Electronic device having antennas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12200152-B2
Application number	US-202118556637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2021
Priority date	Apr 21, 2021
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a mobile terminal changing in size according to one embodiment. The mobile terminal comprises: a slide metal part; a front metal part formed to be coupled to the slide metal part; and a coupling link formed to couple the slide metal part and the front metal part in a folded state or an extended state. A plurality of antennas are disposed on the left surface, the right surface and the lower surface of the slide metal part, and at least one surface of the slide metal part is ground-connected to a PCB, which is accommodated in the slide metal part, at a plurality of points, and thus a difference in the lengths of ground paths is reduced in accordance with a relative movement to reduce a change in antenna performance of the plurality of antennas due to the relative movement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal that changes in size, the mobile terminal comprising:
a slide metal part including a left side surface, a right side surface, and a bottom side surface defining appearance of the mobile terminal;
a front metal part including an upper side surface and a front portion defining the appearance of the mobile terminal and coupled to the slide metal part; and
a coupling link having one end and another end connected to the slide metal part and the front metal part, to couple the slide metal part and the front metal part to each other in a folded state and an unfolded state according to a relative movement between the slide metal part and the front metal part,
wherein a plurality of antennas are disposed on the left side surface, the right side surface, and the bottom side surface of the slide metal part, and
at least one side surface of the slide metal part is connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) received in the slide metal part at a plurality of ground contact points, to reduce a difference in lengths of ground paths according to the relative movement so as to decrease a change in antenna performance of the plurality of antennas according to the relative movement,
wherein a spring contact part is disposed on the front portion of the front metal part to electrically connect the slide metal part and the front metal part in a spring contact manner, and
a contact point where the spring contact part is in contact with the slide metal part is higher than the plurality of ground contact points as the slide metal part moves in a downward direction.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein
a first contact point where the spring contact part is in contact with the slide metal part is a point located between the plurality of ground contact points in a first state in which a display region is expanded.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein the slide metal part comprises:
a first metal housing having the left side surface and the right side surface defining the appearance of the mobile terminal; and
a second metal housing having the left lateral side surface, the right lateral side surface, and the bottom side surface defining the appearance—a first conductive member and a second conductive member of the second metal housing each including a first sub member disposed on the bottom side surface and a second sub member disposed on the left or right lateral side surface.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3 , further comprising:
a first printed circuit board (PCB) having a wireless communication unit;
a second PCB electrically connected to the first PCB and received in one side surface of the slide metal part;
a third PCB electrically connected to the second PCB and received in another side surface of the slide metal part; and
a display having a first region that is exposed to a front surface in a retracted state of the mobile terminal, and a second region that is an expanded region exposed to the front surface in an expanded state of the mobile terminal.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4 , wherein the first conductive member operates as a first antenna through a feed portion, and is connected to a ground at a first point through the second PCB and a switch,
the second conductive member operates as a second antenna through a second feed portion, and
the mobile terminal further comprises a third conductive member disposed between the first conductive member and the second conductive member with being spaced by slits.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5 , further comprising a fourth conductive member disposed on the left side surface of the first metal housing, and a fifth conductive member disposed on the right side surface,
wherein the fourth conductive member and the fifth conductive member operate as a third antenna and a fourth antenna, respectively, and
the fourth conductive member is connected to a ground at a second point through the second PCB and a second switch.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6 , further comprising a processor operably coupled to the wireless communication unit, and configured to determine whether the mobile terminal is in a first or second state in which the display region is retracted or expanded according to the relative movement, and
the processor, in the first state, controls the switch such that the slide metal part is not electrically connected to the front metal part at the first point through the second PCB, and
controls the second switch such that the slide metal part is electrically connected to the front metal part at the second point through the second PCB.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7 , wherein the length of the ground path, in the first state, is determined as a sum of a first length from a first contact point by the spring contact part in the first state to one point of the upper side surface of the front metal part and a second length from the second point to the first contact point.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , further comprising a processor operably coupled to the wireless communication unit, and configured to determine whether the mobile terminal is in a first or second state in which the display region is retracted or expanded according to the relative movement, and
the processor, in the second state, controls the switch such that the slide metal part is electrically connected to the front metal part at the first point through the second PCB, and
controls the switch such that the slide metal part is electrically connected to the front metal part at the second point through the second PCB.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the length of the ground path, in the second state, is determined as a sum of a first length from a second contact point by the spring contact part in the second state to one point of the upper side surface of the front metal part and a third length from the first point to the second contact point, and
the second point is disposed between a first contact point by the spring contact part in the first state and the second contact point by the spring contact part in the second state, such that a difference between the second length and the third length is less than a threshold value.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the fourth conductive member is further connected to a ground at a third point through the second PCB and a third switch, and
the processor, in the first state, controls the third switch such that the slide metal part is not electrically connected to the front metal part at the third point through the second PCB.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the fourth conductive member is further connected to a ground at a third point through the second PCB and a third switch, and
the processor, in the second state, controls the switch, the second switch, and the third switch such that the slide metal part is electrically connected to the front metal part through the second PCB at the first point, the second point, and the third point.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11 , wherein a ground of the second PCB is electrically connected to a first connection portion at the second point through a signal line, and
electrically connected to a second connection port and a third connection portion through an SPDT switch and a matching circuit at the first point and the third point, respectively, and
the processor, in the first state, controls the SPDT switch to be connected to the second connection port and the third connection portion at the first point and the third point through a first inductor of the matching circuit, such that the matching circuit operates as an open circuit at an opera

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Dongjin
• Kwon Youngbae
• Kim Sungwon
• Jung Byungwoon
• Ha Jihun

Classifications

• H04M1/0249 Primary

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

• H04B1/401

  for selecting or indicating operating mode · CPC title

• H01Q21/28

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

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H04M2201/34

  Microprocessors · CPC title