Electronic device including antenna module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11316284-B2
Application number	US-202017036313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2020
Priority date	Oct 30, 2019
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device includes: a housing including a front plate, a rear plate disposed opposite the front plate, and a side bezel enclosing at least a portion of a space between the front plate and the rear plate; a display disposed in the space and visible through at least a portion of the front plate, wherein the display includes a first layer including a plurality of pixels; and a second layer disposed at the first layer and including an opening; and an antenna module disposed in the space, wherein the antenna module includes a printed circuit board including a first surface facing away from the first layer through the opening and a second surface facing opposite the first surface; at least one antenna element disposed on the first surface, or inside the printed circuit board closer to the first surface than the second surface; and a communication circuit disposed at the second surface of the printed circuit board, the communication circuit configured to transmit and/or receive signals of a selected or designated frequency band through the at least one antenna element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing comprising a front plate, a rear plate disposed opposite the front plate, and a side bezel enclosing at least a portion of a space between the front plate and the rear plate;
a display disposed in the space and visible through at least a portion of the front plate,
wherein the display comprises:
a first layer comprising a plurality of pixels; and
a second layer disposed at the first layer and comprising an opening; and

an antenna module disposed in the space,
wherein the antenna module comprises:
a printed circuit board comprising a first surface facing away from the first layer through the opening and a second surface facing opposite the first surface;
at least one antenna element disposed on the first surface, or inside the printed circuit board closer to the first surface than the second surface; and
a communication circuit disposed at the second surface of the printed circuit board, the communication circuit configured to transmit and/or receive signals of a selected or designated frequency band through the at least one antenna element.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to form a beam pattern toward the front plate through the at least one antenna element.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the selected or designated frequency band is in a range of 6 GHZ to 100 GHz.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna element comprises an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements comprise a patch antenna or a dipole antenna.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises at least one of a material that shields light, a material that absorbs or shields electromagnetic waves, or a material that diffuses heat.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is disposed inside the opening.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is disposed outside the opening.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first support disposed in the space and connected to the side bezel or integrally formed with the side bezel; and
a second support connecting the first support and the antenna module.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the second support comprises at least one first portion coupled with the first support, and a second portion extending from the first portion and in which the antenna module is disposed.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the first support comprises a second opening at least partially overlapping the opening of the second layer, when viewed from above the front plate, and
the antenna module is disposed in the second opening.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the second portion is disposed closer to the display than the first portion.

13. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the second support comprises a thermally conductive material, and further comprises a thermally conductive bonding material disposed between the second portion and the antenna module.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a thermally conductive member comprising a thermally conductive material disposed to overlap the antenna module, when viewed from above the front plate, in the space.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the thermally conductive member comprises a heat pipe or a heat spreader.

16. The electronic device of claim 14 , further comprising a heat pipe or a heat spreader connected to the thermally conductive member.

17. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing comprising a front plate, a rear plate disposed opposite the front plate, and a side bezel enclosing at least a portion of a space between the front plate and the rear plate;
a display disposed in the space and visible through at least a portion of the front plate,
wherein the display comprises:
a first layer comprising a plurality of pixels; and
a second layer disposed at the first layer and comprising an opening;

an antenna module disposed in the space,
wherein the antenna module comprises:
a printed circuit board comprising a first surface facing away from the first layer through the opening and a second surface facing opposite the first surface;
at least one antenna element disposed on the first surface, or inside the printed circuit board closer to first surface than the second surface, the at least one antenna element configured to form a beam pattern toward the front plate;
a communication circuit disposed at the second surface and configured to transmit and/or receive signals of a selected or designated frequency band through the at least one antenna element; and

a thermally conductive member comprising a thermally conductive material disposed in the space and connected to the antenna module.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the thermally conductive member comprises a heat pipe or a heat spreader.

19. The electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising:
a first support disposed in the space and connected to the side bezel or integrally formed with the side bezel; and
a second support connecting the first support and the antenna module,
wherein the second support comprises:
at least one first portion coupled with the first support, and a second portion extending from the first portion and in which the antenna module is disposed, and
wherein the thermally conductive member extends between the second portion and the antenna module.

20. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the first support comprises a second opening at least partially overlapping the opening of the second layer, when viewed from above the front plate, and
the antenna module is disposed in the second opening.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Woosik
• Kim Dowan
• Yun Yongsang
• Lee Kyungrok
• Lee Sunghyup
• Heo Wonhyung

Classifications

• H04M1/0266

  for a display module assembly · CPC title

• H04B1/40

  Circuits · CPC title

• H01Q21/062

  using dipole aerials; (H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q21/28 Primary

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

• H04M1/0277

  for a printed circuit board assembly · CPC title