Antenna configuration for a mobile station

• US 6,201,501 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Arkko, Aimo, Lehtola, Antero, Pankinaho, Ilkka
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/321,861
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.124, H01/Q.138, 343/702, 343/700.MS, 343/846, 455/90
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

An antenna configuration for a mobile communication device. The antenna configuration includes at least a first antenna configured so that the first antenna may be mounted near or between a speaker and a earpiece of a mobile station. In an embodiment of the invention, the first antenna comprises a substantially flat conductor including at least one hole for passing sound from the speaker to the earpiece of the mobile station. The first antenna is configured to receive GPS signals. A second antenna is implemented on the mobile station to transmit and receive cellular transmissions.

Claims

1. An antenna configuration for use with a mobile station having a circuit board and a case having at least one sound hole, said antenna configuration comprising:

a speaker mounted on the circuit board; and

a patch antenna mounted internal to the case between said speaker and the at least one sound hole, the patch antenna having a conductor hole, said patch antenna disposed adjacent to said speaker wherein sound from said speaker passes through said conductor hole to the at least one sound hole.

2. The antenna configuration of claim 1, wherein said patch antenna has a rectangular shape and said conductor hole is located centrally on said patch antenna.

3. The antenna configuration of claim 2, wherein said patch antenna is substantially parallel to the circuit board.

4. The antenna configuration of claim 1, wherein said antenna configuration further comprises a superstrate having a superstrate hole, and a substrate having a substrate hole, wherein said patch antenna is mounted between said superstrate and said substrate and wherein sound from said speaker passes through said substrate, conductor, and superstrate holes to said at least one sound hole.

5. The antenna of claim 4, wherein said patch antenna has at least a slot in each side, each slot having a slot end.

6. The antenna of claim 4, wherein said patch antenna is substantially parallel to the circuit board.

7. An antenna configuration for use in a mobile station having a case, a speaker and an earpiece formed within the case, the antenna configuration comprising:

an antenna disposed internally within the case, said antenna comprising a conductor portion including at least one hole, wherein said conductor portion is disposed between the speaker and the earpiece, and wherein sound from the speaker passes through said at least one hole of said conductor portion to the earpiece.

8. The antenna configuration of claim 7, wherein said conductor portion is disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of sound travel, between said speaker and said earpiece.

9. The antenna configuration of claim 7, wherein said at least one hole comprises a hole located substantially centrally in said conduct or portion.

10. The antenna configuration of claim 7, wherein said conductor portion comprises a first antenna, wherein the mobile station comprises a mobile handset operable as a cellular telephone and as a GPS locating device, wherein said first antenna is configured to receive GPS signals, and wherein said antenna configuration further comprises a second antenna for transmitting and receiving cellular telephone signals.

11. The antenna configuration of claim 10, wherein said second antenna is external to the mobile handset when operable for transmitting and receiving cellular telephone signals.

12. A mobile handset operable as a cellular transceiving device and as a GPS locating device, said mobile handset comprising:

a casing having a first at least one hole;

a speaker mounted internal to said casing, said speaker for projecting sound waves to said first at least one hole;

a first antenna mounted internal to said casing and for receiving GPS signals, said first antenna having a substantially flat conductor portion including a second at least one hole, said conductor portion disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of sound travel between said speaker and said first at least one hole, wherein sound from said speaker passes through said second at least on hole to said first at least one hole; and

a second antenna mounted in said casing, said antenna for transmitting and receiving cellular transmissions.

13. The mobile handset of claim 12, wherein said first antenna further comprises a substrate and a superstrate, and wherein said conductor portion is mounted between said substrate and superstrate.