Electronic device with slot antenna and proximity sensor
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- radio-frequency transceiver circuitry that generates radio-frequency signals at a given frequency;
a slot antenna that transmits the radio-frequency signals at the given frequency;
a metal housing;
a dielectric antenna window in the metal housing;
metal structures on the dielectric antenna window that are separated from the metal housing by a slot antenna resonating element in the slot antenna, wherein the metal structures and the metal housing define a shape of the slot antenna resonating element, and the slot antenna comprises a near-field-coupled antenna feed structure that is formed over and near-field coupled to the slot antenna resonating element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device may be provided with slot antennas. A slot antenna may be formed from metal structures that have a dielectric gap defining an antenna slot. The metal structures may include multiple metal layers that overlap a plastic antenna window and that serve as capacitive electrodes in a capacitive proximity sensor. The metal structures may also include a metal electronic device housing. The metal electronic device housing and the metal layers may be formed on opposing sides of the antenna slot. The metal layers may have a notch that locally widens the antenna slot at an open end of the antenna slot. One of the metal layers may be shorted to the metal electronic device housing at an opposing closed end of the antenna slot. The antenna slot may be indirectly fed using a near-field-coupled antenna feed structure such as a metal patch that overlaps the antenna slot.
219 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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radio-frequency transceiver circuitry that generates radio-frequency signals at a given frequency; a slot antenna that transmits the radio-frequency signals at the given frequency; a metal housing; a dielectric antenna window in the metal housing; metal structures on the dielectric antenna window that are separated from the metal housing by a slot antenna resonating element in the slot antenna, wherein the metal structures and the metal housing define a shape of the slot antenna resonating element, and the slot antenna comprises a near-field-coupled antenna feed structure that is formed over and near-field coupled to the slot antenna resonating element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electronic device, comprising:
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a dielectric member; first metal structures overlapping the dielectric member, wherein the first metal structures comprise first and second metal layers; second metal structures separated from the first metal structures by an antenna slot, wherein the second metal structures comprise a metal electronic device housing and the second metal layer has a protruding portion that extends over the antenna slot and is shorted to the metal electronic device housing during operation of the antenna slot; and a near-field-coupled antenna feed structure that is near-field coupled to and formed above the antenna slot, wherein the near-field-coupled antenna feed structure and the antenna slot form a slot antenna. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. Apparatus, comprising:
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a metal electronic device housing; a plastic antenna window in the metal electronic device housing; first and second metal layers overlapping the plastic antenna window, wherein the first and second metal layers are separated from the metal electronic device housing by an antenna slot, the first metal layer is between the second metal layer and the plastic antenna window, the antenna slot has opposing open and closed ends, and the second metal layer is coupled to the metal electronic device housing at the closed end of the antenna slot; and capacitive proximity sensor circuitry coupled to the first and second metal layers. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. An electronic device, comprising:
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radio-frequency transceiver circuitry that generates radio-frequency signals at a given frequency; a slot antenna that transmits the radio-frequency signals at the given frequency; a metal housing; a plastic antenna window in the housing; and metal structures on a surface of the plastic antenna window that are separated from the metal housing by a slot antenna resonating element in the slot antenna, wherein portions of the metal structures on the plastic antenna window and portions of the metal housing define a shape of the slot antenna resonating element in the slot antenna, the slot antenna resonating element has opposing open and closed ends, and the metal structures are coupled to the metal housing at the closed end of the antenna slot resonating element. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification