Feed networks for slot antennas in electronic devices

An antenna that is fed by a transmission line having a first conductor and a second conductor, comprising:

• a ground plane;
• at least first and second slots in the ground plane that are separated by a portion of the ground plane;
• and
• a conductive planar structure that bridges the first slot, that is electrically coupled to the ground plane element, and that overlaps at least part of the portion of the ground plane separating the first and second slots, wherein there is a gap between the part of the ground plane that is overlapped by the conductive planar structure and the conductive planar structure, wherein the first conductor is connected to the ground plane, and wherein the second conductor is connected to the conductive planar structure.

A portable electronic device, comprising:

• circuitry that handles radio-frequency signals;
• a transmission line coupled to the circuitry, wherein the transmission line has first and second conductors;
• and
• an antenna, wherein the antenna has:
• a ground plane element;
• at least first and second slots in the ground plane that are separated by a portion of the ground plane element and that serve as antenna resonating elements for the antenna;
• and
• a conductive planar structure that overlaps at least part of the slots, wherein the second conductor is connected to the conductive planar structure, wherein the first conductor is connected to the ground plane element on one side of the first and second slots without electrically contacting any of the portion of the ground plane element between the slots, and wherein the conductive planar structure is connected to an opposing side of the first and second slots without electrically contacting any of the portion of the ground plane element between the slots.