Wearable device antenna system

Abstract

An antenna system includes: a driving antenna element connected to a printed circuit board (PCB); and a plurality of PCB extenders provided by conductors, connected to the PCB ground plane, for cooperating with the driving antenna element in signal communication. In a glasses device including the antenna system, the plurality of PCB extenders are provided by conductive structural elements included in the glasses frame.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese Patent Application No. 201880016073.6, "Wearable Device Antenna System" (filing date: March 6, 2018). Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to wireless communication. Aspects of this disclosure relate to wireless communication systems, antenna systems forming part of such wireless communication systems, and electronic devices having wireless communication capabilities. This disclosure also relates to electronically enabled eyewear devices. Background Art

[0003] Recent trends in consumer electronics have consistently moved towards greater miniaturization, and the functionality of such devices requires increasingly ubiquitous wireless connectivity. Wireless communication systems forming part of electronic devices with limited form factors strive to meet the conflicting requirements of achieving wireless connectivity that can reliably transmit large amounts of data (e.g., video captured by smart glasses) while increasing compactness. These difficulties are exacerbated in wearable devices where battery power is typically precious.

[0004] In wearable electronic devices, these difficulties are often exacerbated by thermal management considerations. Thermal management for such wearable electronically enabled devices can be problematic due to space and / or weight constraints. Moreover, considering that the exterior of such devices typically comes into regular contact with parts of the user's body, cooling by exposure to the ambient atmosphere is generally not an option for wearable devices. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0005] This disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0006] Figure 1 is a series of schematic representations of the configurations of existing wireless communication systems for use in electronic devices, showing the historical stages of antenna miniaturization.

[0007] Figure 2 is a schematic three-dimensional perspective front view of a wearable electronic device in the form of an electronically enabled eyewear device that can integrate various disclosed wireless communication systems.

[0008] Figure 3 is a front view of a partially exposed portion of an electronically enabled eyewear device according to one example embodiment, the eyewear device including a wireless communication system having a drive antenna element protruding from a printed circuit board (PCB) and disposed within the frame of the eyewear device.

[0009] Figure 4 is a series of schematic representations of different versions of an antenna system having an inverted L-shaped antenna according to established principles.

[0010] Figure 5A is a schematic representation of an antenna system according to an exemplary embodiment having a plurality of mutually transverse ground planes cooperating with a common drive antenna element.

[0011] Figure 5B is according to an exemplary embodiment of Figure 5A corresponding schematic representation, wherein the ground planes are provided by PCB extensions having different lengths.

[0012] Figure 6 shows a comparison plot of the impedance behavior of a planar inverted-L antenna ( Figure 4 ), an inverted-L antenna ( Figure 4 ) and a multi-planar antenna system according to an Figure 5A exemplary embodiment.

[0013] Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional three-dimensional view of an eyewear device according to an exemplary embodiment, in which an antenna system having two transverse ground planes is included, the two transverse ground planes being provided by a PCB extension along one temple of the device and a PCB extension extending transversely across the frame of the device, respectively.

[0014] Figure 8 is an idealized schematic representation of an antenna system forming part of an eyewear article according to an Figure 7 exemplary embodiment.

[0015] Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional three-dimensional view of an eyewear device having a multi-planar wireless communication system according to another exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Introduction

[0017] As previously mentioned, the development of electrical engineering has enabled electronic products to become physically smaller and carry increasingly more functions. The bottleneck for further development is the relatively slow pace of antenna system miniaturization. Especially in antenna miniaturization, the popular view is that considering the size of the relevant components, the transmission performance is approaching the limits indicated by physics. In this regard, a brief overview of the recent antenna trends in consumer electronics technology is beneficial.

[0018] Figure 1Provides a schematic overview of the history of antenna systems in consumer electronic products with wireless connectivity. Antenna systems for these purposes typically operate at microwave frequencies (300 MHz to 30 GHz). Four different antenna configurations are shown by idealized schematic representations of antenna systems 202, 208, 212, and 216. Each of the illustrated antenna systems includes a driven antenna element that is connected to a communication electronic device (e.g., a transceiver system) contained in a printed circuit board (PCB) 204. The PCB 204 is connected to the driven antenna at a signal feed schematically represented by reference numeral 207. As can be seen, Figure 1 the difference between the illustrated systems lies in the variation of the size, shape, and / or orientation of the driven antenna element with respect to the PCB 204.

[0019] As schematically illustrated in antenna configuration 202, early consumer electronic devices had relatively long monopole antennas 206. These antennas can still be seen in walkie-talkies or some wireless communication devices where performance is required (such as military radios). In the pursuit of miniaturization, such monopole antennas were replaced by helical antennas 210 in consumer electronic products. This means maintaining the same antenna metal length while confining the antenna metal in a smaller space. The result is antenna miniaturization with a minimal impact on performance. The next generation of devices schematically represented by system 212 replaced these helical antennas with inverted monopole antennas 214, achieving an even greater degree of compactness. The inverted monopole antenna 214 also allows it to be embedded within the consumer electronic device because this technology significantly reduces the volume occupied by the driven antenna element 214. Although the performance of this antenna technology is not as good as that of the previous generation, it is sufficient for modern consumer electronic devices due to significant improvements in the radio frequency (RF) infrastructure and because the antenna still receives a contribution to radiation from the PCB 204.

[0020] It should be noted that the PCB 204 in such a system is part of the total radiation system and is also referred to as a ground plane in the literature. Thus, the PCB 204 cooperates with the driven antenna element in the communication of wireless signals. The main PCB 204 of these devices is essentially a balanced monopole and carries the other "pole" of the current that causes effective RF radiation. In the PCB 204, the ground plane is typically provided by a relatively large copper foil area on the board, and the metal foil is connected to the power ground terminal and serves as a return path for the current from different components on the board. Thus, the signal feed 207 is Figure 1 shown as being connected between the driven antenna element and the PCB 204.

[0021] Depending on the tuning of the antenna system and the relative size and orientation of the PCB ground plane and the driven antenna element, a monopole antenna element 206 such as that of system 202 can be considered and can behave similar to an offset-fed dipole antenna, where the different arms of the dipole are provided by the monopole conductor 206 and the PCB 204, respectively.

[0022] Inverted monopoles utilize the phenomenon associated with the PCB ground plane. Adding more inverted monopoles 218 of different lengths (schematically shown by antenna system 216) enables simultaneous wireless communication capabilities on different radio frequency bands. In essence, this means more bandwidth and faster communication speeds, while sacrificing very little antenna volume. However, increased reliance is placed on the PCB 204 for antenna performance.

[0023] With the emergence of the Internet of Things and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), the demand for consumer electronic products with wireless connectivity and the performance requirements for such devices have increased significantly. These developments have required antennas to be included in devices that previously did not have antennas, such as refrigerators, digital cameras, offshore wind farms, sensors, controllers, etc. The physical form factors of some of these devices are too small to have a physical aperture (i.e., neither antenna volume nor ground area) to support an efficient radiator. As a result, these systems have had to settle for narrow bandwidths, low efficiencies, and low speeds to date.

[0024] Electronic-enabled eyewear devices typically have a relatively small available physical volume for the electronic circuitry to provide the various functions of the device. In some such existing devices, the length of the PCB ground plane provided by the integrated PCB 204 is less than one-tenth of the wavelength (λ / 10) at the lowest transmit frequency. A length of at least one-quarter of the wavelength (λ / 10) is generally considered necessary for efficient radiation. Thus, existing antenna systems for many electronic devices are not able to provide sufficiently efficient wireless data transfer for functions such as uploading high-definition video captured by the eyewear device to other devices, especially considering the limitations of battery-powered operation.

[0025] Detailed Description

[0026] The following description discusses illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of the various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. However, it is apparent that the embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can be practiced without these specific details. Generally, well-known instruction examples, protocols, structures, and techniques are not shown in detail.

[0027] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides an eyewear device comprising:

[0028] A body for being worn by a user to support one or more optical elements within the user's field of view; electronics on a board carried by a PCB contained within the body; and

[0029] A drive antenna element connected to and protruding from the PCB, the drive antenna element being disposed within the body of the eyewear article.

[0030] The drive antenna element is a conductive element electrically connected to a receiver and / or a transmitter. In a transmitting antenna, the drive antenna element is driven or excited by a current from a communication electronics device connected thereto (e.g., via a signal feed 207 as discussed), and is the source of the transmitted wave. In a receiving antenna, the drive antenna element collects incident waves for reception and converts them into an oscillating current that is interpreted by a communication electronics device connected to the drive antenna element. As previously discussed, in such signal communication, the PCB ground plane cooperates with the drive antenna element. This also applies to a PCB extender connected to the PCB ground plane, as discussed later in this document. Figure 1 In some embodiments, the drive antenna element is configured to form a monopole antenna. Thus, such an antenna system can have a configuration similar to that of the system 202 described in the reference. In other embodiments, the antenna elements can be arranged in a dipole configuration.

[0031] The eyewear body can include a frame defining a pair of optical element mounts (e.g., lens mounts), and a pair of temple arms connected to opposite side ends of the frame. In one example embodiment, the PCB is disposed at or adjacent to one side end of the frame. In such a case, the antenna element can protrude from the PCB to extend along at least a portion of the corresponding lens mount. Thus, in embodiments where the lens mount is a pair of lens frames extending peripherally around a corresponding lens, the antenna element can extend from the PCB around at least a portion of the corresponding lens frame. Figure 1

[0032]

[0032] Now, example embodiments of a wireless communication system and an eyewear device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure will be described with reference to and, and then, several further aspects of the present disclosure will be discussed.

[0033] Figure 2 Figure 2 and Figure 3

[0034]

[0034] Figure 2 A perspective front view of an electronically enabled eyewear device 100 in an example form of smart glasses is shown. The eyewear device 100 includes: a body 103 including a front frame or frame 106; and a pair of temple arms 109 connected to the frame 106 for supporting the frame 106 on the user's face when the eyewear device 100 is worn. The frame 106 can be made of any suitable material (such as plastic or metal), including any suitable shape memory alloy.

[0035] The eyewear device 100 has a pair of optical elements in the form of a pair of lenses 112, supported by corresponding optical element mounts in the form of a pair of lens frames 115 that form part of the frame 106. The frames 115 are connected by a bridge 118. In other embodiments, one or both of the optical elements can be a display, a display assembly, or a combination of a lens and a display. In such embodiments, the eyewear device 100 can provide a virtual reality headset or an augmented reality display. Accordingly, the description of elements with respect to lenses or lens mounts in the present exemplary embodiment will be understood to similarly apply to different forms of optical elements in other embodiments.

[0036] The frame 106 includes a pair of temple pieces 121 that define the side ends of the frame 106. In this example, various electronic components are disposed in one or both of the temple pieces 121, as discussed in more detail below. In some embodiments, the frame 106 is formed of a single material so as to have a single or integral construction.

[0037] The temples 109 are coupled to the respective temple pieces 121. In this example, the temples 109 are coupled to the frame 106 by respective hinges so as to be pivotally movable between a wearable configuration (as Figure 1 shown) and a folded configuration in which the temples 109 pivot toward the frame 106 to lie substantially flat against the frame. In other embodiments, the temples 109 can be fixedly attached to the frame 106 or coupled to the frame 106 by any suitable means. Each temple 109 includes a front portion coupled to the frame 106 and a rear portion for coupling to a user's ear, such as the arcuate earpiece illustrated in the Figure 1 example embodiment of.

[0038] In this document, directional terms such as front, rear, forward, backward, outward, and inward will be understood with reference to the direction of the user's field of view when the eyewear device 100 is worn. Accordingly, the frame 106 has a front side 134 in an outward direction that faces away from the user when worn, and a rear side 137 in a relative inward direction that faces the user when the eyewear device 100 is worn. Similarly, the terms "horizontal" and "vertical" used herein with reference to different features of the eyewear device 100 will be understood to correspond to the orientation of the eyewear device 100 when the eyewear device 100 is horizontal on the user's face looking forward. The lateral of the eyewear device 100 extends more or less horizontally between the temple pieces 121, while the vertical or upright direction of the eyewear device 100 extends transversely to the horizontal direction such that the lenses 112 have a more or less vertical or upright orientation.

[0039] The eyewear device 100 has an on-board electronic device 124, which includes a computing device (such as a computer), which can have any suitable type in different embodiments for being carried by the body 103. In some embodiments, various components including the on-board electronic device 124 are at least partially disposed in one or two temple arms 109. In the present embodiment, various components of the on-board electronic device 124 are disposed in the side end pieces 121 of the frame 106. The on-board electronic device 124 includes one or more processors having a memory, a wireless communication circuit (e.g., a transceiver system), and a power source (which is a rechargeable battery, such as a lithium-ion battery in this exemplary embodiment). The on-board electronic device 124 includes low-power high-speed circuitry, and in some embodiments, also includes a display processor. Various embodiments may include these elements in different configurations or integrated in different ways. As will be discussed with reference to Figure 3 As will be discussed below, in this exemplary embodiment, at least a portion of the on-board electronic device 124 is provided by a PCB 204 disposed in one end piece 121.

[0040] The on-board electronic device 124 includes a rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, the battery is disposed in one temple arm 109. However, in this exemplary embodiment, the battery is disposed in one end piece 121 and is electrically connected to the remainder of the on-board electronic device 124.

[0041] The eyewear device 100 is camera-enabled. In this example, the eyewear device 100 includes a camera 130, which is mounted in one end piece 121 and faces forward so as to be more or less aligned with the direction of the field of view of the wearer of the eyewear device 100. The camera 130 is configured to capture digital photographs as well as digital video content. The operation of the camera 130 is controlled by a camera controller provided by the on-board electronic device 124, and the image data representing the images or video captured by the camera 130 is temporarily stored in a memory that forms part of the on-board electronic device 124. The memory communicates with a wireless communication system (see Figure 3 300 in) included in the eyewear body 130, thus enabling the video content captured by the camera 130 to be wirelessly uploaded to other devices. In some embodiments, the eyewear device 100 may have a pair of cameras 130, for example, accommodated by respective end pieces 121.

[0042] The eyewear device 100 further includes one or more input and output devices that allow communication with and control of the camera 130. In particular, the eyewear device 100 includes one or more input mechanisms for user control to enable one or more functions of the eyewear device 100. In this embodiment, the input mechanism includes a button 115, which is mounted on the frame 106 so as to be accessible at the top of one end piece 121 for pressing by the user.

[0043] As shown in reference Figure 3 (wherein the frame 106 is shown in a vertical cross-section), it can be seen that the eyewear device 100 has an integrated wireless communication system 300 for wireless communication with external electronic components or devices. To this end, a communication electronic device in the form of a transceiver carried on a PCB 204 disposed in an end-piece 121 is coupled to an antenna element 206 provided by a non-loop conductor integrated in the body 103 of the eyewear device 100. The PCB 204 defines a PCB ground plane, as previously discussed. The antenna element 206 is substantially coplanar with the PCB 204 and protrudes from the PCB 204. Thus, it will be seen that the wireless communication system 300 generally corresponds to the antenna configuration described for the system 202 in reference Figure 1 .

[0044] The main PCB 204 has an operable vertical orientation and extends laterally to be substantially coplanar with the frame 106 of the eyewear device 100. Due to the relatively small physical size of the PCB 204, relying on the main PCB ground plane as the main radiation aperture (in line with a conventional inverted antenna configuration) results in sub-optimal performance. In this exemplary embodiment, the dipole concept is utilized by embedding a driving antenna element that is long enough for effective radiation in the form of the antenna element 206 within the frame 106. In this exemplary embodiment, the length of the antenna element 206 is approximately 1.5 times longer than the length of the coplanar PCB ground plane. In particular, in this instance, the antenna element 206 has a length of approximately λ / 8, while the PCB ground plane has a length of approximately λ / 12. In other embodiments, the length of the antenna element 206 can be twice or more times the length of the PCB ground plane. In this exemplary embodiment, the antenna element 206 is placed on the same side of the frame 206 as the main PCB 204 and achieves reasonably effective radiation. However, as will be discussed later herein, in other embodiments, the efficiency of the antenna system is greatly improved by adding one or more PCB extenders.

[0045] As can be seen in Figure 3 , in this exemplary embodiment, the monopole antenna element 206 is embedded within the frame 106 to protrude from the PCB 204 and extends more or less downward along a portion of the corresponding lens frame 115. In other embodiments, the dipole antenna element 206 can be replaced with a monopole antenna element. Thus, it will be seen that the configuration of the antenna system 300 is similar to the configuration of the system 202 in Figure 1 .

[0046] According to another aspect of the present disclosure (discussed later below as the fourth aspect of the present disclosure), the drive antenna element 206 is thermally connected to one or more heat-generating electronic components of the glasses device 100. Since the drive antenna element 206 is a metal component, it has a heat exchange relationship with such a resource, and thus, the antenna element 206 serves as a heat dissipation device. In this exemplary embodiment, the antenna element 206 is thermally coupled to the PCB 204 for thermal management of the PCB 204. Conversely or additionally, the antenna element 206 may be connected to other heat-generating components, such as a battery.

[0047] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides an antenna system having one or more PCB extenders connected to a PCB for cooperating with a drive antenna element in signal communication, each PCB extender including a conductor connected to and protruding from a PCB ground plane to define a corresponding ground plane. The second aspect extends to a device including such an antenna system and to a glasses device incorporating such an antenna system therein. Providing a PCB extender having a length dimension significantly greater than the maximum dimension of the PCB ground plane achieves an improved radiation aperture for the antenna system.

[0048] In some embodiments, the antenna system has two or more PCB extenders defining corresponding ground planes having different orientations such that the drive antenna element cooperates with two or more ground planes having different orientations simultaneously. In some embodiments, at least two of the PCB extenders differ in length and / or other dimensions.

[0049] Alternatively defined, a third aspect of the present disclosure provides an antenna system including: a PCB defining a PCB ground plane; a drive antenna element coupled to communication electronics carried by the PCB; and a plurality of PCB extenders electrically connected to the PCB ground plane and protruding from the PCB in mutually transverse directions. Thus, the plurality of PCB extenders define a plurality of ground planes having different spatial orientations relative to the drive antenna element. The third aspect of the present disclosure extends to a device including such an antenna system and to a glasses device incorporating such an antenna system therein. For ease of description, the antenna configuration consistent with the third aspect of the present disclosure is also referred to herein as a multi-plane antenna system. Such embodiments can achieve multi-band functionality, reduced size, and / or improved pattern diversity.

[0050] Before (refer to Figures 7 to 9 ) describing a specific exemplary embodiment consistent with the third aspect of the present disclosure, a brief review of antenna theory related to the inverted L antenna and a brief discussion of the technical aspects of the disclosed multi-plane antenna configuration will now be given.

[0051] In Figure 4Multiple existing systems with different configurations of inverted L-shaped antennas are presented. The two leftmost systems (indicated by reference numerals 410 and 420 respectively) show single-band inverted L-shaped antenna technology. The same reference numerals indicate Figure 1 in and Figure 4 the same components in. System 410 shows an idealized schematic representation of a configuration called an inverted L-shaped antenna (ILA), where the PCB 204 (and thus the PCB ground plane) and the driven antenna element 214 are in the same plane. This corresponds to Figure 1 system 212 in. In contrast, system 420 shows a configuration called a planar inverted L-shaped antenna (PILA), where the driven antenna element 214 and the PCB 204 are in different but parallel planes. Systems 450 and 460 depict multi-band versions of the ILA 410 and the PILA 420 respectively, where antenna elements 218 of different lengths are connected to the same PCB ground plane to support simultaneous wireless functions on different frequency bands. These antenna implementations are common in consumer electronic products with wireless capabilities.

[0052] Partially based on the recognition that the PCB 204 can be considered to provide the other pole of these inverted L-shaped monopole antennas, a third aspect of the present disclosure presents an antenna system structure that shares a driven antenna element between multiple ground planes. In some embodiments, these ground planes can have different lengths and sizes. It should be noted that such a multi-plane antenna system can be understood as a reciprocal of the multi-band inverted L-shaped antennas (450, 460), where multiple antenna elements 218 share a single PCB ground plane.

[0053] Figure 5A shows an idealized schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an antenna system 500 with the disclosed multi-plane antenna configuration. In Figure 5A the exemplary embodiment of, the antenna system 500 uses a combination of an inverted L-shaped antenna element 214 and multiple mutually transverse ground planes. In this exemplary embodiment, the multiple ground planes are provided by a pair of ground planes 505, 510 that are orthogonal to each other. Moreover, in this exemplary embodiment, both of the ground planes 505, 510 are parallel to the inverted L-shaped antenna element 214. For ease of description only, the ground planes are further identified as a horizontal ground plane 505 and a vertical ground plane 510.

[0054] In this exemplary embodiment, each of the ground planes 505, 510 is provided by a corresponding PCB expander, which is a conductive element electrically connected to the PCB ground plane. Each of these PCB expanders is significantly longer in length than the PCB 204, and thus provides a corresponding ground plane that is much larger than the PCB ground plane. For this reason, in Figure 5A and 5BThe PCB ground plane is not shown in the schematic representation. In other embodiments, one of the ground planes 505, 510 may be provided by the PCB ground plane, and the other ground plane is provided by a PCB expander oriented transversely thereto.

[0055] It should be noted that the antenna element 214 is substantially coplanar with the horizontal ground plane 505 such that the antenna element 214 and the horizontal ground plane 505 can be considered together to define an ILA similar to Figure 4 Configuration 410 in. However, the antenna element 214 is parallel to but spaced from the plane of the vertical ground plane 510 such that the antenna element 214 and the vertical ground plane 510 can be considered together to define a PILA similar to Figure 4 Configuration 420 in. Thus, the multi-plane antenna system 500 can be understood as a combination of an ILA 410 and a PILA 420 while sharing a common drive antenna element 214.

[0056] Figure 5B A multi-plane antenna system 520 similar to Figure 5A System 500 is shown, except that the orthogonal ground planes 505, 510 are different in length. In this embodiment, the length of the vertical ground plane 510 is increased. Graphs 570 and 580 show the respective return loss performance of antenna systems 500 and 520.

[0057] Analysis of the current modes responsible for radiation in the ground planes 505, 510 shows that at frequency fl, the fundamental mode is excited for the PILA provided in part by the vertical ground plane 510, while the ILA provided in part by the horizontal ground plane 505 is not excited. However, at frequency f2, the fundamental mode is excited for the ILA provided in part by the ground plane 505, while the PILA of the ground plane 500 has an overmode. Thus, due to the difference in length between the ground planes 550 and 510, two different radiation modes can be generated by using the same antenna element 214. By adjusting the lengths of these ground planes during design, the frequencies at which these modes occur can be controlled.

[0058] Thus, if the ground planes 505 and 510 have the same or approximately similar lengths, the antenna system 500 will have two fundamental modes at the same frequency but radiate in different directions and receive different polarizations. This is because the currents in the corresponding PCB expanders are orthogonal to each other. These phenomena will result in pattern and polarization diversity because the antenna system 500 can "see" a wider area, limit its dead spots, and protect the antenna system from polarization mismatch.

[0059] Figure 6FIG. 600 shows the impedance behavior curves of the multi-plane antenna system 505 with ground planes of different lengths. In FIG. 600, the solid line represents the impedance behavior of the composite antenna system 505; the dash-dot line represents the impedance behavior of the ILA component provided by the ground plane 505 together with the antenna element 214; the dashed line represents the impedance behavior of the PILA component provided by the ground plane 500 together with the antenna element 214. As can be seen from FIG. 600, when the PCB extended ground plane has different lengths, the antenna system 520 can radiate at different frequencies, achieving multi-band capabilities. The solid line clearly shows two radiation modes, while the dashed line and the dash-dot line are single radiation modes.

[0060] Note that although the behavior of the multi-plane antenna system 500 has been described with reference to the inverted L-shaped antenna 214, the considerations discussed similarly apply to configurations using multiple ground planes (e.g., 505 and 510) in combination with monopole or dipole driven antenna elements (such as the antenna element 206 discussed in the system 202 of the reference Figure 1 . For example, the example embodiments discussed below with reference to Figures 7 to 9 employ a multi-plane configuration with a non-inverted antenna 216.

[0061] In some embodiments, the implementation of the above concepts in an electronic device includes: defining one or more antenna ground planes (in addition to the antenna ground plane provided by the PCB) by including one or more PCB expanders in the device, where the PCB expander is a conductive element that is electrically coupled to the PCB ground plane and extends laterally with respect to the driven antenna element.

[0062] An example of such an implementation is referenced in Figure 7 , Figure 7 which shows a glasses device 100 similar to Figure 2 and Figure 3 and additionally provides a pair of substantially orthogonal PCB expanders 814, 821. Figure 8 shows an idealized schematic version of the multi-plane antenna system 707 that forms part of the glasses device constituting Figure 7 .

[0063] In this example embodiment, the PCB expanders 814, 821 are provided by copper wires that are respectively electrically connected to the PCB 204, for example, by contact fasteners, soldering, etc. In some embodiments, the electrical connection between the PCB 204 and one or more of the PCB expanders 818, 821 can be inductive.

[0064] In this exemplary embodiment, the PCB extension line includes a top line 714 extending along a top rod defined by a middle beam 118 extending between an upper portion of the corresponding lens frame 115 and the lens frame 115, and a temple line 721 extending along the temple 109, where the temple 109 is hingedly connected to the frame 106 at an end piece 121 where the PCB 204 is disposed. It should be noted that in this exemplary embodiment, these two lines are completely embedded and enclosed by the polymer plastic material of the frame 106 and the temple 109. Note that in Figure 7 the plastic material of the temple 109 under discussion is omitted to provide a clear view of the temple line 721. In some embodiments, one or more conductors of the corresponding PCB expander may be exposed outside the eyewear device 100 provided, for example, by a metal trim.

[0065] Now turning to Figure 8 , it should be noted that the antenna system 707 is shown in a different orientation corresponding to the orientations of Figure 7 . As for the schematic diagram of Figure 5A and 5B , it can be understood that the top line 714 defines a ground plane 814, while the ground plane 821 (vertically oriented in Figure 8 ) is defined by the temple line 721. Figure 8 The remaining schematic ground plane in Figure 8 is the PCB ground plane provided by the PCB 204. Thus, this configuration provides a combination of a single antenna 206 with three ground planes (204, 814, and 821) for pattern polarization diversity and multi-band operation. Among these ground planes, the ground plane 821 is substantially orthogonal to the other two ground planes 204, 814.

[0066] It should be noted that the driving antenna element 206 is shown in Figure 8 to be coplanar with the ground planes 814, 821 defined by the PCB expanders 714, 721 respectively. However, in some embodiments, the antenna element 206 may be offset from one or both of the additional ground planes 814, 821. In other embodiments, the common antenna element may be provided by an inverted L-shaped antenna (such as described with reference to Figure 5B ).

[0067] Additionally, note that in this embodiment, the temple line 721 is configured to disconnect and reconnect the PCB ground plane along with the articulated displacement of the corresponding temple 109 relative to the frame 106. In the usual manner, the temple 109 is typically folded against the frame when the eyewear is placed in a storage configuration, and when the eyewear device 100 is to be worn, the temple 109 hinges away from the frame 106 into Figure 8The configuration shown. The coupling can be incorporated into the hinge joint between the frame 106 and the temple 109, such as automatically connecting the temple wire 721 to the ground plane of the PCB 204 when the temple 109 is in the extended configuration. Such a coupling can be constructed and configured similar to the couplings described in the disclosure of any of the following: U.S. Patent No. 9,726,904, titled EYEWEAR WITH CONDUCTIVE TEMPLE JOINT (filed on September 29, 2015, application number 14 / 869,149); U.S. Patent No. 9,482,882, titled EYEWEAR HAVING SELECTIVELY EXPOSABLE FEATURE (filed on April 15, 2015, application number 14 / 687,308); and U.S. Patent No. 9,482,882, titled EYEWEAR HAVING LINKAGE ASSEMBLY BETWEEN A TEMPLE AND A FRAME (filed on April 15, 2015, application number 14 / 687,308), the entire content of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0068] Note that in some embodiments, as described below with reference to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the PCB extenders 714, 721 can additionally serve as heat dissipation devices in a heat transfer relationship with the PCB 204 and / or other heat sources in the associated end piece 121. In such an instance, the temple joint can be configured to provide automatic connection and disconnection of both electrical and thermal connections between the temple wire 721 and the PCB 204 in response to opening and / or closing the temple 109. In some embodiments, the electrical and thermal interfaces between the associated wires 714, 721 and the PCB 204 can be provided by a single connection.

[0069] In some embodiments, at least some of the PCB extenders 714, 721 serve the following triple function: not only define the ground plane for the antenna system 707 and serve as heat dissipation devices, but can also additionally be mechanical or structural components that are part of the device components. For example, the temple wire 721 serves as the core wire of the temple 109, providing the structural integrity and rigidity of the temple. In some embodiments, the same applies to the top wire 118. In some such embodiments, the polymer plastic material of the frame 106 or the temple 109 is injection molded onto the corresponding core wire PCB extender.

[0070] As according to the previous reference to FIGS. 5 to Figure 7As understood from the discussion above, the described PCB extenders 714, 721 provide additional and longer ground planes 814, 821 to the drive antenna element 206, thus providing pattern polarization diversity and, in some embodiments, also providing multi-band operation. Note that the length and / or shape of the corresponding PCB extenders 714, 721 can be selected to provide the desired composite antenna performance. In embodiments where the antenna system 707 is configured for multi-band operation, the communication electronics of the PCB 204 are configured to cooperate with the antenna system 707 to facilitate multi-band wireless communication. Thus, for example, in some such embodiments, the communication electronics include a transceiver that is connected to a duplexer to provide frequency domain discrimination between signals received in different frequency bands.

[0071] In some embodiments, instead of or in addition to a pair of orthogonal extenders (such as the topline 714 and the temple line 721), the antenna system 707 can include one or more different PCB extenders. In Figure 9 One such example embodiment is shown, where a glasses device 900 similar to Figure 7 the glasses device 700 is shown by including multiple additional PCB extenders.

[0072] The antenna system 903 of the glasses device 900 is generally similar to the antenna system 707 described with reference to Figure 7 except that it has multiple additional extension lines to define respective ground planes that are spaced apart from each other and / or transverse to each other. These PCB extenders include three frame lines 909, 918, and 927 that extend partially along the respective lens mounts 115. Note that in this example embodiment, these frame lines more or less correspond in orientation and size to the drive antenna element 206 that is laterally spaced therefrom. A second temple line 936 that extends along the temple 109 furthest from the PCB 204 provides another PCB extender. The previous considerations regarding hinge connectivity, thermal conductivity, and structural function also apply to the two temple lines 721 and 936.

[0073] Thus, it will be seen that Figure 9 the embodiments of

[0074] As Figures 7 to 9 exemplified by the example embodiments of

[0075] a PCB that houses electronics on the board;

[0076] a drive antenna element connected to the PCB for transmitting signals to and / or from the electronics on the PCB; and

[0077] At least one PCB expander, electrically connected to the PCB and protruding from the PCB to define a respective ground plane for cooperating with a driving antenna element in signal reception / transmission.

[0078] This aspect of the disclosure extends to an electronic device and an electronically enabled eyewear device incorporating such an antenna system. In some embodiments, a plurality of PCB expanders may be provided in a mutually transverse orientation, thereby defining a plurality of transverse antenna ground planes.

[0079] In some embodiments, the PCB expander is a conductive element having a length that is three times or more greater than the maximum dimension of the PCB. In some embodiments, as described with reference to Figure 7 , the PCB expander is a substantially one-dimensional element, such as a metal wire extending transversely to each other. However, in other embodiments, one or more of the PCB expanders may be provided by a substantially planar element, such as a metal plate.

[0080] Note that the disclosed antenna system is not limited to use in an eyewear device (such as those disclosed herein). Instead, it should be envisioned that the benefits provided by the disclosed antenna system may find beneficial implementations in many different devices and components. It will be understood that in different embodiments, the size and orientation of the PCB expander are affected or determined by the physical size of the device or article containing it. For example, providing the disclosed antenna system on a motor vehicle will allow the use of at least one planar PCB expander positioned using the vehicle's roof panel. It should also be noted that in some embodiments, the antenna system incorporated in a device may have a common inverted antenna, such as those described with reference to Figure 5A and 5B , rather than having the configuration illustrated in the eyewear device of Figure 7 and schematically represented in Figure 8 .

[0081] As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, one or more of the PCB expanders may additionally be connected to the PCB to be in a heat transfer relationship with one or more heat sources on the PCB or otherwise positioned within the device body so as to serve as a respective heat sink for the heat-generating electronic components of the device. In such a case, the mass of each PCB expander may be greater than the mass required for signal transmission / reception purposes, thereby providing a greater thermal mass to the corresponding heat sink. In the exemplary embodiment of Figure 7 , for example, each of the PCB expanders 714, 721 is a copper wire that is contact-coupled to the PCB 204 for heat transfer and has a thickness at or near the maximum thickness allowed by the physical size of the particular device component in which the wire is located.

[0082] Accordingly, a fourth aspect of the disclosure provides a device (e.g., a wearable device) comprising:

[0083] Device main body;

[0084] A PCB that houses the device electronics accommodated by the device main body; and

[0085] An antenna system connected to the PCB for providing wireless connectivity to the PCB, the antenna system including at least one heat dissipation element that protrudes from the PCB and is connected to the PCB for electrical conduction and heat conduction such that the at least one heat dissipation element performs the following dual functions:

[0086] Facilitates signal reception / transmission by the antenna system, and

[0087] Provides a heat dissipation means to the device electronics.

[0088] The thermal management characteristics of one or more heat dissipation elements forming part of the antenna system may be similar or analogous to those described for the heat dissipation elements in the prior patents (applications) of the following applicants: US9,851,585 entitled HEAT SINK CONFIGURATION FOR WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE (filed on March 18, 2016, application number 15 / 073,856); US9,740,023 entitled WEARABLE DEVICE WITH HEAT TRANSFER PATHWAY (filed on March 30, 2016, application number 15 / 084,683); and US Patent Application No. 15 / 425,774 entitled HEAT MANAGEMENT FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES filed on February 6, 2017, the entire contents of all of the above are incorporated herein by reference.

[0089] In some embodiments, only one antenna system component is thermally connected to the PCB for thermal management purposes. An example of such an embodiment is referenced Figure 3 and described, where the drive antenna element 206 serves as a heat dissipation element. In an embodiment similar to the glasses device described in the reference Figure 7 only the antenna element 206 has a heat transfer relationship with the PCB or other electronic components, while the PCB expanders 714, 721 are thermally isolated from the heat-generating electronic components. In other embodiments, the drive antenna element may be thermally isolated from the PCB and one or more heat dissipation elements are provided by the corresponding PCB expanders.

[0090] In other embodiments, two or more of the PCB expanders may be used as heat dissipation means. For example, in an embodiment similar to the reference Figure 7In the described embodiments, both the top line 714 and the temple line 721 can be heat dissipation devices. Similarly, in Figure 9 the example embodiments of Figure 9 , all various PCB extender lines can be directly or indirectly thermally connected to the PCB for thermal management purposes.

[0091] From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a plurality of example embodiments and combinations of embodiments are disclosed. This includes but is not limited to the following list of example embodiments.

[0092] Example 1: An antenna system, comprising:

[0093] a driven antenna element;

[0094] a printed circuit board (PCB) that carries on-board electronic devices, the on-board electronic devices being communicatively coupled to the driven antenna element to transmit wireless signals via the driven antenna element, the PCB defining a PCB ground plane for cooperating with the driven antenna element in signal communication; and

[0095] a PCB extender that includes a conductor electrically connected to the PCB ground plane and protruding from the PCB for cooperating with the driven antenna element in signal communication.

[0096] Example 2: The antenna system according to Example 1, comprising a plurality of PCB extenders that are electrically connected to the PCB ground plane and protrude from the PCB in mutually transverse orientations, thereby defining a plurality of mutually transverse ground planes for the driven antenna element. At least one of the plurality of PCB extenders can form a structural component of a device that includes the antenna system.

[0097] Example 3: The antenna system according to Example 2, wherein the plurality of PCB extenders includes a pair of PCB extenders that are substantially orthogonal to each other.

[0098] Example 4: The antenna system according to Example 2 or Example 3, wherein each of the plurality of PCB extenders includes a wire conductor. Thus, each of the plurality of PCB extenders can be substantially a one-dimensional component. In other embodiments, at least one of the PCB extenders can be substantially a two-dimensional or planar conductor.

[0099] Example 5: The antenna system according to any one of Examples 2-4, wherein the driven antenna element is a non-loop conductor, one end of which is connected to a signal feed provided by the PCB electronic device. Thus, the driven antenna element can be a monopole antenna element in some embodiments and a dipole antenna element in other embodiments.

[0100] Example 6: The antenna system according to any one of Examples 2-5, wherein the system is included in an electronically enabled device, and the driven antenna element and the plurality of PCB extenders are disposed within the body of the device.

[0101] Example 7: The antenna system according to Example 6, wherein the device is a glasses device, the main body of the glasses device includes a glasses frame defining one or more optical element brackets for supporting corresponding optical elements within the user's field of view when the glasses device is worn, and at least one of the driving antenna element and the plurality of PCB extenders is included in the glasses frame.

[0102] Example 8: The antenna system according to Example 6 or Example 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of PCB extenders forms a support element that provides increased structural rigidity to at least a portion of the main body of the device.

[0103] Example 9: The antenna system according to Example 8, wherein one or more of the plurality of PCB extenders form the core wire of a molded component for the main body of the device. In other embodiments of this example, one or more of the plurality of PCB extenders may form the core wire of a non-molded component for the main body of the device.

[0104] Example 10: The antenna system according to any one of Examples 2-9, wherein one or more antenna components selected from the group including the driving antenna element and the plurality of PCB extenders include: a heat conducting element that is connected to the PCB to be in a heat transfer relationship with one or more heat sources on the PCB, thereby serving as a heat dissipation device for the electronic devices on the PCB.

[0105] Example 11: The antenna system according to Example 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of PCB extenders includes a metal wire that is electrically and thermally connected to the PCB. In a specific example embodiment, at least one PCB extender is a copper wire.

[0106] Example 12: A device, comprising:

[0107] A main body of the device;

[0108] A driving antenna element that is received by the main body of the device;

[0109] A printed circuit board (PCB) that is received by the main body of the device and carries on-board communication electronics that are coupled to the driving antenna element to transmit wireless signals via the driving antenna element, the PCB defining a PCB ground plane that is coupled to the communication electronics to cooperate with the driving antenna element in signal communication; and

[0110] One or more PCB extenders that are received by the main body, each PCB extender including a conductor that is electrically connected to the PCB ground plane and protrudes from the PCB for cooperating with the driving antenna element in signal communication.

[0111] Example 13: The apparatus according to Example 12, wherein one or more PCB expanders include a pair of PCB expanders protruding from the PCB in a mutually lateral orientation, the pair of PCB expanders defining a pair of mutually lateral ground planes for driving the antenna element.

[0112] Example 14: The apparatus according to Example 13, wherein the driving antenna element protrudes from the PCB in a direction transverse to the pair of PCB expanders.

[0113] Example 15: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 12 - 14, wherein the apparatus is an eyewear device, the apparatus body includes an eyeglass frame defining one or more optical element mounts for supporting corresponding optical elements within the user's field of view when the eyewear device is worn, and at least one of the driving antenna element and one or more PCB expanders is included in the eyeglass frame.

[0114] Example 16: The apparatus according to Example 15, wherein at least one of the driving antenna element and one or more PCB expanders extends along a portion of one of the one or more optical element mounts.

[0115] Example 17: The apparatus according to Example 15 or Example 16, wherein one of the one or more PCB expanders extends along the operable top of the eyeglass frame, having a lateral orientation with respect to the viewing direction of the eyewear device.

[0116] Example 18: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 15 - 17, wherein the apparatus body further includes a pair of temple arms connected to the eyeglass frame for supporting the eyeglass frame in place during wear, and the first PCB expander includes a line extending along one of the pair of temple arms.

[0117] Example 19: The apparatus according to Example 18, wherein:

[0118] The second PCB expander includes a line extending along the eyeglass frame in a direction transverse to the viewing direction of the eyewear device such that the second PCB expander is substantially orthogonal to the first PCB expander; and

[0119] wherein the driving antenna element extends along at least a portion of the corresponding optical element mount defined by the eyeglass frame, and the driving antenna element is substantially orthogonal to both the first PCB expander and the second PCB expander.

[0120] Example 20: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 15 - 19, wherein at least one of the one or more PCB expanders forms a core wire providing structural integrity to the corresponding apparatus body component in which it is located.

[0121] Example 21: An eyewear device, comprising:

[0122] A glasses body configured to support one or more optical elements within the user's field of view;

[0123] An on-board electronic device housed in the glasses body, the on-board electronic device including a printed circuit board (PCB); and

[0124] An antenna system housed in the glasses body and connected to the PCB to provide wireless connectivity to the PCB, the antenna system including a heat dissipation element, the heat dissipation element including a conductor, the conductor:

[0125] Thermally connected to a heat-generating component of the on-board electronic device to provide a heat dissipation means to the heat-generating component; and

[0126] Electrically connected to the PCB to facilitate wireless signal communication via the antenna system.

[0127] Example 22: The glasses device according to Example 21, wherein the heat dissipation element includes a driving antenna element communicatively coupled to the PCB.

[0128] Example 23: The glasses device according to Example 22, wherein the heat dissipation element protrudes laterally from the PCB and is enclosed in the glasses body.

[0129] Example 23: The glasses device according to Example 23, wherein the glasses body includes a glasses frame that defines at least one optical element holder configured to support a corresponding optical element, and the driving antenna element extends along a portion of the optical element holder.

[0130] Example 25: The glasses device according to Example 24, wherein at least one optical element holder is a spectacle frame that extends circumferentially around the supported lens, and the driving antenna element extends circumferentially along a portion of the spectacle frame.

[0131] Example 26: The glasses device according to any one of Examples 21-25, wherein the antenna system provides a plurality of heat dissipation elements thermally connected to one or more heat-generating components, and each of the plurality of heat dissipation elements is electrically connected to the PCB to facilitate wireless signal communication via the antenna system.

[0132] Example 27: The glasses device according to any one of Examples 21-26, wherein the antenna system includes:

[0133] An active antenna element communicatively coupled to the PCB, the PCB defining a PCB ground plane for cooperating with the driving antenna element in signal communication; and

[0134] One or more PCB expanders, each PCB expander including a conductor electrically connected to a PCB ground plane and protruding from the PCB for cooperation with a driving antenna element in signal communication,

[0135] wherein the heat dissipation element is selected from the group consisting of: a driving antenna element, and one or more PCB expanders.

[0136] Example 28: The glasses device according to Example 27, wherein the heat dissipation element includes an expander heat dissipation device provided by one of the one or more PCB expanders.

[0137] Example 29: The glasses device according to Example 28, wherein the expander heat dissipation device includes a wire conductor extending laterally across the glasses frame forming part of the glasses device, with respect to the view operation direction through one or more optical elements.

[0138] Example 30: The glasses device according to Example 28 or 29, wherein the glasses body includes:

[0139] a glasses frame for supporting one or more optical elements; and

[0140] a pair of temple arms connected to the glasses frame for supporting the glasses frame on a user's face,

[0141] wherein the expander heat dissipation device includes a wire conductor extending along one of the pair of temple arms.

[0142] Example 31: The glasses device according to any one of Examples 28 - 30, including a plurality of expander heat dissipation devices provided by corresponding multiple PCB expanders protruding from the PCB in mutually lateral directions.

[0143] Example 32: The glasses device according to any one of Examples 28 - 31, wherein the expander heat dissipation device forms a support element providing increased structural rigidity to a corresponding part of the glasses body.

[0144] Example 33: The glasses device according to Example 32, wherein the expander heat dissipation device is a core wire of a corresponding part of the glasses body.

[0145] Example 34: The glasses device according to any one of Examples 21 - 33, wherein the heat dissipation element is thermally connected to the PCB.

[0146] Example 35: A wireless communication system, including:

[0147] a printed circuit board (PCB);

[0148] An antenna system, which is connected to a PCB to provide wireless connectivity with the PCB, the antenna system including a heat dissipation element, the heat dissipation element including a conductor, the conductor:

[0149] Is thermally connected to the PCB, is in a heat transfer relationship with the PCB, and is configured to provide a heat dissipation means to the PCB; and

[0150] Is electrically connected to the PCB to facilitate wireless signal communication via the antenna system.

[0151] Example 36: The wireless communication system according to Example 35, wherein the heat dissipation element includes an active antenna element, which is communicatively coupled to the PCB.

[0152] Example 37: The wireless communication system according to Example 35, wherein the antenna system includes:

[0153] An active antenna element, which is communicatively coupled to the PCB, the PCB defining a PCB ground plane for cooperating with the driving antenna element in signal communication; and

[0154] One or more PCB extenders, each PCB extender including a conductor electrically connected to the PCB ground plane and protruding from the PCB for cooperating with the driving antenna element in signal communication,

[0155] wherein the heat dissipation element is provided by one or more PCB extenders.

[0156] Example 38: An electronic device, including:

[0157] A body;

[0158] On-board electronics, which are accommodated by the body, the on-board electronics including a printed circuit board (PCB); and

[0159] An antenna system, which is accommodated by the body and is connected to the PCB to provide wireless connectivity with the PCB, the antenna system including at least one heat dissipation element, the at least one heat dissipation element including a conductor, the conductor:

[0160] Is thermally connected to a heat generating component of the on-board electronics to provide a heat dissipation means to the heat generating component; and

[0161] Is electrically connected to the PCB to facilitate wireless signal communication via the antenna system.

[0162] Example 40: The electronic device according to Example 38, wherein the at least one heat dissipation element is thermally and electrically connected to the PCB.

[0163] Example 40: The electronic device according to Example 39, wherein the antenna system includes:

[0164] An active antenna element communicatively coupled to a PCB, the PCB defining a PCB ground plane for cooperating with the drive antenna element in signal communication; and

[0165] One or more PCB extenders, each PCB extender including a conductor electrically connected to the PCB ground plane and protruding from the PCB for cooperating with the drive antenna element in signal communication,

[0166] wherein at least one heat dissipating element is selected from the group consisting of the drive antenna element and one or more PCB extenders.

[0167] Example 41: An electronic device comprising an antenna system according to any one of Examples 1-11 or 35-37.

[0168] Example 42: A glasses device comprising an antenna system according to any one of Examples 1-11 or 35-37.

[0169] Throughout this specification, plural instances may implement components, operations, or structures described as a single instance. While individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed in parallel and do not require the operations to be performed in the order illustrated. Structures and functions presented as separate components in example configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functions presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter herein.

[0170] While the foregoing has been described with reference to particular example embodiments, various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader scope of the disclosed embodiments. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may for convenience only be referred to herein individually and / or collectively by the term "invention" and are not intended to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single disclosure or inventive concept (if more than one is actually disclosed).

[0171] The embodiments illustrated herein are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosed teachings. Other embodiments may be used and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the various embodiments is defined only by the appended claims along with the full scope of equivalents of such claims.

[0172] As used herein, the term "or" may be interpreted in either an inclusive or exclusive sense. Moreover, multiple instances may be provided for a resource, operation, or structure that is described herein as a single instance. Additionally, the boundaries between various resources, operations, modules, engines, and data stores are somewhat arbitrary and particular operations are illustrated in the context of a particular illustrative configuration. Other allocations of functionality are contemplated and may fall within the scope of various embodiments of the present disclosure. In general, structures and functionality that are presented as separate resources in an example configuration may be implemented as a combined structure or resource. Similarly, structures and functionality that are presented as a single resource may be implemented as separate resources. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as expressed in the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims

1. An eyewear device, comprising: An eyewear body, which comprises: An eyewear frame defining one or more optical element supports for supporting corresponding optical elements within the field of view of a user when the eyewear device is worn; and A pair of temple arms connected to the eyewear frame for supporting the eyewear frame in place during wear, A drive antenna element included in the eyewear frame; A printed circuit board (PCB) received by the eyewear body and carrying on-board communication electronics coupled to the drive antenna element to transmit wireless signals via the drive antenna element, the PCB defining a PCB ground plane coupled to the communication electronics for cooperating with the drive antenna element in signal communication; and A pair of PCB extensions protruding from the PCB with different orientations such that the pair of PCB extensions are substantially orthogonal to each other, the pair of PCB extensions defining a pair of ground planes substantially orthogonal to each other, each PCB extension of the pair of PCB extensions including a respective conductor electrically connected to the PCB ground plane and protruding from the PCB for cooperating with the drive antenna element in signal communication, wherein one of the pair of PCB extensions extends along an associated one of the pair of temple arms.

2. The glasses device according to claim 1, wherein, The PCB extension extending along the associated temple arm includes a line protruding from the PCB along the associated temple arm.

3. The glasses device according to claim 1, wherein The PCB extension extending along the associated temple arm forms a core wire providing structural integrity to the associated temple arm.

4. The glasses device according to claim 1, wherein, The PCB extension extending along the associated temple arm includes a heat conducting element connected to the PCB in a heat transfer relationship with one or more heat sources on the PCB, thereby serving as a heat sink for the electronics on the PCB.

5. The spectacle device according to claim 1, wherein, The PCB extension extending along the associated temple arm includes a line extending along the associated temple arm, the line of the PCB extension being configured to provide both: A core wire providing structural integrity to the associated temple arm; And A heat sink for the electronics on the PCB, the line of the PCB extension being connected to the PCB in a heat transfer relationship with one or more heat sources on the PCB.

6. The eyeglass device according to claim 1, wherein, The drive antenna element protrudes from the PCB in a direction substantially orthogonal to two of the pair of PCB extensions.

7. The glasses device according to claim 1, wherein, The pair of PCB extensions includes a PCB extension included in the eyewear frame.

8. The spectacle device according to claim 7, wherein, The PCB extension included in the eyewear frame extends along a portion of one of the one or more optical element supports.

9. The eyewear device according to claim 7, wherein, The PCB extension included in the eyewear frame extends along the operable top of the eyewear frame, having a lateral orientation extending between respective temple arms on opposite sides of the eyewear frame.

10. The glasses device according to claim 9, wherein, The drive antenna element extends along at least a portion of a respective optical element support defined by the spectacle frame, the drive antenna element being substantially orthogonal to both a PCB extender extending along the associated temple and a PCB extender included in the spectacle frame.

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