Antenna isolation elements

• US 8,854,266 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zhu, Jiang, Guterman, Jerzy, Pascolini, Mattia, Nath, Jayesh, Schlub, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US13/216,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20130050031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/742, 343/866, 343/867
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/523 between antennas of an array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/18 the slot being backed by, or formed in boundary wall of, a resonant cavity longitudinally slotted cylinder H01Q13/12 ; Open cavity antennas

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided with antenna structures and antenna isolation element structures. An antenna array may be located within an electronic device. The antenna array may have multiple antennas and interposed antenna isolation element structures for isolating the antennas from each other. An antenna isolation element structure may have a dielectric carrier with a longitudinal axis. A sheet of conductive material may extend around the longitudinal axis to form a conductive loop structure. The loop structure in the antenna isolation element may have a gap that spans the sheet of conductive material parallel to the longitudinal axis. Electronic components may bridge the gap. Control circuitry may adjust the electronic components to tune the antenna isolation element.

Claims

1. An antenna array, comprising:

at least first and second antennas; and

an antenna isolation element formed from a loop of conductor that is configured to isolate the first and second antennas from each other, wherein the antenna isolation element is formed from a sheet of conductive material that extends around an axis to form the loop of conductor, wherein the loop of conductor has a gap, wherein the sheet of conductive material has a first dimension that spans the sheet of conductive material parallel to the axis and has a second dimension associated with a peripheral length of the sheet of conductive material around the axis, and wherein the first dimension is 1-10 cm and the second dimension is 1.5 to 3.5 cm.

2. The antenna array defined in claim 1 wherein the antenna isolation element is interposed between the first and second antennas.

3. The antenna array defined in claim 2 wherein the antenna isolation element comprises a dielectric carrier and wherein the sheet of conductive material comprises metal on the dielectric carrier.

4. The antenna array defined in claim 3 wherein the gap spans the sheet of conductive material.

5. The antenna array defined in claim 4 wherein the gap is configured to form a meandering path across the sheet of conductive material.

6. The antenna array defined in claim 5 wherein the first and second antennas comprise loop antennas.

7. The antenna array defined in claim 6 wherein the first and second antennas each have a sheet of conductive material configured to form a loop antenna resonating element.

8. The antenna array defined in claim 4 wherein the first and second antennas each comprise a loop-shaped antenna resonating element and a loop-shaped antenna feed structure, wherein the loop-shaped antenna feed structure in the first antenna indirectly feeds the loop antenna resonating element in the first antenna, and wherein the loop-shaped antenna feed structure in the second antenna indirectly feeds the loop antenna resonating element in the second antenna.

9. The antenna array defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second antennas comprise distributed loop antennas.

10. The antenna array defined in claim 9 wherein the first and second antennas comprise strips of conductive material that each extend around the axis and that are each configured to form a respective loop with a gap.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a display in the housing; and

an antenna array mounted in the housing along an edge of the display, wherein the antenna array includes at least first and second antennas and an antenna isolation element formed from a loop of conductor with a gap and wherein the loop of conductor is configured to isolate the first and second antennas from each other.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the antenna isolation element is interposed between the first and second antennas and comprises a sheet of conductive material that extends around an axis to form the loop of conductor with the gap.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the sheet of material has a dimension that spans the sheet of material parallel to the axis and wherein the first and second antennas are located along the axis.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 further comprising at least one electrical component that bridges the gap.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 further comprising control circuitry that supplies control signals that adjust the electrical component to tune the antenna isolation element.

16. An antenna isolation element configured to isolate first and second antennas in an electronic device from each other, comprising:

a dielectric carrier; and

conductive material on the dielectric carrier that forms a loop, wherein the conductive material comprises a sheet of conductive material that extends around the dielectric carrier and that has a gap, wherein the dielectric carrier has a longitudinal axis, wherein the sheet of conductive material has a first dimension that spans the sheet of conductive material parallel to the longitudinal axis and has a second dimension associated with a periphery of the sheet around the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first dimension is 1-10 cm and the second dimension is 1.5 to 3.5 cm.