# US 2018/0026348 A1 · Antenna structure and wireless communication device using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0026348 A1 - Document ID: US20180026348A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/651,027 - Filed: 2017-07-17 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Chiun Mai Communication Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Chiun Mai Communication Systems, Inc. - Inventors: CHENG-HAN LEE; YI-WEN HSU; WEI-XUAN YE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180026348A1 ## CPC - H01Q 1/243: {with built-in antennas} - H01Q 1/44: using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna {, e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspect}(H01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence) - H01Q 5/10: Resonant antennas - H01Q 5/371: Branching current paths - H01Q 9/42: with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength - H01Q 13/10: Resonant slot antennas - H01Q 21/28: Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems {(multiple beam H01Q25/00)} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract An antenna structure includes a metal housing, a first feed source, a first ground portion, and a first switching circuit. The metal housing includes a front frame, a backboard, and a side frame. The side frame defines a slot and the front frame defines a first gap and a second gap. The metal housing is divided into at least a first portion by the slot, the first gap, and the second gap. The first feed source is electrically connected to the first portion for supplying current to the first portion. The first ground portion is electrically connected to the first portion for grounding the first portion. One end of the first switching circuit is electrically connected to the first portion. Another end of the first switching circuit is grounded. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna structure comprising: a metal housing, the metal housing comprising a front frame, a backboard, and a side frame, the side frame being positioned between the front frame and the backboard; wherein the side frame defines a slot, the front frame defines a first gap and a second gap, the first gap communicates with a first end of the slot and extends to cut across the front frame; the second gap communicates with a second end of the slot and extends to cut across the front frame; the metal housing is divided into at least a first portion by the slot, the first gap, and the second gap; a first feed source, the first feed source electrically connected to the first portion for supplying current to the first portion; a first ground portion, the first ground portion electrically connected to the first portion for grounding the first portion; and a first switching circuit, one end of the first switching circuit electrically connected to the first portion and another end of the first switching circuit being grounded. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the slot, the first gap, and the second gap are all filled with insulating material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the portion of the metal housing surrounded by the slot, the first gap, and the second gap forms the first portion, the other portions of the metal housing forms a second portion, and the second portion is grounded. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the front frame extending from a first side of the first feed source to the first gap forms a first branch; when the first feed source supplies current, the current flows through the first branch and flows towards the first gap to activate a first operation mode to generate radiation signals in a first frequency band. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The antenna structure of claim 4, wherein a second portion of the front frame extending from a second side of the first feed source to the second gap forms a second branch, when the first feed source supplies current, the current flows through the second branch, flows towards the second gap, and is grounded through the first ground portion to activate a second operation mode to generate radiation signals in a second frequency band; and a frequency of the second frequency band is higher than a frequency of the first frequency band. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The antenna structure of claim 4, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a switching unit and a plurality of switching elements, the switching unit is electrically connected to the first branch, the switching elements are connected in parallel to each other, one end of each switching element is electrically connected to the switching unit, and the other end of each switching element is electrically connected to the backboard; through controlling the switching unit to switch, the switching unit is switched to different switching elements and the first frequency band is adjusted. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The antenna structure of claim 6, wherein the first switching circuit further comprises a resonance circuit, the resonance circuit is configured to drive the first branch to activate a third operation mode to generate radiation signals in a third frequency band; and a frequency of the third frequency band is higher than a frequency of the second frequency band. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The antenna structure of claim 7, wherein the first switching circuit comprises only one resonance circuit, the resonance circuit is electrically connected between the first branch and the backboard, and the resonance circuit is connected in parallel to the switching unit and at least one switching element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The antenna structure of claim 7, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a plurality of resonance circuits, a number of the resonance circuits is equal to a number of the switching elements, each resonance circuit is electrically connected in parallel to one of the switching elements between the switching unit and the backboard, when the first frequency band is adjusted, the plurality of resonance circuits keeps the third frequency band unchanged. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The antenna structure of claim 7, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a plurality of resonance circuits, a number of the resonance circuits is equal to a number of the switching elements, each resonance circuit is electrically connected in parallel to one of the switching elements between the switching unit and the backboard, when the first frequency band is adjusted, the plurality of resonance circuits correspondingly adjusts the third frequency band. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The antenna structure of claim 7, further comprising a radiator, a second feed source, and a second ground portion, wherein the side frame comprises an end portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion, the first side portion and the second side portion are respectively connected to two ends of the end portion; the radiator is positioned parallel to the end portion adjacent to the first side portion; the second feed source and the second ground portion are both electrically connected to the radiator; when the second feed source supplies current, the current flows through the radiator to activate a fourth operation mode to generate radiation signals in a fourth frequency band; and a frequency of the fourth frequency band is higher than a frequency of the third frequency band. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The antenna structure of claim 11, further comprising a second switching circuit, wherein one end of the second switching circuit is electrically connected to the radiator, another end of the second switching circuit is grounded to adjust the fourth frequency band. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The antenna structure of claim 11, wherein a wireless communication device uses at least two of the first branch, the second branch, and the radiator to receive or send wireless signals at multiple frequency bands simultaneously through carrier aggregation (CA) technology of Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the backboard is an integral and single metallic sheet, the backboard is directly connected to the side frame and there is no gap formed between the backboard and the side frame, the backboard does not define any slot, break line, and/or gap for separating the backboard. ### Claim 15 A wireless communication device comprising: an antenna structure, the antenna structure comprising: a metal housing, the metal housing comprising a front frame, a backboard, and a side frame, the side frame being positioned between the front frame and the backboard; wherein the side frame defines a slot, the front frame defines a first gap and a second gap, the first gap communicates with a first end of the slot and extends to cut across the front frame; the second gap communicates with a second end of the slot and extends to cut across the front frame; the metal housing is divided into at least a first portion by the slot, the first gap, and the second gap; a first feed source, the first feed source electrically connected to the first portion for supplying current to the first portion; a first ground portion, the first ground portion electrically connected to the first portion for grounding the first portion; and a first switching circuit, one end of the first switching circuit electrically connected to the first portion and another end of the first switching circuit being grounded. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wireless communication device of claim 15, further comprising a display, wherein the front frame defines an opening, the display is received in the opening, a display surface of the display is exposed at the opening and is positioned parallel to the backboard. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the slot, the first gap, and the second gap are all filled with insulating material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the portion of the metal housing surrounded by the slot, the first gap, and the second gap forms the first portion, the other portions of the metal housing forms a second portion, and the second portion is grounded. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein a first portion of the front frame extending from a first side of the first feed source to the first gap forms a first branch; when the first feed source supplies current, the current flows through the first branch and flows towards the first gap to activate a first operation mode to generate radiation signals in a first frequency band. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein a second portion of the front frame extending from a second side of the first feed source to the second gap forms a second branch, when the first feed source supplies current, the current flows through the second branch, flows towards the second gap, and is grounded through the first ground portion to activate a second operation mode to generate radiation signals in a second frequency band; and a frequency of the second frequency band is higher than a frequency of the first frequency band. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a switching unit and a plurality of switching elements, the switching unit is electrically connected to the first branch, the switching elements are connected in parallel to each other, one end of each switching element is electrically connected to the switching unit, and the other end of each switching element is electrically connected to the backboard; through controlling the switching unit to switch, the switching unit is switched to different switching elements and the first frequency band is adjusted. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The wireless communication device of claim 21, wherein the first switching circuit further comprises a resonance circuit, the resonance circuit is configured to drive the first branch to activate a third operation mode to generate radiation signals in a third frequency band; and a frequency of the third frequency band is higher than a frequency of the second frequency band. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the first switching circuit comprises only one resonance circuit, the resonance circuit is electrically connected between the first branch and the backboard, and the resonance circuit is connected in parallel to the switching unit and at least one switching element. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a plurality of resonance circuits, a number of the resonance circuits is equal to a number of the switching elements, each resonance circuit is electrically connected in parallel to one of the switching elements between the switching unit and the backboard, when the first frequency band is adjusted, the plurality of resonance circuits keeps the third frequency band unchanged. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a plurality of resonance circuits, a number of the resonance circuits is equal to a number of the switching elements, each resonance circuit is electrically connected in parallel to one of the switching elements between the switching unit and the backboard, when the first frequency band is adjusted, the plurality of resonance circuits correspondingly adjusts the third frequency band. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The wireless communication device of claim 22, wherein the antenna structure further comprises a radiator, a second feed source, and a second ground portion, the side frame comprises an end portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion, the first side portion and the second side portion are respectively connected to two ends of the end portion; the radiator is positioned parallel to the end portion adjacent to the first side portion; the second feed source and the second ground portion are both electrically connected to the radiator; when the second feed source supplies current, the current flows through the radiator to activate a fourth operation mode to generate radiation signals in a fourth frequency band; and a frequency of the fourth frequency band is higher than a frequency of the third frequency band. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The wireless communication device of claim 26, wherein the antenna structure further comprises a second switching circuit, one end of the second switching circuit is electrically connected to the radiator, another end of the second switching circuit is grounded to adjust the fourth frequency band. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The wireless communication device of claim 26, wherein the wireless communication device uses at least two of the first branch, the second branch, and the radiator to receive or send wireless signals at multiple frequency bands simultaneously through carrier aggregation (CA) technology of Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A). ### Claim 29 (depends on 15) The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the backboard is an integral and single metallic sheet, the backboard is directly connected to the side frame and there is no gap formed between the backboard and the side frame, the backboard does not define any slot, break line, and/or gap for separating the backboard.