Thin chassis near field communication (NFC) antenna integration

• US 9,685,995 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2015
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Hao-Han, Karacaoglu, Ulun, Yang, Songnan, Konanur, Anand, Hong, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US14/797,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 343702, 343895, 343872, 343866, 343873
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• 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
• 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: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Described herein are techniques related one or more systems, apparatuses, methods, etc. for integrating a near field communications (NFC) coil antenna in a portable device. For example, the NFC antenna is integrated under a metal chassis of the portable device. The metal chassis and a conductive coating—that is integrated underneath the full metal chassis—are designed to include one or more slots to provide high impedance to Eddy current induced in the conductive coating.

Claims

1. A smartphone, comprising:

a metallic housing substantially enclosing an interior volume of the smartphone;

the internal volume comprises;

one or more processors;

a near field communications (NFC) module; and

an NFC antenna that includes a continuous loop of coil antenna mounted along a planar surface of the metallic housing,

wherein the metallic housing comprises a plurality of slots formed on the planar surface, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots is positioned perpendicularly to a loop-direction of each loop of the continuous loop of coil antenna.

2. The smartphone defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a display mounted to the metallic housing.

3. The smartphone defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of slots comprises:

a first slot aligned along a first direction; and

a second slot aligned along a second direction parallel to the first direction and perpendicular to the loop-direction of each loop of the continuous loop of coil antenna.

4. The smartphone defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of slots comprises:

a first plurality of slots aligned along a first direction and perpendicular to a first loop-direction; and

a second plurality of slots aligned along a second direction and perpendicular to a second loop-direction.

5. The smartphone defined in claim 1, wherein the NFC antenna comprises a coil antenna having a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side and wherein the plurality of slots comprises:

a first slot aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the top side of the coil antenna;

a second slot aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the bottom side of the coil antenna;

a third slot aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the right side of the coil antenna; and

a fourth slot aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the left side of the coil antenna.

6. The smartphone defined in claim 1, wherein the NFC antenna comprises the coil antenna having a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side and wherein the plurality of slots comprises:

a first plurality of slots aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the top side of the coil antenna;

a second plurality of slots aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the bottom side of the coil antenna;

a third plurality of slots aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the right side of the coil antenna; and

a fourth plurality of slots aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the left side of the coil antenna.

7. The smartphone defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of slots is arranged in a pattern that radiates out from a substantially rectangular region.

8. The smartphone defined in claim 1 wherein the NFC antenna has four sides and is substantially rectangular and wherein the plurality of slots includes slots positioned over and perpendicular to each of the four sides of the NFC antenna.

9. A handheld communications device, comprising:

a full metal chassis that forms at least a majority of the exterior surface of the handheld communications device and that provides substantial structural integrity to the handheld communications device;

one or more processors mounted within the full metal chassis;

a near field communications (NFC) module mounted within the full metal chassis; and

an NFC antenna coil that includes a continuous loop of coil antenna mounted along a planar surface of the full metal chassis,

wherein the full metal chassis comprises a plurality of slots formed on the planar surface, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots is positioned perpendicularly to a loop-direction of each loop of the continuous loop of coil antenna.

10. The handheld communications device defined in claim 9 further comprising:

a display mounted in the full metal chassis.

11. The handheld communications device defined in claim 9 wherein the plurality of slots comprises:

a first slot aligned along a first direction; and

a second slot aligned along a second direction parallel to the first direction and perpendicular to the loop-direction of each loop of the continuous loop of coil antenna.

12. The handheld communications device defined in claim 9 wherein the plurality of slots comprises:

a first plurality of slots aligned along a first direction and perpendicular to a first loop-direction; and

a second plurality of slots aligned along a second direction and perpendicular to a second loop-direction.

13. The handheld communications device defined in claim 9, wherein the NFC antenna coil has a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side and wherein the plurality of slots comprises:

a first slot aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the top side of the coil antenna;

a second slot aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the bottom side of the coil antenna;

a third slot aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the right side of the coil antenna; and

a fourth slot aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the left side of the coil antenna.

14. The handheld communications device defined in claim 9, wherein the NFC antenna coil has a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side and wherein the plurality of slots comprises:

a first plurality of slots aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the top side of the coil antenna;

a second plurality of slots aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the bottom side of the coil antenna;

a third plurality of slots aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the right side of the coil antenna; and

a fourth plurality of slots aligned perpendicular to the loop-direction of the left side of the coil antenna.

15. The handheld communications device defined in claim 9 wherein the plurality of slots is arranged in a pattern that radiates out from a substantially rectangular region.

16. The handheld communications device defined in claim 9 wherein the handheld communications device comprises a smartphone, a table, or a laptop.

17. A tablet, comprising:

a metallic housing;

one or more processors mounted in the metallic housing;

a near field communications (NFC) module mounted in the metallic housing; and

an NFC antenna coil that further comprises a continuous loop of coil antenna mounted along a planar surface of the metallic housing,

wherein the metallic housing comprises a plurality of slots formed on the planar surface, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots is positioned perpendicularly to a loop-direction of each loop of the continuous loop of coil antenna.

18. The tablet defined in claim 17 wherein the NFC antenna coil has four sides and is substantially rectangular and wherein the plurality of slots includes slots positioned over and perpendicular to the loop-direction of each of the four sides of the NFC antenna coil.

19. The tablet defined in claim 17 wherein the plurality of slots is arranged in a pattern that radiates out from a substantially rectangular region.

20. The tablet defined in claim 17 wherein each of the slots in the plurality of slots is substantially perpendicular to an associated adjacent portion of the NFC antenna coil.

21. The tablet defined in claim 17 wherein the metallic housing comprises a metal chassis.