Antenna and foldable electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12034466-B2
Application number	US-202318138220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2023
Priority date	Apr 16, 2019
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

In an embodiment, an electronic device may include a housing including a hinge module, a first housing, and second housing. The first and second housings are rotatably coupled to each other via the hinge module to be in a folded state or an unfolded state. The electronic device may further include a flexible display, at least one conductive pattern disposed in the first housing, at least one conductor disposed at a position in the second housing corresponding to the at least one conductive pattern such that the at least one conductor is capacitively coupled to the conductive pattern when the electronic device is in the folded state, and a wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the at least one conductive pattern in the first housing. Other embodiments are also possible.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a hinge module;
a first housing including a first lateral side extending in a direction parallel to the hinge module, a second lateral side extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge module from one end of the first lateral side, and a third lateral side extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge module from other end of the first lateral side;
a second housing, wherein the first housing and the second housing are rotatably coupled to each other via the hinge module to be in a folded state or an unfolded state;
a conductive pattern, configured to operate as an antenna, disposed in the first housing;
a conductor disposed at a position in the second housing corresponding to the conductive pattern such that the conductor is capacitively coupled to the conductive pattern in the folded state; and
a wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the conductive pattern in the first housing,
wherein at least a part of the conductive pattern is disposed in the first housing at a position adjacent to or at the second lateral side, and
wherein the conductor is uncoupled from the conductive pattern such that the conductor is disconnected from the wireless communication circuit in the unfolded state.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive pattern is disposed in the first housing at a position closer to a second surface of the first housing than a first surface of the first housing opposite the second surface, and
wherein the second surface of the first housing faces the second housing in the folded state.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a first conductive pad disposed in the first housing and electrically connected to the conductive pattern,
wherein the first conductive pad is exposed through the second surface or disposed at a position closer to the second surface than the first surface.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the first conductive pad further comprises a conductive decorative member when the first conductive pad is disposed to be exposed through the second surface of the first housing.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising a second conductive pad disposed in the second housing and electrically connected to the conductor,
wherein the second conductive pad is exposed through a fourth surface of the second housing or disposed at a position closer to the fourth surface than a third surface of the second housing opposite the fourth surface, and
wherein the second conductive pad is capacitively coupled to the first conductive pad in the folded state.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the second conductive pad further comprises a conductive decorative member when the second conductive pad is disposed to be exposed through the fourth surface of the second housing.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a coupler disposed on an electrical path connecting the wireless communication circuit and the conductive pattern;
a tunable circuit; and
at least one processor configured to:
receive return loss information of the conductive pattern from the coupler, and
control the tunable circuit based on the received return loss information.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the tunable circuit is disposed on an electrical path connecting the second conductive pad and the conductor, and the tunable circuit further comprises:
a plurality of inductors having different inductance values; and
a switching device electrically connecting the second conductive pad and the conductor through one of the plurality of inductors.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
control the switching device to electrically connect the second conductive pad to the conductor sequentially through each of the plurality of inductors, and
based on the received return loss information, control the switching device to electrically connect the second conductive pad and the conductor through an inductor having best return loss.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
detect whether the electronic device is in the folded state, and
control the switching device when the electronic device is in the folded state.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the tunable circuit is disposed on an electrical path connecting the first conductive pad and the conductive pattern, and the tunable circuit further comprises:
a plurality of inductors having different inductance values; and
a switching device electrically connecting the first conductive pad and the conductive pattern through one of the plurality of inductors.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
control the switching device to electrically connect the first conductive pad to the conductive pattern sequentially through each of the plurality of inductors, and
control the switching device to electrically connect the first conductive pad and the conductive pattern through an inductor having best return loss based on the received return loss information.

13. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a third conductive pad disposed in the second housing and electrically connected to the conductor,
wherein the third conductive pad is exposed through a fourth surface of the second housing or disposed at a position closer to the fourth surface than a third surface of the second housing opposite the fourth surface, and
wherein the third conductive pad is capacitively coupled to the conductive pattern in the folded state.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second housing includes a fourth lateral side, a fifth lateral side extending in a direction to the hinge module from one end of the fourth lateral side, and a sixth lateral side extending in a direction to the hinge module from other end of the fourth lateral side, and
wherein at least a part of the conductor is disposed in the second housing at the position of at least one of the fifth lateral side or the sixth lateral side.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive pattern comprises a laser direct structuring (LDS) pattern formed in a dielectric injection-molded material and/or a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the first housing,
wherein the conductive pattern is formed in a fill-and-cut region of the PCB.

17. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible display disposed in the first housing and the second housing.

18. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a interface connector port disposed through at least a portion of the third lateral side.

19. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising another conductive pattern, configured to operate as another antenna, disposed in the first housing at a position adjacent to or at the third lateral side.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Taeyun
• Kim Yongyoun
• Kim Haeyeon
• Lee Taekyung
• Yang Dongil
• Na Hyoseok
• Lee Soyoung

Classifications

• H05K2201/209

  Auto-mechanical connection between a component and a PCB or between two PCBs · CPC title

• H05K2201/10128

  Display · CPC title

• H05K2201/10098

  Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas · CPC title

• H05K2201/1003

  Non-printed inductor · CPC title

• H05K2201/0999

  Circuit printed on or in housing, e.g. housing as PCB; Circuit printed on the case of a component; PCB affixed to housing · CPC title