Near field communication chip embedded in a wearable electronic device and wearable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9674646-B2
Application number	US-201514940247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2015
Priority date	Nov 13, 2014
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A wearable electronic device according to example embodiments includes a display panel configured to display an image, a main board including a processor configured to control an operation of the wearable electronic device, a metal frame defining a perimeter of the wearable electronic device, the metal frame including a metal material, the metal frame having first and second terminals, the first terminal being adjacent to the second terminal with a slit therebetween, a loop antenna between the display panel and the main board, the loop antenna configured to connect to the first and second terminals of the metal frame, and a near field communication (NFC) chip configured to connect to the metal frame and the loop antenna, the NFC chip configured to perform a near field communication by transmitting or receiving an NFC signal using the metal frame and the loop antenna.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:
a display panel configured to display an image;
a main board including a processor configured to control an operation of the wearable electronic device;
a metal frame defining a perimeter of the wearable electronic device, the metal frame including a metal material, the metal frame having first and second terminals, the first terminal being adjacent to the second terminal with a slit therebetween;
a loop antenna between the display panel and the main board, the loop antenna configured to connect to the first and second terminals of the metal frame; and
a near field communication (NFC) chip configured to connect to the metal frame and the loop antenna, the NFC chip configured to perform a near field communication by transmitting or receiving an NFC signal using the metal frame and the loop antenna.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein
the loop antenna has third and fourth terminals, the third terminal being adjacent to the fourth terminal with a cut portion therebetween, and
the NFC chip configured to connect to the metal frame and the loop antenna through the third and fourth terminals of the loop antenna.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the metal frame further comprises:
a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal being adjacent to the fourth terminal with a second slit therebetween, and wherein
the NFC chip is configured to connect to the metal frame and the loop antenna through the third and fourth terminals of the metal frame.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the loop antenna comprises:
a loop coil including a metal material, the loop coil having two or more turns.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the loop coil has one of a circular shape, a rectangular shape, a polygonal shape and an elliptical shape.

6. The wearable electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the loop coil has a multi-layer structure.

7. The wearable electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the loop antenna further comprises:
a secondary loop coil spaced apart from the loop coil, the secondary loop coil configured to magnetically couple to the loop coil.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the loop coil and the secondary loop coil are at a same layer, and the secondary loop coil is configured to surround the loop coil.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the loop coil and the secondary loop coil are at a same layer, and the loop coil is configured to surround the secondary loop coil.

10. The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the loop coil and the secondary loop coil are at different layers.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a magnetic sheet between the loop antenna and the main board.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a magnetic sheet on an inner surface of the metal frame.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to connect the display panel and the main board,
wherein the loop antenna is between the PCB and the main board.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to connect the display panel and the main board,
wherein the loop antenna is between the display panel and the PCB.

15. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to connect the display panel and the main board,
wherein the PCB is on a first portion of a back surface of the display panel, and
wherein the loop antenna is on a second portion of the back surface of the display panel such that the loop antenna does not overlap the PCB.

16. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless charging circuit connected to the loop antenna, wherein
the loop antenna is configured to wirelessly supply the wireless charging circuit with power.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the wearable electronic device is configured to pair with one or more of a wireless communication device, an electronic payment device and a data transfer device through the near field communication while the wearable electronic device is worn on a body of a user.

18. A near field communication (NFC) chip configured to connect to a metal frame and a loop antenna, the metal frame defining a perimeter of a wearable electronic device, the metal frame including a metal material, the metal frame having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being adjacent to the second terminal with a slit therebetween, the loop antenna being between a display panel and a main board of the wearable electronic device, the loop antenna configured to connect to the first terminal and the second terminal of the metal frame, and the NFC chip comprising:
an NFC controller configured to perform a near field communication by transmitting or receiving an NFC signal using the metal frame and the loop antenna.

19. The NFC chip of claim 18 , further comprising:
a secure storage device connected to the NFC controller, the secure storage device configured to store information, wherein
the NFC controller is configured to transfer the information to an external device through the near field communication.

20. A near field communication (NFC) device comprising:
a metal frame defining a perimeter of the electronic device, the metal frame including a metal material, the metal frame having a first terminal a and second terminal, the first terminal being adjacent to the second terminal with a slit therebetween;
an antenna configured to transmit NFC signals in a direction perpendicular to a display panel of an electronic device associated therewith, and configured to connect to the first terminal and the second terminal of the metal frame of the electronic device; and
an NFC chip configured to transmit, via the antenna and the metal frame, the NFC signals to an external device.

Assignees

• Jang Yo-Han
• Moon Byeong-Taek
• Lee Young-Ki
• Song Il-Jong
• Lee Byeong-Hoon
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jang Yo-Han
• Moon Byeong-Taek
• Lee Young-Ki
• Song Il-Jong
• Lee Byeong-Hoon

Classifications

• H04B1/385

  Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets · CPC title

• H02J50/005

  Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices · CPC title

• H04W4/80 Primary

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H02J50/80

  involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices · CPC title

• H02J50/12

  of the resonant type · CPC title