Antennas for handheld electronic devices

A handheld electronic device that has a front and a rear and that is operated in a portrait orientation and, when rotated counterclockwise, a landscape orientation, comprising:

• a conductive housing having at least one substantially rectangular conductive housing surface, wherein the rectangular conductive housing surface has an opening, wherein the opening is located in an upper-right corner of the conductive housing surface when the handheld electronic device is viewed from its front operating in its portrait orientation;
• transceiver and control circuitry mounted within the conductive housing;
• at least one antenna, wherein the antenna comprises a ground plane element and an antenna resonating element and wherein the antenna resonating element is mounted within the opening in the upper-right corner of the conductive housing;
• a dielectric cap that covers the antenna resonating element;
• and
• at least one printed circuit board that surrounds an air-filled hole in which at least a portion of the antenna resonating element is located, wherein the at least one printed circuit board has top and bottom surfaces and wherein the at least one printed circuit board does not have any metal on the top and bottom surfaces in contact with a perimeter of the air-filled hole.

A handheld electronic device, comprising:

• a housing having housing surfaces including a conductive rear surface and having a display mounted to at least part of a front surface;
• a dielectric housing portion formed in an opening within a corner of the conductive rear surface;
• at least one printed circuit board having a hole;
• a transceiver circuit mounted to the at least one printed circuit board;
• a transmission line connected to the transceiver circuit;
• an antenna mounted within the housing, wherein the antenna comprises:
• a ground plane;
• and
• an antenna resonating element formed from a strip of conductor that is located adjacent to the dielectric housing portion, wherein at least a portion of the dielectric housing portion lies flush with the conductive rear surface of the housing, wherein the antenna resonating element has a plurality of bends and has first and second ends, wherein the first end of the antenna resonating element is coupled to the transmission line adjacent to the at least one printed circuit board, wherein the bends in the antenna resonating element route the strip of conductor so that the second end of the antenna resonating element is not adjacent to the surfaces of the housing, wherein the antenna resonating element has a first portion at the first end that extends upwards from the ground plane, wherein the antenna resonating element has a second portion at the second end that extends downwards towards the ground plane, wherein the plurality of bends includes at least one right-angle bend between the first and second ends, wherein the first and second portions are parallel to each other, wherein the antenna resonating element is not grounded along its length, wherein at least a portion of the antenna resonating element is located in the hole of the at least one printed circuit board, wherein the at least one printed circuit board has top and bottom surfaces, and wherein the at least one printed circuit board does not have any metal on the top and bottom surfaces in contact with a perimeter of the hole.