Wearable article apparatus and method with multiple antennas

• US 10,615,489 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2016
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Vanjani, Kiran
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jegede, Bamidele A
• Application Number:
  US15/177,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20170358850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 343718
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/04 Mounting of electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• 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 1/44 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 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 5/30 Arrangements for providing operation on different wavebands
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/35 using two or more simultaneously fed points

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for a wearable article with multiple antennas. The wearable article includes a body, a first structure positioned in the body, and a plurality of first electronic components mounted on the first structure. Further included is a second structure positioned in the body beneath and spaced from the first structure, and a plurality of second electronic components mounted on the second structure. A first antenna is in electrical communication with at least one of the first electronic components, and a second antenna is in electrical communication with at least one of the second electronic components.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wearable article including;

a body;

a first structure positioned in the body;

a plurality of first electronic components mounted on the first structure;

a second structure positioned in the body beneath and spaced from the first structure;

a plurality of second electronic components mounted on the second structure;

a first insulative ring which is in the body and positioned between the first structure and a first antenna;

the first antenna in electrical communication with at least one of the first electronic components;

a processing circuitry for multiplexing outgoing radio frequency signals in time and space by exciting the first antenna during a first time period by the at least one of the first electronic components mounted on a first printed circuit and by exciting a second antenna during a second time period by the at least one of the second electronic components mounted on a second printed circuit which is separate from the first printed circuit wherein the second time period is different from the first time period;

a second insulative ring which is in the body and positioned between the second structure and the second antenna; and

the second antenna in electrical communication with at least one of the second electronic components.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of antennas is attached to the body.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wearable article includes a watch.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of antennas is included as at least a part of a bezel of the watch.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of antennas is included as at least a part of a back plate of the watch.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the back plate of the watch includes an insulated region that is situated thereon to abut skin of the mammal when the watch is worn.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas are attached to different portions of the wearable article.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein insulation is positioned between the different portions of the wearable article.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second structure is attached to the body so as to be at least partially electrically isolated from the first structure as a result of an air space there between.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second structure is attached to the body so as to be at least partially electrically isolated from the first structure as a result of an insulation there between.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first structure and the second structure each reside in different spaced, parallel planes.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of antennas are excited using different contacts that are misaligned.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising an active tuner for exciting at least one of the plurality of antennas.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas is configured for radiating cellular radio frequency (RF) signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas take a form of a multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) antenna.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of antennas is positioned inside the body of the wearable article.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of antennas is positioned outside the body of the wearable article.

18. A method performed by a processing circuitry for multiplexing outgoing radio frequency signals in time and space, comprising:

exciting, by at least one of a plurality of first electronic components mounted on a first printed circuit board of a first structure, a first antenna of a wearable article during a first time period, wherein a first insulative ring is positioned between the first structure and a first antenna; and

exciting, by at least one of a plurality of second electronic components mounted on a second printed circuit board of a second structure which is separate from the first printed circuit board, a second antenna of the wearable article during a second time period that does not overlap with the first time period when the first antenna is excited, wherein a second insulative ring is positioned between the second structure and the second antenna.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a watch including;

a body;

a strap attached to the body for coupling the watch to a wrist;

a first structure attached to the body and including a plurality of first electronic components;

a second structure attached to the body beneath and spaced from the first structure, and including a plurality of second electronic components;

a first insulative ring which is in the body and positioned between the first structure and a conductive bezel;

the conductive bezel attached to the body and in electrical communication with at least one of the first electronic components in the first structure;

a processing circuitry for multiplexing outgoing radio frequency signals in time and space by exciting the conductive bezel for operating as a first antenna during a first time period by the at least one of the first electronic components mounted on a first printed circuit and by exciting a second antenna during a second time period by the at least one of the second electronic components mounted on a second printed circuit which is separate from the first printed circuit wherein the second time period is different from the first time period; and

a conductive back face attached to the body and in electrical communication with at least one of the second electronic components in the second structure.