Electronic device

Abstract

To provide an electronic device.SOLUTION: An electronic device with a simple structure capable of close range wireless communication includes a light-transmitting window, a display panel disposed on the window, a flexible printed circuit board including a close range wireless communication antenna and a wiring to transmit electric signals applied to the display panel, which is electrically connected to the display panel and located on a side opposite to the light-transmitting window side with respect to the display panel, and a main circuit board electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board and located on a side opposite to the display panel side with respect to the flexible printed circuit board.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device capable of short-distance wireless communication while having a simple configuration. [Background technology]

[0002] In general, electronic devices such as smart watches and smartphones include a display panel and a wireless communication antenna for wireless communication with an external device. In particular, in recent years, many electronic devices include an antenna for short-range wireless communication. In addition, the electronic device includes a flexible printed circuit board for generating and transmitting an electrical signal to be applied to the display panel. Various components of such an electronic device are located within a case that forms the overall appearance of the electronic device.

[0003] However, such conventional electronic devices have a problem in that they are complicated to manufacture due to the presence of various components. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention is intended to solve various problems including those described above, and a problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electronic device capable of short-distance wireless communication while having a simple configuration. However, such a problem is merely an example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited thereby. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device comprising: a light-transmitting window; a display panel disposed on the window; a flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to the display panel and positioned on an opposite side of the light-transmitting window with respect to the display panel, the flexible printed circuit board including wiring for transmitting electrical signals applied to the display panel and a near-field wireless communication antenna; and a main circuit board electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board and positioned on an opposite side of the display panel with respect to the flexible printed circuit board.

[0006] The flexible printed circuit board may have an antenna area and a peripheral area outside the antenna area, and the near field communication antenna may be located within the antenna area.

[0007] In the flexible printed circuit board, no wiring may be present within the antenna region other than wiring connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna.

[0008] Among the wirings included in the flexible printed circuit board, wirings other than the wiring connected to the near field communication antenna may be located in the peripheral region.

[0009] The display device may further include a cover panel interposed between the display panel and the flexible printed circuit board.

[0010] The cover panel may include a cushion layer and a metal layer, the metal layer having a transmission opening.

[0011] When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel, the transmissive aperture may overlap the antenna area.

[0012] When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel, the area of ​​the transmissive opening may be equal to or greater than the area of ​​the antenna region.

[0013] The flexible printed circuit board may include a first connector electrically connected to at least one of the wirings and the near field wireless communication antenna, and the main circuit board may include a first main connector electrically connected to the first connector.

[0014] The flexible printed circuit board may include a first connector electrically connected to at least one of the wirings and a second connector electrically connected to the near field communication antenna, and the main circuit board may include a first main connector electrically connected to the first connector and a second main connector electrically connected to the second connector.

[0015] The semiconductor device may further include a first terminal located on the same layer as the short-range wireless communication antenna and electrically connected to one end of the short-range wireless communication antenna, and a second terminal located on a different layer from the short-range wireless communication antenna and electrically connected to the other end of the short-range wireless communication antenna.

[0016] The first terminal and the short-range wireless communication antenna may be integrated together.

[0017] The communication device may further include a first terminal located on the same layer as the short-range wireless communication antenna and electrically connected to one end of the short-range wireless communication antenna, an additional antenna located on a different layer from the short-range wireless communication antenna and having one end electrically connected to the other end of the short-range wireless communication antenna, and a second terminal electrically connected to the other end of the additional antenna.

[0018] The first terminal and the short-range wireless communication antenna may be integrated together.

[0019] The second terminal may be located on the same layer as the first terminal.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device comprising: a light-transmitting window; a display panel disposed on the window; a flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to the display panel, located on an opposite side of the light-transmitting window with respect to the display panel, and including wiring for transmitting an electrical signal applied to the display panel; and a main circuit board electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board, located on an opposite side of the display panel with respect to the flexible printed circuit board, and including wiring for transmitting an electrical signal applied to the flexible printed circuit board and a near-field wireless communication antenna.

[0021] The main circuit board may have an antenna area and a peripheral area outside the antenna area, and the near field communication antenna may be located within the antenna area.

[0022] In the main circuit board, there may be no wiring within the antenna region other than wiring connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna.

[0023] Among the wirings included in the main circuit board, wirings other than the wiring connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna may be located in the peripheral region.

[0024] The display device may further include a cover panel interposed between the display panel and the flexible printed circuit board, the cover panel including a cushion layer and a metal layer, the metal layer having a transmission opening.

[0025] When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel, the transparent opening may overlap the antenna region, and wiring included in the flexible printed circuit board may be positioned to overlap the peripheral region.

[0026] When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel, the area of ​​the transmissive opening may be equal to or greater than the area of ​​the antenna region.

[0027] Other aspects, features, and advantages in addition to those described above will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, the claims, and the drawings. Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device capable of short-distance wireless communication may be realized with a simple configuration, although it is needless to say that the scope of the present invention is not limited to such an effect. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view that illustrates a schematic representation of a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which some of the components illustrated in FIG. 1 are stacked. FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which some components shown in FIG. 2 are bent. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic shape of a portion of the electronic device of FIG. 1 during a manufacturing process of the electronic device of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a flexible printed circuit board of the electronic device of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a cross section taken along line AA' in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 2 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a cover panel included in the electronic device of FIG. 1. [Figure 8] 2 is a plan view illustrating a schematic diagram of a portion of a flexible printed circuit board of the electronic device of FIG. 1. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a cross section taken along line BB' in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 1 is an exploded perspective view that illustrates a schematic representation of a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11]11 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which some of the components illustrated in FIG. 10 are stacked and some of the components are bent; FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is an exploded perspective view that illustrates a schematic representation of a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 13] 13 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which some of the components illustrated in FIG. 12 are stacked and some of the components are bent; FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] The present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, but specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail by detailed description. The advantages, features, and methods of achieving the present invention will become clear by referring to the embodiments described in detail below together with the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be embodied in various forms.

[0031] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When describing with reference to the drawings, the same or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals and duplicate descriptions related thereto will be omitted.

[0032] In the following embodiments, when various components such as layers, films, regions, and plates are described as being "on" other components, this does not only mean that they are "directly on" the other components, but also includes cases where other components are interposed between them. In addition, for convenience of explanation, the size of the components may be exaggerated or reduced in the drawings. For example, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to what is shown in the drawings.

[0033] In the following embodiments, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis are not limited to the three axes on a Cartesian coordinate system, but may be interpreted in a broader sense including the three axes. For example, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis may be mutually orthogonal, or may not be mutually orthogonal and may represent mutually different directions.

[0034] In the following embodiments, terms such as first and second are not used in a limiting sense but are used to distinguish one component from another component.

[0035] In the following embodiments, the terms "comprise" or "have" mean the presence of features or components described in the specification, without precluding the possibility that one or more other features or components may be added.

[0036] In this specification, "A and / or B" refers to A, B, or A and B. And, "at least one of A and B" refers to A, B, or A and B.

[0037] In the following embodiments, when a membrane, region, or component is said to be connected, it includes not only the case where the membrane, region, or component is directly connected, but also the case where another membrane, region, or component is interposed between the membrane, region, or component and the membrane, region, or component is indirectly connected. For example, in this specification, when a membrane, region, or component is said to be electrically connected, it includes not only the case where the membrane, region, or component is directly electrically connected, but also the case where another membrane, region, or component is interposed between them and the membrane, region, or component is indirectly electrically connected.

[0038] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view that generally illustrates a portion of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view that generally illustrates some of the components illustrated in FIG. 1 being stacked, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view that generally illustrates some of the components illustrated in FIG. 2 being bent.

[0039] The electronic device according to the present embodiment includes a window 10, a display panel 30, a flexible printed circuit board 40, and a main circuit board 60. As shown in Fig. 1, the electronic device may further include various components as necessary. For example, the electronic device may further include a cover panel 50 interposed between the display panel 30 and the flexible printed circuit board 40. The electronic device may further include a back cover (not shown) that is combined with the window 10 and positions the various components therein.

[0040] Such electronic devices may be a variety of electronic devices such as a smart watch, a smartphone and / or a tablet.

[0041] The window 10 is formed of a light-transmitting material and may include glass or a polymer resin, such as polyethersulphone, polyacrylate, polyetherimide, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyarylate, polyimide, polycarbonate, or a polymer resin such as cellulose acetate propionate.

[0042] The window 10 includes a base 11 and an edge portion 13. The base 11 forms the overall outer shape of the window 10 and has a translucent property. The edge portion 13 has a shape protruding from an imaginary first plane on which the base 11 is located. In FIG. 1, the base 11 is illustrated as being located on an imaginary first plane substantially parallel to the xy plane, and the edge portion 13 has a shape protruding from the edge of the base 11 in a direction perpendicular to the xy plane (+z direction). The base 11 and the edge portion 13 may be formed of the same material and may be integral, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the edge portion 13 may be bonded to the edge of the base 11 as a separate component from the base 11. In this case, the edge portion 13 may be non-translucent, unlike the base 11 which is translucent.

[0043] The base 11 is located in a virtual first plane, which may be a curved surface. For example, when the electronic device is a smart watch, the base 11 including the window 10 has a generally flat shape, but the outer surface of the base 11 on the opposite side (-z direction) to the display panel 30 side may include a portion that is microscopically curved.

[0044] The display panel 30 is disposed on the base 11 of the window 10. The display panel 30 includes a circuit including electronic elements such as thin film transistors on a substrate, and a display element such as an organic light emitting element electrically connected to the circuit. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the display panel 30 may include various display elements other than the organic light emitting element, such as a liquid crystal element.

[0045] The flexible printed circuit board 40 may have a flexible characteristic (flexibility). Such a flexible printed circuit board 40 is electrically connected to the display panel 30. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, a part of the flexible printed circuit board 40 may be electrically attached to a surface of the display panel 30 facing the window 10. In this case, wiring or pads of the flexible printed circuit board 40 may be electrically connected to pads located on the surface of the display panel 30 facing the window 10 via an anisotropic conductive film or the like.

[0046] The flexible printed circuit board 40 may include a body portion 41, a neck portion 43 protruding from the body portion 41, and a first connecting portion 45 protruding from the body portion 41. The neck portion 43 may contact the display panel 30 as described above. The body portion 41 has an area larger than that of the neck portion 43, and an electronic element such as an integrated circuit may be attached to the body portion 41 of the flexible printed circuit board 40 via an anisotropic conductive film or the like. Pads electrically connected to the electronic element may be located in the body portion 41, and wiring extending to the neck portion 43 and / or the first connecting portion 45 may be located in the body portion 41. An electrical signal applied to the display panel 30 is configured to be transmitted through such wiring. In addition, a near field wireless communication antenna ATN (FIG. 5) may be located in the body portion 41 as described below. A first connector 40c1 is located in the first connecting portion 45, and a wire extending from the body portion 41 can be electrically connected to the first connector 40c1.

[0047] The cover panel 50 may be interposed between the display panel 30 and the flexible printed circuit board 40. The cover panel 50 will be described in detail below.

[0048] The display panel 30 and the cover panel 50 may be positioned on the window 10 as shown in FIG. 2. That is, the display panel 30 and the cover panel 50 may be positioned within a space defined by the base 11 and the edge 13 of the window 10. The flexible printed circuit board 40 electrically connected to the display panel 30 may be bent at the neck portion 43 and the body portion 41 may be positioned on the cover panel 50 as shown in FIG. 3. The flexible printed circuit board 40 has a flexible characteristic as described above, but the neck portion 43 has a flexible characteristic and is configured to be bent at the neck portion 43 and to be positioned on the cover panel 50 as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. Here, it goes without saying that the body portion 41 may also have a flexible characteristic as necessary. In this case, the degree of flexibility of the neck portion 43 may be greater than the degree of flexibility of the body portion 41.

[0049] In this manner, the flexible printed circuit board 40, whose neck portion 43 is electrically connected to the display panel 30, is bent at the neck portion 43, and the body portion 41 is located on the opposite side (+z direction) of the window 10 with respect to the display panel 30. This can be understood as the flexible printed circuit board 40 being located on the opposite side (+z direction) of the window 10 with respect to the display panel 30.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 3, the main circuit board 60 may be located on the flexible printed circuit board 40 with the neck portion 43 bent. The main circuit board 60 may be electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board 40 and may be located on the opposite side (+z direction) of the display panel 30 with respect to the flexible printed circuit board 40. Electronic elements such as a central processing unit such as an application processor (AP) or a central processing unit (CPU) of an electronic device may be located on the main circuit board 60, and wiring for transmitting electrical signals from or to such electronic elements may also be located on the main circuit board 60. The main circuit board 60 is not flexible, unlike the flexible printed circuit board 40. The main circuit board 60 includes a first main connector 60c1, and the first connector 40c1 of the flexible printed circuit board 40 is fastened to the first main connector 60c1 of the main circuit board 60, so that the flexible printed circuit board 40 and the main circuit board 60 are electrically connected to each other.

[0051] 4 is a perspective view that illustrates a shape of a portion of the electronic device of FIG. 1 during the manufacturing process of the electronic device of FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 4, during the manufacturing process of the electronic device, the display panel 30 and the cover panel 50 undergo a process of being positioned within a space defined by the base 11 and the edge 13 of the window 10, and then the flexible printed circuit board 40 is folded at the neck portion 43, and the body portion 41 of the flexible printed circuit board 40 is positioned on the display panel 30 and the cover panel 50. FIG. 4 can be understood to illustrate a process in which the display panel 30 and the cover panel 50 are positioned within a space defined by the base 11 and the edge 13 of the window 10 during the manufacturing process of the electronic device. A light-transmitting adhesive layer 20 can be interposed between the window 10 and the display panel 30 to bond the window 10 and the display panel 30.

[0052] 5 is a plan view that diagrammatically illustrates the flexible printed circuit board 40 of the electronic device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view that diagrammatically illustrates a cross section taken along line A-A' of FIG. 5. As described above, the flexible printed circuit board 40 includes a near-field wireless communication antenna ATN. The flexible printed circuit board 40 may have an antenna area 41a and a peripheral area outside the antenna area 41a. The near-field wireless communication antenna ATN may be located within the antenna area 41a. The antenna area 41a may be located in the body portion 41 of the flexible printed circuit board 40 as illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0053] An induced current corresponding to the change per unit time of the magnetic flux density passing through the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN is induced in the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN. In order to sensitively respond to such changes in magnetic flux density, the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN may be arranged in a coil shape on a plane (e.g., an xy plane) on which the flexible printed circuit board 40 is arranged, as shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 5, the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN is exemplarily shown to have a wire-like shape extending from the outside to the inside while rotating in a clockwise direction.

[0054] A first terminal ATNT1 may be electrically connected to one end of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, and a second terminal ATNT2 may be electrically connected to the other end of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN. Each of the first terminal ATNT1 and the second terminal ATNT2 may be, for example, a part of a wiring. In Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the first terminal ATNT1 is illustrated as being located on the same layer as the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN and being integrated therewith, and the second terminal ATNT2 is illustrated as being located on a layer different from the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN. For example, the flexible printed circuit board 40 has a structure in which a first base B1, a second base B2, and a third base B3, which are insulating layers containing polyimide or a resin similar thereto, are stacked in order, and the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN and the first terminal ATNT1 are interposed between the first base B1 and the second base B2, and the second terminal ATNT2 is interposed between the second base B2 and the third base B3, and can contact the other end of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN through a contact hole formed in the second base B2.

[0055] As such, in the case of an electronic device according to this embodiment, since the flexible printed circuit board 40 includes the near field wireless communication antenna ATN, it is possible to realize an electronic device capable of near field wireless communication while having a simpler configuration than when the near field wireless communication antenna ATN is provided as a separate component separate from the flexible printed circuit board 40.

[0056] As described above, the flexible printed circuit board 40 is provided with wiring, and an electrical signal applied to the display panel 30 is transmitted through the wiring. In FIG. 5, such wiring is omitted for convenience of illustration. As described above, the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN may be located within the antenna area 41a. Note that, except for the wiring connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, for example, except for the first terminal ATNT1 and the second terminal ATNT2, other wiring may be located in a peripheral area that is not within the antenna area 41a. That is, in the flexible printed circuit board 40, there is no wiring other than the wiring connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN within the antenna area 41a.

[0057] As described above, an induced current corresponding to the change in magnetic flux density per unit time passing through the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN is induced in the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, so that the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN recognizes signals from the surroundings. If a wire containing metal is located within the antenna region 41a, the sensitivity of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN may be reduced. Therefore, except for the wire connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, for example, except for the first terminal ATNT1 and the second terminal ATNT2, other wires need to be located in a peripheral region that is not within the antenna region 41a. For reference, as shown in FIG. 6, the flexible printed circuit board 40 has a multi-layer structure, and some of the various wires included in the flexible printed circuit board 40 may be located between the first base B1 and the second base B2, and other parts may be located between the second base B2 and the third base B3, so that the first terminal ATNT1 and the second terminal ATNT2 are located in different layers. In any case, such wires are not located within the antenna region 41a.

[0058] As described above, the cover panel 50 may be interposed between the display panel 30 and the flexible printed circuit board 40. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates the display panel 30 and such a cover panel 50. As illustrated, the cover panel 50 may include a cushion layer 51 and a metal layer 53. The cushion layer 51 may be attached to the display panel 30 via an adhesive, if necessary. The metal layer 53 may include, for example, copper. Such a cover panel 50 may be disposed on the opposite side (+z direction) of the display panel 30 from the window 10 side, and may serve to shield the display panel 30 from external electrical signals and electromagnetic waves.

[0059] The metal layer 53 of the cover panel 50 may have a transparent opening 53OP as shown in FIG. 7. As described above, when a wiring including metal is located within the antenna region 41a, the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN may be reduced. When the metal layer 53 of the cover panel 50 overlaps with the antenna region 41a, the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN may also be reduced. Therefore, by making the metal layer 53 of the cover panel 50 have the transparent opening 53OP, it is possible to effectively prevent the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN from being reduced. In particular, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel 30 (z-axis direction), the transparent opening 53OP of the metal layer 53 overlaps with the antenna region 41a of the flexible printed circuit board 40, so that the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN is maintained high. In this case, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel 30 (z-axis direction), the area of ​​the transparent opening 53OP of the metal layer 53 is set to be greater than or equal to the area of ​​the antenna region 41a of the flexible printed circuit board 40, thereby maintaining the sensitivity of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN clearly high.

[0060] For reference, when the electronic device according to the present embodiment is a smart watch or a smartphone, a user generally places the display panel 30 and the window 10 adjacent to a near field communication device. Therefore, electromagnetic waves from the near field communication device pass through the window 10, the display panel 30, and the cover panel 50, and reach the near field communication antenna ATN of the flexible printed circuit board 40. In the case of the electronic device according to the present embodiment, since the metal layer 53 of the cover panel 50 has a transparent opening 53OP, near field communication can be smoothly performed even if the user uses the electronic device in such a manner.

[0061] In addition, an electrical signal received or generated by the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN needs to be transmitted to the main circuit board 60. As described above, the first connector 40c1 is disposed on the flexible printed circuit board 40, and such a first connector 40c1 can be electrically connected to at least one of the wirings of the flexible printed circuit board 40 and the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN. Therefore, an electrical signal received or generated by the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN can be transmitted to the main circuit board 60 via the first connector 40c1 of the flexible printed circuit board 40 and the first main connector 60c1 of the main circuit board 60.

[0062] 8 is a plan view that diagrammatically illustrates a portion of the flexible printed circuit board 40 of the electronic device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view that diagrammatically illustrates a cross section taken along line B-B' of FIG. 8. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN included in the electronic device according to the present embodiment may include a first antenna ATN1 and a second antenna ATN2. The first antenna ATN1 corresponds to the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN as described with reference to FIG. 5, and from that perspective, the second antenna ATN2 may be an additional antenna. In the following, for convenience, the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN will be described as including the first antenna ATN1 and the second antenna ATN2.

[0063] 8, the near field communication antenna ATN may be disposed in a coil shape on a plane (e.g., an xy plane) on which the flexible printed circuit board 40 is disposed. In FIG. 8, the first antenna ATN1 is exemplarily illustrated as having a wire-like shape extending from the outside to the inside while rotating in a clockwise direction. And the second antenna ATN2 is exemplarily illustrated as having a wire-like shape extending from the inside to the outside while rotating in a counterclockwise direction.

[0064] The first terminal ATNT1 may be electrically connected to one end of the first antenna ATN1. One end of the second antenna ATN2 may be electrically connected to the other end of the first antenna ATN1. The second terminal ATNT2 may be electrically connected to the other end of the second antenna ATN2. As described above, an induced current corresponding to the amount of change per unit time of the magnetic flux density passing through the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN is induced in the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN. The short-range wireless communication antenna ATN may be more sensitive to such changes in magnetic flux density by including the second antenna ATN2 in addition to the first antenna ATN1.

[0065] The first terminal ATNT1 and the first antenna ATN1 may be located on the same layer. For example, the first terminal ATNT1 and the first antenna ATN1 may be interposed between the first base B1 and the second base B2. As a result, the first terminal ATNT1 and the first antenna ATN1 may be integrated. The second antenna ATN2 is located between the second base B2 and the third base B3, and one end of the second antenna ATN2 may contact the other end of the first antenna ATN1 through a contact hole formed in the second base B2. The second terminal ATNT2 may be located on the same layer as the first terminal ATNT1. As a result, the other end of the second antenna ATN2 may contact the second terminal ATNT2 through a contact hole formed in the second base B2.

[0066] In the above, it has been described that the electrical signal received or generated by the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN is transmitted to the main circuit board 60 via the first connector 40c1 of the flexible printed circuit board 40 and the first main connector 60c1 of the main circuit board 60. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, which is an exploded perspective view that illustrates a part of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11, which is a perspective view that illustrates a state in which some components illustrated in FIG. 10 are stacked and some components are bent, the flexible printed circuit board 40 may include the first connector 40c1 and the second connector 40c2, and the main circuit board 60 may include the first main connector 60c1 and the second main connector 60c2.

[0067] That is, the flexible printed circuit board 40 includes a first connecting part 45 protruding from the body part 41 as well as a second connecting part 47 protruding from the body part 41, and a first connector 40c1 may be located in the first connecting part 45 and a second connector 40c2 may be located in the second connecting part 47.

[0068] In this case, the first connector 40c1 of the flexible printed circuit board 40 may be electrically connected to at least one of the wires of the flexible printed circuit board 40, and the second connector 40c2 may be connected to a wire electrically connected to the near field communication antenna ATN. The first main connector 60c1 of the main circuit board 60 may be electrically connected to the first connector 40c1, and the second main connector 60c2 of the main circuit board 60 may be electrically connected to the second connector 40c2. An electrical signal applied to the display panel 30 may be transmitted to the display panel 30 via the first main connector 60c1 and the first connector 40c1, and an electrical signal from the near field communication antenna ATN or an electrical signal to the near field communication antenna ATN may be transmitted via the second main connector 60c2 and the second connector 40c2.

[0069] Although the flexible printed circuit board 40 has been described as including the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the main circuit board 60 may include the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a part of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which some components illustrated in FIG. 12 are stacked and some components are bent, illustrating a case in which the main circuit board 60 has an antenna region 60a. In this case, the flexible printed circuit board 40 may have a transparent region 41a' corresponding to the antenna region 60a of the main circuit board 60. The description of the electronic device according to the above embodiment may be applied to the electronic device according to the present embodiment, except for the antenna region 60a and the transparent region 41a'.

[0070] The main circuit board 60 has an antenna area 60a and an outer peripheral area thereof, and the near field communication antenna ATN may be located within the antenna area 60a.

[0071] An induced current corresponding to the change per unit time in the magnetic flux density passing through the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN is induced in the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN. In order to react sensitively to such changes in magnetic flux density, the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN may be arranged in a coil shape on the plane (e.g., the xy plane) on which the main circuit board 60 is arranged.

[0072] A first terminal may be electrically connected to one end of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, and a second terminal may be electrically connected to the other end of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN. Each of the first terminal and the second terminal may be, for example, a part of a wiring. The first terminal is located on the same layer as the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN and is integrated therewith, and the second terminal is located on a different layer from the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN but may contact the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN through a contact hole. That is, the main circuit board has a structure in which a plurality of insulating layers are stacked in order, and the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN and the first terminal are interposed between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer, and the second terminal is interposed between the second insulating layer and the third insulating layer and may contact the other end of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN through a contact hole formed in the second insulating layer. That is, the main circuit board 60 may have a cross-sectional shape similar to that of the flexible printed circuit board 40 illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0073] As such, in the case of the electronic device according to this embodiment, since the main circuit board 60 includes the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, it is possible to realize an electronic device capable of short-range wireless communication while having a simpler configuration than when the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN is provided as a separate component separate from the main circuit board 60.

[0074] As described above, the main circuit board 60 has wiring arranged thereon, and an electrical signal applied to the flexible printed circuit board 40 can be transmitted through the wiring. As described above, the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN can be located within the antenna area 60a. Note that, except for the wiring connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, for example, except for the first terminal and the second terminal, other wiring can be located in a peripheral area not within the antenna area 60a. That is, in the main circuit board 60, there is no wiring other than the wiring connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN within the antenna area 60a.

[0075] In the electronic device according to the present embodiment, the cover panel 50 may be interposed between the display panel 30 and the flexible printed circuit board 40. In this case, the cover panel 50 may have a structure as shown in FIG. 7. That is, the cover panel 50 may include a cushion layer 51 and a metal layer 53. The cushion layer 51 may be attached to the display panel 30 by an adhesive or the like, if necessary. The metal layer 53 may include, for example, copper. Such a cover panel 50 may be disposed on the opposite side (+z direction) of the display panel 30 from the window 10 side, and may serve to shield the display panel 30 from external electrical signals and electromagnetic waves.

[0076] The metal layer 53 of the cover panel 50 may have a transparent opening 53OP as shown in FIG. 7. As described above, when a wiring including metal is located within the antenna region 60a, the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN may be reduced. When the metal layer 53 of the cover panel 50 overlaps with the antenna region 60a, the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN may also be reduced. Therefore, by making the metal layer 53 of the cover panel 50 have the transparent opening 53OP, it is possible to effectively prevent the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN from being reduced. In particular, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel 30 (z-axis direction), the transparent opening 53OP of the metal layer 53 overlaps with the antenna region 60a of the main circuit board 60, so that the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN is maintained high. In this case, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel 30 (the z-axis direction), the area of ​​the transparent opening 53OP of the metal layer 53 is made greater than or equal to the area of ​​the antenna region 60a of the main circuit board 60, thereby enabling the sensitivity of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN to be maintained clearly high.

[0077] Similarly, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel 30 (z-axis direction), the wiring included in the flexible printed circuit board 40 may overlap with a peripheral area outside the antenna area 60a of the main circuit board 60. That is, the wiring of the flexible printed circuit board 40 is not present in the transparent area 41a' of the flexible printed circuit board 40, and when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel 30 (z-axis direction), the transparent area 41a' of the flexible printed circuit board 40 overlaps with the antenna area 60a of the main circuit board 60, so that the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN can be maintained high. In this case, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel 30 (z-axis direction), the area of ​​the transparent area 41a' of the flexible printed circuit board 40 is set to be equal to or larger than the area of ​​the antenna area 60a of the main circuit board 60, so that the sensitivity of the near field communication antenna ATN can be maintained clearly high.

[0078] Also, even when the main circuit board 60 includes the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN may have the structure as shown in Figures 8 and 9. That is, the description of the structure of the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN including the first antenna ATN1 and the second antenna ATN2 described with reference to Figures 8 and 9 may be applied as it is to the case where the main circuit board 60, which is not the flexible printed circuit board 40, includes the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN.

[0079] For example, the first antenna ATN1 may have a shape like a wire extending from the outside to the inside while rotating in a clockwise direction, and the second antenna ATN2 may have a shape like a wire extending from the inside to the outside while rotating in a counterclockwise direction. The first terminal ATNT1 may be electrically connected to one end of the first antenna ATN1, one end of the second antenna ATN2 may be electrically connected to the other end of the first antenna ATN1, and the second terminal ATNT2 may be electrically connected to the other end of the second antenna ATN2. The first terminal ATNT1 and the first antenna ATN1 may be located on the same layer, and the first terminal ATNT1 and the first antenna ATN1 may be integrated. The second antenna ATN2 may be located on a layer different from the first antenna ATN1, and one end of the second antenna ATN2 may contact the other end of the first antenna ATN1 through a contact hole. The second terminal ATNT2 may be located on the same layer as the first terminal ATNT1. Thereby, the other end of the second antenna ATN2 can be brought into contact with the second terminal ATNT2 through the contact hole.

[0080] For reference, when the main circuit board 60 includes a short-range wireless communication antenna ATN, electrical signals from the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN and electrical signals to the short-range wireless communication antenna ATN can be transmitted to a central processing unit or the like mounted on the main circuit board 60 via wiring on the main circuit board 60, or transmitted from the central processing unit or the like.

[0081] As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but these are merely illustrative, and a person skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical scope of the present invention is defined by the technical ideas of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 10 Windows 11. Base 13 Edge 20 Translucent adhesive layer 30 Display Panel 40 Flexible Printed Circuit Board 40a Antenna area 40c1 1st connector 40c2 2nd connector 41 Body Part 43 Neck 45 First connecting part 47 Second connecting part 50 Cover Panel 51 Cushion layer 53 Metal layer 53OP transmission aperture 60 Main Circuit Board 60c1 1st main connector 60c2 2nd main connector ATN Short-range wireless communication antenna ATNT1 Terminal 1 ATNT2 Second Terminal

Claims

1. A light-transmitting window; a display panel disposed on the window; a flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to the display panel, located on an opposite side of the light-transmitting window with respect to the display panel, the flexible printed circuit board including wiring for transmitting an electrical signal applied to the display panel and a near field wireless communication antenna; a main circuit board electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board and located on an opposite side to the display panel with respect to the flexible printed circuit board.

2. The flexible printed circuit board has an antenna area and a peripheral area outside the antenna area, The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the near field communication antenna is located within the antenna region.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein in the flexible printed circuit board, there are no wirings in the antenna region other than wirings connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the wirings included in the flexible printed circuit board are located in the peripheral region, except for the wirings connected to the near field communication antenna.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a cover panel interposed between the display panel and the flexible printed circuit board.

6. The cover panel includes a cushion layer and a metal layer. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the metal layer has a transparent aperture.

7. The flexible printed circuit board has an antenna area and a peripheral area outside the antenna area, The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the transmissive aperture overlaps the antenna area when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the display panel.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein an area of ​​the transmissive opening is equal to or greater than an area of ​​the antenna region when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel.

9. the flexible printed circuit board includes a first connector electrically connected to at least one of the wirings and the near field communication antenna; 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the main circuit board includes a first main connector electrically connected to the first connector.

10. the flexible printed circuit board includes a first connector electrically connected to at least one of the wirings, and a second connector electrically connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna; 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the main circuit board comprises a first main connector electrically connected to the first connector, and a second main connector electrically connected to the second connector.

11. a first terminal located on the same layer as the short-range wireless communication antenna and electrically connected to one end of the short-range wireless communication antenna; The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second terminal located on a layer different from the short-range wireless communication antenna and electrically connected to the other end of the short-range wireless communication antenna.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the first terminal and the near field communication antenna are integral.

13. a first terminal located on the same layer as the short-range wireless communication antenna and electrically connected to one end of the short-range wireless communication antenna; an additional antenna located on a layer different from the short-range wireless communication antenna and having one end electrically connected to the other end of the short-range wireless communication antenna; The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second terminal electrically connected to the other end of the additional antenna.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first terminal and the near field communication antenna are integral.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13 , wherein the second terminal is located on the same layer as the first terminal.

16. A light-transmitting window; a display panel disposed on the window; a flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to the display panel, located on an opposite side of the light-transmitting window with respect to the display panel, the flexible printed circuit board including wiring for transmitting an electrical signal applied to the display panel; a main circuit board electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board, located on an opposite side of the display panel with respect to the flexible printed circuit board, the main circuit board including wiring for transmitting an electrical signal applied to the flexible printed circuit board and a near field wireless communication antenna.

17. The main circuit board has an antenna area and a peripheral area outside the antenna area, The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the near field communication antenna is located within the antenna region.

18. The electronic device according to claim 17 , wherein in the main circuit board, no wiring other than wiring connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna is present in the antenna region.

19. The electronic device according to claim 17 , wherein the wirings included in the main circuit board, other than the wiring connected to the short-range wireless communication antenna, are located in the peripheral region.

20. a cover panel interposed between the display panel and the flexible printed circuit board, the cover panel including a cushion layer and a metal layer; The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the metal layer has a transparent aperture.

21. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel, the transparent aperture overlaps the antenna region; The electronic device according to claim 20 , wherein the wiring included in the flexible printed circuit board is positioned so as to overlap the peripheral region.

22. 22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein an area of ​​the transmissive aperture is equal to or greater than an area of ​​the antenna region when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display panel.

Images