Slot antennas for electronic devices
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsBing Chiang, Douglas Blake Kough, Enrique Ayala Vazquez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Slot antennas are provided for electronic devices such as portable electronic devices. The slot antennas may have a dielectric-filled slot that is formed in a ground plane element. The ground plane element may be formed from part of a conductive device housing. The slot may have one or more holes at its ends. The holes may affect the impedance characteristics of the slot antennas so that the length of the slot antennas may be reduced. For example, the holes can be used to synthesize the impedance of the slot antennas so that the slot antennas have a resonant frequency that is different from their natural resonant frequency. The holes may affect the impedance of the slot antennas in multiple radio-frequency bands.
Claims18
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- a conductive housing having portions that define a ground plane element for an antenna, wherein the ground plane element has portions that define a slot for the antenna, has portions that define a first hole for the antenna at a first end of the slot, and has portions that define a second hole for the antenna at a second end of the slot and wherein the second hole is larger than the first hole, wherein the slot comprises a rectangular opening in the ground plane element, wherein the first hole comprises a first circular opening in the ground plane element, and wherein the first circular opening is directly connected to the rectangular opening of the slot at the first end of the slot.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- a conductive housing having portions that define a ground plane element for an antenna, wherein the ground plane element has portions that define a slot for the antenna, has portions that define a first hole for the antenna at a first end of the slot, and has portions that define a second hole for the antenna at a second end of the slot and wherein the second hole is larger than the first hole, wherein the slot comprises a rectangular opening in the ground plane element, wherein the first hole comprises a square opening in the ground plane element.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- a conductive housing having portions that define a ground plane element for an antenna, wherein the ground plane element has portions that define a slot for the antenna and has portions that define a first hole for the antenna at a first end of the slot;
- and
- a solid dielectric in the slot and in the first hole.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- a conductive housing having portions that define a ground plane element for an antenna, wherein the ground plane element has portions that define a slot for the antenna, has portions that define a first hole for the antenna at a first end of the slot, and has portions that define a second hole for the antenna at a second end of the slot and wherein the second hole is larger than the first hole, wherein the slot comprises a rectangular opening in the ground plane element, wherein the antenna comprises a dual-band antenna and wherein the slot, the first hole, and the second hole are configured to handle radio-frequency signals at a 2.4 GHz communications band and at a 5 GHz communications band.
An electronic device comprising:
- transceiver circuitry;
- a transmission line coupled to the transceiver circuitry;
- a conductive case in which the transceiver circuitry and the transmission line are housed, wherein the conductive case has a dielectric-filled opening;
- and
- an antenna having a ground plane element formed from the conductive case and an antenna element formed from the dielectric-filled opening, wherein the dielectric-filled opening comprises a slot and a first hole at a first end of the slot.
A portable computer antenna comprising:
- a ground plane element formed from a conductive housing for the portable computer;
- a slot formed in the ground plane element;
- a first hole formed in the ground plane element at a first end of the slot;
- and
- a second hole formed in the ground plane element at a second end of the slot, wherein the second hole is larger than the first hole, wherein the first hole comprises a circular opening in the ground plane element with a diameter of more than two millimeters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.