Housing and antenna architecture for mobile device

Abstract

To provide a device that increases the manufacturability and functionality of a housing while maintaining the benefits of a multi-segment housing.SOLUTION: An electronic device such as a mobile phone or tablet computer includes a display 104 and a housing 102. The housing surrounds the display and has four corners 108 that define a portion of the device's exterior surface. The housing includes a first housing segment 112a that defines at least a portion of a first corner 108a and is configured to act as an antenna, a second housing segment 112b that defines at least a portion of a second corner 108b, and a third housing segment that defines at least a portion of a third corner 108c. The third corner forms a portion of the housing diagonally opposite the second corner. The housing further includes a non-conductive housing component 116 that structurally couples the first housing segment to another portion of the housing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application is not a provisional patent application and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 725,237, entitled "Housing and Antenna Architecture for Mobile Device", filed on August 30, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Technical Field The described embodiments generally relate to a housing and antenna architecture for a mobile device. More specifically, the described embodiments relate to a segmented housing in which housing segments may be disposed at each of one or more corners that define a portion of an outer surface of the device. In some embodiments, one or more of the housing segments may be operable as an antenna for the device.

Background Art

[0003] Portable electronic devices have been shrinking in size year by year. There is an increasing need to manufacture aesthetically pleasing and structurally robust housings. Some conventional housings are made from a single type of material to simplify manufacturing and assembly. However, a single - piece housing may not provide some of the structural, functional, and / or aesthetic benefits of a multi - segment housing as described herein. Using the devices, housings, and components described herein, and the corresponding manufacturing methods described herein, the manufacturability and functionality of a multi - segment housing may be enhanced while maintaining the benefits of a multi - segment housing.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Some example embodiments relate to a multi-segment housing that includes a plurality of conductor segments. The plurality of conductor segments may be structurally coupled by one or more non-conductive housing components, which may define segments or divisions between the conductor segments. One or more of the conductor segments may be configured to act as an antenna, and the non-conductive housing components may provide electrical insulation between the conductor segments and one or more other conductor segments or components. In some embodiments, the sidewall of the device may have a generally rectangular shape, and four different conductor segments may define four different corners around the sidewall. Each of the four different conductor segments may be configured to act as a different antenna when the device wirelessly communicates with other devices, or different combinations of the conductor segments may be configured for wireless communication in different wireless communication modes.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present disclosure describes a device that includes a display and a housing. The housing surrounds the display and may have four corners that define a portion of an outer surface of the device. The housing may include a first housing segment that defines at least a portion of a first corner of the four corners, a second housing segment that defines at least a portion of a second corner of the four corners, a third housing segment that defines at least a portion of a third corner of the four corners, and a non-conductive housing component that structurally couples the first housing segment to another portion of the housing. The third corner may form a portion of the housing that is diagonally opposed to the second corner. The first housing segment may be configured to act as an antenna.

[0006] In another aspect, the present disclosure describes a device comprising a display, a housing, and a wireless communication circuit. The housing may define sidewalls of the device around a peripheral portion of the display. The housing may include a first conductor segment defining at least a part of a first corner of the sidewall, a second conductor segment defining at least a part of a second corner of the sidewall, a third conductor segment defining at least a part of a third corner of the sidewall, a fourth conductor segment defining at least a part of a fourth corner of the sidewall, and a non-conductive housing component structurally connecting the first conductor segment to the second conductor segment and electrically insulating the first conductor segment from the second conductor segment. The wireless communication circuit may be connected to at least the first conductor segment.

[0007] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a device comprises a display, a housing, and a wireless communication circuit. The housing defines sidewalls of the device and may at least partially define an internal volume that includes the display. The housing may include a first conductor antenna segment defining a first portion of the sidewall, a second conductor antenna segment defining a second portion of the sidewall, and a non-conductive housing component defining a third portion of the sidewall and electrically insulating the second conductor antenna segment from the first conductor antenna segment. The wireless communication circuit may be disposed within the internal volume. The wireless communication circuit may be operable using the second conductor antenna segment electrically disconnected from the first conductor antenna segment in a first wireless communication mode and may be operable using the second conductor antenna segment electrically connected to the first conductor antenna segment in a second wireless communication mode.

[0008] In another aspect, the present disclosure describes a device comprising a display and a housing. The housing may define a sidewall of the device and may define an interior volume that includes the display. The housing may include a first housing segment that defines a first portion of the sidewall and a first interlock mechanism that extends into the interior volume. The first interlock mechanism may have a first interlock surface and a first hole that extends into the first interlock surface. The housing may include a second housing segment that defines a second portion of the sidewall and a second interlock mechanism that extends into the interior volume. The second interlock mechanism may have a second interlock surface that faces the first interlock surface and a second hole that extends into the second interlock surface. A non-conductive housing component may at least partially fill the first and second holes, thereby structurally connecting the first housing segment to the second housing segment.

[0009] In yet another aspect, the present disclosure describes another device comprising a display and a housing. The housing may at least partially surround the display and may include a first housing segment that at least defines a first portion of an outer surface of the device and a first interlock mechanism. The first interlock mechanism may have an interlock surface that is offset relative to an end surface of the first housing segment, and the first interlock mechanism may have a first opening formed in the interlock surface. The housing may include a second housing segment that at least defines a second portion of the outer surface of the device and a second interlock mechanism. The second interlock mechanism may have a second opening that is aligned with the first opening. The housing may further include a non-conductive housing component that defines a third portion of the outer surface of the device. The non-conductive housing component may extend into the first and second openings.

[0010] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the device includes a display and a housing that defines a sidewall extending around the display. The housing may include a first housing segment that defines a first portion of the sidewall, a first interlock mechanism having a first hole, a second housing segment that defines a second portion of the sidewall, a second interlock mechanism having a second hole, and a non-conductive housing component. The second hole may be substantially aligned with the first hole, and the non-conductive housing component may at least partially fill the first hole and the second hole, thereby structurally connecting the first housing segment to the second housing segment.

[0011] In addition to the above aspects and embodiments, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and consideration of the following description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] The present disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals indicate like structural elements.

[0013]

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 1C

[0014]

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 2C

Figure 2D

Figure 2E

[0015]

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 3C

[0016]

Figure 4

[0017]

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 5C

Figure 6A

Figure 6B

Figure 6C

Figure 7A

Figure 7B

Figure 7C

Figure 8A

Figure 8B

Figure 8C

Figure 9A

Figure 9B

Figure 9C

Figure 10A

Figure 10B

Figure 10C

[0018]

Figure 11A

Figure 11B

[0019]

Figure 12

[0020]

Figure 13A

Figure 13B

Figure 13C

Figure 13D

[0021]

Figure 14A

Figure 14B

Figure 14C

Figure 14D

Figure 14E

Figure 14F

Figure 14G

[0022]

Figure 15A

Figure 15B

Figure 15C

[0023]

Figure 16A

Figure 16B

Figure 16C

Figure 16D

[0024]

Figure 17A

Figure 17B

[0025]

Figure 18

[0026]

Figure 19

[0027]

Figure 20A

Figure 20B

[0028]

Figure 21A

Figure 21B

Figure 21C

[0029]

Figure 22

[0030]

Figure 23

[0031] The use of cross-hatching or shading in the accompanying figures is generally provided to clarify the boundaries between adjacent elements and also to enhance the visibility of the figures. Thus, the presence or absence of cross-hatching or shading does not convey or indicate any preference or requirement regarding the specific materials, material properties, proportions of elements, dimensions of elements, common points of elements shown, or any other traits, attributes, or characteristics of any element shown in the accompanying figures.

[0032] Additionally, the (relative or absolute) proportions and dimensions of various features and elements (as well as their assemblies and groups), and the boundaries, separation points, and positional relationships presented between them are provided in the accompanying figures solely to facilitate the understanding of the various embodiments described herein. Thus, they may not necessarily be presented or illustrated to scale, and it should be understood that there is no intention to indicate any preference or requirement for the embodiments shown, excluding the embodiments described with reference to them.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0033] Here, representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings will be described in detail. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit these embodiments to one preferred embodiment. On the contrary, the following description is intended to encompass alternative forms, modifications, and equivalents that can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

[0034] The embodiments described herein relate to a housing of a plurality of segments, which may include a plurality of conductor segments. The conductor segments may define respective portions of the sidewalls or outer surfaces of the device. The plurality of conductor segments may be structurally connected by one or more non-conductor segments, i.e., "splits". One or more of the conductor segments may be configured to act as an antenna (i.e., one or more of the conductor segments may be configured to act as one or more antennas). One or more of the non-conductor segments may provide electrical insulation between the conductor segments and adjacent conductor segments or components.

[0035] Some example embodiments relate to non-conductor segments that are structurally interlocked with one or more adjacent housing segments. In particular, the non-conductive housing segment or component may be molded into the gap between the housing segments, and a portion of the non-conductive housing segment that is located internally with respect to the housing or disposed may flow among and around various mechanisms to provide a structural interlock between the pair of housing segments. As described in more detail below, the non-conductive housing segment (or split) may be molded into one or more holes, openings, recesses, or cavities in an interlock mechanism made inside the housing near the ends of the housing segments. In some implementation examples, the non-conductive housing segment or component may at least partially fill a hole, opening, recess, or cavity in an interlock mechanism made near the adjacent ends of the adjacent housing segments.

[0036] As described in further detail below, one or more housing segments may be made of a conductive material and may be configured to function as an antenna for an electronic device. In particular, one or more housing segments may be operably coupled to a wireless communication circuit and may be configured as an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals. In some cases, separate housing segments may define the four main corners of the device or housing. Each separate housing segment may be configured to act as an antenna to facilitate single-band or multi-band wireless communication.

[0037] These and other embodiments will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1A - 23. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the configurations provided herein with respect to these figures are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting.

[0038] The terms indicating direction, such as "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "over", "under", "above", "below", "left", "right", etc., are used with reference to some of the orientations of components in some of the figures described below. Since components in various embodiments can be arranged in a plurality of different orientations, the terms indicating direction are used for illustrative purposes only and are not restrictive in any way. The terms indicating direction are intended to be interpreted broadly, and thus should not be construed as excluding components arranged in different manners. The use of the alternative term (e.g., "or") is intended to indicate different combinations of alternative elements. For example, A or B is intended to include A, or B, or both A and B.

[0039] Figures 1A - 1C illustrate an example of an electronic device or simply a "device" 100. The dimensions and form factor of the device, including the ratio of the length of the long side to the length of the short side of the device, suggest that the device 100 is a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone). However, the dimensions and form factor of the device are freely selectable, and the device 100 may instead be any portable electronic device including, for example, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a portable computer, a portable music player, a health monitoring device, a portable terminal, or other portal or mobile devices. FIG. 1A shows a front isometric view of the device 100. FIG. 1B shows a rear isometric view of the device 100. FIG. 1C shows a cross-section of the device 100. The device 100 may comprise a housing 102 that at least partially surrounds the display 104. The housing 102 may include or support a front cover 106a or a rear cover 106b. The front cover 106a may be disposed on top of the display 104 and may be provided with a window through which the display 104 can be viewed. In some embodiments, the display 104 may be connected to (or adjacent to) the housing 102 and / or the cover 106a.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the housing 102 may define four corners 108 (e.g., corners 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d) that surround the display 104 and may define a part of the outer surface of the device 100. In this example, the four corners 108 of the housing 102 are respectively disposed at the respective corners of the substantially rectangular display 104. However, the relative positions of the corners 108 may vary depending on the implementation example. As an example, the corners 108 are shown as being rounded in the x / y dimensions that define the front and back surfaces of the device 100 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, but alternatively, they may be quadrilateral or may have other shapes. The housing 102 may generally have a rectangular shape with a length dimension that is greater than the width dimension. In some cases, the length may be greater than 100 mm and the width may be greater than 50 mm. The housing 102 may further have a thickness in the range of 5 mm to 15 mm.

[0041] In some cases, the housing 102 may be a multi-segment housing that includes a plurality of conductors or metal segments that are divided by one or more non-conductive segments. In some cases, the multi-segment housing may include a support plate 110 (see FIG. 1C) and / or additional internal structural components used to support the internal electronic circuit or electronic components.

[0042] The housing segment 112 of the housing 102 may form or define some or all of the side wall 114. In particular, the housing segment 112 may define a part of the side surface of the device 100 (for example, a part of the outer surface or the external surface), and the part of the side surface may include the four corners 108 of the side wall 114. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the housing segment 112 or the side wall 114 may at least partially surround the periphery of the display 104, and in some cases, may be configured to protect the display 104 from droplets of the device 100 that are accompanied by impacts on the edges or corners 108 of the side wall 114. As an example, the housing 102 may include six housing segments 112 that are structurally connected to other parts of the housing 102 by a series of one or more non-conductive segments or housing components 116.

[0043] As used herein, the term "corner" may be used to refer to a part of the external surface or side wall of the device that forms a transition between adjacent side surfaces or side walls. The term "corner" may refer to a region including a three-dimensional (3D) structure including a part of the front cover 106a or the rear cover 106b that respectively defines a part of the side wall and / or the front and back surfaces. The term "corner" may be used to refer to a part of the side wall 114 that extends (linearly or non-linearly) between the front and back of the device and is also connected to the adjacent side walls. In some embodiments, the corner portion of the side wall may define a curved or arcuate contour between the front and back. In some embodiments, the corner portion of the side wall may define a flat side surface connecting the front and back. As described herein, a substantially rectangular device may be considered to have four corners that define the periphery of the front and back of the device, with each corner connected to two adjacent corners. A substantially rectangular device may be considered to have four corners connected by four sides, and the four corners, in combination with the four sides, define the periphery of the front and back of the device.

[0044] As will be described in more detail herein, one or more housing segments 112 may be mechanically or structurally coupled to one or more adjacent housing segments 112 by non-conductive housing segments or components 116, and the segments or components 116 may partially or fully fill the gaps between the housing segments 112. In some cases, the non-conductive housing segments or components 116 may also couple the housing segments 112 to the support plate 110 or another internal structure. A continuous or monolithic piece of non-conductive material (e.g., a monolithic non-conductive component) may connect to or form all or a plurality of the non-conductive housing segments or components 116 (or fill all or a plurality of the gaps between the housing segments 112), or different pieces of non-conductive material may connect different sets of adjacent housing segments 112 (or fill different gaps between different pairs of adjacent housing segments 112). At least one non-conductive housing segment or component in a series of non-conductive housing segments or components 116 may define a side wall 114 or a portion (e.g., a segment) of the outer surface of the housing 102. In some alternative embodiments, the housing 102 may comprise more or fewer housing segments divided by more or fewer gaps filled with non-conductive housing segments or components 116. In addition to mechanically coupling the housing segments 112, the non-conductive housing segments or components may electrically insulate the housing segments 112.

[0045] The housing segment 112 may have various lengths or shapes and may be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to the device 100 or its side wall 114. As an example, with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the device 100 is shown to have a first housing segment 112a that defines at least a portion (or all) of the first corner 108a of the side wall 114. The second housing segment 112b defines at least a portion of the second corner 108b of the side wall 114, the third housing segment 112c defines at least a portion of the third corner 108c of the side wall 114, and the fourth housing segment 112d defines at least a portion of the fourth corner 108d of the side wall 114. In some embodiments, the second housing segment 112b and the third housing segment 112c may have a greater lateral length along the side wall 114 than the first housing segment 112a and the fourth housing segment 112d. The fifth housing segment 112e defines at least a portion of the first edge of the side wall 114 between the first housing segment 112a and the third housing segment 112c, and the sixth housing segment 112f defines at least a portion of the second edge of the side wall 114 between the second housing segment 112b and the fourth housing segment 112d. The third corner 108c forms a part of the housing 102 that is diagonally opposite the second corner 108b, and the fourth corner 108d forms a part of the housing 102 that is diagonally opposite the first corner 108a. The second edge forms a part of the housing 102 that is opposite the first edge. The designations “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” “fifth,” and “sixth” are arbitrary and are used herein only for ease of explanation.

[0046] In this example, different housing segments 112 each form a corner 108. However, the specific configuration of the housing segments 112 can vary depending on the implementation example. For example, as described with reference to FIG. 2D, a single housing segment may define two or more corners of the device, or housing segments that are substantially straight or not corner-shaped may be disposed at the upper and lower edges of the device (e.g., similar to the fifth housing segment 112e and the sixth housing segment 112f disposed at the side edges of the device 100). The housing may include more or fewer housing segments than the housing segments 112 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and the housing segments may be distributed in various patterns with respect to the sidewalls of the device as described with reference to FIGS. 2A-2E.

[0047] In some embodiments, one or more of the housing segments 112 may be conductive segments made of metal or a conductive material and may be configured to act as an antenna for the device 100. A housing segment 112 configured to act as an antenna may sometimes be referred to herein as a conductive antenna segment. The wireless communication circuit 118 within the device 100 may be electrically coupled to one or more of the conductive segments. For example, the wireless communication circuit 118 may be coupled to one or more (or each) of the housing segments 112 that are conductive and configured to act as an antenna. If the housing segments 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d that define the corners 108 of the device 100 are conductive segments, the wireless communication circuit 118 may be operable to configure the conductive segments (as antennas) for wireless communication in one or more radio frequency bands. By configuring the conductive segments for wireless communication, the device 100 will be able to communicate with other devices in one or more wireless communication modes, e.g., a 4x4 multi-input multi-output (MIMO) wireless communication mode, or other wireless communication modes that use one or more antennas (up to four antennas) simultaneously. The wireless communication circuit 118 may include one or more radio frequency (RF) transmitters or receivers, one or more switches, one or more modems, etc.

[0048] Generally, the housing segment 112 may be made of a metallic material including, for example, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, and / or metal alloys. In some embodiments, the housing segment 112 may be made of a non-metallic material, may be coated, or may be covered by a metal or a metal coating or a metal layer. The non-conductive housing segment or component 116 may be made of a polymer material, a composite, or other non-conductive materials. Examples of polymers include polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyurethane, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyamide, or other similar materials.

[0049] In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing segment or component 116 may be made of a polymer material including fiber fill, and the polymer material may structurally connect to the housing segment 112 in addition to forming a part of the outer surface of the sidewall 114 (e.g., a part of the sidewall 114 that bridges or fills the external gap between the housing segments 112). In other embodiments, the non-conductive housing segment or component 116 may include a first part made of a first polymer material and a second part made of a second polymer material. The first polymer material includes fiber fill and may structurally connect to the housing segment 112. The second polymer material is different from the first polymer material and may form a part of the outer surface of the sidewall 114. Each polymer including fiber fill may include a fiber fill including glass or other types of fibers. In some embodiments, the second polymer material may also include fiber fill, but may include a different fiber fill from the fiber fill of the first polymer material.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, device 100 may include a variety of other components. For example, the front surface of device 100 may include one or more front-facing cameras 120, speakers 122, sensors 124, microphones, or other components configured to transmit or receive signals to / from device 100 (e.g., audio, image, or sensing components). In some cases, the front-facing camera 120 may be configured to act as a biometric or face recognition sensor, either alone or in combination with other sensors. Device 100 may also include a variety of input devices, including mechanical buttons or virtual buttons 123, which may be disposed along the front surface of device 100. Device 100 may also include buttons or other input devices disposed along sidewall 114 and / or the back surface of device 100. As an example, the back surface of device 100 is shown as including a rear camera 126 or other optical sensor (see FIG. 1B). A flash or light source may also be disposed along the back surface of device 100 (e.g., near camera 126).

[0051] As previously described, device 100 may include a display 104 that is at least partially surrounded by a housing 102. Display 104 may include one or more display elements, such as, for example, a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an electroluminescent (EL) display, or other types of display elements. Display 104 may also include one or more touch and / or force sensors configured to detect touch and / or force applied to an outer surface of device 100. The touch sensor may include a capacitive array of nodes or elements configured to detect the position of a touch along the surface of cover 106. The force sensor may include a capacitive array and / or a strain sensor configured to detect the amount of force applied along the surface of cover 106a.

[0052] Figure 1C shows a cross-sectional view of the device 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. As shown in FIG. 1C, the housing 102 may include one or more non-conductive housing segments or components 116 that structurally couple the housing segments 112. The housing 102 may further include a front cover 106a and a rear cover 106b, which may be structurally coupled to the non-conductive housing segment or component 116 and / or one or more housing segments 112. In some cases, the rear cover 106b may be a separate or discrete component that connects to the non-conductive housing segment or component 116 and / or one or more housing segments 112. In other cases, the rear cover 106 may be integrally formed with one or more housing segments 112 or non-conductive housing segments or components 116 to form a component that defines both the rear surface of the device 100 and one or more portions of the sidewalls 116 of the device 100.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 1C, the sidewall 114 or housing 102 may define an internal volume 128 in which various electronic components (including the display 104) of the device 100 may be disposed. In this example, the display 104 is at least partially disposed within the internal volume 128 and is connected to the inner surface of the cover 106a. A touch sensor, force sensor, or other sensing element may be integrated with the cover 106a and / or the display 104 and configured to detect touch and / or force applied to the outer surface of the cover 106a. In some cases, the touch sensor, force sensor, and / or other sensing element may be disposed between the cover 106a and the display 104.

[0054] The touch sensor and / or force sensor may comprise an electrode array configured to detect touch position and / or force, using capacitive, resistive, strain-based, or other sensing configurations. The touch sensor may include, for example, a series of capacitive touch sensing elements, a series of resistive touch sensing elements, or a series of ultrasonic touch sensing elements. When a user of the device touches the cover 106a, the touch sensor (or touch sensing system) may detect one or more touches on the cover 106a and determine the position of the touch on the cover 106a. The touch may include, for example, a touch by a user's finger or stylus. The force sensor or force sensing system may include, for example, a series of capacitive force sensing elements, a series of resistive force sensing elements, or one or more pressure transducers. When a user of the device 100 presses on the cover 106a (e.g., applies a force to the cover 106a), the force sensing system may determine the amount of force applied to the cover 106a. In some embodiments, the force sensor (or force sensing system) may be used alone or in combination with the touch sensor (or touch sensing system) to determine the position of the applied force or the amount of force associated with each touch in a series of touches occurring simultaneously.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 1C, the support plate 110 may be connected to a non-conductive housing segment or component 116 and / or one or more housing segments 112, and may be used to connect to or be attached to various other components of the device 100. For example, a wireless communication circuit, a camera, a biometric sensor, a processor, and other components may be connected to the support plate 110. By way of example, the support plate 110 may be made of metal or plastic (or may be made of any of a variety of materials that can be used to form the housing segment 112). In some cases, various electronic components may be connected to or integrated with one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) or other logic boards that are connected to the support plate 110. The processor may include a single processor or multiple processors, and may be configured to operate a touch sensing system, a force sensing system, a wireless communication circuit, a camera, a biometric sensor, or other components of the device 100. A more detailed description of the various components of the device 100 is included below with respect to FIG. 23.

[0056] Referring to FIGS. 2A-2E, a number of differential configurations 200 are shown for a multi-segment housing that forms the sidewall of the device (e.g., a device such as the device 100 described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C). One or more conductor segments of the multi-segment housing may be configured to act as an antenna for the device.

[0057] Figure 2A shows a first sidewall configuration 200a for a device (e.g., device 100). Sidewall 114 may include six housing segments, which may be the housing segments 112 described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C. Each housing segment 112 may be a conductor or a non - conductor. In some embodiments, at least one of the housing segments 112 disposed at corner 108 of sidewall 114 is a conductor and may be made to function as an antenna for the device. In some embodiments, each of the housing segments 112 disposed at corner 108 of sidewall 114 may be a conductor and may be made to function as an antenna for the device. The housing segments 112 disposed at the left and right edges of sidewall 114 may also be conductors and may be made to function as separate antennas for the device, or may be electrically connected to other conductive antenna segments of the device, or may function as conductive antenna segments that are electrically disconnected or may be made to function as such.

[0058] The housing segment 112 may include a first housing segment 112a that defines at least a part (or all) of the first corner 108a of the sidewall 114, a second housing segment 112b that defines at least a part (or all) of the second corner 108b of the sidewall 114, a third housing segment 112c that defines at least a part (or all) of the third corner 108c of the sidewall 114, a fourth housing segment 112d that defines at least a part (or all) of the fourth corner 108d of the sidewall 114, a fifth housing segment 112e that defines an edge disposed between the first housing segment and the third housing segment 112a, and a sixth housing segment 112f that defines an edge disposed between the second housing segment 112b and the fourth housing segment 112d. The third corner 108c forms part of the housing 102 that is diagonally opposite the second corner 108b, and the fourth corner 108d forms part of the housing 102 that is diagonally opposite the first corner 108a. In some embodiments, also as shown in the figure, the second housing segment 112b and the third housing segment 112c may extend along a larger portion of the sidewall 114 than each of the first housing segment 112a and the fourth housing segment 112d.

[0059] The first housing segment 112a and the fourth housing segment 112d may be substantially limited to the first corner 108a and the fourth corner 108d, respectively. However, in some embodiments (not shown), one or both of the first housing segment 112a and the fourth housing segment 112d may extend along one or more edges of the side wall 114. Alternatively, the first housing segment 112a or the fourth housing segment 112d may surround and be shorter than all of the corners 108a or 108d of the side wall 114.

[0060] The second housing segment 112b and the third housing segment 112c may each surround the second corner 108b and the third corner 108c, respectively, and may also extend along one or more edges of the side wall 114. For example, the second housing segment 112b may extend along the bottom edge of the side wall 114 (given in the orientation of the side wall 114 shown in FIG. 2A), and the third housing segment 112c may extend along the upper edge of the side wall 114. Alternatively, the second housing segment 112b or the third housing segment 112c may surround and be shorter than all of the corners 108b or 108c of the side wall 114 and may extend along one or more side edges of the side wall 114.

[0061] The housing segments 112 that end at adjacent ends along the side wall 114 may be structurally connected to each other by a series of one or more non-conductive housing components 116 (e.g., non-conductive housing components 116a, 116b, 116c, 116d, 116e, and 116f) that partially or completely fill the gap between the adjacent ends of the housing segment 112 with respect to the side wall 114. The side wall 114 shown in FIG. 2A has six such gaps. At least one non-conductive housing component 116 of the series of non-conductive housing components 116 may define a part of the outer surface of the side wall 114 (and also the outer surface of the housing 102 or the device 100 including the side wall 114).

[0062] In some embodiments, the housing segments 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d disposed at the corners 108a, 108b, 108c, 108d of the sidewall 114 may each act as a different antenna, and in some cases, the housing segments 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d may act as different antennas simultaneously. Since the housing segments 112 can be useful for different wireless communication modes, they may act as antennas individually or in pairs. In some examples, the first housing segment 112a and the fourth housing segment 112d may be used to communicate individually or in parallel across the same one or more radio frequency bands (e.g., the radio intermediate frequency band and the radio high frequency band described with reference to FIG. 19), and the second housing segment 112b and the third housing segment 112c may be used to communicate individually or in parallel across the same one or more radio frequency bands (e.g., the radio low frequency band, the radio intermediate frequency band, and the radio high frequency band described with reference to FIG. 19). Using the housing segments disposed at the diagonally opposite corners of the sidewall 114 as antennas that communicate in the same radio frequency band provides a relatively maximum spatial separation between the antennas, and as a result, the antennas do not seem to couple much with each other.

[0063] Optionally, the fifth housing segment 112e may be connected to (e.g., to the first housing segment 112a or the third housing segment 112c) or disconnected from one of the corner housing segments by a circuit disposed inside the housing including the sidewall 114, or the sixth housing segment 112f may be connected to (e.g., to the second housing segment 112b or the fourth housing segment 112d) or disconnected from one of the corner housing segments by a circuit disposed inside the housing including the sidewall 114. Such a switchable connection can tune the housing segments 112 that define the sidewall 114 to communicate across different radio frequency bands.

[0064] FIG. 2B shows another sidewall configuration 200b for a device (e.g., device 100). The sidewall 202 may include six housing segments 204. As an example, the housing segments 204 may include a first housing segment 204a that defines at least a portion (or all) of a first corner 206a of the sidewall 202, a second housing segment 204b that defines at least a portion (or all) of a second corner 206b of the sidewall 202, a third housing segment 204c that defines at least a portion (or all) of a third corner 206c of the sidewall 202, a fourth housing segment 204d that defines at least a portion (or all) of a fourth corner 206d of the sidewall 202, a fifth housing segment 204e that defines an edge disposed between the first housing segment 204a and the third housing segment 204c, and a sixth housing segment 204f that defines an edge disposed between the second housing segment 204b and the fourth housing segment 204d. The third corner 206c forms a part of the housing 202 that is diagonally opposite the second corner 206b, and the fourth corner 206d forms a part of the housing 202 that is diagonally opposite the first corner 206a.

[0065] The housing segments 204 that end at adjacent ends along the sidewall 202 may be structurally connected to each other by a series of one or more non-conductive housing components 208 (e.g., non-conductive housing components 208a, 208b, 208c, 208d, 208e, and 208f) that partially or completely fill the gaps between adjacent ends of the housing segments 204 with respect to the sidewall 202. The sidewall 202 shown in FIG. 2B has six such gaps. At least one non-conductive housing component 208 of the series of non-conductive housing components 208 may define a part (e.g., a segment) of the outer surface of the sidewall 202 (and also the outer surface of the housing including the sidewall 202). In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing components 208 may be variously configured, arranged, or made of various materials as described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C.

[0066] The sidewall 202 and the housing segment 204 may be formed, structurally connected, and electrically insulated in a similar manner to the sidewall 114 and the housing segment 112 described with reference to FIG. 2A. However, the gap between the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d in FIG. 2A may move leftward along the upper portion of the sidewall 202, such that the third housing segment 204c may be substantially limited to the third corner 206c, and the fourth housing segment 204d may wrap around the fourth corner 206d and extend along the upper edge of the sidewall 202 (i.e., along the upper edge of the sidewall 202 in the orientation of the sidewall 202 shown in FIG. 2B). In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the third housing segment 204c may extend along one or more side edges of the sidewall 202, or may wrap around shorter than all of the third corner, or the fourth housing segment 204d may wrap around shorter than all of the fourth corner 206d.

[0067] In some embodiments, the housing segments 204a, 204b, 204c, 204d disposed at the corners 206 of the sidewall 202 may each act as a different antenna, and in some cases, the housing segments 204a, 204b, 204c, 204d may act as different antennas simultaneously. Since the housing segments 204a, 204b, 204c, 204d may be useful for different wireless communication modes, they may act individually or in pairs. In some examples, the first housing segment 204a and the third housing segment 204c may be used to communicate individually or in parallel over the same one or more radio frequency bands (e.g., the radio intermediate frequency band and the radio high frequency band described with reference to FIG. 19), and the second housing segment 204b and the fourth housing segment 204c may be used to communicate individually or in parallel over the same one or more radio frequency bands (e.g., the radio low frequency band, the radio intermediate frequency band, and the radio high frequency band described with reference to FIG. 19).

[0068] In some cases, the fifth housing segment 204e may be connected to (e.g., to the first housing segment 204a or the third housing segment 204c) or disconnected from one of the corner housing segments by a circuit disposed inside the housing including the side wall 202. Alternatively, the sixth housing segment 204f may be connected to (e.g., to the second housing segment 204b or the fourth housing segment 204d) or disconnected from one of the corner housing segments by a circuit disposed inside the housing including the side wall 202. Such a switchable connection allows the housing segments 204 that define the side wall 202 to be tuned to communicate over different radio frequency bands.

[0069] FIG. 2C shows another side wall configuration 200c for a device (e.g., device 100). The side wall 210 comprises six housing segments 214. The side wall 210 and the housing segments 212 may be formed, structurally connected, and electrically insulated in the same manner as the side wall 114 and the housing segments 112 described with reference to FIG. 2A. However, the manner in which the side wall 210 is divided between the housing segments 212 is different, such that three housing segments 212a, 212b, 212d are disposed near the bottom edge of the side wall 210 (given the orientation of the side wall 210 shown in FIG. 2C), and one housing segment 212c is disposed near the upper edge of the side wall 210. Alternatively, three housing segments may be located near the upper edge of the side wall 210, and one housing segment may be disposed near the bottom edge of the side wall 210.

[0070] The housing segment 212 may include a first housing segment 212a that defines at least a part (or all) of the first corner 214a of the side wall 210, a second housing segment 212b that defines at least a part (or all) of the second corner 214b of the side wall 210, the third and fourth adjacent corners 214c, 214d of the side wall 210, a third housing segment 212c that defines at least a part (or all) of the first edge of the side wall 210 disposed between the third corner 214c and the fourth corner 214d, a fourth housing segment 212d that defines at least a part of the second edge opposite to the first edge, a fifth housing segment 212e that defines an edge disposed between the first housing segment 212a and the third housing segment 212c, and a sixth housing segment 212f that defines an edge disposed between the second housing segment 212b and the third housing segment 212c.

[0071] The first housing segment 212a and the second housing segment 212b may be substantially limited to the first corner 214a and the second corner 214b respectively. However, in some embodiments (not shown), one or both of the first housing segment 212a or the second housing segment 212b may extend along one or more edges of the side wall 210. Alternatively, the first housing segment 212a or the second housing segment 212b may surround less than all of the corners of the side wall 210.

[0072] The housing segments 212 that terminate at adjacent ends along the sidewall 210 may be structurally connected to each other by one or more non-conductive housing components 214 (e.g., non-conductive housing components 216a, 216b, 216c, 216d, 216e, and 216f) that partially or fully fill the gap between adjacent ends of the housing segment 212 with respect to the sidewall 210. The sidewall 210 shown in FIG. 2C has six such gaps. At least one non-conductive housing component 216 in the series of non-conductive housing components 216 may define a portion of the outer surface of the sidewall 210 (e.g., a segment), as well as the outer surface of the housing including the sidewall 210. In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing component 216 may be variously configured, arranged, or made of various materials as described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C.

[0073] The sidewall 210 and the housing segment 212 may be formed, structurally connected, and electrically insulated in the same manner as the sidewall 202 and the housing segment 204 described with reference to FIG. 2A.

[0074] In some embodiments, the first, second, third, and fourth housing segments 212a, 212b, 212c, 212d may each act as a different antenna, and in some cases, the housing segments 212a, 212b, 212c, 212d may act as different antennas simultaneously. Since the housing segments 212a, 212b, 212c, 212d may be useful for different wireless communication modes, they may act individually or in pairs. In some examples, the first housing segment 212a and the second housing segment 212b may be used to communicate individually or in parallel over the same one or more radio frequency bands (e.g., the radio intermediate frequency band and the radio high frequency band described with reference to FIG. 19), and the third housing segment 212c and the fourth housing segment 212d may be used to communicate individually or in parallel over the same one or more radio frequency bands (e.g., the radio low frequency band, the radio intermediate frequency band, and the radio high frequency band described with reference to FIG. 19).

[0075] Optionally, the fifth housing segment 212e may be connected to (e.g., to the first housing segment 212a or the third housing segment 212c) or disconnected from one of the corner housing segments by a circuit disposed inside the housing including the sidewall 210. Alternatively, the sixth housing segment 212f may be connected to (e.g., to the second housing segment 212b or the third housing segment 212c) or disconnected from one of the corner housing segments by a circuit disposed inside the housing including the sidewall 210. Such a switchable connection allows the housing segments 212 defining the sidewall 210 to be tuned to communicate over different radio frequency bands.

[0076] FIG. 2D shows a sidewall configuration 200d for a device (e.g., device 100). The sidewall 218 includes five housing segments 220. The housing segments 220 may include a first housing segment 220a that defines at least a portion (or all) of the first corner 222a of the sidewall 218, a second housing segment 220b that defines at least a portion (or all) of the second corner 222b of the sidewall 218, third and fourth adjacent corners 222c, 222d of the sidewall 218, a third housing segment 220c that defines at least a portion (or all) of the first edge of the sidewall 218 disposed between the third corner 222c and the fourth corner 222d, a fourth housing segment 220d that defines an edge disposed between the first housing segment 220a and the third housing segment 220c, and a fifth housing segment 220e that defines an edge disposed between the second housing segment 220b and the third housing segment 220c.

[0077] The housing segments 220 that end at adjacent ends along the side wall 218 may be structurally connected to each other by one or more non-conductive housing components 224 (e.g., non-conductive housing components 224a, 224b, 224c, 224d, and 224e) that partially or fully fill the gap between adjacent ends of the housing segment 220 with respect to the side wall 218. The side wall 218 shown in FIG. 2D has five such gaps. At least one non-conductive housing component 224 in the series of non-conductive housing components 224 may define a part (e.g., a segment) of the outer surface of the side wall 218 (and also the outer surface of the housing including the side wall 218). In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing components 224 may be variously configured, arranged, or made of various materials as described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C.

[0078] The side wall 218 and the housing segment 220 may be formed, structurally connected, and electrically insulated in the same manner as the side wall 114 and the housing segment 112 described with reference to FIG. 2A. However, replace the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d shown in FIG. 2A with a single housing segment 220c having a ground connection 226, and show the gap between the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d in FIG. 2A. The ground connection 226 separates the left and right parts of the housing segment 220c, and these left and right parts can function as different antennas (e.g., similar to the third segment 112c and the fourth segment 112d described with reference to FIG. 2A).

[0079] In some embodiments of the side wall 218, a part of the second housing segment 220b may be removed and filled with a non-conductive material 224f to provide an apparent symmetry between the lower left and lower right parts of the side wall 218.

[0080] Figure 2E shows a sidewall configuration 200e for a device (e.g., device 100). The sidewall 228 includes six housing segments 230. The housing segments 230 include a first housing segment 230a disposed near a first corner 232a of the sidewall 228, a second housing segment 230b disposed near a second corner 232b of the sidewall 228, a third housing segment 230c disposed near a third corner 232c of the sidewall 228, a fourth housing segment 230d disposed near a fourth corner 232d of the sidewall 228, a fifth housing segment 230e that defines a first edge of the sidewall 228 and is disposed between the first corner 232a and the third corner 232c, and a sixth housing segment 230f that defines a second edge of the sidewall 228 and is disposed between the second corner 232b and the fourth corner 232d.

[0081] The housing segments 230 that end at adjacent ends along the sidewall 228 may be structurally connected to each other by a series of one or more non-conductive housing components 234 (e.g., non-conductive housing components 234a, 234b, 234c, 234d, 234e, and 234f) that partially or fully fill the gap between adjacent ends of the housing segments 230 with respect to the sidewall 228. The sidewall 228 shown in FIG. 2E has six such gaps. At least one non-conductive housing component 234 of the series of non-conductive housing components 234 may define a part (e.g., segment) of the outer surface of the sidewall 228 (and also the outer surface of the housing including the sidewall 228). In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing components 234 may be variously configured, arranged, or made of various materials as described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C.

[0082] The sidewall 228 and the housing segments 230 may be formed, structurally connected, and electrically insulated in the same manner as the sidewall 114 and the housing segments 112 described with reference to FIG. 2A.

[0083] In each of the sidewall configurations 200a - e described with reference to FIGS. 2A - 2E, the housing segments 112, 204, 212, 220, or 230 configured to act as the main antenna for the device may be located at the corners or the upper and lower edges of the sidewalls 114, 202, 210, 218, or 228 of the device. Such an antenna arrangement would be useful when the antenna is positioned away from the edges that are typically grasped by the user of the device including the sidewall. The housing segments 112, 204, 212, 220, or 230 configured to operate in pairs in the same radio frequency band may be arranged at opposing corners or opposing areas of the sidewalls 114, 202, 210, 218, or 228.

[0084] FIGS. 3A - 3C show implementation examples of the first, second, third, and fourth housing segments 112a, 112b, 112c, and 112d described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C and 2A, and show examples of the positions of the housing segment 112 with respect to the support plate 110. The housing segment 112 and the support plate 110 may be examples of the housing segment and the support plate described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C and 2A.

[0085] Each of the shown housing segments 112 defines the rounded corner 108 of the housing sidewall 114. In alternative embodiments, the corner 108 may be a square corner, an octagonal tapered corner, or a corner having other rounded or tapered shapes.

[0086] As shown, mainly with reference to FIG. 3A, the first, second, third, and fourth housing segments 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d may not overlap the support plate 110 and may be electrically insulated from the support plate 110. A series of one or more non-conductive housing components (not shown in FIG. 3A but shown in FIG. 4) may form one or more structural bridges between the support plate 110 and the housing segment 112 and, in some cases, may encapsulate a portion of the support plate 110. By way of example, the non-conductive housing component may be attached to the support plate 110 or may be bonded to the support plate 110 with an adhesive. In some cases, the housing segment 112 may have an interlock mechanism that extends inwardly from the end of the housing segment 112 toward the support plate 110 or the internal volume at least partially defined by the housing segment 112, as shown in subsequent figures (e.g., FIGS. 5A-10C). The non-conductive housing component may extend to, through, or around such an interlock mechanism, such that the non-conductive housing component may better hold, grip, or retain the housing segment 112. A separation between the housing segment 112 and the support plate 110 allows the housing segment 112 to resonate more freely when used as an antenna. The support plate 110 may be more separated from the housing segment 112 (or some portions of the housing segment 112) than from other housing segments 112 (or other portions of the housing segment 112). In an alternative embodiment, the support plate 110 extends under one or more housing segments 112 but may be electrically insulated from the housing segment 112, or the support plate 110 may be grounded to one or more housing segments 112 at a selected location (e.g., a ground connection such as the ground connection 226 described with reference to FIG. 2D).

[0087] In some embodiments, the housing segments 112e, 112f disposed along the long sides of the device 100 described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C may be conductors, may be welded to the left side 306a and the right side 306b (e.g., the long sides) of the support plate 110, or may be structurally and electrically connected in other ways. In other embodiments, the housing segments 112e, 112f may be conductors and may be integrally formed as extensions of the support plate 110 (e.g., a dish-shaped configuration). In yet other embodiments, the housing segments 112e, 112f may be non-conductors and may be formed as extensions of non-conductive housing components that structurally connect the first, second, third, and fourth housing segments 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d. In the latter embodiments, the support plate 110 may also be a non-conductor and may be part of a monolithic component that structurally connects the housing segments 112.

[0088] As also shown in FIG. 3A, the support plate 110 may define a part (e.g., the antenna part) or all of one or more slot antenna mechanisms 302 (e.g., slot antenna mechanisms 302a, 302b, 302c, and 302d). As an example, the slot antenna mechanisms 302 are shown near each of the four main corners 304 (e.g., corners 304a, 304b, 304c, and 304d) of the support plate 110. The fifth housing segment is connected to the left side 306a (i.e., the left edge as shown in FIG. 3A) of the support plate 110 and may define a further part (e.g., a further antenna part) of the slot antenna mechanism 302a or 302c. Similarly, the sixth housing segment is connected to the right side 306b of the support plate 110 and may define a further part (e.g., a further antenna part) of the right slot antenna mechanism 302b or 302d. In some embodiments, the fifth housing segment may be electrically connected to or electrically disconnected from the first housing segment 112a or the third housing segment 112c, whereby, in addition to the left slot antenna mechanism 302a or 302c, the antenna including the first housing segment 112a or the third housing segment 112c can resonate in different radio frequency bands. In some embodiments, the sixth housing segment may be electrically connected to or electrically disconnected from the second housing segment 112b or the fourth housing segment 112d, whereby, in addition to the right slot antenna mechanism 302b or 302d, the antenna including the second housing segment 112b or the fourth housing segment 112d can resonate in different radio frequency bands (e.g., the B42 radio frequency band). In some cases, the fifth and sixth housing segments may be welded (e.g., spot welded or laser welded) to the support plate 110 along the left sides 306a and 306b of the support plate 110.

[0089] In some embodiments, the support plate 110 or the housing segment 112 may, in addition to, or instead of, define all or part of the antenna tuning mechanism.

[0090] FIG. 3A further shows possible positions of antennas 324, 326 that can be accommodated within the internal volume defined by the housing segment 112. In some embodiments, the internal antennas 324, 326 may be disposed at or near the corner defined by the first housing segment 112a and the third housing segment 112c. In other embodiments, the internal antennas 324, 326 may be disposed elsewhere. In some embodiments, the internal antennas 324, 326 may be used in combination with an antenna incorporating the second housing segment 112b and the fourth housing segment 112d so as to operate in the B42 radio frequency band. The internal antennas 324, 326 may be disposed near the left side of the side wall 114 to provide good isolation (and decoupling) from the antenna incorporating the second housing segment 112b and the fourth housing segment 112d.

[0091] In some embodiments, different portions 324a, 324b of the internal antenna 324 may be made to act as different antennas in one or more wireless communication modes to facilitate wireless communication in one or more radio frequency bands.

[0092] FIGS. 3B and 3C show examples of the positions of the supply connector and the ground connector with respect to the housing segments 112a and 112b, and the housing segments 112a, 112b can be made to act as an antenna by the supply connector and the ground connector. The positions of the supply connector and the ground connector described with reference to FIGS. 3B and 3C may be replicated for the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d, or the supply connector and the ground connector for the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d may be disposed at alternative positions.

[0093] As also shown in FIG. 3B, the supply connector 308 and the ground connector 310 for the first housing segment 112a may be disposed inside the side wall 114 on the opposite side of the first corner 108a. In the illustrated embodiment, the supply connector 308 may be disposed closer to the apex of the first corner 108a than to the leftmost end 312a of the first housing segment 112a. The ground connector 310 may be disposed closer to the leftmost end 312b of the first housing segment 112a. Alternatively, the positions of the supply connector 308 and the ground connector 310 may be exchanged, and the supply connector 308 may be disposed closer to the rightmost end 312b of the first housing segment 112a. The arrangement shown in FIG. 3B is advantageous in that the ground connector 310 along the gap between the adjacent ends 312b and 314a of the first housing segment 112a and the second housing segment 112b serves to define the boundary point between the antennas provided by the first housing segment 112a and the second housing segment 112b. With the illustrated arrangement, the fifth housing segment and the slot antenna mechanism 302a can also be switchably coupled to the first housing segment 112a to extend the length of the resonant portion of the antenna including the first housing segment 112a.

[0094] As also shown in FIG. 3B, the supply connector 316 and the ground connector 318 for the second housing segment 112b may be disposed inside the side wall 114 near the second corner 108b. In the illustrated embodiment, the ground connector 318 may be disposed closer to the rightmost end 314b of the second housing segment 112b than the supply connector 315. Alternatively, the positions of the supply connector 316 and the ground connector 318 may be exchanged, and the supply connector 316 may be disposed closer to the rightmost end 314b of the second housing segment 112b. With the arrangement shown in FIG. 3B, the sixth housing segment and the slot antenna mechanism 302b can also be switchably coupled to the second housing segment 112b to extend the length of the resonant portion of the antenna including the second housing segment 112b.

[0095] As shown in the figure, the resonant portion of the first housing segment 112a may resonate within the frequencies of the medium frequency band and the high frequency band described with reference to FIG. 19. The second housing segment 112b may have two resonant portions. The leftmost resonant portion resonates within the frequencies of the wireless low frequency band and the wireless high frequency band described with reference to FIG. 19, and the leftmost resonant portion resonates within the frequencies of the wireless medium frequency band described with reference to FIG. 19. The lengths of the arrows extending from the housing segments 112a, 112b represent the relative voltages along the housing segments 112a, 112b. The longer the arrow, the greater the voltage, indicating that the region with good antenna efficiency is larger in various wireless frequency bands. As shown in the figure, the portions of the first housing segment 112a and the second housing segment 112b having the highest efficiency are at various ends of the housing segments 112a, 112b. Therefore, in order to achieve the maximum possible efficiency, it is desirable to electrically insulate these ends (e.g., ends 312a, 312b, 314a, and 314b) from the surrounding conductors and disconnect (e.g., reduce its capacitance) these ends 312a, 312b, 314a, 314b from the surrounding conductors.

[0096] The antenna configuration described with reference to FIG. 3B provides good separation between a portion of the first housing segment 112a and the second housing segment 112b that resonate within the radio frequency band. FIG. 3C shows alternative positions for the supply connector 320 and the ground connector 322 for the second housing segment 112b. The alternative supply and ground connectors 320, 322 are disposed substantially at the center of the lower edge of the side wall 114 (in some cases, somewhat closer to the first corner 108a as shown). The supply connector 320 may be disposed in a position close to the second corner 108b, and the ground connector 322 may be disposed in a position close to the first corner 108a. This alternative configuration of the supply connector 320 and the ground connector 322 for the second housing segment 112b may provide good or better efficiency in the radio low frequency band and the radio high frequency band, but increases the possibility of coupling between a portion of the housing segments 112a, 112b that resonate in the radio frequency band, and there may be no good electrical insulation between the adjacent ends 312b, 314a of the first housing segment 112a and the second housing segment 112b. In some embodiments, the wireless communication circuit may be switchably connected to the second housing segment 112b to the supply connector and the ground connector 316, 318 described with reference to FIG. 3B, or to the supply connector and the ground connector 320, 322 described with reference to FIG. 3C. One or the other set of connectors may be used if necessary in response to certain trigger conditions to enhance antenna efficiency or other parameters.

[0097] FIG. 4 shows the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth housing segments 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d, 112e, and 112f described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C, 2A, and 3A-3C in connection with the support plate 110 described with reference to FIGS. 1C and 3A-3C. FIG. 4 also shows an example of a non-conductive housing component having portions 400 that structurally couple the housing segments 112 to each other and / or to the support plate 110. As an example, the non-conductive housing component may include a first portion 400 (e.g., a polymer material filled with fibers) that structurally couples the housing segments 112 to each other and the support plate 110, and a second portion 116 (e.g., a polymer material without fiber fill) that fills the outer portion of the gap between the housing segments 112 and forms part of the smooth outer surface of the side wall 114. In some embodiments, the first portion 400 may at least partially encapsulate a portion of the support plate 110. The second portion 116 of the non-conductive housing component may (or may not) match the color of the outer surface of the housing segment 112. Alternatively, the non-conductive housing component may include a single portion that structurally couples the housing segments 112 to each other and the support plate 110 and forms part of the outer surface of the side wall 114.

[0098] FIG. 4 also shows a camera brace 402 that is structurally coupled to the upper right corner of the support plate 110. If the support plate 110 and the camera brace 402 are metallic, the camera brace 402 may be welded to the support plate 110 for strength and may provide an electrical coupling between the support plate 110 and the camera brace 402. The electrical coupling can connect the support plate 110 and the camera brace 402 to a common ground and, if the housing segments 112 are made to function as antennas, may enhance the performance of the housing segments 112. The camera brace 402 may provide a housing for one or more camera modules, e.g., one or more rear camera modules (i.e., cameras having a field of view extending from the rear or non-display side of the device).

[0099] Referring now to FIGS. 5A - 10C, several internal views of an example implementation of the housing segment 112 described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A - 3C, and 4 are shown. The various figures show detailed examples of the interlock mechanism defined by the housing segment 112. In particular, the various figures show detailed examples of the interlock mechanism extending from the adjacent ends of each adjacent housing segment 112 around the side wall 114 (e.g., the details of the interlock mechanism extending from the adjacent ends of each adjacent conductive housing segment, where the adjacent conductive housing segments are separated by non - conductive housing components). As shown in the drawings, the interlock mechanism may extend into the interior volume of the device. The "A" figures of FIGS. 5A - 10C provide an isometric view of the interlock mechanism extending from the adjacent ends of the adjacent housing segments 112. The "B" and "C" figures show cross - sections of two different types of the interlock mechanism shown in the corresponding "A" figure, and the various holes in the interlock mechanism are filled with non - conductive housing components that structurally connect the two adjacent housing segments 112 shown in the "A" figure. The various housing segments 112, the interlock mechanism, these secondary mechanisms, and the techniques for creating the housing segments 112, the interlock mechanism, and these secondary mechanisms will be understood by those skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure, but may be applied as described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 4 to connect the various housing segments described as shown in FIGS. 5A - 10C.

[0100] Figures 5A - 5C show examples of interlock mechanisms 500, 502 that extend into an internal volume 544 at least partially defined by sidewall 114. The interlock mechanisms 500, 502 may extend inwardly into the internal volume 544 from adjacent ends of a fifth housing segment 112e and a third housing segment 112c as described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A - 3C, and 4. A portion of the fifth housing segment 112e is shown on the left and a portion of the third housing segment 112c is shown on the right. As previously described, the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c may be separated by a gap along sidewall 114 filled with non - conductive housing components. In some embodiments, each gap defined between adjacent ends of adjacent housing segments 112 with respect to sidewall 114 may have the same dimensions. In other embodiments, the gaps may have different dimensions. To provide good structural rigidity, the gaps may have a relatively small width with respect to sidewall 114. However, if the housing segments 112 are configured to act as antennas, it may be desirable to increase the width of the inner gap with respect to the outer surface of sidewall 114 if possible. As the separation increases, the capacitance between adjacent housing segments 112 decreases, reducing the likelihood that the adjacent housing segments 112 will couple to each other and interfere with the resonance or reduce the efficiency of the housing segments 112 (e.g., when the housing segments 112 are configured to act as antennas).

[0101] The first interlock mechanism 500 may have a first protrusion 540 that extends inward from the end of the fifth housing segment 112e into the internal volume 544. The second interlock mechanism 502 may have a second protrusion 542 that extends inward from the end of the third housing segment 112b into the internal volume 544. The first interlock mechanism 500 may be disposed near a button that protrudes through the cavity 504 of the fifth housing segment 112e and is operable from outside the device including the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c. Due to the button, the first interlock mechanism 500 may be somewhat thinner than the second interlock mechanism 502.

[0102] As shown in the figure, the interlock mechanisms 500, 502 and their protrusions 540, 542 may be integrally defined (and, for example, molded or machined) by the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c, respectively. Alternatively, the interlock mechanisms 500, 502 and their protrusions 540, 542 may be structurally connected to the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c in other ways (e.g., by welding or fixtures). The interlock mechanisms 500, 502 and the protrusions 540, 542 are each set slightly behind from a gap along the side wall (i.e., the external gap or side wall gap 506), and may form an internal gap 508 between the housing segments 112e, 112c having a width larger than the external gap 506. For example, the first end surface 546 of the fifth housing segment 112e may be disposed opposite to the second end surface 548 of the third housing segment 112c and define the external gap 506. The first interlock mechanism 500 has a first interlock surface 550 disposed opposite to the second interlock surface 552 of the second interlock mechanism 502, and may define the internal gap 508. The first interlock surface 550 may be defined by the first protrusion 540, and the second interlock surface 552 may be defined by the second protrusion 542. The external gap 506 may have a width of the first gap, and the internal gap 508 may have a width of the second gap. In some embodiments, also, as shown in FIG. 5A, the width of the second gap may be larger than the width of the first gap. As an example, the entire second interlock mechanism 502 may be set behind by an offset 510b from the external gap 506, while the outermost portion of the first interlock mechanism 500 may be set behind by an offset 510a from the external gap 506, and the innermost portion of the first interlock mechanism 500 may extend into the internal gap 508 (e.g., a part of the first interlock mechanism 500 may overlap with the offset 510a). This extension can increase the structural rigidity of the first interlock mechanism 500 having its overall narrow width, and / or provide a material for creating the boss protrusion 512 (e.g., a screw boss).

[0103] A number of through-holes or blind holes (sometimes also referred to herein as openings or recesses) may be made in each of the interlock mechanisms 500, 502 such that the non-conductive housing component extends into, through, or around such interlock mechanisms (thereby increasing the strength of the structural coupling between the fifth housing segment 112e, the non-conductive housing component, and the third housing segment 112c). Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, a first hole 514 (e.g., a blind hole) may extend into a first interlock surface 550 of the first interlock mechanism 500. In some embodiments, the first hole 514 may be milled or drilled into the first interlock surface 550 with an end mill. In some embodiments, the first hole 514 may be a blind hole such that the metal wall extends from the outer surface of the sidewall 114 to the innermost point of the first interlock mechanism 500 (i.e., to the innermost point of the first interlock mechanism 500 relative to the internal volume 544). Creating the first hole 514 allows the blind hole to maintain a separation between the first hole 514 and the button cavity 504 and, in some cases, may be open to the exterior of the device. This allows the button cavity 504 to be sealed separately from the first hole 514 and tends to reduce the likelihood of moisture or contaminants entering the gap between the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c through the cavity 504.

[0104] In some embodiments, the first hole 514 may have a portion with a shape or contour corresponding to the shape or contour of the outer surface of the sidewall 114, thereby defining a wall or a portion of a wall between the first hole 514 having a substantially uniform length and the outer surface of the sidewall 114 (see FIG. 5C). This allows more non-conductive material to extend into the first interlock mechanism 500 while maintaining the structural rigidity of the sidewall 114. In some embodiments, all portions of the wall around the first hole 114 may have a substantially uniform thickness. When the outer surface of the sidewall 114 has a curved contour, the first hole 114 may, in some cases, be kidney-shaped.

[0105] The first hole 514 may be cut out by an end mill so as to have a smooth wall. This can be important when the device is dropped. When the device is dropped, a sharp mechanism may function as a knife or saw that tends to run cracks into non-conductive housing components (e.g., non-conductive housing components extending into the first interlock mechanism 500). The thinner interlock mechanism (e.g., the first interlock mechanism 500) may be vulnerable to such cracks. In alternative embodiments, the first hole 514 may be perforated, or may not be kidney-shaped, or may be a through-hole.

[0106] Referring further to FIG. 5A, the second hole 554 may extend into the upper surface 530 of the first interlock mechanism 500 or the first protrusion 540. In some embodiments, the second hole 554 may be cut out by an end mill or perforated in the upper surface 530. The second hole 554 is transverse to the first hole 514 and may intersect the first hole 514 (i.e., the second hole 554 may be a lateral hole with respect to the first hole 514). Non-conductive housing components that structurally connect the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c may be insert-molded into the first hole 514 and the second hole 554 and, in some cases, may enter through one hole and exit through the other hole, whereby the first interlock mechanism 500 may extend in at least two orthogonal directions.

[0107] The boss protrusion 512 (e.g., screw boss) for attaching the button assembly to the fifth housing segment 112e may be integrated (e.g., molded or machined together) by the first interlock mechanism 500 or the first protrusion 540. However, the boss protrusion 512 will need to extend up to about the first interlock mechanism 500 within the gap 508 between the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c (e.g., the boss protrusion 512 may be offset from the first interlock surface 550 toward the first end surface 546). The threaded hole 516 may tap or define the boss protrusion 512 as a blind hole, thereby increasing the structural rigidity of the first interlock mechanism 500 and the boss protrusion 512 and allowing separation of the moisture sealing issues regarding the threaded hole 516 and other holes made in the first interlock mechanism 500. Alternatively, the threaded hole 516 may be a through hole.

[0108] In addition to the first hole 514 and the second hole 554, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, additional holes 518, 520, 558, 560 may be formed in the first interlock mechanism 500 or the first protrusion 540. The additional holes 518, 520, 558, 560 may hold, grip, retain, or provide additional surface area along a non-conductive housing component, thereby increasing the strength of the structural connection between the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c. In some embodiments, the additional holes 518, 520, 558, 560 may be perforated. In some embodiments, some of the additional holes 518, 520, 558, 560 may be blind holes and / or may intersect. For example, holes 518 and 558 may intersect, and holes 520 and 560 may intersect. The intersecting holes may provide a path through which the material of the non-conductive housing component can be shaped. Forming holes 518 and 520 as blind holes may separate the issue of sealing moisture and would increase the structural rigidity of the first interlock mechanism 500. In alternative embodiments, one or more of the additional holes 518, 520, 558, 560 may be through holes.

[0109] Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5C, the first hole 522 (e.g., a round through-hole) may extend to the second interlock surface 552 of the second interlock mechanism 502. In some embodiments, the first hole 522 may be drilled or otherwise cut out in the second interlock mechanism 502. The first hole 522 may be opposed to the first hole 514 in the first interlock mechanism 500 or the protrusion 540, or may be substantially aligned with the first hole 514. As defined herein, substantially aligned holes or components are arranged along a common axis and may be fully aligned or partially aligned. In some embodiments, the partially aligned holes or components may have cross-sections that overlap by at least 25%, or 50%, or 75%. The second hole 524 (e.g., a round hole) may extend to the upper surface 562 of the second interlock mechanism 502 or the second protrusion 542, may be drilled in the upper surface 562, or may be otherwise cut out. The second hole 524 may be lateral to the first hole 522 (e.g., the second hole 524 may be a first lateral hole that intersects (e.g., perpendicularly) the first hole 522). The third hole 526 (e.g., a round hole) may extend to the lower surface 564 of the second interlock mechanism 502 or the second protrusion 542 (see FIG. 5C), may be drilled in the lower surface 564, or may be otherwise cut out. The third hole 526 may be lateral to the first hole 522 (e.g., the third hole 526 may be a second lateral hole that intersects (e.g., perpendicularly) the first hole 522). The second hole 524 and the third hole 526 may have the same dimensions or different dimensions and, in some cases, may be formed as a single through-hole. In contrast to the first interlock mechanism 500 that extends into the internal gap 508, the second interlock mechanism 502 may not extend through the second interlock surface 552.

[0110] As shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C, the non-conductive housing component 528 may at least partially fill the first, second, and other holes formed in the first interlock mechanism 500 and the second interlock mechanism 502, thereby structurally connecting the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c. In some cases, the non-conductive component 528 may at least partially fill each of the first hole, the second hole, the further holes 514, 554, 518, 520, 558, 560 in the first interlock mechanism 500, and the first hole, the second hole, and the third holes 522, 524, 526 of the second interlock mechanism 502. The non-conductive housing component 528 may not extend over the upper surface 530 of the first interlock mechanism 500, but may extend over the upper surface 532 of the second interlock mechanism 502. Surrounding as many surfaces as possible of the interlock mechanisms 500, 502 with the non-conductive housing component 528 will tend to increase the strength of the structural connection between the interlock mechanisms 500, 502 and the non-conductive housing component 528. In some embodiments, one or more outer shells may be cut out from the upper surfaces of the fifth housing segment 112e and the third housing segment 112c or the first interlock mechanism 500 and the second interlock mechanism 502. For example, the outer shell 556 may be cut out from the upper surface 532 of the second interlock mechanism. The outer shell, including the outer shell 556, may serve various purposes. For example, the outer shell may reduce capacitive coupling between the housing component 112 and another component, or the outer shell will increase the surface area to which the non-conductive component 528 can adhere to the housing segment 112. In some embodiments, holes may be formed in the upper surface or the outer shell of the housing segment 112 so that the non-conductive component 528 can extend away from the interlock mechanism to and through a portion of the housing segment 112. For example, the holes 562, 566 may be cut out from the outer shell 556.

[0111] In some embodiments, a front cover (e.g., front cover 106a described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C) may be coupled to the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 500 and the second interlock mechanism 502 or housing segments 112e, 112c, or to the upper surface of the non-conductive housing component 528 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 5C, the non-conductive housing component 528 extends over the upper surface 532 of the second interlock mechanism 502). In some embodiments, a rear cover (e.g., rear cover 106b described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C) may be coupled to the lower surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 500 and the second interlock mechanism 502 or housing segments 112e, 112c by an adhesive 534 (see FIGS. 5B and 5C). A seal portion 536 may be formed on the lower surfaces of the respective housing segments 112e, 112c and inserted into a groove 538 that extends along the sidewall 114. The seal portion 536 and the adhesive 534 will help prevent moisture from entering the device between the housing segments 112e, 112c and the rear cover 106b.

[0112] In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing component 528 may be made of a polymer material that includes a fiber fill, and the polymer material may, in addition to generating the outer surface of the sidewall 114 (e.g., a portion of the sidewall 114 that bridges or fills the outer gap 506), at least partially fill various holes in the first and second interlock mechanisms. In other embodiments, the non-conductive housing component 528 may include a first portion made of a first polymer material and a second portion made of a second polymer material. The first polymer material includes a fiber fill and may at least partially fill various holes in the first interlock mechanism and the second interlock mechanism. The second polymer material, which is different from the first polymer material, may form the outer surface of the sidewall 114 (e.g., a portion of the sidewall 114 that bridges or fills the outer gap 506). Each polymer that includes a fiber fill may include a fiber fill that includes glass or other types of fibers. In some embodiments, the second polymer material may also include a fiber fill, but may include a fiber fill that is different from the fiber fill of the first polymer material.

[0113] The structure of the first interlock mechanism 500 and the second interlock mechanism 502 (more generally, all interlock mechanisms described herein) may be configured to reduce strain on the housing segment 112 and the non-conductive housing component during bending induced by dropping the device.

[0114] Figures 6A - 6C show examples of interlock mechanisms 600, 602 that extend into an internal volume 634 at least partially defined by a sidewall 114. The interlock mechanisms 600, 602 may extend inwardly from adjacent ends of a fourth housing segment 112d and a sixth housing segment 112f described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A - 3C, and 4 into the internal volume 634. A portion of the fourth housing segment 112d is shown on the left and a portion of the sixth housing segment 112f is shown on the right. As previously described, the fourth housing segment 112d and the sixth housing segment 112f may be separated by a gap along the sidewall 114 filled with non - conductive housing components. The non - conductive housing components may be part of the same non - conductive housing components that structurally connect the housing segments 112 described with reference to FIGS. 5A - 5C, or may be different non - conductive housing components.

[0115] The first interlock mechanism 600 may have a first protrusion 636 that extends inwardly from an end of the fourth housing segment 112d into the internal volume 634. The second interlock mechanism 602 may have a second protrusion 638 that extends inwardly from an end of the sixth housing segment 112f into the internal volume 634. The first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602 may be disposed between a camera brace 402 described with reference to FIG. 4 and a sidewall 114 created by the fourth housing segment 112d and the sixth housing segment 112f. Due to the camera brace 402 (or other components), the first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602 may be somewhat narrower than other interlock mechanisms (i.e., they may extend inwardly from the sidewall 114 to a lesser extent).

[0116] As shown in the figure, the interlock mechanisms 600, 602 and their protrusions 636, 638 may be integrally defined (and, for example, molded or machined) by the fourth housing segment 112d and the sixth housing segment 112f, respectively. Alternatively, the interlock mechanisms 600, 602 and their protrusions 636, 638 may be structurally connected to the fourth housing segment 112d and the sixth housing segment 112f in other ways (e.g., by welding or fixtures). The interlock mechanisms 600, 602 and the protrusions 636, 638 are each set slightly behind from a gap along the side wall 114 (i.e., the external gap or side wall gap 606), and may form an internal gap 608 between the housing segments 112d, 112f having a width larger than the external gap 606. For example, the first end surface 640 of the fourth housing segment 112d may be disposed opposite to the second end surface 642 of the sixth housing segment 112f and define the external gap 606. The first interlock mechanism 600 has a first interlock surface 644 disposed opposite to the second interlock surface 646 of the second interlock mechanism 602, and may define the internal gap 608. The first interlock surface 644 may be defined by the first protrusion 636, and the second interlock surface 646 may be defined by the second protrusion 638. The external gap 606 may have a width of the first gap, and the internal gap 608 may have a width of the second gap. In some embodiments, also, as shown in FIG. 6A, the width of the second gap may be larger than the width of the first gap. As an example, the first interlock mechanism 600 may be sent backward from the external gap 606 by the first offset, and the second interlock mechanism 602 may be sent backward from the external gap 606 by the second offset.

[0117] A number of holes may be made in each of the interlock mechanisms 600, 602 such that the non-conductive housing component extends into, through, or around such interlock mechanisms (thereby increasing the strength of the structural coupling between the fourth housing segment 112d, the non-conductive housing component, and the sixth housing segment 112f). Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the first hole 610 (e.g., a blind hole) may extend into the first interlock surface 644 of the first interlock mechanism 600. In some embodiments, the first hole 610 may be made by a series of partially overlapping drilled holes. Drilling a plurality of partially overlapping holes would result in cost savings compared to forming the first hole 610 using an end mill. In some embodiments, the partially overlapping holes may be drilled close enough to reduce the ridges where the holes overlap, thereby reducing the tendency for the ridges to act as a knife or saw when the device falls. In alternative embodiments, the first hole 610 may be made by an end mill or other means. The first hole 610 may have a shape that is not a perfect circle such that it has a smaller diameter extending laterally with respect to the sidewall 114 while having a larger diameter perpendicular to the front (display) and back of the device. The importance of a smooth wall may not be as critical in providing the large width of the first interlock mechanism 600 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B as described with reference to the first hole 514 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

[0118] Additional holes 612, 614 may also be formed in the first interlock mechanism 600 or the protrusion 636. The additional holes 612, 614 may be lateral to the first hole 610, and in some cases, the first, second, and third intersecting holes 610, 612, and 614 may be oriented in directions along the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, respectively. This allows the non-conductive housing component to extend through the first interlock mechanism 600 from within the first interlock mechanism 600 along three axes, strengthening the structural coupling between the non-conductive housing component and the first interlock mechanism 600. The second hole 612 may extend to the inner surface 648 or the protrusion 636 of the first interlock mechanism 600, or may be a blind hole provided to extend towards the side wall 114. The third hole 614 may extend to the upper surface 650 or the protrusion 636 of the first interlock mechanism 600, or may be a through hole extending perpendicular to the front and back surfaces of the device. As shown in the figure, the first interlock surface 644, the inner surface 648, and the upper surface 650 may be orthogonal surfaces.

[0119] The boss projection 616 (e.g., a screw boss) may, in some cases, serve as an antenna feed connector to which a flex circuit can be connected, and may be machined into or structurally connected to a fourth antenna segment 112d adjacent to the first interlock mechanism 600. The boss projection 616 may be threaded with a threaded hole 618 that extends perpendicular to the front and back surfaces of the device, or the threaded hole 618 may be defined in some other way. In some embodiments, the boss projection 616, or the boss projection 616 in combination with the threaded hole 618, may be made using a hole cutter (e.g., a computer numerical control (CNC) hole cutter). The hole cutter may form the boss projection 616 and a valley, lip, or ledge 620 that surrounds and is recessed from the upper surface of the boss projection 616. The ledge 620 can be used to structurally connect a non-conductive material, such as a polyurethane applied as a seal between the plastic and metal portions of a housing that includes the first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602 and / or the first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602 of a non-conductive housing component, to the boss projection 616 without extending onto the upper surface of the boss projection 616. Stated differently, the ledge 620 allows a non-conductive material to be placed around the boss projection 616 without sacrificing good electrical contact between the flex circuit or other element and the boss projection 616. In some cases, the non-conductive material may be applied around the boss projection 616, and then the upper portion of the boss projection 616 may be removed or the upper surface of the boss projection 616 may be plated so that the upper surface of the boss projection 616 is clear of the non-conductive material.

[0120] Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6C, the first hole 622 may extend to the second interlock surface 646 of the second interlock mechanism 602. The first hole 622 may be drilled through the second interlock mechanism 602 or otherwise cut out. The first hole 622 may be a conical hole (e.g., a hole made using a conical drill bit). The conical drill bit can be used to make the size of the hole 622 have a larger diameter towards the second interlock surface 646 and a smaller diameter where the hole extends behind the boss protrusion 624. Similar to how the first hole 610 is made in the first interlock mechanism 600, the first hole 622 in the second interlock mechanism 602 may be made by using a conical drill bit to drill a plurality of partially overlapping holes. Alternatively, the first hole 622 may be made from one conical hole, or from a plurality of holes using a drill bit of uniform diameter, or from a plurality of holes using different drill bits (e.g., a conical drill bit combined with a drill bit of uniform diameter, or a series of drill bits having different uniform diameters). In some embodiments, the partially overlapping holes may be drilled close enough to reduce the ridges where the holes overlap, thereby reducing the tendency for the ridges to act as knives or saws when the device falls. The first hole 622 may be a through hole or a blind hole, as shown in the figure. The second hole 626 (e.g., a round hole) may extend to the inner surface 652 or the protrusion 638 of the second interlock mechanism 602. The second hole 626 may be drilled through the second interlock mechanism 602 or otherwise cut out and may be transverse to the first hole 622 (e.g., the second hole 626 may be a transverse hole that intersects the first hole 622 (e.g., perpendicularly)).

[0121] The boss protrusion 624 (e.g., screw boss) may, in some cases, serve as a flex circuit connection point, but may be machined into or structurally coupled to the sixth antenna segment 112f and may be integrated with the second interlock mechanism 602 or protrusion 638. The boss protrusion 624 may have an angled surface with respect to an imaginary line extending perpendicular to the front and back surfaces of the device (e.g., at 30°, ±10%). In alternative embodiments, the surface may be angled at 25 - 35°, 20° - 40°, or 0 - 90°. The boss protrusion 624 may be angled such that a screw can be threaded into the threaded hole 628 within the boss protrusion 624 after the sixth housing segment 112f is connected to the support plate 220 adjacent to the camera brace 402, or the threaded hole 628 may be tapped after the sixth housing segment 112f is structurally coupled to the support plate 110 adjacent to the camera brace 402. Examples of the support plate 110 and camera brace 402 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. While maintaining the upper surface 630 (of the second interlock mechanism 602) against which the device cover or other element may engage or seal, the boss protrusion 624 may be angled to reduce the inner extension of the second interlock mechanism 602 or protrusion 638 from the sidewall 114. The angle of the angled surface of the boss protrusion 624 may be selected to balance the inner extension of the second interlock mechanism 602 or protrusion 638 (or the inner extension of the boss protrusion 624) with the area of the sealing surface 630. The boss protrusion 624 may be made similar to the boss protrusion 616 made in the first interlock mechanism 600, but in some cases may have or define a threaded hole 628 with a narrow screw depth such that the threaded hole 628 does not intersect the first hole 622 made in the second interlock mechanism 602.

[0122] The second interlock mechanism 602 may form (or be adjacent to) a part of an antenna tuning mechanism (for example, a slot antenna mechanism 632 formed between the sixth housing segment 112f, a support plate that structurally connects the fourth housing segment 112d and the sixth housing segment 112f). In some embodiments, the antenna tuning mechanism may be defined by the variable thickness of the sixth housing segment 112f along the sidewall 114. For example, the slot antenna mechanism 632 may extend from the second interlock mechanism 602 along the sixth housing segment 112f and may be defined by the thinner portion of the sixth housing segment 112f. The wide portions of the sixth housing segment 112f adjacent to the respective ends of the thinner portion may be tapered (e.g., having an arc or other outer shape) to the thinner portion as shown in the figure, or may be a sharp transition (e.g., stepped) from each wide portion to the thinner portion.

[0123] As shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, the non-conductive housing component 528 may at least partially fill or extend into the first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602. Surrounding as many surfaces as possible of the interlock mechanisms 600, 602 with the non-conductive material of the non-conductive housing component 528 tends to increase the strength of the structural connection between the interlock mechanisms 600, 602 and the non-conductive housing component 528. In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing component 528 may extend into the holes 610, 612, 614, 622, and 626.

[0124] In some embodiments, one or more outer shells may be cut out from the upper surfaces of the fourth housing segment 112d and the sixth housing segment 112f or the first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602. For example, the outer shell 654 may be cut out from the upper surface 650 of the first interlock mechanism 600. In some embodiments, holes may be formed in the upper surface of the housing segment 112 or the outer shell so that the non-conductive component 528 can extend to and through a portion of the housing segment 112 remote from the interlock mechanism. For example, the hole 656 may be cut out from the outer shell 654.

[0125] In some embodiments, a front cover (e.g., the front cover 106a described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C) may be coupled to the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602 or the housing segments 112d, 112f, or to the upper surface of the non-conductive housing component 528 (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, the non-conductive housing component 528 extends over the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602). In some embodiments, a rear cover (e.g., the rear cover 106b described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C) may be coupled to the lower surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602 by an adhesive 534. The seal portion 536 may be formed on the lower surfaces of the respective housing segments 112d, 112f and inserted into a groove 538 extending parallel to the side wall 114. The seal portion 536 and the adhesive 534 will help prevent moisture from entering the device between the housing segments 112d, 112f and the rear cover 106b.

[0126] Figs. 7A - 7C show examples of interlock mechanisms 700, 702 that extend into an internal volume 732 that is at least partially defined by sidewall 114. The interlock mechanisms 700, 702 may extend inwardly into the internal volume 732 from adjacent ends of a first housing segment 112a and a fifth housing segment 112e as described with reference to Figs. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A - 3C, and 4. A portion of the first housing segment 112a is shown on the left and a portion of the fifth housing segment 112e is shown on the right. As previously described, the first housing segment 112a and the fifth housing segment 112e may be separated by a gap along sidewall 114 filled with non - conductive housing components. The non - conductive housing components may be part of the same non - conductive housing components that structurally couple the housing segments 112 as described with reference to Figs. 5A - 5C and / or Figs. 6A - 6C, or may be different non - conductive housing components.

[0127] The first interlock mechanism 700 may have a first protrusion 734 that extends inward from the end of the first housing segment 112a into the internal volume 732. The second interlock mechanism 702 may have a second protrusion 736 that extends inward from the end of the fifth housing segment 112e into the internal volume 732. As shown in the figure, the interlock mechanisms 700, 702 and their protrusions 734, 736 may be integrally defined by the first housing segment 112a and the fifth housing segment 112e, respectively (and, for example, molded or machined together). Alternatively, the interlock mechanisms 700, 702 and their protrusions 734, 736 may be structurally connected to the first housing segment 112a and the fifth housing segment 112e in other ways (e.g., by welding or fixtures). The interlock mechanisms 700, 702 and the protrusions 734, 736 are each set slightly behind from the gap along the side wall 114 (i.e., the external gap or side wall gap 706), and may form an internal gap 708 between the housing segments 112a, 112e that has a greater width than the external gap 706. For example, the first end surface 738 of the first housing segment 112a may be disposed opposite the second end surface 740 of the fifth housing segment 112e and may define the external gap 706. The first interlock mechanism 700 has a first interlock surface 742 that is disposed opposite the second interlock surface 744 of the second interlock mechanism 702 and may define the internal gap 708. The first interlock surface 742 may be defined by the first protrusion 734, and the second interlock surface 744 may be defined by the second protrusion 736. The external gap 706 may have the width of the first gap, and the internal gap 708 may have the width of the second gap. In some embodiments, also, as shown in FIG. 7A, the width of the second gap may be greater than the width of the first gap.

[0128] As an example, the entire first interlock mechanism 700 may be set back from the external gap 706 by an offset 710a, while the outermost portion of the second interlock mechanism 702 may be set back from the external gap 706 by an offset 710b, and the innermost portion of the second interlock mechanism 702 may extend into the internal gap 708 (for example, a part of the second interlock mechanism 702 may overlap the offset 710b).

[0129] A number of holes may be made in each of the interlock mechanisms 700, 702 such that a non-conductive housing component extends into, through, or around such interlock mechanisms (thereby increasing the strength of the structural coupling between the first housing segment 112a, the non-conductive housing component, and the fifth housing segment 112e). Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the first hole 712 (e.g., a round through-hole) may extend into the first interlock surface 742 of the first interlock mechanism 700. In some embodiments, the first hole 712 may be made by drilling a single hole in the first interlock mechanism 700. Additional holes 714, 716 may also be made in the first interlock mechanism 700 as shown in FIG. 7B. The additional holes 714, 716 may hold, grip, retain, or provide additional surface area along the non-conductive housing component, thereby increasing the strength of the structural connection between the first housing segment 112a and the fifth housing segment 112e. As an example, the second hole 714 (e.g., a round hole) may extend into the upper surface 746 or projection 734 of the first interlock mechanism 700. The second hole 714 may be drilled in the first interlock mechanism 700 or cut out in some other way and may be transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 712. The third hole 716 (e.g., a round hole) may extend into the lower surface 748 or projection 734 of the first interlock mechanism 700. The third hole 716 may be drilled in the first interlock mechanism 700 or cut out in some other way and may be transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 712. The second hole 714 and the third hole 716 may have the same dimensions or different dimensions and, in some cases, may be formed as a single through-hole. The first interlock surface 742 of the first interlock mechanism 700 may be flat.

[0130] Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7C, the first hole 718 may extend to the second interlock surface 744 of the second interlock mechanism 702. In some embodiments, the first hole 718 may be drilled or otherwise cut out in the second interlock mechanism 702. The first hole 718 may be made as a through hole using a drill bit of uniform diameter. The second hole 720 (e.g., a round hole) may extend to the upper surface 726 or the protrusion 734 of the second interlock mechanism 702. In some embodiments, the second hole 720 may be drilled or otherwise cut out in the second interlock mechanism 702 and may be transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 718. The third hole 722 (e.g., a round hole) may extend to the lower surface 752 or the protrusion 736 of the second interlock mechanism 702. In some embodiments, the third hole 722 may be drilled or otherwise cut out in the second interlock mechanism 702 and may be transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 718. The second hole 720 and the third hole 722 may have the same dimensions or different dimensions and, in some cases, may be formed as a single through hole.

[0131] The boss protrusion 724 (e.g., screw boss) may, in some cases, serve as a flexible circuit connection point, but may be processed into or structurally connected to the fifth antenna segment 112e and may be integrated with the second interlock mechanism 702. The boss protrusion 724 may have an angled surface with respect to an imaginary line extending perpendicular to the front and back surfaces of the device (e.g., at 10°, ±10%). In alternative embodiments, the surface may be angled at 5 - 15°, 0° (aligned with the imaginary line) - 20°, or 0 - 90°. While maintaining the upper surface 726 (of the second interlock mechanism 702) where the device cover or other elements can engage or seal, the boss protrusion 724 may be angled to reduce the inner extension of the second interlock mechanism 702 from the sidewall 114. The boss protrusion 724 may be made in the same manner as the boss protrusions 616, 624 made in the first interlock mechanism 600 and the second interlock mechanism 602 described with reference to FIGS. 6A - 6C. Or, the boss protrusion 724 may be formed by protruding a CNC'd metal piece after non - conductive material has been deposited in and around the first interlock mechanism 700 and the second interlock mechanism 702. The threaded hole 728 may be tapped into the boss protrusion 724 after protruding the CNC'd metal piece. CNC'ing the metal piece that protruded after the non - conductive material was deposited will prevent the boss protrusion 724 from being buried in the non - conductive material. Similar to the boss protrusion 624, the boss protrusion 724 may have a threaded hole 728 with a narrow thread depth such that the threaded hole 728 does not intersect the first hole 718 made in the second interlock mechanism 702.

[0132] The second interlock mechanism 702 may form (or be adjacent to) part of an antenna tuning mechanism (e.g., a slot antenna mechanism 730 formed between the fifth housing segment 112e, and a support plate that structurally connects the first housing segment 112a and the fifth housing segment 112e). In some embodiments, the antenna tuning mechanism may be defined by the variable thickness of the fifth housing segment 112e along the sidewall 114. For example, the slot antenna mechanism 730 may extend from the second interlock mechanism 702 along the fifth housing segment 112e and may be defined by the thinner portion of the fifth housing segment 112e. The wide portions of the fifth housing segment 112e adjacent to the respective ends of the thinner portion may be tapered (e.g., having an arc or other outer shape) to the thinner portion as shown in the figure, or may be a sharp transition (e.g., stepped) from each wide portion to the thinner portion.

[0133] As shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the non-conductive housing component 528 may at least partially fill or extend into the first interlock mechanism 700 and the second interlock mechanism 702. Surrounding as many surfaces as possible of the interlock mechanisms 700, 702 with the non-conductive material of the non-conductive housing component 528 tends to increase the strength of the structural connection between the interlock mechanisms 700, 702 and the non-conductive housing component 528. In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing component 528 may extend into the holes 712, 714, 716, 718, 720, and 722.

[0134] In some embodiments, one or more outer shells may be cut out from the upper surfaces of the first housing segment 112a and the fifth housing segment 112e or the first interlock mechanism 700 and the second interlock mechanism 702. For example, the outer shell 754 may be cut out from the upper surface 746 of the first interlock mechanism 700. In some embodiments, holes may be formed in the upper surface of the housing segment 112 or the outer shell so that the non-conductive component 528 can extend to and through a portion of the housing segment 112 remote from the interlock mechanism. For example, the holes 756, 758, and 760 may be cut out from the outer shell 754.

[0135] In some embodiments, a front cover (e.g., the front cover 106a described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C) may be coupled to the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 700 and the second interlock mechanism 702 or the housing segments 112a, 112e, or to the upper surface of the non-conductive housing component 528 (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the non-conductive housing component 528 extends over the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 700 and the second interlock mechanism 702). In some embodiments, a rear cover (e.g., the rear cover 106b described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C) may be coupled to the lower surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 700 and the second interlock mechanism 702 by an adhesive 534. The seal portion 536 may be formed on the lower surfaces of the respective housing segments 112a, 112e and inserted into a groove 538 extending parallel to the side wall 114. The seal portion 536 and the adhesive 534 will help prevent moisture from entering the device between the housing segments 112a, 112e and the rear cover 106b.

[0136] Figures 8A - 8C show examples of interlock mechanisms 800, 802 that extend into an internal volume 834 that is at least partially defined by sidewall 114. The interlock mechanisms 800, 802 may extend inwardly from adjacent ends of the sixth housing segment 112f and the second housing segment 112b, as described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A - 3C, and 4, into the internal volume 834. A portion of the sixth housing segment 112f is shown on the left, and a portion of the second housing segment 112b is shown on the right. As previously described, the sixth housing segment 112f and the second housing segment 112b may be separated by a gap along the sidewall 114 that is filled with non - conductive housing components. The non - conductive housing components may be part of the same non - conductive housing components that structurally connect the housing segments 112, as described with reference to FIGS. 5A - 7C, or may be different non - conductive housing components.

[0137] The first interlock mechanism 800 may have a first protrusion 836 that extends inwardly from an end of the sixth housing segment 112f into the internal volume 834. The second interlock mechanism 802 may have a second protrusion 838 that extends inwardly from an end of the second housing segment 112b. As shown in the figures, the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 and their protrusions may be integrally defined (e.g., molded or machined together) by the sixth housing segment 112f and the second housing segment 112b, respectively. Alternatively, the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 and their protrusions 836, 838 may be structurally connected to the sixth housing segment 112f and the second housing segment 112b in other ways (e.g., by welding or fixtures). The interlock mechanisms 800, 802 and the protrusions 836, 838 are each set slightly back from a gap along the sidewall 114 (i.e., an external gap or sidewall gap 806) to form an internal gap 808 between the housing segments 112f, 112b that has a greater width than the external gap 806. For example, a first end surface 840 of the sixth housing segment 112f may be disposed opposite a second end surface 842 of the second housing segment 112b to define the external gap 806. The first interlock mechanism 800 has a first interlock surface 844 disposed opposite to the second interlock surface 846 of the second interlock mechanism 802, and may define an internal gap 808. The first interlock surface 844 may be defined by the first protrusion 836, and the second interlock surface 846 may be defined by the second protrusion 838. The external gap 806 may have the width of the first gap, and the internal gap 808 may have the width of the second gap. In some embodiments, also, as shown in FIG. 8A, the width of the second gap may be greater than the width of the first gap.

[0138] As an example, the entirety of the second interlock mechanism 802 may be set back from the external gap 806 by an offset 810b, while the outermost portion of the first interlock mechanism 800 may be set back from the external gap 806 by an offset 810a, and the innermost portion of the first interlock mechanism 800 may extend into the internal gap 808 (for example, a part of the first interlock mechanism 800 may overlap the offset 810a).

[0139] A number of holes may be made in each of the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 such that a non-conductive housing component extends into, through, or around such interlock mechanisms (thereby increasing the strength of the structural coupling between the fifth housing segment 112e, the non-conductive housing component, and the second housing segment 112b). For example, each of the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 may have a first hole 812 or 814 (e.g., a through hole) extending to a first interlock surface 844 or a second interlock surface 846, respectively. The first holes 812 or 814 may be made by drilling one hole from each of the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 or the protrusions 836, 838. Additional holes may also be made in each of the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 or the protrusions 836, 838 as shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C. The additional holes may hold, grip, retain, or provide additional surface area along the non-conductive housing component, thereby increasing the strength of the structural connection between the sixth housing segment 112f and the second housing segment 112b. As an example, second holes 816 or 818 (e.g., round holes) may extend to the upper surface 848 or 850 of each of the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 or the protrusions 836, 838. The second holes 816, 818 may be drilled in each of the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 or cut out in other ways and may be transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first holes 812 or 814. Third holes 820 or 822 (e.g., round holes) may extend to the lower surface 852 or 854 of each of the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 or the protrusions 836, 838. The third holes 820, 822 may be drilled in each of the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 or cut out in other ways and may be transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first holes 812 or 814. The second and third holes 816 - 822 may have the same dimensions or different dimensions and in some cases may be formed as one through hole.Creating all of the three holes 812 - 822 by drilling (instead of, for example, using an end mill) would reduce costs and shorten cycle times without sacrificing the structural coupling integrity between the sixth housing segment 112f and the second housing segment 112b.

[0140] The boss projection 824 (e.g., a screw boss) may in some cases serve as a flex circuit connection point (e.g., an antenna tuning connector point), but may be machined into or structurally coupled to the sixth antenna segment 112f and may be integrated with the first interlock mechanism 802. The boss projection 824 may have an angled surface 826 (e.g., at 10°, ±10%) with respect to an imaginary line extending perpendicular to the front and back surfaces of the device. In alternative embodiments, the surface may be angled at 5 - 15°, 0° (aligned with the imaginary line) - 20°, or 0 - 90°. While maintaining the upper surface 828 (of the first interlock mechanism 800) into which the device cover or other element may engage or seal, the boss projection 824 may be angled to reduce the inward extension of the first interlock mechanism 800 from the sidewall 114. The boss projection 824 may be formed in a manner similar to the boss projection 724 described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7C. Similar to the boss projection 724, the boss projection 824 may have a threaded hole 830 with a narrow thread depth such that the threaded hole 830 does not intersect the first hole 812 made in the first interlock mechanism 800.

[0141] The first interlock mechanism 800 may form (or be adjacent to) a part of an antenna tuning mechanism (e.g., a slot antenna mechanism 832 formed between the sixth housing segment 112f and a support plate that structurally connects the sixth housing segment 112f and the second housing segment 112b). In some embodiments, the antenna tuning mechanism may be defined by the variable thickness of the sixth housing segment 112f along the side wall 114. For example, the slot antenna mechanism 832 may extend from the first interlock mechanism 800 along the sixth housing segment 112f and may be defined by the thinner portion of the sixth housing segment 112f. The wide portions of the sixth housing segment 112f adjacent to the respective ends of the thinner portions may be tapered (e.g., having an arc or other outer shape) to the thinner portions as shown in the figure, or may be a sharp transition (e.g., stepped) from the respective wide portions to the thinner portions.

[0142] As shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C, the non-conductive housing component 528 may at least partially fill or extend into the first interlock mechanism 800 and the second interlock mechanism 802. Surrounding as many surfaces as possible of the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 with the non-conductive material of the non-conductive housing component 528 tends to increase the strength of the structural connection between the interlock mechanisms 800, 802 and the non-conductive housing component 528. In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing component 528 may extend into the holes 812, 814, 816, 818, 820, and 822.

[0143] In some embodiments, one or more outer shells may be cut out from the upper surfaces of the sixth housing segment 112f and the second housing segment 112b or the first interlock mechanism 800 and the second interlock mechanism 802. For example, the outer shell 856 may be cut out from the upper surface 850 of the second interlock mechanism 802. In some embodiments, holes may be formed in the upper surface of the housing segment 112 or the outer shell so that the non-conductive component 528 can extend to and through a portion of the housing segment 112 remote from the interlock mechanism. For example, the holes 858, 860, and 862 may be cut out from the outer shell 856.

[0144] In some embodiments, a front cover (e.g., the front cover 106a described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C) may be coupled to the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 800 and the second interlock mechanism 802 or the housing segments 112f, 112b, or to the upper surface of the non-conductive housing component 528 (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C, the non-conductive housing component 528 extends over the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 800 and the second interlock mechanism 802). In some embodiments, a rear cover (e.g., the rear cover 106b described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C) may be coupled to the lower surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 800 and the second interlock mechanism 802 by an adhesive 534. The seal portion 536 may be formed on the lower surfaces of the respective housing segments 112f, 112b and inserted into a groove 538 extending parallel to the side wall 114. The seal portion 536 and the adhesive 534 will help prevent moisture from entering the device between the housing segments 112f, 112b and the rear cover 106b.

[0145] Figures 9A - 9C illustrate examples of interlock mechanisms 900, 902 that extend into an internal volume 928 that is at least partially defined by a sidewall 114. The interlock mechanisms 900, 902 may extend inwardly from adjacent ends of a second housing segment 112b and a first housing segment 112a as described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A - 3C, and 4 into the internal volume 928. A portion of the second housing segment 112b is shown on the left and a portion of the first housing segment 112a is shown on the right. As previously described, the second housing segment 112b and the first housing segment 112a may be separated by a gap along the sidewall 114 filled with non - conductive housing components. The non - conductive housing components may be part of the same non - conductive housing components that structurally couple the housing segments 112 as described with reference to FIGS. 5A - 8C, or may be different non - conductive housing components.

[0146] The first interlock mechanism 900 may have a first protrusion 930 that extends inwardly from an end of the second housing segment 112b into the internal volume 928. The second interlock mechanism 902 may have a second protrusion 932 that extends inwardly from an end of the first housing segment 112a into the internal volume 928. The first interlock mechanism 900 may be disposed near a port 904 (e.g., a pressure port, a speaker port, etc.) created by the second housing segment 112b. Due to the port 904, the first interlock mechanism 900 may be somewhat thinner than the second interlock mechanism 902. To offset the thinness of the first interlock mechanism 900 and enhance performance in a crushing mode, the first interlock mechanism 900 may protrude further inward from the sidewall 114 than other interlock mechanisms (e.g., further inward than the second interlock mechanism 902). In some embodiments, the second interlock mechanism 902 may extend inward away from the sidewall 114 in a similar manner as the first interlock mechanism 900.

[0147] As shown in the figure, the interlock mechanisms 900, 902 may be integrally defined by the second housing segment 112b and the first housing segment 112a, respectively (and, for example, may be molded or processed). Alternatively, the interlock mechanisms 900, 902 may be structurally connected to the second housing segment 112b and the first housing segment 112a in other ways (e.g., by welding or fixtures). The interlock mechanisms 900, 902 and the protrusions 930, 932 are each set slightly behind from a gap along the inside of the side wall (i.e., the external gap or side wall gap 906), and may form an internal gap 908 between the housing segments 112b, 112a having a width larger than the external gap 906. For example, the first end surface 934 of the second housing segment 112b may be disposed opposite to the second end surface 936 of the first housing segment 112a and define the external gap 906. The first interlock mechanism 900 has a first interlock surface 938 disposed opposite to the second interlock surface 940 of the second interlock mechanism 902, and may define the internal gap 908. The first interlock surface 938 may be defined by the first protrusion 930, and the second interlock surface 940 may be defined by the second protrusion 932. The external gap 906 may have a width of the first gap, and the internal gap 908 may have a width of the second gap. In some embodiments, also, as shown in FIG. 9A, the width of the second gap may be larger than the width of the first gap.

[0148] A non-conductive housing component may have a number of holes made in each of the interlock mechanisms 900, 902 that extend to, through, or around such interlock mechanisms (thereby increasing the strength of the structural coupling between the second housing segment 112b, the non-conductive housing component, and the first housing segment 112a). Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, a first hole 912 (e.g., a through hole) may extend to a first interlock surface 938 of the first interlock mechanism 900. In some embodiments, the first hole 912 may be made by a series of a plurality of partially overlapping drilled holes. Drilling a plurality of partially overlapping holes would result in cost savings compared to forming the first hole 912 using an end mill. In some embodiments, the partially overlapping holes may be drilled close enough to reduce the ridges where the holes overlap, thereby reducing the tendency for the ridges to act as a knife or saw when the device falls. In alternative embodiments, the first hole 912 may be made by an end mill or other means.

[0149] In addition to the first hole 912, additional holes 914, 916, 918, 920 may extend to additional surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 900 or the protrusion 930, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. The additional holes 914-920 may hold, grip, retain, or provide additional surface area along a non-conductive housing component, thereby increasing the strength of the structural connection between the second housing segment 112b and the first housing segment 112a. In some embodiments, the additional holes 914-920 may be drilled. The additional holes 914-920 may include a second hole 914 and a third hole 916 drilled in the upper surface 942 of the first interlock mechanism 900 in a direction transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 912, a fourth hole 918 drilled in the inner surface 944 of the first interlock mechanism 900 in a direction transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 912, and a fifth hole 920 drilled in the lower surface 946 of the first interlock mechanism 900 in a direction transverse to the side wall 114 and intersecting the first hole 912 perpendicularly. The non-conductive housing component may extend through each of the holes 912-920 and around various portions of the first interlock mechanism 900.

[0150] The non-conductive housing component may extend through the first interlock 900 in five directions of the x / y / z coordinate space (e.g., in all directions but through the side wall 114). This can increase the structural rigidity of the first interlock mechanism 900, which may be useful when thinning its width.

[0151] Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9C, the first hole 922 (e.g., a round through-hole) may extend to the second interlock surface 940 or the protrusion 932 of the second interlock mechanism 902. In some embodiments, the first hole 922 may be drilled or otherwise cut out in the second interlock mechanism 902. The second hole 924 (e.g., a round hole) may extend to the upper surface 948 or the protrusion 932 of the second interlock mechanism 902. The second hole 924 may be drilled and may be transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 922. The third hole 926 (e.g., a round hole) may extend to the lower surface 950 or the protrusion 932 of the second interlock mechanism 902. The third hole 926 may be drilled or otherwise cut out in the second interlock mechanism 902 and may be transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 922. The second hole 924 and the third hole 926 may have the same dimensions or different dimensions and, in some cases, may be formed as a single through-hole.

[0152] As shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C, the non-conductive housing component 528 may at least partially fill or extend into the first interlock mechanism 900 and the second interlock mechanism 902. Surrounding as many surfaces as possible of the interlock mechanisms 900, 902 with the non-conductive material of the non-conductive housing component 528 will tend to increase the strength of the structural connection between the interlock mechanisms 900, 902 and the non-conductive housing component 528. In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing component 528 may extend into the holes 912, 914, 916, 918, 920, 922, 924, and 926.

[0153] In some embodiments, one or more outer shells may be cut out from the upper surfaces of the second housing segment 112b and the first housing segment 112a or the first interlock mechanism 900 and the second interlock mechanism 902. For example, the outer shell 952 may be cut out from the upper surface 948 of the second interlock mechanism 902. In some embodiments, holes may be formed in the upper surface of the housing segment 112 or the outer shell so that the non-conductive component 528 can extend to and through a portion of the housing segment 112 away from the interlock mechanism. For example, the holes 954 and 956 may be cut out from the outer shell 952.

[0154] In some embodiments, a front cover (e.g., the front cover 106a described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C) may be coupled to the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 900 and the second interlock mechanism 902 or the housing segments 112b, 112a, or to the upper surface of the non-conductive housing component 528 (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C, the non-conductive housing component 528 extends over the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 900 and the second interlock mechanism 902). In some embodiments, a rear cover (e.g., the rear cover 106b described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C) may be coupled to the lower surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 900 and the second interlock mechanism 902 by an adhesive 534. The seal portion 536 may be formed on the lower surfaces of the respective housing segments 112b, 112a and inserted into a groove 538 extending parallel to the side wall 114. The seal portion 536 and the adhesive 534 will help prevent moisture from entering the device between the housing segments 112b, 112a and the rear cover 106b.

[0155] Figures 10A-10C illustrate examples of interlock mechanisms 1000, 1002 that extend into an internal volume 1028 that is at least partially defined by a sidewall 114. The interlock mechanisms 1000, 1002 may extend inwardly from adjacent ends of a third housing segment 112c and a fourth housing segment 112d as described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C, 2A, 3A-3C, and 4 into the internal volume 1028. A portion of the third housing segment 112c is shown on the left, and a portion of the fourth housing segment 112d is shown on the right. As previously described, the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d may be separated by a gap along the sidewall 114 filled with non-conductive housing components. The non-conductive housing components may be a part of the same non-conductive housing components that structurally couple the housing segments 112 as described with reference to FIGS. 5A-9C, or may be different non-conductive housing components. Similarly, the internal volumes described with reference to FIGS. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A, 9A, and 10A may be the same or different.

[0156] The first interlock mechanism 1000 may have a first protrusion 1030 that extends inwardly from an end of the third housing segment 112c into the internal volume 1028. The second interlock mechanism 1002 may have a second protrusion 1032 that extends inwardly from an end of the fourth housing segment 112d into the internal volume 1028. As shown in the figures, the interlock mechanisms 1000, 1002 and their protrusions 1030, 1032 may be integrally defined (e.g., molded or machined together) by the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d, respectively. Alternatively, the interlock mechanisms 1000, 1002 may be structurally coupled to the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d in other manners (e.g., by welding or fixtures).

[0157] The interlock mechanisms 1000, 1002 may each be set slightly behind from a gap along the inside of the side wall 114 (i.e., the external gap or side wall gap 1006), and form an internal gap 1008 between the housing segments 112c, 112d having a width larger than the external gap 1006. For example, the first end surface 1034 of the third housing segment 112c may be disposed opposite to the second end surface 1036 of the fourth housing segment 112d, and define the external gap 1006. The first interlock mechanism 1000 has a first interlock surface 1038 disposed opposite to the second interlock surface 1040 of the second interlock mechanism 1002, and may define the internal gap 1008. The first interlock surface 1038 may be defined by the first protrusion 1030, and the second interlock surface 1040 may be defined by the second protrusion 1032. The external gap 1006 may have a width of the first gap, and the internal gap 1008 may have a width of the second gap. In some embodiments, also, as shown in FIG. 10A, the width of the second gap may be larger than the width of the first gap.

[0158] A number of holes may be made in each of the interlock mechanisms 1000, 1002 such that a non-conductive housing component extends into, through, or around such interlock mechanisms (thereby increasing the strength of the structural coupling between the third housing segment 112c, the non-conductive housing component, and the fourth housing segment 112d). Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, the first hole 1010 (e.g., a through hole) may extend to the first interlock surface 1038 or the protrusion 1030 of the first interlock mechanism 1000. The first hole 1010 may be made by a series of partially overlapping drilled holes. In some embodiments, the partially overlapping holes may be drilled close enough to reduce the ridges where the holes overlap, thereby reducing the tendency for the ridges to act as a knife or saw when the device drops. In alternative embodiments, the first hole 1010 may be made by an end mill or other means.

[0159] In addition to the first hole 1010, additional holes 1012, 1014 may be formed in the first interlock mechanism 1000 or the protrusion 1030. The additional holes 1012, 1014 may hold, grip, possess, or provide additional surface area along a non-conductive housing component, thereby increasing the strength of the structural connection between the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d. In some embodiments, the additional holes 1012, 1014 may be perforated. The additional holes 1012, 1014 include a second hole 1012 that extends in a lateral direction (e.g., perpendicularly intersects) to the first hole 1010 and extends to the upper surface 1018 of the first interlock mechanism 1000 or the protrusion 1030, and a third hole 1014 that extends in a lateral direction (e.g., perpendicularly intersects) to the side wall 114 and the first hole 1010 and extends to the inner surface 1042 of the first interlock mechanism 1000 or the protrusion 1030. The non-conductive housing component may extend around various portions of the first interlock mechanism 1000 through each of the holes 1010 - 1014. The outer shell 1016 may be cut out from the upper surface 1018 of the first interlock mechanism 1000. In some cases, the outer shell 1016 may be curved. In some cases, the outer shell 1016 may intersect the second hole 1012. As shown in the figure, the outer shell 1016 may intersect the second hole 1012 perpendicularly. The outer shell 1016 may increase the separation or reduce the capacitance between the third housing segment 112c and a conductor component passing near the third housing segment 112c. In some embodiments, the outer shell 116 may be covered by a non-conductive housing component 528 as shown in FIG. 10B.

[0160] Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10C, the first hole 1020 (e.g., through hole) may extend to the second interlock surface 1040 or the protrusion 1032 of the second interlock mechanism 1002. In some embodiments, the first hole 1020 may be drilled or otherwise cut out in the second interlock mechanism 1002. The second hole 1022 (e.g., round hole) may extend to the upper surface 1044 or the protrusion 1032 of the second interlock mechanism 1002, and may also be drilled or otherwise cut out in the second interlock mechanism 1002. The second hole 1022 may be transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 1020. The third hole 1024 (e.g., round hole) may extend to the lower surface 1046 or the protrusion 1032 of the second interlock mechanism 1002. In some embodiments, the third hole 1024 may be drilled or otherwise cut out in the second interlock mechanism 1002 transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the first hole 1020. The second hole 1022 and the third hole 1024 may have the same dimensions or different dimensions, and in some cases, may be formed as one through hole.

[0161] As shown in FIG. 10A, the boss protrusion 1026 (e.g., screw boss) may be integrated with the second interlock mechanism 1002 or the protrusion 1032. In some embodiments, the boss protrusion 1026 may be formed as described with reference to FIG. 6A.

[0162] As shown in FIGS. 10B and 10C, the non-conductive housing component 528 may at least partially fill or extend into the first interlock mechanism 1000 and the second interlock mechanism 1002. Surrounding as many surfaces as possible of the interlock mechanisms 1000, 1002 with the non-conductive material of the non-conductive housing component 528 will tend to increase the strength of the structural connection between the interlock mechanisms 1000, 1002 and the non-conductive housing component 528. In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing component 528 may extend into holes 1010, 1012, 1014, 1020, 1022, and 1024.

[0163] In some embodiments, one or more outer shells may be cut out from the housing segment 112 (e.g., within the fourth housing segment 112d). For example, the outer shell 1048 may be cut out from the fourth housing segment 112d over the upper surface 1044 of the second interlock mechanism 802. In some embodiments, holes may be made in the outer shell 1048 such that the non-conductive component 528 enters and extends through the outer shell 1048. For example, holes 1050 and 152 may be cut out from the outer shell 1048.

[0164] In some embodiments, a front cover (e.g., front cover 106a described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C) may be coupled to the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 1000 and the second interlock mechanism 1002 or the housing segments 112c, 112d, or to the upper surface of the non-conductive housing component 528 (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 10B and 10C, the non-conductive housing component 528 extends over the upper surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 1000 and the second interlock mechanism 1002). In some embodiments, a rear cover (e.g., rear cover 106b described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C) may be coupled to the lower surfaces of the first interlock mechanism 1000 and the second interlock mechanism 1002 by an adhesive 534. A seal portion 536 may be formed on the lower surfaces of the respective housing segments 112c, 112d and inserted into a groove 538 extending parallel to the side wall 114. The seal portion 536 and the adhesive 534 will help prevent moisture from entering the device between the housing segments 112c, 112d and the rear cover 106b.

[0165] In some embodiments, one or more surfaces of the interlock mechanism described with reference to FIGS. 5A-10C may be etched, machined, or treated such that the surface is textured or porous. For example, in some embodiments, some surfaces of the interlock mechanism may be etched to form holes having a depth of 2-3 microns and a width of 2-3 microns. Such holes flow between the interlock mechanism and the non-conductive housing component, thereby providing additional stop holes for the non-conductive housing component to increase its structural coupling. In regions where the walls of the interlock mechanism are thin, the surface of the wall may not be etched, or the etching may be controlled to ensure that the holes do not break through the wall (e.g., to avoid the problem of sealing different holes or cavities).

[0166] Figures 11A and 11B show how the internal gaps between the external (sidewall) and the housing segment 112, with reference to Figures 2A, 3A - 3C, 4, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A, 9A, and 10A, are arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically. Figure 11A shows the corresponding external gap 1100 and internal gap 1102 arranged symmetrically. Figure 11B shows the corresponding external gap 1124 and internal gap 1126 arranged asymmetrically.

[0167] As an example, Figure 11A shows a general depiction of two adjacent housing segments 1104, 1106 that may form part of the sidewall 1108 of the housing. The first interlock mechanism 1110 may have a protrusion 1130 that extends inward from the end of the first housing segment 1104 into the internal volume 1132 at least partially defined by the sidewall 1108. The second interlock mechanism 1112 may have a protrusion 1134 that extends inward from the end of the second housing segment 1106 into the internal volume 1132. The external gap 1100 may be defined between the first housing segment 1104 and the second housing segment 1106. The interlock mechanisms 1110, 1112 may be set back from the external gap 1100 to an internal gap 1102 having a width greater than that of the external gap 1100. For example, the first end surface 1136 of the first housing segment 1104 may be disposed opposite the second end surface 1138 of the second housing segment 1106 and may define the external gap 1100. The first interlock mechanism 1110 may have a first interlock surface 1140 disposed opposite the second interlock surface 1142 of the second interlock mechanism 1112 and may define the internal gap 1102. The first interlock surface 1140 may be defined by the first protrusion 1130, and the second interlock surface 1142 may be defined by the second protrusion 1134. The external gap 1100 may have the width of the first gap, and the internal gap 1102 may have the width of the second gap. In some embodiments, also, as shown in Figure 11A, the width of the second gap may be greater than the width of the first gap.

[0168] The first interlock surface 1140 may be offset from the first end surface 1136 by a first offset 1114a, and the second interlock surface 1142 may be offset from the second end surface 1138 by a second offset 1114b, and the offsets 1114a, 1114b may be the same such that the external gap 1100 and the internal gap 1102 are arranged in a symmetric shape. The non-conductive housing component overlaps the housing segments 1104, 1106 along the side wall 1108 (i.e., along the offsets 1114a, 1114b) and may fill the external gap 1100 and the internal gap 1102.

[0169] In some embodiments, the non-conductive housing component may be made of a polymeric material including a fiber fill, and the polymeric material may, in addition to generating the outer surface of the side wall 1108 (e.g., a portion of the side wall 1108 that bridges or fills the external gap 1100), at least partially fill various holes in the first and second interlock mechanisms 1110, 1112. In other embodiments, the non-conductive housing component may include a first portion made of a first polymeric material and a second portion made of a second polymeric material. The first polymeric material includes a fiber fill and may at least partially fill various holes in the first interlock mechanism and the second interlock mechanism. The second polymeric material, which is different from the first polymeric material, may form the outer surface of the side wall 1108 (e.g., a portion of the side wall 1108 that bridges or fills the external gap 1100). Each polymeric material including a fiber fill may include a fiber fill including glass or other types of fibers. In some embodiments, the second polymeric material may also include a fiber fill, but may include a different fiber fill from the fiber fill of the first polymeric material.

[0170] As a further example, FIG. 11B shows a general depiction of two adjacent housing segments 1116, 1118 that can form part of the side wall 1108 of the housing. The first interlock mechanism 1120 may have a protrusion 1144 that extends inwardly from an end of the first housing segment 1116 into the internal volume 1146 that is at least partially defined by the side wall 1108. The second interlock mechanism 1122 may have a protrusion 1148 that extends inwardly from an end of the second housing segment 1118 into the internal volume 1146. An external gap 1124 may be defined between the first housing segment 1116 and the second housing segment 1118. The interlock mechanisms 1120, 1122 may be set back from the external gap 1124 to an internal gap 1126 that has a greater width than the external gap 1124. For example, a first end surface 1150 of the first housing segment 1116 may be disposed opposite a second end surface 1152 of the second housing segment 1118 and may define the external gap 1124. The first interlock mechanism 1120 may have a first interlock surface 1154 that is disposed opposite a second interlock surface 1156 of the second interlock mechanism 1122 and may define the internal gap 1126. The first interlock surface 1154 may be defined by the first protrusion 1144, and the second interlock surface 1156 may be defined by the second protrusion 1148. The external gap 1124 may have a width of a first gap, and the internal gap 1126 may have a width of a second gap. In some embodiments, also, as shown in FIG. 11B, the width of the second gap may be greater than the width of the first gap.

[0171] The first interlock surface 1154 may be offset from the first end surface 1150 by a first offset 1128a, and the second interlock surface 1156 may be offset from the second end surface 1152 by a second offset 1128b. The offsets 1128a, 1128b may be the same such that the external gap 1124 and the internal gap 1126 are arranged in a symmetric shape. The non-conductive housing component overlaps the housing segments 1116, 1118 along the side wall 1108 (i.e., extending along the offsets 1128a, 1128b) and may fill the external gap 1124 and the internal gap 1126.

[0172] The asymmetrically arranged external gap 1124 and internal gap 1126 can move the adjacent interlock mechanisms 1120, 1122 to positions along the housing side wall 1108 while providing sufficient separation between the conductive housing segments 1116, 1118 that can act as antennas. Sufficient separation may be required to reduce the possibility of the housing segments 1116, 1118 connecting to each other (thereby allowing the conductive housing segments to resonate independently) and / or to reduce the capacitance between the conductive housing segments.

[0173] In some embodiments, the thickness of the housing segment at the boundary of the external gap may be defined as a function of the width of the external gap, or vice versa, the width of the external gap may be defined as a function of the thickness of the housing segment at the boundary of the external gap. For example, the thickness of the housing segment 1104 or 1116 at the boundary of the external gap 1100 (see FIGS. 11A and 11B) may be defined as a function of the width of the external gap 1100 or 1124.

[0174] In some embodiments, the thickness of the housing segment at the boundary of the internal gap may be defined as a function of the width of the internal gap, or conversely, the width of the external gap may be defined as a function of the thickness of the housing segment at the boundary of the internal gap. For example, the width of internal gap 1102 or 1126 may be defined as a function of the thickness of housing segments 1104 or 1116 at the boundary of internal gap 1102 or 1126 (see FIGS. 11A and 11B).

[0175] In some embodiments, the width of the external or internal gap described with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B may be defined to reduce the capacitance or coupling between the ends of adjacent conductive housing segments in other ways while also maintaining good structural rigidity of sidewall 1108.

[0176] Referring to FIG. 12, a first housing segment 112a described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A - 3C, 4, 7A - 7B, 9A, and 9C, portions 116a, 116c, 1204 of a non - conductive housing component 528 adjacent to, filling, and surrounding the interlock mechanisms 902, 700, and an isometric projection view of other inner surfaces of the first housing segment 112a are shown. As shown in the figure, a first portion 1204 of the non - conductive housing component 528 may form a gasket 1200 that extends from below the lower surface of the first housing segment 112a (including the lower surface of its interlock mechanisms 902, 700) onto, under, or above a support plate (e.g., onto, under, above, or encapsulating the support plate 110 described with reference to FIG. 4). The first portion 1204 of the non - conductive housing component 528 may extend at least partially along the inner surface of the side wall 114 towards the interlock mechanisms 902, 700 and towards other mechanisms of the first housing segment 112a. The first portion 1204 of the non - conductive housing component 528 may extend towards interlock mechanisms 900, 702 extending from adjacent ends of other housing segments (e.g., the second housing segment 112b and the fifth housing segment 112e described with reference to other figures). Reinforcing ribs or buttresses 1202a may be made between the gasket 1200 and a part of the non - conductive housing component 528 extending along the inner surface of the side wall 114. The gasket 1200 and / or the buttress 1202a may increase the rigidity of its structural coupling to the first housing segment 112a and adjacent housing segments, and in some cases, may extend to a part of the corner between the interlock mechanism 900 at the end of the second housing segment and the interlock mechanism 702 at the end of the fifth housing segment. Other buttresses, e.g., buttress 1202b, may be made by the first portion 1204 of the non - conductive housing component 528. In some embodiments, an adhesive may couple the first portion 1204 (e.g., the gasket 1200) of the non - conductive housing component to the support plate 110.The gussets 1200 and the battens 1202a, 1202b may be replicated at the other corners of the side wall 114 and may provide additional structural support for the housing segments (particularly, housing segments that wrap just around the corners of the device) attached to the corners of the device.

[0177] As also shown in FIG. 12, the second portions 116e, 116c of the non-conductive housing component 528 may fill a part of the gap between the housing segments 112 and form the outer surface portion of the side wall 114. In some embodiments, the first portion 1204 of the non-conductive housing component 528 may further provide structural rigidity, and the second portions 116e, 116c of the non-conductive housing component 528 may have a more uniform consistency than the first portion 1204 and may provide a smoother outer surface along the side wall 114.

[0178] In some embodiments, the entire non-conductive housing component 528 may be made of a polymeric material containing fiber fill, and the polymeric material may, in addition to forming a part of the outer surface of the side wall 114, at least partially fill various holes in the interlock mechanisms 900, 902, 700, 702. In other embodiments, the non-conductive housing component 528 may include a first portion 1204 that may be made of a first polymeric material and second portions 116e, 116c that may be made of a second polymeric material. The first polymeric material includes fiber fill and may at least partially fill various holes in the first interlock mechanism and the second interlock mechanism. The second polymeric material is different from the first polymeric material and may form the outer surface of the side wall 114. Each polymeric material containing fiber fill may include a fiber fill containing glass or other types of fibers. In some embodiments, the second polymeric material may also include a fiber fill, but may include a fiber fill different from the fiber fill of the first polymeric material.

[0179] Boss protrusions 1204, 1206 (e.g., screw bosses) may be formed (e.g., machined) on a portion of the first housing segment 112a that extends inwardly from the lower surface of the first housing segment 112a (i.e., on the surface of the first housing segment 112a facing the back of the device). In some embodiments, the boss protrusions 1204, 1206 may be made using the hole cutters already described. The boss protrusions 1204, 1206 may be tapped to receive screws that connect a flex circuit to each of the boss protrusions 1204, 1206, thereby connecting the flex circuit to the first housing segment 112a. Boss protrusion 1204 may provide a ground connector on the left side in FIG. 12, and boss protrusion 1206 may provide an antenna supply connector (or simply referred to as a "supply connector") on the right side. The boss protrusions 1204, 1206 are formed on separate inner extensions of the first housing segment 112a, and the length of the conductive path therebetween will be increased (or the length of the resonant portion of the first housing segment 112a will be increased).

[0180] FIGS. 13A - 13D show various details of the forehead portion of the device (e.g., a portion of the device that extends below, above, or above the upper edge of the display of the device), and FIGS. 14A - 14G show various details of the jaw portion of the device (e.g., a portion of the device that extends below, above, or below the bottom edge of the display of the device).

[0181] FIG. 13A shows a plan view of the third housing segment 112c and the fourth housing segment 112d, and a portion of the fifth housing segment 112e and the sixth housing segment 112f, described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A, 4, 5A, 5C, 6A, 6B, and 10A - 10C. FIG. 13A also shows the non - conductive housing component 528 that structurally connects all of these components, including portions 116a, 116b, 116f of the non - conductive housing component 528 that form a part of the non - conductive segment or sidewall 114, which is different from another portion 1354 (e.g., a stiffer portion) of the non - conductive housing component 528.

[0182] As shown in the figure, the support plate 110 may have a deep recess 1300 that extends inwardly from the edge 1302 of the support plate 110 near the side wall 114. The recess 1300 may accommodate the location of components that connect to the flex circuit, and the flex circuit could be placed very close to the side wall 114.

[0183] When the housing segment 112 is a conductor and is used as an antenna, slots in the support plate 110 (e.g., slot 1304) may couple to the housing segment 112 and change the operation of the antenna in an undesirable direction, reducing the efficiency of the antenna. In some embodiments, parasitic slots (e.g., slot 1304) in the support plate 110 may be electrically closed or shorted (e.g., by welding a strap between opposing edges of the slot 1304 at or near the open end 1308 of the slot 1304, or at another point between opposing ends of the slot 1304, using a conductive component 1306). A parasitic slot is a slot that degrades the performance of the antenna and is different from a slot antenna mechanism that can be used to tune the performance of the antenna.

[0184] FIG. 13A shows a camera brace 402 described with reference to FIG. 4. In some embodiments, the camera brace 402 may be grounded, and the ground connector 1310 of the fourth housing segment 112d may couple and be grounded via the installed camera brace 402. Electrically connecting the ground connector 1310 of the fourth housing segment 112d to ground by the camera brace 402 may be easier than connecting the ground connector 1310 to ground in a flex circuit that provides a small clearance between the camera brace 402 and the adjacent housing segments 112c, 112d, 112f. However, since the device may fall such that the corner including the fourth housing segment 112d contacts the ground, a welded connection or other rigid connection between the camera brace 402 and the ground connector 1310 will tend to break when the device falls. To reduce the possibility that the ground connection between the camera brace 402 and the ground connector 1310 is broken, the ground connector 1310 may be electrically connected to the camera brace 402 using an elastic conductive component 1312 (e.g., an elastic conductive tab or strap extending from one of the camera brace 402 or the ground connector 1310 and welded to the other of the ground connector 1310 or the camera brace 402). Alternatively, an elastic conductor component 1312 (e.g., a wire, strap, or thin metal plate) may be welded or otherwise connected to each of the camera brace 402 and the ground connector 1310.

[0185] As shown in FIG. 13B, a ground pad 1314 with which a ground spring can engage may be formed on the camera brace 402. In some embodiments, the ground pad 1314 may be made on a side surface 1316 of the camera brace 402 facing the sixth housing segment 112f (e.g., in a channel 1318 between the side surface 1316 of the camera brace 402 and the sixth housing segment 112f). To improve the electrical continuity of the ground connection and reduce ground noise, the ground pad 1314 may include a gold plating (or a gold-plated plate) welded to the stainless steel or other conductive material forming the camera brace 402. The ground spring that engages the ground pad 1314 may be formed on a flex circuit, the flex circuit is disposed in the channel 1318, and the ground spring faces and contacts the ground pad 1314 (the ground spring is not shown in FIG. 13B but is shown in FIG. 17B). Here, also, at other positions where the spring contacts, in particular, a gold-gold contact (e.g., a gold or gold-plated ground pad 1314 and a ground spring), which may be useful at low-force spring contacts, is electrically connected to the conductive pad. When an RF signal passes through the spring contact, this spring contact may introduce harmonics that interfere with wireless communication (e.g., a specific radio frequency band). The gold-gold contact can reduce such harmonic possibilities or amplitudes.

[0186] FIG. 13C shows further internal structures and connections of the forehead portion of the device as seen when looking from the front of the device towards the back of the device. The connections include various antenna connections made between the third, fourth, and fifth housing segments 112c, 112d, 112e and one or more antenna flex circuits. Examples of antenna flex circuits are detailed herein with reference to FIGS. 17A and 17B. The antenna flex circuit extends to ground with respect to the ground connections of the housing segments 112c, 112d, 112e, and may carry signals to and / or from the antenna supply connector, and / or carry antenna tuning components (e.g., components that can be used to tune the resonance, frequency, or bandwidth of the housing segment acting as an antenna).

[0187] As shown in FIG. 13C, the third housing segment 112c may include a ground connector 1320, a supply connector 1322, and a tuning connector 1324. The ground connector 1320 may be electrically coupled to the support plate 110 (and thereby to ground) by a flex circuit that connects both the ground connector 1320 and the ground connector 1326 to the support plate 110. In some embodiments, the ground connector 1320 may be disposed at a corner defined by the third housing segment 112c. The supply connector 1322 may be disposed from the corner inwardly along the edge 1328 of the device. The tuning connector 1324 may be disposed near the center of the upper edge portion 1328. The supply connector 1322 and the tuning connector 1324 may both be electrically coupled to a flex circuit. In some embodiments, the ground connector 1320, the supply connector 1322, the tuning connector 1324, and the support plate ground connector 1326 may each be electrically coupled to a common flex circuit, such as the flex circuit described with reference to FIG. 17B. The same flex circuit may provide an electrical connector (e.g., ground connector 1330) for grounding the fifth housing segment 112e and a tuning component connected to the tuner installation connector 1332.

[0188] As shown in FIG. 13C, the fourth housing segment 112d may include a ground connector 1334, a supply connector 1336, and a tuning connector 1338. The ground connector 1334 may be electrically connected to the camera brace 402 (e.g., using the elastic conductive component 1312 described with reference to FIG. 13A). A flex circuit, e.g., the flex circuit described with reference to FIG. 17B, may have a ground spring that engages a ground pad on the camera brace 402 (e.g., the ground pad 1314 described with reference to FIG. 13B). Thus, the ground potential of the flex circuit and the fourth housing segment 112d may be electrically connected via the camera brace 402. Other ground connections for the camera brace 402 may be made, for example, by the support plate 110 or the camera module bias springs 1340, 1342 disposed at points along the perimeter of the camera brace 402. The ground connector 1334 and the supply connector 1336 for the fourth housing segment 112d may be disposed near opposite ends of the fourth housing segment 112d, and in some embodiments, the ground connector 1334 may be disposed closer to the upper edge 1328 of the device, and the supply connector 1336 may be disposed closer to the side edge 1344 of the device. The tuning connector 1338 for the fourth housing segment 112d may be the sixth housing segment 112f and may be in the form of a boss projection described with reference to FIG. 6A. The tuning connector 1338 may be connected to a flex circuit described with reference to FIG. 17B, and the flex circuit may have a circuit including a switch that can be operated to connect or disconnect a slot antenna mechanism 302d (see FIG. 3A) defined between the sixth housing segment 112f and the support plate 110 to the fourth housing segment 112d.

[0189] The third housing segment 112c may, in some cases, have a Fargo supply connector 1346. The Fargo supply connector 1346 may be disposed along the upper edge 1328 of the device near the end of the third housing segment 112c adjacent to the fourth housing segment 112d. Alternatively, the Fargo supply connector 1346 may be disposed at other locations along the third housing segment 112c.

[0190] FIG. 13C shows an example of the positions of a speaker 1348, a camera 1350, and a biometric sensor 1352 (e.g., an infrared camera) that can be attached to the forehead portion of the device. Ground connections 1354, 1356 for these components, or other components disposed in the forehead portion of the device, may be provided near the upper edge 1328 of the device as shown.

[0191] FIG. 13D shows further internal structure and connections of the forehead portion of the device as seen when looking from the back of the device towards the front cover 106a of the device. This structure includes the camera 1350 and the biometric sensor 1352 described with reference to FIG. 13C. A cross-section of the forehead portion of the device is shown in FIG. 22.

[0192] Now, looking at the jaw portion of the device, FIG. 14A shows a partial plan view of the first housing segment 112a and the second housing segment 112b, and the fifth housing segment 112e and a part of the sixth housing segment 112f described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A, 4, 7A, 7B, 8A, 8C, and 9A - 9C. FIG. 14A also shows the non-conductive housing component 528 that structurally connects all of these components, including portions 116c, 116d, 116e of the non-conductive housing component 528 that form part of the non-conductive segment or sidewall 114, which is different from another part 1474 of the non-conductive housing component.

[0193] As shown in the figure, the support plate 110 may have one or more deep recesses 1400, 1402 extending inward from the edge 1404 of the support plate 110 near the side wall 114. The recesses 1400, 1402 may accommodate the positions of components connected to the flex circuit, and the flex circuit could be placed very close to the side wall 114.

[0194] The first slot antenna mechanism 302a may be formed between the fifth housing segment 112e and the support plate 110, and the second slot antenna mechanism 302b may be formed between the sixth housing segment 112f and the support plate.

[0195] FIG. 14B shows further internal structures and connections of the forehead portion of the device as seen when looking from the front of the device towards the back of the device. The connections include various antenna connections made between the first, second, fifth, and sixth housing segments 112a, 112b, 112e, 112f and one or more antenna flex circuits. An example of an antenna flex circuit will be described in detail herein with reference to FIG. 17A. The antenna flex circuit extends to ground with respect to the ground connectors 1406, 1408 of the housing segments 112a, 112b, carries signals to and from the antenna supply connectors 1410, 1412, and may carry antenna tuning components connected to the tuning connectors 1414, 1416.

[0196] As shown in FIG. 14B, the first housing segment 112a may include a ground connector 1406, a supply connector 1410, and a tuning connector 1414. The ground connector 1406 may be electrically coupled to the support plate 110 (and thereby to ground) by a flex circuit that connects both the ground connector 1406 and the ground connector 1418 to the support plate 110. In some embodiments, the ground connector 1406 may be located near the left edge 1420 of the device (away from the second housing segment 112b), and the supply connector 1410 may be located near the lower edge 1422 of the device. The tuning connector 1414 for the first housing segment 112a may be the fifth housing segment 112e and may take the form of the boss projection 724 described with reference to FIG. 7A. The tuning connector 1414 may be coupled to a flex circuit described with reference to FIG. 17A, which has a circuit including a switch that can be operated to connect or disconnect a slot antenna mechanism 302a (see FIG. 14A) defined between, for example, the fifth housing segment 112e and the support plate 110 to the first housing segment 112a. At a point along the slot antenna mechanism 302a, the connectors 1414 and 1424 may be grounded to the support plate.

[0197] As shown in FIG. 14B, the second housing segment 112b may include a ground connector 1408, a supply connector 1412, and a tuning connector 1416. The ground connector 1408 may be electrically coupled to the support plate 110 (and thereby to ground) by a flex circuit that connects the ground connector 1408 to one or more ground connectors 1426, 1428, 1430, 1432 on the support plate 110 or the sixth housing segment 112f. In some embodiments, the ground connector 1408 may be positioned near the right edge 1434 of the device (away from the first housing segment 112a), and the supply connector 1412 may be positioned near the lower edge 1422 of the device. The tuning connector 1416 may be positioned near the center of the lower edge 1422. Both the supply connector 1412 and the tuning connector 1416 may be electrically coupled to a flex circuit. In some embodiments, the ground connector 1408, the supply connector 1412, the tuning connector 1416, and the support plate ground connectors 1426, 1428, 1430, 1432 may each be electrically coupled to a common flex circuit, such as the flex circuit described with reference to FIG. 17A. The same flex circuit may also provide tuning components connected to the tuning connector 1416.

[0198] The second housing segment 112b includes, in some cases, alternative ground connectors, supply connectors, and / or tuning connectors (e.g., supply / tuning connector 1436). These alternative connectors may be coupled to the same flex circuit as other ground connectors, supply connectors, and tuning connectors 1408, 1412, 1416, but may be located closer to the first housing segment 112a than the other ground connectors, supply connectors, and tuning connectors 1408, 1412, 1416. A further tuning connector 1438 on the sixth housing segment 112f may take the form of a boss projection 824 described with reference to FIG. 8A. The tuning connector 1438 may be coupled to a flex circuit described with reference to FIG. 17A, the flex circuit having a circuit including a switch that can be operated to connect or disconnect a slot antenna mechanism 302b (see FIG. 14A) defined between the sixth housing segment 112f and the support plate 110 to the second housing segment 112b.

[0199] FIG. 14C shows an external isometric view of the second housing segment 112b. A number of ports 1440 (through holes) may be formed in the second housing segment 112b. The ports may include ports such as the ambient pressure sensing port 1440a (e.g., an air pressure sensing port) of the device, one or more second ports 1440b that function as speaker or microphone ports, and a power port 1440c for receiving a power cord. Other ports may be provided, or some of the ports 1440 shown may be used for other purposes. For example, the second housing segment 112b may include an audio jack, a video port, or an audio / visual (A / V) port. In some embodiments, one or more of the ports 1440 shown may not be provided, or may have different shapes. As an example, it is shown that all of the ports 1440 other than the power port 1440c have a rounded shape along the outer surface of the second housing segment 112b. The power port 1440c is shown as being elliptical. FIG. 14C shows four speaker ports 1440b disposed to the left of the power port 1440c and six speaker ports 1440b disposed to the right of the power port 1440c. Alternatively, the same number of speaker ports 1440b may be provided on either side of the power port 1440c, or different numbers of speaker ports 1440b may be provided.

[0200] FIG. 14D shows an isometric view of the interior of the second housing segment 112b. As shown in the figure, the walls 1442, 1444, 1446 may be around individual or part of a set of ports 1440 made in the second housing segment 112b. The walls 1442, 1444, 1446 may extend inwardly from the second housing segment 112b and provide a series of surfaces that can function as sealing surfaces. For example, a gasket or other component may be connected to a first sealing surface 1448 made around a speaker port 1440b disposed to the left of the power port 1440c and a second sealing surface 1450 made around the speaker port 1440b and the ambient pressure sensing port 1440a disposed to the right of the power port 1440c. In some embodiments, portions 1452, 1454 of the second housing segment 112b may be removed to change (e.g., reduce) the capacitance between the second housing segment 112b and other conductive structures in the jaw region. For example, portions 1452, 1454 (e.g., portions 1452, 1454 on either side of the power port 1440c) of the second housing segment 112b may be removed to reduce the capacitance between the second housing segment 112b and a grounded element connected to a cover that mates with the housing segment 112 forming the side wall 114. If portions 1452, 1454 of the upper surface of the second housing segment 112b are removed, other portions 1456, 1458 may remain to provide a support surface for the cover and maintain the structural integrity of the second housing segment 112b and the integrity of the sealing surface.

[0201] FIG. 14E shows the second housing segment 112b from the same angle as FIG. 14D, and further provides an example of how conductive housing components (e.g., conductive housing components 528 and 116e) can be arranged around the sealing surfaces 1448, 1450 described with reference to FIG. 14D. In some embodiments, the same non-conductive housing component 528 used to structurally couple adjacent interlock mechanisms of adjacent housing segments 112 may be disposed around the walls 1442, 1444, 1446 to provide the sealing surfaces 1448, 1450.

[0202] FIG. 14F shows a cross-section of the second housing segment 112b cut through one of the ports (e.g., 1440a or 1440b) disposed to the right of the power port 1440c of FIG. 14E. FIG. 14G shows a cross-section of the second housing segment 112b cut through one of the ports 1440b disposed to the left of the power port 1440c of FIG. 14E. As shown in FIG. 14F, a portion of the ambient pressure sensing port 1440a (and similarly all of the ports 1440 to the right of the power port 1440c in FIG. 14E) may have an inner surface 1476, or may have a bore that extends as an inner surface 1476 toward the rear cover 106b of the device. The upper wall 1460 of the port 1440a (i.e., a portion of the wall facing the front cover of the device) may also extend toward the rear cover 106b when the upper wall 1460 extends into the device. The angled port 1440a, and in particular the angled upper wall 1460 of the port 1440a, will help further reduce the capacitance between the second housing segment 112b and the conductor element that connects to the front cover supported by the second housing segment 112a. The ambient pressure sensing port 1440a (and other ports 1440) may be angled downward (i.e., toward the rear cover 106b) at an angle that balances capacitance reduction and access to the port 1440a (e.g., assuming that one or more components need to be inserted into the port 1440a from the inside of the device). In some embodiments, the sealing surface 1450 around the internal entrance to the port 1440a may extend perpendicular to the inner surface of the rear cover 106b.

[0203] In some embodiments, the entire port 1440 may be inclined with respect to the rear cover 106b. In other embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 14F and 14G, only a portion of the port 1440 may be inclined with respect to the rear cover 106b. In some cases, the port 1440 may be created as a result of operations with a plurality of perforations or end mills. For example, the port shown in FIG. 14F may be created by drilling a first hole 1462 perpendicularly to the side wall 114 from the outside of the side wall 114. The second hole 1464 may be drilled perpendicularly to the side wall 114 from the inside of the side wall 114. The first hole 1462 and the second hole 1464 may be offset, may intersect, or may not intersect. The third hole 1466 may be drilled from the inside of the side wall 114 at an angle between perpendicular and parallel to the first hole 1462 and the second hole 1464. In some embodiments, the third hole 1466 may be drilled at an angle of about 30° (±10%) with respect to the first hole 1462 and the second hole 1464. The third hole 1466 may intersect both the first hole 1462 and the second hole 1464, but may not extend through the outer surface of the second housing segment 112b. In alternative embodiments, the third hole 1466 may be drilled at an angle of 15° to 45°, or another angle.

[0204] As shown in FIG. 14G, a portion of the speaker port 1440b (and similarly all of the ports 1440 to the left of the power port 1440c in FIG. 14E) may have an inner surface 1478, or may have a bore that extends towards the rear cover 106b of the device as the inner surface 1478 extending towards the device. The upper wall 1480 of the port 1440b may also extend towards the rear cover 106b when the upper wall 1480 extends towards the device. Generally, the speaker port 1440b may be similarly angled with respect to the ambient pressure sensing port 1440a described with reference to FIG. 14F. However, in contrast to the sealing surface 1450 around the inner inlet of the ambient pressure sensing port 1440a, the sealing surface 1448 around the speaker port 1440b may be inclined with respect to the rear cover 106b of the device. The configuration shown in FIG. 14G would also reduce the capacitance between the second housing segment 112b and other conductive structures in the jaw region. The inclination of the sealing surface 1448 may be inclined to different extents or not at all in order to balance the reduction in capacitance and the maintenance of structural rigidity (for example, the port cross-section shown in FIG. 14F may have greater structural rigidity than the port cross-section shown in FIG. 14G, but the port cross-section shown in FIG. 14G may further reduce the capacitance compared to the port cross-section shown in FIG. 14F).

[0205] In some embodiments, the ports shown in FIG. 14G may be created by drilling a first hole 1468 perpendicular to the sidewall 114 from the outside of the sidewall 114. The second hole 1470 may be drilled perpendicular to the sidewall 114 from the inside of the sidewall 114. The first hole 1468 and the second hole 1470 may be offset, may intersect, or may not intersect. The third hole 1472 may be drilled from the inside of the sidewall 114 at an angle between perpendicular and parallel to the first hole 1468 and the second hole 1470. In some embodiments, the third hole 1472 may be drilled at an angle of about 30° (±10%) with respect to the first hole 1468 and the second hole 1470. The third hole 1472 may intersect both the first hole 1468 and the second hole 1470, but may not extend through the outer surface of the second housing segment 112b. In alternative embodiments, the third hole 1472 may be drilled at an angle of 15° to 45°, or at another angle.

[0206] In each of FIGS. 14F and 14G, the non-conductive housing component 528 extends along the upper surface inside the sidewall 114 and forms a ledge 1482 and a boundary 1484 that supports and surrounds a display (e.g., the display 104 described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C). A portion of the non-conductive housing component 528 that extends along the upper surface inside the sidewall 114 (e.g., the boundary 1484) will serve to absorb the crushing load against the sidewall 114 and / or transfer the crushing load upward (away from the display) along the sidewall.

[0207] Referring now to FIGS. 15A - 15C, examples of regions 1500, 1502, 1504, 1506 are shown, and the fifth housing segment 112e and the sixth housing segment 112f described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A - 3C, 4, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6C, 7A, 7C, 8A and 8B may be structurally connected to the support plate 110 described with reference to FIGS. 4, 13A and 14A. As shown in FIG. 15A, the fifth housing segment 115e may be structurally and electrically connected to the support plate 110 by a pair of welds in regions 1500, 1502 along the left edge of the support plate 110, and the sixth housing segment 112f may be structurally and electrically connected to the support plate 110 by a pair of welds in regions 1504, 1506 along the right edge of the support plate 110. In some embodiments, the weld may be a laser weld. In some embodiments, the weld may be a longitudinal weld as shown. In some embodiments, the longitudinal weld may be replaced by, or assisted by, spot welds.

[0208] The fifth housing segment 112e may have an opening to which a button assembly can be attached as described with reference to FIG. 6A. There may be a small space for welding at the end of the fifth housing segment 112e adjacent to the third housing segment 112c, and the fifth housing segment 112e may be structurally and electrically connected to the support plate 110 by a clip 1508. Examples of the cross - sections of the weld and the clip 1508 shown in FIG. 15A are shown in FIGS. 15B and 15C respectively.

[0209] FIG. 15B shows a cross-sectional example of a weld 1510 described with reference to FIG. 15A. The weld 1510 may be a weld that directly welds the fifth housing segment 112e or the sixth housing segment 112f to the support plate 110. In some embodiments, the rear cover (e.g., the rear cover 106b described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C) may be coupled to the lower surface of the fifth housing segment 112e or the sixth housing segment 112f by an adhesive 534. The seal portion 536 may be formed on the lower surface of each housing segment 112e, 112f and inserted into a groove 538 that extends parallel to the side wall 114. The seal portion 536 and the adhesive 534 will help prevent moisture from entering the device between the housing segments 112e, 112f and the rear cover 106b.

[0210] FIG. 15C shows a cross-sectional example of a clip 1508 described with reference to FIG. 15A. As an example, the clip 1508 may be aligned with the threaded hole of the boss protrusion 512 described with reference to FIG. 5A and arranged around it, and may be electrically connected to the fifth housing segment 112e by a screw 1512 that is inserted through the hole of the clip 1508 and screwed into the boss protrusion 512. The screw 1512 may also hold a bracket 1514 for the button assembly and washer 1516. The clip 1508 extends towards the rear cover 106b of the device, bends one or more times, extends over a part of the support plate 110, and may extend over and around a boss protrusion 1518 formed on or mechanically coupled to the support plate 110. The clip 1508 may be held by a screw 1520 that is inserted through the hole of the clip 1508 and screwed into the boss protrusion 1518. A part of the clip 1508 that extends over the support plate 110 may be welded to the support plate 110 (e.g., by a weld 1522) to provide additional rigidity for structurally connecting the fifth housing segment 112e to the support plate 110.

[0211] In some embodiments, a rear cover (e.g., rear cover 106b described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C) may be coupled to the lower surface of the support plate 110 by an adhesive 1524. The seal portion 536 may be formed on the lower surface of each of the housing segments 112e, 112f and inserted into a groove 538 extending parallel to the side wall 114. The seal portion 536 and the adhesive 1524 will help prevent moisture from entering the device between the housing segments 112e, 112f and the rear cover 106b.

[0212] FIGS. 16A - 16D show various examples of ground connections between a support plate 110 described with reference to FIGS. 3A - 3C, 4, 13A, 14A and 15A and a printed circuit board or logic board 1600. As shown in FIG. 16A, the ground connection may include a first ground connection 1602 that may be configured as a single ground connection between the support plate 110 and the logic board 1600, a second ground connection 1604 that may be configured as a dual ground connection between the support plate 110 and the logic board 1600, a third ground connection 1606 that may be configured as a single Stockholm ground connection between the support plate 110 and the logic board 1600, and a fourth ground connection 1608 that may be configured as a single ground connection between the support plate 110 and the logic board 1600, and may be connected to the sixth housing segment 112f. In some embodiments, an antenna flex circuit described with reference to FIG. 17B may be connected to each of the second ground connection 1604 and the third ground connection 1606. An antenna flex circuit described with reference to FIG. 17A may be connected to a first ground connection 1610 and a second ground connection 1612 along the lower portion of the sixth housing segment 112f.

[0213] FIG. 16B shows an example of one ground connection 1608 between the support plate 110 and the logic board 1600. As shown in the figure, the logic board 1600 may comprise a single layer 1614 having holes 1616 for receiving boss protrusions 1618. The boss protrusions 1618 may be mechanically and electrically coupled to the support plate 110. The logic board 1600 may be adjacent to the periphery of the boss protrusions 1618. The spacer 1620 may be disposed around the boss protrusions 1618 and may rest on the logic board 1600. The screw 1622 may be inserted through the ground connection eye 1624 on the flex circuit shown in FIG. 17B, slightly compressing the ground connection eye 1624 against the spacer 1620, compressing the spacer 1620 against the logic board 1600, and while compressing the logic board 1600 against the periphery of the boss protrusions 1618, may be screwed into the hole 1626 of the boss protrusions 1618. The single ground connection 1608 may ground the conductive traces on the main surfaces 1628, 1630 of the logic board 1600 to the support plate 110.

[0214] FIG. 16C shows an example of one Stockholm-type ground connection 1606 between the support plate 110 and the logic board 1600. As shown in the figure, the logic board 1600 may include a first layer 1632 or a logic board having a hole 1634 for receiving the boss projection 1636. The boss projection 1636 may be mechanically and electrically connected to the support plate 110. The first layer 1632 or the logic board may be adjacent to the periphery of the boss projection 1636, and may have a dielectric 1638 on its lower surface and a layer 1640 (e.g., a conductor layer or a dielectric layer) on its upper surface. The dielectric 1638 may electrically insulate the first layer 1632 or the logic board from the support plate 110. A logic board interposer 1642 (e.g., a conductor or a dielectric interposer) may be disposed around the boss projection 1636 and may rest on the layer 1640 on the upper surface of the first layer 1632 or the logic board. The logic board 1600 may further include a second layer 1644 or a logic board having a hole 1646 aligned with the boss projection 1636. The second layer 1644 or the logic board may have a layer 1648 (e.g., a conductor or a dielectric layer) on its lower surface. The layer 1648 may rest on the logic board interposer 1642. A screw 1650 may be inserted through the aligned holes of the second layer 1644 or the logic board, the logic board interposer 1642, and the first layer 1632 or the logic board, slightly compressing the first layer 1632 or the logic board against the logic board interposer 1642, compressing the logic board interposer 1642 against the first layer 1632 or the logic board, and while compressing the first layer 1632 or the logic board against the periphery of the boss projection 1636, may be screwed into the hole 1652 of the boss projection 1636.The Stockholm ground connector 1606 may ground the conductive trace 1654 (e.g., copper trace) on the upper surface of the second layer 1644 or the logic board to the support plate 110, or may electrically insulate the first layer 1632 or the logic board from the support plate 110 (or only electrically connect the first layer 1632 or the logic board and ground it by the logic board interposer 1642 and the second layer 1644 or the logic board).

[0215] FIG. 16D shows an example of a dual ground connection 1604 between a support plate 110 and a logic board 1600. As shown in the figure, the logic board 1600 may include a first layer 1656 or a logic board having a hole 1658 for receiving a boss protrusion 1660. The boss protrusion 1660 may be mechanically and electrically connected to the support plate 110. The first layer 1656 or the logic board may be adjacent to the periphery of the boss protrusion 1660. A logic board interposer 1662 may be disposed around the boss protrusion 1660 and may rest on the first layer 1656 or the logic board. The logic board 1600 may further include a second layer 1664 or a logic board having a hole 1666 aligned with the boss protrusion 1660 and on which the logic board 1600 rests. A screw 1668 may be inserted through the aligned holes of the second layer 1664 or the logic board, the logic board interposer 1662, the first layer 1656 or the logic board by a ground connection eye 1670 on the flex circuit shown in FIG. 17B, compressing the ground connection eye 1670 slightly against the second layer 1664 or the logic board (other conductive components 1674 sometimes form part of the conductive path between the ground connection eye 1670 and the second layer 1664 or the logic board), compressing the second layer 1664 or the logic board against the logic board interposer 1662, compressing the logic board interposer 1662 against the first layer 1656 or the logic board, and compressing the first layer 1656 or the logic board against the periphery of the boss protrusion 1660 while screwing into the hole 1672 of the boss protrusion 1660. The dual ground connection 1604 may ground the first layer 1656 or the logic board and the second layer 1664 or the logic board to the support plate 110, respectively.

[0216] Figures 17A and 17B show examples of flex circuits 1700, 1750 that can be connected to one of the various housing segments 112 described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A, 4, 5A - 10C, 13A - 13D, 14A - 14G, and 15A - 15C. The flex circuits 1700, 1750 may be connected to the ground connector, supply connector, and tuning connector of the housing segment 112, and may propagate signals to / from the ground connector, supply connector, and tuning connector to make the housing segment 112 function as an antenna. The flex circuit 1700 shown in FIG. 17A may include a ground connector 1702, a supply connector 1704, and a tuning connector 1706, which may be electrically connected to the ground connector 1406, supply connector 1410, and tuning connector 1414 of the first housing segment 112a, respectively, as described with reference to FIG. 14B. The flex circuit 1700 may also include a tuning component 1708 that can be electrically connected to the tuning connector 1706, supply connector 1704, and / or ground connector 1702.

[0217] Also, the flex circuit 1700 may include ground connectors 1710, 1712, a supply connector 1714, and tuning connectors 1716, 1718, 1720, which may be electrically connected to the ground connectors 1408, 1430, supply connector 1412, and tuning connectors 1438, 1416, 1436 of the second housing segment 112b, respectively, as described with reference to FIG. 14B. The flex circuit 1700 may also include a tuning component 1722 that can be electrically connected to the tuning connectors 1716, 1718, 1720, supply connector 1714, and / or ground connectors 1710, 1712.

[0218] Flexible circuit 1700 may be electrically connected to one or more ground connectors 1724, 1726 that may be electrically connected to the sixth housing segment 112f described with reference to other drawings, or one or more ground connectors 1728, 1730 that may be electrically connected to the support plate 110 described with reference to other drawings, and / or a board-to-board (B2B) connector 1732 that may be electrically connected to the flexible circuit 1700, and may further include tuning components for the logic board 1600 described with reference to that connector and FIGS. 16A-16D. As shown, some portions of the flexible circuit 1700 are bent and may pass orthogonally to other portions of the flexible circuit 1700 within the device.

[0219] The flexible circuit 1750 shown in FIG. 17B may include a ground connector 1752, a supply connector 1754, and a tuning connector 1756, which may each be electrically connected to the ground connector 1320, supply connector 1322, and tuning connector 1324 of the third housing segment 112c as described with reference to FIG. 13C. The flexible circuit 1750 may also include tuning components 1758, 1760 that may be electrically connected to the tuning connector 1756, supply connector 1754, and / or ground connector 1752.

[0220] Also, the flexible circuit 1750 may include a ground connector 1762, a supply connector 1764, and a tuning connector 1766, which may each be electrically connected to the ground connector 1334, supply connector 1336, and tuning connector 1338 of the fourth housing segment 112d as described with reference to FIG. 13C. The flexible circuit 1750 may also include a tuning component 1768 that may be electrically connected to the tuning connector 1766, supply connector 1764, and / or ground connector 1762.

[0221] The flex circuit 1750 may further include one or more ground connectors 1770, 1772, 1774, 1776 that may be electrically connected to a support plate 110 described with reference to other drawings, one or more ground springs 1778 that may be electrically connected to a ground pad 1314 described with reference to FIG. 13B, and / or B2B connectors 1780, 1782 that may be electrically connected to the flex circuit 1750, and tuning components for the logic board 1600 described with reference to those connectors and FIGS. 16A - 16D. The flex circuit 1750 may further include a Fargo supply connector 1784 and a Fargo logic board connector 1786. The Fargo supply connector 1784 may be electrically connected to a Fargo supply connector 1346 described with reference to FIG. 13C, and the Fargo logic board connector 1786 may be electrically connected to a Stockholm ground connector 1606 described with reference to FIG. 16A. The Fargo connectors 1784, 1786 may be used to establish an NFC conductive loop that can be used for near - field communication (NFC).

[0222] As shown in FIG. 17B, some portions of the flex circuit 1750 are bent and may pass orthogonally to other portions of the flex circuit 1750 within the device.

[0223] FIG. 18 shows how the flex circuits 1700, 1750 described with reference to FIGS. 17A and 17B may be arranged and routed with respect to the housing segments 112 and the support plate 110 described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C, 2A, 3A, 4, 5A - 10C, 13A - 13D, 14A - 14G, 15A - 15C, and 16A - 16D. As shown in the figure, a portion of the flex circuit 1750 described with reference to FIG. 17B may be oriented in a direction perpendicular to the support plate 110 and may pass through a channel 1318 between the camera brace 402 and the sixth housing segment 112f. In some embodiments, a portion of the flex circuits 1700, 1750 may be bonded to the support plate 110 with an adhesive.

[0224] Referring to FIG. 19 here, a series of radio frequency bands 1900, 1902, 1904, 1906, 1908 available for wireless communication are shown. The radio frequency bands include a radio low frequency band 1900 that spreads from about 600 to 950 MHz, a radio medium frequency band 1902 that spreads from about 1700 to 2200 MHz, a radio high frequency band 1904 that spreads from about 2300 to 2800 MHz, a B42 radio frequency band 1906 that spreads from about 3400 to 3600 MHz (currently defined for use in the European Union (EU) and Japan), and a 5G, Wi-Fi, or B46 band 1908 that spreads from about 5000 to 6000 MHz.

[0225] In some embodiments of the devices and enclosures described herein, the plurality of enclosure segments disposed along the sidewalls of the device enclosure may be individually or simultaneously made to act as antennas in the radio frequency bands described with reference to FIG. 19 or other radio frequency bands. For example, in some cases, the wireless communication circuit may operate to communicate in different wireless communication modes using the same or different combinations of antennas (including enclosure segments configured to act as antennas in some cases).

[0226] In some embodiments, the wireless communication circuit may be configured to operate in a first wireless communication mode (e.g., 2x2 MIMO wireless communication mode). In the first wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuit may be configured to use the second housing segment 112b and the third housing segment 112c described with reference to FIGS. 2A or 3A as different antennas for wireless communication. In some embodiments, the wireless communication in the first wireless communication mode may occur in the low radio frequency band 1900. Alternatively, the wireless communication circuit may operate in a second wireless communication mode (e.g., 4x4 MIMO wireless communication mode). In the second wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuit may be configured to use the first, second, third, and fourth housing segments 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d described with reference to FIGS. 2A or 3A as different antennas for wireless communication. In some embodiments, the wireless communication in the second wireless communication mode may occur in the wireless intermediate frequency band 1902 or the wireless high frequency band 1904. Alternatively, the wireless communication circuit may operate in a third wireless communication mode (e.g., another 4x4 MIMO wireless communication mode). In the third wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuit may be configured to use the sixth housing segment 112f, the first internal antenna 324 (described with reference to FIG. 3A), the second internal antenna 326 (described with reference to FIG. 3A), the second housing segment 112b in combination with the sixth housing segment 112f, and the fourth housing segment 112d in combination with the sixth housing segment 112f as different antennas for wireless communication. In some embodiments, the wireless communication in the third wireless communication mode may occur in the B42 wireless frequency band 1906. Alternatively, the wireless communication circuit may operate in a fourth wireless communication mode (e.g., another 2x2 MIMO wireless communication mode). In the fourth wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuit may be configured to use the first internal antenna 324a and the second internal antenna 324b described with reference to FIG. 3A for wireless communication in 5G, Wi-Fi, or the B46 wireless frequency band 1908.

[0227] Generally, to operate simultaneously in a wireless communication mode that requires two antennas, it may be useful to configure the antennas to be physically separated as much as possible. Thus, the two-antenna wireless communication mode may, if possible, be supported by antennas disposed at opposite corners diagonally across the device.

[0228] The housing segments described with reference to FIGS. 2B - 2E may also be used in different combinations (or individually) to communicate in one or more of the radio frequency bands described with reference to FIG. 19.

[0229] FIGS. 20A and 20B show corresponding ground springs 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and ground pads 2028, 2030, 2032, 2034, 2036, 2038, 2040, 2042, 2044, 2046 on the housing 102 (e.g., housing segment 112 or support plate 110), and a cover (e.g., front cover 106a described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1C) attached to the housing 102 to enclose a device stack including a display. The display may be viewable through the cover 106a. FIG. 20A shows an example of the positions of the ground springs 2000 - 2018 electrically connected to the housing 102, and FIG. 20B shows an example of the positions of the ground pads 2028 - 2046 connected to the cover 106a.

[0230] The ground springs 2000 - 2018 and the ground pads 2028 - 2046 may be disposed around the support plate 110 or the cover 106a, and generally may be disposed at the forehead portion and the jaw portion of the device. The ground springs 2000 - 2018 mechanically and electrically connected to the support plate 110, the housing segment 112 or the camera brace 402 may be electrically connected to each of the ground pads 2028 - 2046 mechanically connected to the cover, and vice versa. By the distribution of the ground springs 2000 - 2018 and the ground pads 2028 - 2046 throughout the forehead portion and the jaw portion of the device, a good ground reference for the housing segment 112 can be provided when the housing segment is configured to act as an antenna. The ground springs and the ground pads may in some cases be configured to provide a low inductance connection between the ground plane on the cover 106a and the ground plane provided by the support plate 110. In some embodiments, a more uniform ground can be provided by providing a relatively equal space between the ground springs at the forehead portion and the jaw portion of the device. The uniform ground can enhance the resonance of the housing segment 112.

[0231] The ground springs 2000 - 2018 may mechanically and electrically connect the support plate 110, the housing segment 112 or the camera brace 402 by welding, soldering, conductive adhesives or other types of fixtures. In some embodiments, one or more of the ground springs 2000 - 2018 may be pre - made, may be stamped, or may be springs formed by bending metal. In some embodiments, the ground springs 2000 - 2018 and the ground pads 2028 - 2046 may be gold or gold plated.

[0232] The corresponding mechanical snaps 2020, 2022, 2024, 2026, 2048, 2050, 2052, 2054 may be connected to the housing 102 (e.g., to a part of the support plate 110 adjacent to the fifth housing segment 112e and the sixth housing segment 112f or the fifth housing segment 112e and the sixth housing segment 112f), may be connected to the cover 106a, or may be engaged with each other so as to mechanically connect the cover 106a to the housing segment 112.

[0233] Figures 21A - 21C show various examples of low - force springs and corresponding contact pads that can be used to implement either the grounding spring or the grounding pad described with reference to Figure 20A, 20B or other drawings. Examples of low - force springs include wiping contacts 2100 (Figure 22A), point contacts 2104 (Figure 22B), and magsafe pins 2108 (Figure 22C). Each of the low - force springs 2100, 2104, 2108 may contact the respective contact pads 2102, 2106, or 2110. In some embodiments, the low - force springs 2100, 2104, 2108 and their corresponding contact pads 2102, 2106, 2110 may each be made of gold or may be gold - plated.

[0234] Figure 22 shows a cross - section 2200 of the forehead portion of the device shown in Figures 13C and 13D. As shown in the figure, a part of the non - conductive housing component 528 may be formed against the third housing segment 112c to form a surface 2202 that supports the front cover 106a. The third housing segment 112c may also form a part of the surface 2202, or the third housing segment 112c may form the entire surface 2202. The frame 2204 may be disposed around the device, between the surface 2202 and the cover 106a. In some embodiments, the frame 2204 may be coupled to the surface 2202 and / or the cover 106a by one or more adhesives 2206, 2208.

[0235] In some embodiments, the frame 2204 may include a plastic outer portion 2204a that is mechanically coupled to a metal inner portion 2204b (e.g., the metal inner portion 2204b may be insert molded into the plastic outer portion 2204a). In other embodiments, the entire frame 2204 may be plastic or metal. As shown in the figures, the frame 2204 (e.g., the inner portion 2204b of the frame 2204) may be connected to a stiffening member 2210 that may be metal or plastic. The stiffening member 2210 may be coupled to the cover 106a, for example, by an adhesive 2212.

[0236] A bracket (e.g., the position adjustment bracket 2214) may be connected to the stiffening member 2210 and in some cases may be connected to the cover 106a. The position adjustment bracket 2214 may be metal or plastic and in some cases may be welded (e.g., laser welded) or coupled (e.g., adhesively coupled) to the stiffening member 2210 and / or the cover 106a. The position adjustment bracket 2214 may serve as a means for mounting a biometric sensor, camera, speaker, or other component within the forehead portion of the device.

[0237] The position adjustment bracket 2214 may be disposed adjacent to a device stack 130 that includes a display, touch sensor, force sensor, or other component.

[0238] FIG. 23 shows a sample electrical block diagram of an electronic device, and the electronic device 2300 may be in the form of the device 100 described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C in some cases or other devices described herein. The electronic device 2300 may include a display 2302 (e.g., a light-emitting display), a processor 2304, a power source 2306, a memory 2308 or a storage device, a sensor system 2310, or an input / output (I / O) mechanism 2312 (e.g., an input / output device, an input / output port, or a tactile input / output interface). The processor 2304 may control some or all of the operations of the electronic device 2300. The processor 2304 can communicate directly or indirectly with some or all of the other components of the electronic device 2300. For example, a system bus or other communication mechanism 2314 can provide communication between the display 2302, the processor 2304, the power source 2306, the memory 2308, the sensor system 2310, and the I / O mechanism 2312.

[0239] The processor 2304 may be implemented as any electronic device capable of processing, receiving, or transmitting data or instructions, such data or instructions being in software or firmware, or other coded form. For example, the processor 2304 may be a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a combination of such devices. As described herein, the term "processor" is intended to encompass a single processor or processing unit, multiple processors or multiple processing units, or other suitably configured computing elements (singular or plural). In some embodiments, the processor 2304 may function as the controller described with reference to FIG. 1C.

[0240] It should be noted that the components of the electronic device 2300 may be controlled by a plurality of processors. For example, a selected component of the electronic device 2300 (e.g., the sensor system 2310) may be controlled by a first processor, and other components of the electronic device 2300 (e.g., the display 2302) may be controlled by a second processor, and the first processor and the second processor may or may not communicate with each other.

[0241] The power source 2306 can be implemented by any device that can provide energy to the electronic device 2300. For example, the power source 2306 may include one or more batteries or rechargeable batteries. In addition to or instead of this, the power source 2306 may include a power connector or power cord for connecting the electronic device 2300 to another power source (e.g., a wall outlet).

[0242] The memory 2308 can store electronic data that can be used by the electronic device 2300. For example, the memory 2308 may store electronic data or content, such as audio files and video files, documents and applications, device settings and user preferences, timing signals, biological signals, data structures or databases, etc. The memory 2308 may include any type of memory. By way of example only, the memory 2308 may include random access memory, read-only memory, flash memory, removable memory, or other types of storage elements, or a combination of such memory types.

[0243] The electronic device 2300 may also include one or more sensors 2310 disposed at substantially any location on the electronic device 2300. The sensor system 2310 may detect one or more types of parameters, for example, but not limited to, force or pressure applied to the display 2302, the crown, buttons, or the housing of the electronic device 2300; light; touch; heat; movement; relative movement; biometric data of the user (e.g., biometric parameters), and the like. For example, the sensor system(s) 2310 may include a wristwatch crown sensor system, a thermal sensor, a position sensor, a light or optical sensor, an accelerometer, a pressure transducer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a biometric authentication sensor, a health monitoring sensor, and the like. Further, the one or more sensor systems 2310 may be implemented using any suitable sensing technology including, but not limited to, capacitance, ultrasonic, resistive, optical, ultrasonic, piezoelectric, and thermal sensing technologies.

[0244] The I / O mechanism 2312 may transmit or receive data from the user or another electronic device. The I / O mechanism 2312 may include a display 2302, a touch sensing input surface, one or more buttons (e.g., a graphical user interface "home" button), a crown, one or more cameras, one or more microphones or speakers, one or more ports, e.g., a microphone port, and / or a keyboard. In addition to, or instead of, this, the I / O mechanism 2312 may transmit electrical signals via a communication interface, e.g., a wireless, wired, and / or optical communication interface. Examples of wireless and wired communication interfaces include, but are not limited to, cellular and Wi-Fi communication interfaces. In some embodiments, the electronic device 2300 may constitute one or more housing segments 112 described herein for acting as an antenna, and / or the electronic device 2300 may be configured to communicate in one or more radio frequency bands (or other radio frequency bands) described with reference to FIG. 19.

[0245] The foregoing description has used specific technical terms for the convenience of explanation to provide a complete understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that after reading this description, specific details are not required to implement the described embodiments. Therefore, the foregoing description of the specific embodiments described herein is presented for purposes of illustration and example. These descriptions are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the exact form disclosed. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications are possible in light of the above teachings.

Claims

1. A device comprising: a display; and a housing surrounding the display and having four corners that define a part of an outer surface of the device, the housing including: a first housing segment that defines at least a part of a first corner of the four corners and is configured to function as an antenna; a second housing segment that defines at least a part of a second corner of the four corners; a third housing segment that defines at least a part of a third corner of the four corners, the third corner forming a part of the housing that is diagonally opposed to the second corner; and a non-conductive housing component that structurally connects the first housing segment to another part of the housing.

2. The antenna is a first antenna, the second housing segment is configured to function as a second antenna, and the third housing segment is configured to function as a third antenna, the device according to claim 1.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a fourth housing segment that defines at least a part of a fourth corner of the four corners and is configured to function as a fourth antenna.

4. a fourth housing segment that defines at least a part of a fourth corner of the four corners; and a wireless communication circuit connected to the first housing segment, the second housing segment, the third housing segment, and the fourth housing segment, wherein the wireless communication circuit is operable to communicate in different wireless communication modes by configuring different combinations of the first housing segment, the second housing segment, the third housing segment, and the fourth housing segment as two antennas or four antennas, the device according to claim 1.

5. In a first wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuit is operable to use a combination of the second housing segment and the third housing segment for wireless communication; and In a second wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuit is operable to use a combination of the first housing segment, the second housing segment, the third housing segment, and the fourth housing segment for wireless communication, the device according to claim 4.

6. a first interlock mechanism extending from a first end of the first housing segment into an internal volume defined by the housing; A second interlock mechanism extending from the second end of the second housing segment into the internal volume, and The non-conductive housing component extends into the first opening of the first interlock mechanism, The device according to claim 1, wherein the non-conductive housing component extends into the second opening of the second interlock mechanism. **Claim 7** A third interlock mechanism extending from the third end of the third housing segment into the internal volume, and A fourth interlock mechanism extending from the fourth end of the first housing segment, and The non-conductive housing component extends into the third opening of the third interlock mechanism, The device according to claim 6, wherein the non-conductive housing component extends into the fourth opening of the fourth interlock mechanism. **Claim 8** The housing further includes a support plate disposed under the display, The non-conductive housing component structurally connects the first housing segment to the second housing segment and the third housing segment, The device according to claim 1, wherein the non-conductive housing component structurally connects the first housing segment to the support plate. **Claim 9** A device comprising: A display; and A housing defining a sidewall of the device around a peripheral portion of the display, the housing including: A first conductor segment defining at least a portion of a first corner of the sidewall; A second conductor segment defining at least a portion of a second corner of the sidewall; A third conductor segment defining at least a portion of a third corner of the sidewall; A fourth conductor segment defining at least a portion of a fourth corner of the sidewall; A non-conductive housing component structurally connecting the first conductor segment to the second conductor segment and electrically insulating the first conductor segment from the second conductor segment; and A wireless communication circuit connected to the first conductor segment. **Claim 10** The wireless communication circuit is further connected to the second conductor segment, the third conductor segment, and the fourth conductor segment. The device according to claim 9, wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to cause the first conductor segment, the second conductor segment, the third conductor segment, and the fourth conductor segment to function as a first antenna, a second antenna, a third antenna, and a fourth antenna, respectively.

11. The third angle forms a part of the side wall that faces diagonally opposite the second angle. The wireless communication circuit is operable in a first wireless communication mode and a second wireless communication mode. The device according to claim 9, wherein when the wireless communication circuit is operated in the first wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuit is configured to use the first conductor segment, the second conductor segment, the third conductor segment, and the fourth conductor segment as different antennas for wireless communication in a first radio frequency band.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein when the wireless communication circuit is operated in the second wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuit is configured to use the second conductor segment and the third conductor segment as different antennas for wireless communication in a second radio frequency band.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein the second conductor segment and the third conductor segment each extend along a larger portion of the side wall than the first conductor segment and the fourth conductor segment, respectively.

14. The device according to claim 13, further comprising a second non-conductive housing component that structurally connects the third conductor segment and the fourth conductor segment and electrically insulates the third conductor segment from the fourth conductor segment.

15. Further comprising a flex circuit. The device defines a short side and a long side. The first angle and the second angle are disposed at opposite ends of the short side. The first conductor segment has a first ground connector electrically connected to the flex circuit and a first antenna supply connector electrically connected to the flex circuit. The device according to claim 9, wherein the second conductor segment has a second ground connector electrically connected to the flex circuit and a second antenna supply connector electrically connected to the flex circuit.

16. A device comprising: A display, A housing that defines a side wall of the device and at least partially defines an internal volume that includes the display, the housing comprising: a first conductor antenna segment that defines a first portion of the side wall; a second conductor antenna segment that defines a second portion of the side wall; a non-conductive housing component that defines a third portion of the side wall and electrically insulates the second conductor antenna segment from the first conductor antenna segment; a wireless communication circuit disposed within the internal volume and operable in a first wireless communication mode using the second conductor antenna segment electrically disconnected from the first conductor antenna segment and in a second wireless communication mode using the second conductor antenna segment electrically connected to the first conductor antenna segment;

17. The housing further includes a conductor support plate disposed under the display and electrically connected to the second conductor antenna segment, wherein the second conductor antenna segment at least defines a first portion of a slot antenna mechanism, and the conductor support plate at least defines a second portion of the slot antenna mechanism, the device according to claim 16.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the first conductor antenna segment defines a corner of the side wall, and the second conductor antenna segment defines a side of the side wall.

19. wherein the corner is a first corner, and the housing further includes: a third conductor antenna segment that defines a fourth portion of the side wall including a second corner of the side wall; the non-conductive housing component defines a fifth portion of the side wall and electrically insulates the third conductor antenna segment from the second conductor antenna segment; the second conductor antenna segment is electrically disconnected from the third conductor antenna segment in the first wireless communication mode; and the second conductor antenna segment is electrically connected to the third conductor antenna segment in the second wireless communication mode, the device according to claim 18.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein in the second wireless communication mode, the wireless communication circuit is operable to perform wireless communication using the second conductor antenna segment in combination with the first conductor antenna segment as a first antenna and using the second conductor antenna segment in combination with the third conductor antenna segment as a second antenna.

Images