Conductive structure disposed to correspond to antenna module and electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10819018-B2
Application number	US-201916573290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2019
Priority date	Nov 6, 2018
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing including a first plate facing in a first direction, a second plate opposite to the first plate and facing in a second direction, and a side member enclosing a space between the first plate and the second plate, an antenna structure including at least one antenna element disposed substantially parallel to the second plate in the space and disposed to face the second plate, a conductive structure disposed in the space and including an opening, the antenna structure being disposed to at least partially overlap the opening when viewed from above the second plate, and a wireless communication circuit configured to form a directional beam through the at least one antenna element. In addition, various embodiments may be available.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate facing in a first direction, a second plate opposite to the first plate and facing in a second direction, and a side member enclosing a space between the first plate and the second plate;
an antenna structure comprising:
a substrate disposed substantially parallel to the second plate in the space; and
at least one antenna element disposed on the substrate to face the second plate;

a conductive structure disposed in the space and comprising an opening, the antenna structure being disposed to at least partially overlap the opening when viewed from above the second plate; and
a wireless communication circuit configured to form a directional beam through the at least one antenna element,
wherein the opening overlaps with at least the entirety of the substrate when viewed from above the second plate.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to transmit or receive signals having a frequency of 3 GHz to 100 GHz through the at least one antenna element.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the opening is formed in a square having a length of a longest side of the antenna structure.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the substrate comprises:
a first surface facing in the first direction; and
a second surface opposite to the first surface and facing in the second direction, and

wherein the at least one antenna element is disposed on the second surface or is disposed adjacent to the second surface in an internal space between the first surface and the second surface.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the wireless communication circuit is disposed on the first surface of the substrate.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one antenna element comprises a conductive patch disposed at the substrate.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive structure is disposed at an inner surface of the second plate.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display disposed to be visible through at least a partial area of the first plate in the space.

9. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate facing in a first direction, a second plate opposite to the first plate and facing in a second direction, and a side member enclosing a space between the first plate and the second plate;
an antenna structure comprising a plurality of antenna elements disposed substantially parallel to the second plate in the space and disposed to face the second plate;
a conductive structure disposed through the second plate and comprising an opening, the plurality of antenna elements being disposed to at least partially overlap the opening when viewed from above the second plate; and
a wireless communication circuit configured to form a directional beam through the plurality of antenna elements,
wherein the opening overlaps with at least entirety of the plurality of antenna elements when viewed from above the second plate.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to transmit and/or receive signals having a frequency 3 GHz to 100 GHz through the plurality of antenna elements.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the opening is formed in a square having a length of a longest side of the antenna structure.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the opening is formed in a square having a distance between outermost edge portions of antenna elements facing each other among the plurality of antenna elements.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the conductive structure is disposed at an inner surface of the second plate.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the conductive structure comprises a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) comprising a conductive plate or a conductive pattern attached to the inner surface of the second plate.

15. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the conductive structure comprises a conductive paint formed in an internal surface of the second plate.

16. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the conductive structure comprises a conductive member embedded between an inner surface and an outer surface of the second plate.

17. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the conductive structure comprises a decorative member disposed on an outer surface of the second plate.

18. The electronic device of claim 9 ,
wherein the second plate comprises a conductive area comprising a conductive member and a non-conductive area comprising a non-conductive member, and
wherein the conductive structure is disposed on the non-conductive area.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the conductive structure is made of the same material as the conductive member in the non-conductive area and is formed together when the second plate is formed.

20. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a display disposed to be visible through at least a partial area of the first plate in the space.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seo Seunghan
• Jeon Seunggil
• Park Sungchul

Classifications

• H04M1/0249 Primary

  Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly · CPC title

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H04M1/0277

  for a printed circuit board assembly · CPC title

• H04B1/40

  Circuits · CPC title

• H05K1/147

  at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit (H05K1/148 takes precedence) · CPC title