Electronic device having isolated antenna structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10312571-B2
Application number	US-201715700636-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2017
Priority date	Sep 11, 2017
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include multiple antennas and transceiver circuitry. The antenna structures at a first end of the electronic device may include an inverted-F antenna resonating element for a first antenna formed from portions of a peripheral conductive electronic device housing structure and an antenna ground that is separated from the antenna resonating element by a gap. The inverted-F antenna resonating element arm may have a first end adjacent a first dielectric-filled gap and an opposing second end adjacent a second dielectric-filled gap. A second antenna may include an additional antenna resonating element arm and the antenna ground. A second end of the additional antenna resonating element arm may be interposed between the first dielectric-filled gap and a first end of the additional antenna resonating element arm. This type of arrangement may ensure the first and second antennas are isolated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing having peripheral conductive structures with first and second dielectric-filled gaps;
a first antenna resonating element arm for a first antenna, wherein the first antenna resonating element arm has a first end at the first dielectric-filled gap and an opposing second end at the second dielectric-filled gap;
a second antenna resonating element arm for a second antenna, wherein the second antenna resonating element arm has a first end coupled to a positive antenna feed terminal and a second end that opposes the first end, the second end of the second antenna resonating element arm being interposed between the first dielectric-filled gap and the first end of the second antenna resonating element arm; and
a third antenna resonating element arm for the second antenna that is interposed between the positive antenna feed terminal and the second end of the second antenna resonating element arm, wherein the second antenna resonating element arm is configured to convey radio-frequency signals in a first frequency band and the third antenna resonating element arm is configured to convey radio-frequency signals in a second frequency band that is higher than the first frequency band.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , wherein the first frequency band comprises frequencies between 2400 MHz and 2500 MHz and the second frequency band comprises frequencies between 5150 MHz and 5850 MHz.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
an antenna ground; and
a return path for the second antenna that is coupled between the second antenna resonating element arm and the antenna ground.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 , wherein the antenna ground has a first edge that runs along a first side of the second antenna resonating element arm and a second edge that runs along a second side of the second antenna resonating element arm.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 3 , further comprising:
a display, wherein the antenna ground comprises conductive portions of the display.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 3 , further comprising:
an additional positive antenna feed terminal coupled to the first antenna resonating element arm; and
an adjustable component coupled between a given location on the first antenna resonating element arm and the antenna ground, the given location being interposed between the additional positive antenna feed terminal and the first dielectric-filled gap.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 , further comprising:
a radio-frequency shield; and
a dielectric substrate under the radio-frequency shield, wherein the second antenna resonating element arm is formed from metal traces on the dielectric substrate.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 , wherein the radio-frequency shield forms a portion of the antenna ground and the adjustable component is coupled between the given location on the first antenna resonating element arm and the radio-frequency shield.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 6 , wherein the adjustable component comprises at least one inductor coupled in series with switching circuitry between the given location and the antenna ground.

10. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing having peripheral conductive structures and a planar conductive layer extending between first and second segments of the peripheral conductive structures;
a first dielectric-filled gap in the peripheral conductive structures that separates the first segment from a third segment of the peripheral conductive structures;
a second dielectric-filled gap in the peripheral conductive structures that separates the second segment from the third segment;
a first antenna resonating element formed from at least the third segment of the peripheral conductive structures;
an antenna ground formed from at least the planar conductive layer and the first and second segments of the peripheral conductive structures;
an adjustable component coupled between the third segment of the peripheral conductive structures and the antenna ground;
a dielectric substrate; and
metal traces on the dielectric substrate that form a second antenna resonating element, wherein the second antenna resonating element includes a first portion that extends parallel to the first and second segments and that is coupled to a positive antenna feed terminal and a second portion that extends parallel to the first and second segments and that is interposed between the first dielectric-filled gap and the first portion.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 , further comprising:
a display panel; and
a conductive display frame that supports the display panel, wherein the conductive display frame forms a portion of the antenna ground.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 , further comprising:
a radio-frequency shield interposed between the dielectric substrate and the conductive display frame, wherein the radio-frequency shield forms a portion of the antenna ground; and
a flexible printed circuit board coupled between the radio-frequency shield and the third segment of the peripheral conductive structures, wherein the adjustable component is formed on the flexible printed circuit board.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 , further comprising:
a conductive structure interposed between the radio-frequency shield and the conductive display frame that electrically connects the radio-frequency shield to the conductive display frame.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 , further comprising:
a fastener that electrically connects the radio-frequency shield to the planar conductive layer.

15. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing having peripheral conductive structures with first and second dielectric-filled gaps;
a first antenna resonating element arm for a first antenna, wherein the first antenna resonating element arm has a first end at the first dielectric-filled gap and an opposing second end at the second dielectric-filled gap;
a second antenna resonating element arm for a second antenna, wherein the second antenna resonating element arm has a first end coupled to a positive antenna feed terminal and a second end that opposes the first end, the second end of the second antenna resonating element arm being interposed between the first dielectric-filled gap and the first end of the second antenna resonating element arm;
an antenna ground;
a return path for the second antenna that is coupled between the second antenna resonating element arm and the antenna ground; and
a capacitor interposed on the return path between the second antenna resonating element arm and the antenna ground.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Edwards Jennifer M
• Zhou Yijun
• Wang Yiren
• Xu Hao
• Pascolini Mattia

Classifications

• H01Q5/328

  between a radiating element and ground · CPC title

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q21/28

  Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems {(multiple beam H01Q25/00)} · CPC title

• H01Q21/0006

  Particular feeding systems · CPC title

• H01Q1/48

  Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises · CPC title