circuit board and defining a cavity therein, and at least one antenna element carried on the carrier frame and coupled to the wireless communications circuit. The device may also include an audio output transducer carried within the cavity of the antenna carrier frame and coupled to the audio circuit.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a circuit board carried by the portable housing;

a wireless communications circuit carried by the circuit board;

a first audio output transducer carried in the upper portion of the portable housing and connected to the wireless communications circuit;

an audio input transducer carried in the lower portion of the portable housing and connected to the wireless communications circuit;

an audio circuit carried by the circuit board;

an antenna assembly comprising

an antenna carrier frame coupled to the circuit board and defining a cavity therein and an acoustic port opening to the cavity, and

at least one antenna element carried on the antenna carrier frame and coupled to the wireless communications circuit;

a second audio output transducer carried within the cavity of the antenna carrier frame and coupled to the audio circuit;

a lid enclosing the second audio output transducer within the cavity of said antenna carrier frame; and

an acoustic gasket carried by said antenna carrier frame within the acoustic port opening.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the antenna assembly further comprises a flexible substrate carried on at least one surface of the antenna carrier frame;

and wherein the at least one antenna element is carried on the flexible substrate.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the audio circuit comprises an audio data storage device and an audio output amplifier coupled thereto.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising at least one filter element coupled between the audio circuit and the second audio output transducer.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the audio circuit is further coupled to the wireless communications circuit.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications circuit comprises a cellular communications circuit.

7. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a circuit board carried by the portable housing;

a wireless communications circuit carried by the circuit board;

a first audio output transducer carried in the upper portion of the portable housing and connected to the wireless communications circuit;

an audio input transducer carried in the lower portion of the portable housing and connected to the wireless communications circuit;

an audio circuit carried by the circuit board;

an antenna assembly comprising

an antenna carrier frame having a plurality of surfaces and coupled to the circuit board and defining a cavity and an acoustic port opening to the cavity, and

at least one wrap-around antenna element carried on at least some of the plurality of surfaces of the antenna carrier frame and coupled to the wireless communications circuit;

a second audio output transducer carried within the cavity of the antenna carrier frame and coupled to the audio circuit;

a lid enclosing the second audio output transducer within the cavity of said antenna carrier frame; and

an acoustic gasket carried by said antenna carrier frame within the acoustic port opening.

8. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 7 wherein the antenna assembly further comprises a flexible substrate carried on at least one surface of the antenna carrier frame;

and wherein the at least one antenna element is carried on the flexible substrate.

9. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 7 wherein the audio circuit comprises an audio data storage device and an audio output amplifier coupled thereto.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 7 further comprising at least one filter element coupled between the audio circuit and the second audio output transducer.

11. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 7 wherein the audio circuit is further coupled to the wireless communications circuit.

12. A method for using a mobile wireless communications device comprising a portable housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, a circuit board carried by the portable housing, a wireless communications circuit carried by the circuit board, a first audio output transducer carried in the upper portion of the portable housing and connected to the wireless communications circuit, an audio input transducer carried in the lower portion of the portable housing and connected to the wireless communications circuit, an audio circuit carried by the circuit board, an antenna assembly comprising an antenna carrier frame coupled to the circuit board and defining a cavity therein with an acoustic port opening to the cavity and at least one antenna element carried on the antenna carrier frame and coupled to the wireless communications circuit, a second audio output transducer carried within the cavity of the antenna carrier frame and coupled to the audio circuit, a lid enclosing the second audio output transducer within the cavity of the antenna carrier frame, and an acoustic gasket carried by the antenna carrier frame within the acoustic port opening, the method comprising:

selectively playing analog audio signals from the wireless communications circuit via the first audio output transducer; and

selectively playing analog audio signals from the audio circuit via the second audio output transducer.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the audio circuit is further coupled to the wireless communications circuit;

and wherein selectively playing analog audio signals from the wireless communications circuit further comprises selectively playing analog audio signals from the wireless communications circuit via the first and second audio output transducers.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the antenna carrier frame has a plurality of surfaces;

and wherein the at least one antenna element comprises at least one wrap-around antenna element carried on a plurality of surfaces of the antenna carrier frame.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the antenna assembly further comprises a flexible substrate carried on at least one surface of the antenna carrier frame;

and wherein the at least one antenna element is carried on the flexible substrate.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the audio circuit comprises an audio data storage device and an audio output amplifier coupled thereto.