Band latch mechanism and housing with integrated antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10418693-B2
Application number	US-201715820928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2017
Priority date	Apr 11, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A band latch mechanism that is configured to connect a wristband to a fitness tracker is provided. The band latch mechanism may be configured to be inserted into a cavity of a housing of the fitness tracker and configured so that any metallic body of the band latch mechanism does not contact metallic surfaces of the cavity in order to prevent an electrical ground from being positioned within a keep-out zone of an antenna of the fitness tracker. A housing with integrated antenna structures is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first radio-frequency (RF) receiver having a first RF feed; and
a housing configured to be part of a wrist-wearable electronic device, wherein:
the first RF receiver and the first RF feed are located within the housing,
the housing has a plurality of exterior surfaces,
the housing includes a base portion, a first RF radiator portion, and an electrically non-conductive intermediate structure that is interposed between, and connected with, the base portion and the first RF radiator portion,
the base portion includes a back surface that faces a wearer's skin that contacts the wrist-wearable electronic device when the wrist-wearable electronic device is worn by the wearer,
the base portion and the first RF radiator portion are made of metal,
the first RF radiator portion includes one or more of the exterior surfaces of the housing,
the first RF radiator portion is positioned within the housing such that the exterior surfaces of the housing included in the first RF radiator portion generally face away from the back surface,
the first RF radiator portion is in electrically conductive contact with the first RF feed within the housing,
the housing has a transverse axis that is substantially aligned with the wearer's forearm when the apparatus is worn on the wearer's forearm, and
the first RF radiator portion has a first dimension along the transverse axis that is between 3 and 7 times longer than the longest dimension of the first RF radiator portion along an axis perpendicular to the transverse axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure maintains a separation distance of between 0.8 and 1.5 mm between the first RF radiator portion and the base portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first RF radiator portion is electrically isolated from the base portion by the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base portion and the first RF radiator portion are made of a non-ferrous metal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base portion, the first RF radiator portion, and the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure are a nano-molded structure, with the first RF radiator portion and the base portion each having a plurality of microscopic fissures or pores arising from the nano-molding manufacturing process and the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure having portions extending into the microscopic fissures or pores.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base portion and the first RF radiator portion are bonded to the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure with an adhesive layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second RF receiver having a second RF feed, wherein:
the second RF receiver and the second RF feed are located within the housing,
the housing further includes a second RF radiator portion,
the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure is further interposed between, and connected with, the base portion and the second RF radiator portion,
the second RF radiator portion is made of metal,
the second RF radiator portion includes one or more further exterior surfaces of the housing,
the second RF radiator portion is positioned within the housing such that the further exterior surfaces of the housing included in the second RF radiator portion generally face away from the back surface,
the second RF radiator portion is in electrically conductive contact with the second RF feed within the housing,
the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure maintains a separation distance of between 0.8 and 1.5 mm between the second RF radiator portion and the base portion, and
the second RF radiator portion is electrically isolated from the base portion and the first RF radiator portion by the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the first RF receiver is configured to operate in one or more first frequency bands that are in the 600 MHz to 2200 MHz range, and
the second RF receiver is configured to operate in one or more second frequency bands that are in the 1.5 GHz to 2.7 GHz range.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display unit, wherein the display unit is mounted in the housing such that a display surface of the display unit generally faces away from the back surface, and
the first RF radiator portion is positioned next to the display unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the apparatus further comprises at least one wrist strap that is connected to the housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the housing has a centerline that is perpendicular to the transverse axis and nominally parallel to the back surface, and
the first RF feed makes electrically conductive contact with the first RF radiator portion in a location located on a side of the centerline closer to the wearer's left hand when the apparatus is worn by the wearer on the wearer's left forearm.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the location where the first RF feed makes electrically conductive contact with the first RF radiator portion is in a region of the first RF radiator portion that is within an outermost 25% of the first RF radiator portion that is closest to the wearer's left hand when the apparatus is worn by the wearer on the wearer's left forearm.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a second RF receiver having a second RF feed, wherein:
the second RF receiver and the second RF feed are located within the housing,
the housing further includes a second RF radiator portion,
the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure is further interposed between, and connected with, the base portion and the second RF radiator portion,
the second RF radiator portion is made of metal,
the second RF radiator portion includes one or more further exterior surfaces of the housing,
the second RF radiator portion is positioned within the housing such that the further exterior surfaces of the housing included in the second RF radiator portion generally face away from the back surface,
the second RF radiator portion is in electrically conductive contact with the second RF feed within the housing,
the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure maintains a separation distance of between 0.8 and 1.5 mm between the second RF radiator portion and the base portion, and
the second RF radiator portion is electrically isolated from the base portion and the first RF radiator portion by the electrically non-conductive intermediate structure.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second RF radiator portion has a second dimension along the transverse axis that is between 3 and 7 times longer than the longest dimension of the second RF radiator portion along the axis perpendicular to the transverse axis.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
the second RF feed makes electrically conductive contact with the second RF radiator portion in a location that is within a first distance of the centerline, wherein the first distance is within 10% of the second dimension.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
the location where the second RF feed makes electrically conductive contact with the second RF radiator portion is on the centerline.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:
the first RF receiver is configured to operate in one or more first frequency bands that are in the 600 MHz to 2200 MHz range, and
the second RF receiver is config

Assignees

• Fitbit Inc

Inventors

• Xu Nan
• Ioannou Christos Kinezos
• Li Kevin
• Harber Chadwick John
• Fairbanks Eric John
• Becker Jonah Avram

Classifications

• G04R60/06

  Antennas attached to or integrated in clock or watch bodies · CPC title

• G04G21/04

  using radio waves (radio-controlled time-pieces G04R) · CPC title

• A61B5/6831

  Straps, bands or harnesses · CPC title

• A61B5/002

  Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building (A61B5/0017 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q21/28

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