US 8,896,488 B2Granted

Multi-element antenna structure with wrapped substrate

AssigneeApple Inc.

InventorsEnrique Ayala Vazquez, Erik A. Uttermann, Salih Yarga, Qingxiang Li, Robert W. Schlub

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Antennas are provided for electronic devices such as portable computers. Multiple resonating elements may be formed on a flexible antenna resonating element substrate. The flexible antenna resonating element substrate may have a first antenna resonating element at one end and a second antenna resonating element at an opposing end. The flexible antenna resonating substrate may be wrapped around a dielectric carrier and mounted within an electronic device under an inactive display region and above a dielectric housing window. Conductive structures such as conductive housing structures may form antenna ground. The resonating elements and antenna ground may form first and second antennas. A parasitic antenna resonating element may form part of the first antenna.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An electronic device antenna structure, comprising:

a plastic support structure having opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface comprises a planar surface and wherein the second surface comprises a curved surface that opposes the planar surface;
an antenna resonating element substrate having first and second antenna resonating elements for first and second respective antennas, wherein the antenna resonating element substrate is wrapped around the plastic support structure and covers the first and second surfaces, the planar and curved surfaces meet along an axis, the first antenna resonating element and the second antenna resonating element on the antenna resonating element substrate are each bent over the axis by at least 90 degrees, the first and second antenna resonating elements each have respective first portions on the first surface that extend in a direction parallel to the axis and each have respective second portions on the second surface that extend from the first portions, a segment of the second portion of the first antenna resonating element extends parallel to the axis, and the segment is located at a greater distance from the axis than the first portion of the first antenna resonating element;
a first antenna feed coupled to the first antenna resonating element at the second surface;
and
a second antenna feed coupled to the second antenna resonating element at the second surface.

2 more elements

An electronic device, comprising:

a dielectric carrier having opposing first and second surfaces;
a flexible antenna resonating element substrate that covers at least some of the first and second surfaces;
a conductive housing that forms an antenna ground;
a first antenna resonating element on the flexible antenna resonating element substrate, wherein the antenna ground and the first antenna resonating element form a first antenna;
and
a second antenna resonating element on the flexible antenna resonating element substrate, wherein the antenna ground and the second antenna resonating element form a second antenna;
and
a display with a cover glass layer, wherein the antenna resonating element substrate on the first surface of the dielectric carrier lies alongside the cover glass layer, a first portion of the first antenna resonating element is located on the flexible antenna element substrate on the first surface of the dielectric carrier, a second portion of the first antenna resonating element is located on the flexible antenna element substrate on the second surface of the dielectric carrier, a third portion of the second antenna resonating element is located on the flexible antenna element substrate on the first surface of the dielectric carrier, a fourth portion of the second antenna resonating element is located on the flexible antenna element substrate on the second surface of the dielectric carrier, the first portion extends perpendicularly from the second portion, and the third portion extends perpendicularly from the fourth portion.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/038,300Filed 1 Mar 2011
Published: US 2012/0223866 A16 Sep 2012
Granted: 25 Nov 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H01Q 1/243
Specially adapted for hand-held use: with built-in antennas
H01Q 1/38
Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith: formed by a conductive layer on an…
H01Q 5/378
Arrangements for providing operation on different wavebands: combination of fed elements with parasitic elements
H01Q 9/42
With feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole: with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the…