Wearable device including multi-band antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11955701-B2
Application number	US-202117373172-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2021
Priority date	Aug 29, 2016
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

Disclosed is a wearable device including an outer housing including a first surface facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a side surface surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface, wherein a metal frame is formed on at least a portion of the side surface, a display having at least a portion that is exposed through the first surface of the outer housing, a printed circuit board (PCB), a communication circuit, and a ground area, wherein the metal frame is electrically connected to the communication circuit at a first point and a second point of the metal frame, and to the ground area at a third point having a different electrical length with respect to the first point and the second point, and wherein the communication circuit is configured to transmit and/or receive a signal in a first frequency band by a first electrical path formed between the first point and the third point, and a signal in a second frequency band by a second electrical path formed between the second point and the third point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable device, comprising:
an outer housing including a first surface facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a side surface surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface and including a metal frame formed thereon, the metal frame not being partitioned and having a closed loop shape;
a display disposed in the space and being at least partially visible via the first surface of the outer housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed between the second surface and the display and including a ground area; and
a communication circuit disposed at the PCB,
wherein the metal frame is:
electrically connected with the communication circuit at a first point of the metal frame,
electrically connected with the ground area at a second point of the metal frame, and
selectively connected with the ground area at a third point of the metal frame via an impedance tuner including an impedance matching component,

wherein a first distance between the first point and the third point is longer than a second distance between the first point and the second point, and
wherein the communication circuit is configured to:
transmit and/or recieve a signal in a first frequency band by a first signal path established if the third point is directly connected to the ground area via the impedance tuner without the impedance matching component, and
transmit and/or receive a signal in a second frequency band by a second signal path established if the third point is indirectly connected to the ground area via the impedance tuner with the impedance matching component.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 ,
wherein the metal frame is electrically connected to the communication circuit at the first point.

3. The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a switching circuit connected to the communication circuit and the ground area, and the metal frame respectively,
wherein the switching circuit is configured to:
electrically connect the first point to the communication circuit; and
electrically connect the communication circuit to the ground area if the first point is not electrically connected to the communication circuit.

4. The wearable device of claim 3 , wherein the switching circuit includes:
a first switch configured to control a connection between the communication circuit and the metal frame; and
a second switch configured to control a connection between the communication circuit and the ground area.

5. The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a metal component disposed in the interior of the outer housing and making contact with and electrically connected to the first point and the third point; and
a switching circuit including a first switch and a second switch configured to control a connection between the metal component and the communication circuit,
wherein the metal component and the communication circuit are electrically connected by any one of the first switch and the second switch.

6. The wearable device of claim 5 ,
wherein opposite ends of the metal component are connected to the metal frame, and
wherein the first switch and the second switch are respectively connected to the opposite ends of the metal component.

7. A wearable device, comprising:
an outer housing including a first surface facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a side surface surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface and including a metal frame formed thereon, the metal frame not being partitioned and having a closed loop shape;
a display disposed in the space and being at least partially visible via the first surface of the outer housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed between the second surface and the display and including a ground area;
a communication circuit disposed at the PCB; and
a switching circuit connected between the communication circuit, the ground area, and the metal frame at a first point, a second point, and a third point of the metal frame, wherein a first distance between the first point and the third point is longer than a second distance between the first point and the second point,
wherein the communication circuit is configured:
transmit and/or receive a signal in a first frequency band by a first signal path established if the third point is directly connected to the groun area via an impedance tuner without an impedance matching component; and
transmit and/or receive a signal in a second frequency band by a second signal path established if the third point is indirectly connected to the ground area via the impedance tuner with the impedance matching component.

8. The wearable device of claim 7 , wherein the switching circuit includes:
a first switch configured to control a connection between the communication circuit and the metal frame;
a second switch configured to control a connection between the ground area and the metal frame; and
a third switch configured to control a connection between the PCB and the metal frame.

9. The wearable device of claim 7 ,
wherein the metal frame is electrically connected to the communication circuit at the first point, is electrically connected to the ground area at the second point, and is selectively connected to the ground area at the third point.

10. The wearable device of claim 1 ,
wherein the outer housing includes a strap joint portion formed in an area between the second point and the third point.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sung Sang Bong
• Kang Woo Suk
• Kim Se Woong
• Yoo Chae Up
• Chun Jae Bong

Classifications

• H01Q1/273 Primary

  Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals · CPC title

• H01Q1/241

  used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM (H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q1/42

  Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome · CPC title

• H01Q5/328

  between a radiating element and ground · CPC title

• H01Q5/35

  using two or more simultaneously fed points · CPC title