Mobile communication device and related construction method

• US 6,834,181 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Salminen, Seppo, Kaikuranta, Terho, Hakunti, Jussi, Halkosaari, Heikki
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zewdu, Meless N
• Application Number:
  US10/099,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.3, 455/575--57, 455/569.2, 455/550.1, 455/569.1, 343/700.R, 343/702, 343/872, 343/873, 381/370-371, 381/345, 381/347-348, 381/350-351
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets

Abstract

Mechanical design considerations for the antenna and speaker functionalities in a mobile communication device are combined in the construction to reduce the physical size of the device. The antenna and speaker are carried in a common chamber which enhances bass-tone production of the speaker while maintaining antenna functional design consideration.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device of the type having an RF transmitter and receiver, an RF antenna and a speaker component, comprising:

a housing structure for carrying subassemblies defining an operational communication device, said housing structure further comprising a contoured case having a base wall with an exterior surface and an interior surface;

a common chamber defined within said housing structure for carrying both the speaker component and the RF antenna;

said common chamber further comprising multiple acoustic cavities each having an acoustic volume wherein the sum of the volumes of said multiple acoustic cavities provide a speaker chamber having an acoustic volume to provide a desired acoustic characteristic from the speaker.

2. The mobile communication device as defined in claim 1, wherein said RF antenna further comprises a planar antenna.

3. The mobile communication device as defined in claim 2, wherein said planar antenna defines an internal antenna for providing RF functionality.

4. A mobile communication device having antenna functionality and speaker functionality, comprising:

a housing structure for carrying subassemblies comprising an operational communication device; and

an interior cavity within said housing structure having a predetermined volume for providing the antenna functionality and speaker functionality within said interior cavity;

said interior cavity further defining a common chamber having multiple acoustic cavities in communication with one another for providing a speaker chamber having an acoustic volume to provide a desired acoustic characteristic from the speaker.

5. The mobile communication device as defined in claim 4, wherein said antenna functionality further comprises said interior cavity having a covering and a planar antenna carried on a surface of said covering.

6. The mobile communication device as defined in claim 5, further comprising said planar antenna carried on an outer surface of said covering.

7. The mobile communication device as defined in claim 5, further comprising said planar antenna carried on an inner surface of said covering.

8. The mobile communication device as defined in claim 5, wherein said interior cavity is an acoustic resonator.

9. The mobile communication device as defined in claim 8, further comprising said interior cavity having at least one acoustic leak hole for emitting sound produced by said speaker functionality.

10. A reduced size mobile communication device comprising:

a housing structure comprising a contoured case having a base wall with an exterior surface and interior surface for carrying subassemblies defining an operational communication device;

speaker means for producing audible sounds;

antenna means for transmitting RF signals;

cavity means within said housing structure for carrying both said speaker means and said antenna means, said cavity means further defining an antenna support structure having a common shared chamber,

said common shared chamber further comprising multiple acoustic cavities in communication with one another, said multiple acoustic cavities further comprise;

a first chamber defined between an upper wall portion of said antenna support structure and a printed circuit board (PCB) positioned a spaced distance below said upper wall portion;

a second chamber defined between said PCB and a ground plate positioned a spaced distance below said PCB;

a third chamber defined between said base wall and said ground plate positioned a spaced distance above said base wall;

said speaker means carried in said third chamber, and

said first chamber and said second chamber providing a controlled volume back cavity defining an acoustic resonator chamber for said speaker means to provide a desired acoustic characteristic from said speaker means.

11. The reduced size mobile communication device defined in claim 10, wherein said antenna means further comprises a planar antenna.

12. The reduced size mobile communication device defined in claim 10, wherein said speaker means further comprises an audio transducer.

13. Method for construction of a mobile communication device having combined antenna and speaker component functionalities comprising the steps of:

providing an antenna supporting structure having a first wall outer surface generally transverse to peripheral walls extending therefrom, said peripheral walls further having end portions terminating at and intersecting with the surface of a ground plate;

said first wall, peripheral walls and ground plate defining a first interior chamber volume therebetween;

mounting and locating a speaker component between the ground plate and a wall surface of the communication device in a region generally defined by the projection of the outline surface area of said antenna supporting structure first wall and peripheral walls on said communication device wall surface;

providing a printed circuit board for carrying electrical components defining the operational communication device and locating said printed circuit board in a spaced relationship between said first wall and said ground plate;

providing means for communication between said first interior chamber volume and said speaker component to define a controlled volume back cavity to provide a larger volume acoustic resonator chamber for air displaced by said speaker component to enhance the acoustic performance of the speaker component without increasing the size of the mobile communication device; and

providing means in said printed circuit board for communication between first and second chamber portions created in said first interior chamber volume by said printed circuit board located therein whereby air displaced by said speaker component communicates with the controlled volume back cavity defined within said first interior chamber volume.

14. The method for construction of a mobile communication device as defined in claim 13, further comprising the step of providing a substantially pressure sealed first interior chamber volume.

15. The method for construction of a mobile communication device as defined in claim 13, further comprising the step of providing a planar antenna on said first wall outer surface.