Antenna apparatus and method with dielectric for providing continuous insulation between antenna portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10665925-B2
Application number	US-201715411898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2017
Priority date	May 6, 2016
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus is provided including a first antenna with a top face; a bottom face; and a periphery defined by an upper portion, a lower portion, and a pair of side portions. The first slot comprises a body, a first arm, and a second arm that divides the first antenna into a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion. The first portion is larger than the third portion, and the third portion is larger than the second portion and the fourth portion. Further, the body of the first slot extends between the side portions of the periphery. Still yet, the first arm and the second arm extend between the body and one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the periphery. A dielectric is positioned in the first slot for providing continuous insulation between the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus that provides a housing for a mobile device, comprising:
a first antenna comprising:
a top face;
a bottom face;
a periphery defined by an upper portion, a lower portion, and a pair of side portions;
a first slot on the top face, wherein the first slot comprises a body, a first arm, and a second arm that divides the first antenna into a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion;
wherein the first portion is larger than the third portion, and the third portion is larger than the second portion and the fourth portion;
wherein the body of the first slot extends between the side portions of the periphery;
wherein the first arm and the second arm extend between the body and one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the periphery;
wherein the first slot comprises a third arm that divides the third portion into two portions; and

dielectric positioned in the first slot for providing continuous insulation between the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is formed between the body, the upper portion and the pair of side portions of the periphery; the second portion is formed between the body, the first arm, the lower portion and one of the pair of side portions of the periphery; the third portion is formed between the body, the first arm, the second arm and the lower portion of the periphery; and the fourth portion is formed between the body, the second arm, the lower portion and the other of the pair of side portion of the periphery.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body of the first slot is linear.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , and further comprising:
a second antenna comprising:
a second slot comprising a second body, a fourth arm, and a fifth arm that divides the second antenna into a first portion, a fifth portion, a sixth portion, and a seventh portion;
wherein the first portion is larger than the sixth portion, and the sixth portion is larger than the fifth portion and the seventh portion;
wherein the second body of the second slot extends between the side portions of the periphery;
wherein the fourth arm and the fifth arm extend between the body and the other of the upper portion and the lower portion of the periphery which is opposite to the one to which the first arm and the second arm extend; and

dielectric positioned in the second slot for providing continuous insulation between the first portion, the fifth portion, the sixth portion, and the seventh portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising at least one switch for switching between a first mode operation for utilizing the first antenna, and a second mode operation for utilizing the second antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion has a surface area that is 2 to 50 times of a surface of the second portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured for operating the first antenna in a higher frequency band mode and a lower frequency band mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third portion has a surface area that is equal or bigger than a total surface of the second portion and the fourth portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first slot has a width between 0.5-3.0 mm.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more ends of the slot are electrically closed.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one fixed element in electrical communication with at least two of the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion; and
at least one antenna feed in electrical communication with at least two of the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the fixed element includes at least one of a resistive element, a capacitive element, and an inductive element.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one fixed element includes a fixed shunt.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each of the at least one antenna feed comprising a head and a conductive piece;
wherein the head of the antenna feed electrically communicates between the first portion and at least one of the second portion, the third portion and the fourth portion; and
wherein the conductive piece of the antenna feed extends from the head of the antenna feed.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one configurable element in electrical communication with at least two of the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion; and
at least one antenna feed in electrical communication with at least two of the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one configurable element includes at least one of a resistive element, a capacitive element, and an inductive element.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the configurable element includes a switch.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein each of the at least one configurable element comprises a head electrically communicates between at least two of the first portion, the second portion, the third portion and the fourth portion.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein one of the at least one configurable element comprises a conductive piece that extends from the head of the configurable element.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein each of the at least one antenna feed comprising a head and a conductive piece;
wherein the head of the antenna feed electrically communicates between the first portion and at least one of the second portion, the third portion and the fourth portion; and
wherein the conductive piece of the antenna feed extends from the head of the antenna feed.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body of the first slot is non-linear.

22. A method for forming an antenna of an apparatus for housing a mobile device, the method comprising:
creating a surface including a top face and a bottom face, wherein the surface has a periphery defined by an upper portion, a lower portion, and a pair of side portions;
etching at least one slot on the top face, wherein the at least one slot comprises a body, a first arm, and a second arm that divides the surface into a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion; wherein the first portion is larger than the third portion; the third portion is larger than the second portion and the fourth portion; wherein the body of the at least one slot extends between the pair of side portions of the periphery; wherein the first arm and the second arm extend between the body and one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the periphery; wherein the at least one slot comprises a third arm that divides the third portion into two portions; and
injecting a dielectric in the slot for providing continuous insulation between the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion.

Assignees

• Futurewei Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Liu Hongwei
• Toh Wee Kian
• Rao Qinjiang

Classifications

• H01Q1/52

  Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure (absorbing means H01Q17/00) · CPC title

• H01Q5/35

  using two or more simultaneously fed points · CPC title

• H01Q5/357

  using a single feed point · CPC title

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q13/10

  Resonant slot antennas · CPC title