Housing and antenna architecture for mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11258163-B2
Application number	US-201816142285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2018
Priority date	Aug 30, 2018
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

A device includes a display and a housing. The housing surrounds the display and has four corners defining portions of an exterior surface of the device. The housing includes a first housing segment defining at least part of a first corner of the four corners and configured to operate as an antenna; a second housing segment defining at least part of a second corner of the four corners; and a third housing segment defining at least part of a third corner of the four corners. The third corner forms part of the housing diagonally opposite the second corner. The housing further includes a non-conductive housing component that structurally couples the first housing segment to another portion of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a display; and
a housing surrounding the display and having four corners defining portions of an exterior surface of the device, the housing comprising:
a first conductive housing segment defining at least part of a first corner of the four corners and configured to operate as an antenna, the first conductive housing segment having a first hole therein;
a second conductive housing segment defining at least part of a second corner of the four corners and having a second hole therein;
a third conductive housing segment defining at least part of a third corner of the four corners, the third corner forming part of the housing diagonally opposite the second corner; and
a non-conductive housing component extending into the first hole and the second hole and structurally coupling the first conductive housing segment to the second conductive housing segment.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the antenna is a first antenna;
the second conductive housing segment is configured to operate as a second antenna; and
the third conductive housing segment is configured to operate as a third antenna.

3. The device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a fourth conductive housing segment defining at least part of a fourth corner of the four corners and configured to operate as a fourth antenna.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fourth conductive housing segment defining at least part of a fourth corner of the four corners; and
wireless communication circuitry coupled to the first conductive housing segment, the second conductive housing segment, the third conductive housing segment, and the fourth conductive housing segment; wherein:
the wireless communication circuitry is operable to communicate in different wireless communication modes by configuring different combinations of the first conductive housing segment, the second conductive housing segment, the third conductive housing segment, and the fourth conductive housing segment as two or four antennas.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein:
in a first multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuitry is operable to use a combination of the second conductive housing segment and the third conductive housing segment for wireless communication; and
in a second MIMO wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuitry is operable to use a combination of the first conductive housing segment, the second conductive housing segment, the third conductive housing segment, and the fourth conductive housing segment for wireless communication.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first interlock feature extending from a first end of the first conductive housing segment, into an interior volume defined by the housing; and
a second interlock feature extending from a second end of the second conductive housing segment, into the interior volume; wherein:
the first hole is in the first interlock feature; and
the second hole is in the second interlock feature.

7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a third interlock feature extending from a third end of the third conductive housing segment, into the interior volume; and
a fourth interlock feature extending from a fourth end of the first conductive housing segment; wherein:
the non-conductive housing component extends into a third opening in the third interlock feature; and
the non-conductive housing component extends into a fourth opening in the fourth interlock feature.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing further comprises a support plate disposed under the display;
the non-conductive housing component structurally couples the first conductive housing segment to the second conductive housing segment and the third conductive housing segment; and
the non-conductive housing component structurally couples the first conductive housing segment to the support plate.

9. A device, comprising:
a display;
a housing defining a sidewall of the device surrounding a perimeter of the display, the housing comprising:
a first conductive segment defining at least part of a first corner of the sidewall and configured to operate as a first antenna;
a second conductive segment defining at least part of a second corner of the sidewall and configured to operate as a second antenna;
a third conductive segment defining at least part of a third corner of the sidewall and configured to operate as a third antenna;
a fourth conductive segment defining at least part of a fourth corner of the sidewall and configured to operate as a fourth antenna; and
a non-conductive housing component extending into a first hole in the first antenna and a second hole in the second antenna and structurally coupling the first conductive segment to the second conductive segment; and

wireless communication circuitry coupled to the first conductive segment.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein;
the wireless communication circuitry is further coupled to the second conductive segment, the third conductive segment, and the fourth conductive segment; and
the wireless communication circuitry is configured to operate in at least one multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) mode using the first conductive segment, the second conductive segment, the third conductive segment, and the fourth conductive segment.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the third corner forms part of the sidewall diagonally opposite the second corner;
the wireless communication circuitry is operable in a first multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) mode wireless communication mode and a second MIMO wireless communication mode; and
when the wireless communication circuitry is operated in the first MIMO wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuitry is configured to use the first conductive segment, the second conductive segment, the third conductive segment, and the fourth conductive segment as different antennas for wireless communication in a first wireless frequency band.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein:
when the wireless communication circuitry is operated in the second MIMO wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuitry is configured to use the second conductive segment and the third conductive segment as different antennas for wireless communication in a second wireless frequency band.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein each of the second conductive segment and the third conductive segment extend along a greater portion of the sidewall than each of the first conductive segment and the fourth conductive segment.

14. The device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a second non-conductive housing component extending into a third hole in the third antenna and a fourth hole in the fourth antenna and structurally coupling the third conductive segment and the fourth conductive segment.

15. The device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a flex circuit; wherein:
the sidewall defines a short side and a long side;
the first corner and the second corner are disposed at opposite ends of the short side;
the first conductive segment has a first ground connector electrically coupled to the flex circuit and a first antenna feed connector electrically coupled to the flex circuit; and
the second conductive segment has a second ground connector electrically coupled to the flex circuit and a second antenna feed connector electrically coupled to the flex circuit.

16. A device, comprising:
a display;
a housing defining a sidewall of the device and at least partially defini

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Froese Kevin M
• Leutheuser Paul U
• Auclair Martin J
• Durning Christopher J
• Ham Jun
• Browning Lucy E
• Cohen Sawyer I
• Dinh Richard Hung Minh
• Parr Donald J

Classifications

• H01Q13/10

  Resonant slot antennas · CPC title

• H01Q5/30

  Arrangements for providing operation on different wavebands · CPC title

• H05K5/10

  comprising several parts forming a closed casing · CPC title

• H04M1/026

  Details of the structure or mounting of specific components · CPC title

• H04M1/0249 Primary

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