Antenna structure and electronic device comprising antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10868362-B2
Application number	US-201916510209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2019
Priority date	Jul 13, 2018
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device capable of radiating signals toward a plurality of planes is provided, and includes a housing including a first plate and a second plate facing away from the first plate, and an antenna structure positioned in the housing. The antenna structure includes a first printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a first surface facing a first direction, a second PCB that includes a second surface facing a second direction different from the first direction, a flexible PCB (FPCB) that is extended between a first periphery of the first PCB and a second periphery of the second PCB, a first conductive pattern that is formed in the first PCB or on the first surface, a second conductive pattern that is formed in the second PCB or on the second surface, and a wireless communication circuit that is mounted on the first PCB and/or the second PCB.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate, and a second plate facing away from the first plate;
a display configured to be viewable through a portion of the first plate and positioned in the housing; and
an antenna structure positioned in the housing, wherein the antenna structure comprises:
a first printed circuit board (PCB) including a first surface facing a first direction,
a second PCB including a second surface facing a second direction different from the first direction,
a flexible PCB (FPCB) extended between a first periphery of the first PCB and a second periphery of the second PCB,
at least one first conductive pattern formed in the first PCB or on the first surface,
at least one second conductive pattern formed in the second PCB or on the second surface,
at least one wireless communication circuit mounted on at least one of the first PCB or the second PCB, and configured to transmit or receive a signal having a frequency between 3 GHz and 100 GHz,
at least one conductive line electrically connecting the at least one wireless communication circuit and one of the first conductive pattern or the second conductive pattern and disposed in the FPCB, and
at least one third conductive pattern disposed in the FPCB and electrically connected with the at least one wireless communication circuit.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface faces the second plate.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one third conductive pattern is a metal pattern formed on the FPCB.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one third conductive pattern is formed in a fill cut region of the FPCB.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the first PCB and the second PCB comprise a plurality of layers, and
wherein the FPCB comprises layers corresponding to at least a part of the plurality of layers.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third PCB interposed between the display and the second plate and parallel to the first PCB; and
a communication circuit disposed on the third PCB and electrically connected with the at least one wireless communication circuit.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one first conductive pattern and the at least one second conductive pattern comprise at least one patch antenna element, and
wherein the at least one third conductive pattern comprises at least one dipole antenna.

9. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate, a second plate facing away from the first plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate and connected with the second plate or integrally formed with the second plate;
a display configured to be visually exposed through a portion of the first plate and positioned in the housing;
an antenna structure positioned in the housing, wherein the antenna structure comprises:
a first planar structure facing the second plate, wherein the first planar structure comprises a plurality of first conductive plates formed therein or thereon,
a connection part, a first end of which is bent and extended toward the side member from one end of the first planar structure, wherein the connection part comprises at least one third conductive plate formed therein or thereon,
a second planar structure facing the side member and connected with a second end of the connection part which is opposite to the first end, wherein the second planar structure comprises a plurality of second conductive plates formed therein or thereon, and
at least one wireless communication circuit electromagnetically connected with the plurality of first conductive plates, the plurality of second conductive plates, and the at least one third conductive plate, and configured to transmit or receive a signal having a frequency between 3 GHz and 100 GHz.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the connection part is different from the first planar structure and the second planar structure in at least one of a thickness, a number of layers, a flexibility, or a curvature.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 ,
wherein the first planar structure includes a first printed circuit board (PCB),
wherein the second planar structure includes a second PCB, and
wherein the connection part includes a flexible PCB (FPCB).

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one third conductive plate is a metal pattern formed on the connection part.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one third conductive plate is positioned in a fill cut region of the connection part.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 ,
wherein the first PCB and the second PCB comprise a plurality of layers, and
wherein the FPCB comprises layers corresponding to at least a part of the plurality of layers.

15. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one third conductive plate is electrically connected with at least one feeding line through a via hole.

16. An electronic device comprising:
a housing forming an exterior of the electronic device and comprising:
a front surface,
a back surface facing away from the front surface, and
a side surface surrounding at least a portion of a space between the front surface and the back surface; and

a communication device comprising:
a first antenna array disposed to face the back surface,
a second antenna array disposed to face the side surface, and
a third antenna element group interposed between the first antenna array and the second antenna array and formed in a shape of a curve having at least one curvature,

wherein the first antenna array comprises a plurality of first antenna elements,
wherein the second antenna array comprises a plurality of second antenna elements, and
wherein the third antenna element group comprises at least one third antenna element.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 ,
wherein the first antenna array is formed on a first printed circuit board (PCB) or in the first PCB,
wherein the second antenna array is formed on a second PCB or in the second PCB, and
wherein the third antenna element group is formed on a flexible PCB (FPCB) or in the FPCB.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the FPCB is different from the first PCB and the second PCB in at least one of a thickness, a number of layers, a flexibility, or a curvature.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one third antenna element is a metal pattern formed in a fill cut region of the FPCB.

20. The electronic device of claim 16 ,
wherein the first antenna array is configured to radiate a signal in a first direction,
wherein the second antenna array is configured to radiate a signal in a second direction substantially perpendicular to first direction, and
wherein the third antenna element group is configured to radiate a signal in a direction different from the first direction and the second direction.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yun Sumin
• Park Sehyun
• Jeong Myunghun
• Jong Jehun
• Jo Jaehoon
• Jung Jinwoo
• Chun Jaebong

Classifications

• H04M1/0277

  for a printed circuit board assembly · CPC title

• H04M1/0266

  for a display module assembly · CPC title

• H04M1/0249 Primary

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

• H04B1/40

  Circuits · CPC title

• H01Q9/285

  Planar dipole (H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407) · CPC title