Radiation shielding and range extending antenna assembly

An assembly comprising:

• a hand-held communications device, said communications device having a front side and a rear side directed away from a user;
• an active radiating element operatively coupled to the communications device for transmitting a signal, said active radiating element disposed proximate the rear side and away from a user's hand during operation;
• a substantially planar ground circuit structure disposed upon the communications device proximate the active radiating element, said structure having a major surface, said structure being disposed between the active radiating element and the user;
• and
• a radiation-shielding element operatively coupled to the communications device, said radiation-shielding element including a plurality of conductive particles disposed within a non-conductive matrix, said radiation-shielding element disposed upon the major surface of the structure so that the radiation-shielding element is between the ground circuit structure and the user.

A communications device for transmitting a radio signal, said device comprising:

• a device body capable of being hand held by a user;
• an antenna disposed upon the device body for transmitting the radio signal generally in a direction of propagation opposite the user, said antenna including an active element and a substantially planar ground plane circuit structure disposed away from said active element;
• and
• a radiation-shielding structure disposed upon the ground plane circuit structure and displaced away from the antenna in a direction generally opposite the direction of propagation, said radiation-shielding structure having a plurality of conductive particles disposed within a non-conductive matrix.