electronic machinery

Abstract

The present invention provides electronic equipment that can increase the degree of freedom in the configuration and / or arrangement of antennas used in contactless communication and the like. [Solution] The electronic device comprises a panel, a sheet metal, and a first antenna. The panel has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The panel includes at least one of a display for displaying predetermined information on the first surface and a touch sensor for detecting user contact on the first surface. The sheet metal is configured to cover at least a portion of the second surface of the panel. The first antenna is positioned between the panel and the sheet metal.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , , , , , ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an electronic device having at least one of the functions of a touch sensor and a display, and a function of wireless communication.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, electronic devices such as smartphones or tablet terminals are widely popular in the daily lives of ordinary users. Among such electronic devices, those having a function of non-contact communication such as, for example, Near Field Communication (NFC) or Felica (registered trademark) are also rapidly becoming popular. In order for an electronic device to realize a function of non-contact communication, it is necessary to include an antenna such as a coil shape. On the other hand, in a relatively small electronic device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, its internal space is very limited. Therefore, the degree of freedom in the configuration and / or arrangement of an antenna used for non-contact communication or the like tends to be considerably limited.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes to arrange an antenna used for non-contact communication or the like on the back surface (the surface opposite to the touch surface) side of a touch pad. On the other hand, if a coil-shaped antenna is arranged on the display surface side of a liquid crystal panel, the display of the liquid crystal panel may become difficult to see. Therefore, in such a case, it may be necessary to use a transparent electrode or the like as the antenna so that the antenna is not visible to the user. Thus, in a relatively small electronic device, the degree of freedom in the configuration and / or arrangement of an antenna used for non-contact communication or the like may be limited.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] In relatively small electronic devices such as smartphones or tablet devices, it is desirable to increase the degree of freedom in the configuration and / or placement of antennas used for contactless communication and the like.

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide electronic equipment that can increase the degree of freedom in the configuration and / or arrangement of antennas used in contactless communication and the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An electronic device according to one embodiment is A panel portion having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the panel portion including at least one of a display that displays predetermined information on the first surface and a touch sensor that detects user contact on the first surface, A sheet metal portion that covers at least a part of the second surface of the panel portion, A first antenna is positioned between the panel portion and the sheet metal portion, It is equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one embodiment, it is possible to provide an electronic device that can increase the degree of freedom in the configuration and / or arrangement of antennas used for contactless communication and the like. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a front view of an electronic device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows a partial cross-section of an electronic device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows a partial cross-section of an electronic device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] A front view showing a part of the functional section of an electronic device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows a partial cross-section of an electronic device according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows a part of the display of an electronic device according to one embodiment in more detail. [Figure 7] This figure shows the simulation results of operation by an electronic device according to one embodiment. [Figure 8A] This diagram illustrates the contactless communication function of typical electronic devices. [Figure 8B] This diagram illustrates the challenges of contactless communication functionality in typical electronic devices. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] In this disclosure, “electronic device” may mean an electrical device. In particular, in the embodiments described below, “electronic device” may mean a device, apparatus, or apparatus that has at least one of the functions of a touch sensor and a display, as well as a wireless communication function. An electronic device according to one embodiment may be a general-purpose terminal or apparatus, or a terminal or apparatus that is specifically designed and manufactured. For example, an electronic device according to one embodiment may be a smartphone or a tablet terminal. An electronic device according to one embodiment may also be various terminals or apparatus, such as a terminal, cash register, or ticket gate used in stores. Furthermore, “system” may mean an apparatus or apparatus that includes an electrical device. Furthermore, “user” may mean a person (typically a human) who uses the electronic device and / or system according to one embodiment.

[0011] The electronic device according to one embodiment described below has at least one of the functions of a touch sensor and a display, similar to a typical smartphone or tablet device. Alternatively, the electronic device according to one embodiment may have both the functions of a touch sensor and a display, similar to a typical smartphone or tablet device. Furthermore, the electronic device according to one embodiment may be equipped with an antenna, for example, a coil-shaped antenna, in order to realize contactless communication functions such as Near Field Communication (NFC) or Felica®.

[0012] First, before describing an electronic device according to one embodiment, we will explain the challenges that can be anticipated when realizing contactless communication functionality in an electronic device such as a typical smartphone or tablet terminal.

[0013] Figure 8A illustrates the functionality of contactless communication in typical electronic devices. Figure 8B illustrates the challenges of contactless communication in typical electronic devices.

[0014] Figure 8A conceptually illustrates how the antenna of an electronic device communicates with the antenna of another device via contactless communication, such as NFC or Felica®. In Figure 8A, the antenna of the other device is located relatively close to the upper side of the electronic device. Both the electronic device's antenna and the other device's antenna are shown as coiled antennas. Here, the other device could be, for example, a credit card or other card capable of short-range wireless communication.

[0015] The electronic device shown in FIG. 8A has an antenna of the electronic device on the surface side of its housing (the upper surface of the electronic device shown in FIG. 8A). In the situation shown in FIG. 8A, the antenna of the electronic device can detect a magnetic field generated from the antenna of another device. That is, the magnetic field generated from the antenna of another device passes through the antenna of the electronic device. Therefore, in such a case, the electronic device and another device can perform non-contact communication.

[0016] On the other hand, the electronic device shown in FIG. 8B has a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) on the surface side of its housing (the upper surface of the electronic device shown in FIG. 8B). In many cases, the display device of the electronic device has a support part made of, for example, metal that supports the display device from the back side in order to ensure its strength. Also, the electronic device shown in FIG. 8B has an antenna of the electronic device on the back side (the lower surface of the display device shown in FIG. 8B) of the display device.

[0017] In such a case, the magnetic field generated from the antenna of another device is shielded by the display device (the metal support part thereof) of the electronic device as shown in FIG. 8B. For this reason, in the situation shown in FIG. 8B, the magnetic field generated from the antenna of another device cannot pass through the antenna of the electronic device or it becomes difficult to pass through. Therefore, in such a case, it is assumed that the electronic device and another device cannot appropriately perform non-contact communication.

[0018] Therefore, conventionally, in order to appropriately perform non-contact communication with the antenna of another device, it was assumed that measures such as arranging the antenna of the electronic device at a position that does not overlap with the back of the display device were taken in the electronic device. Also, conventionally, in order to appropriately perform non-contact communication with the antenna of another device, it was assumed that measures such as arranging the antenna of the electronic device on the surface opposite to the surface on which the display device is arranged were taken in the electronic device. In this case, when appropriately performing non-contact communication with the antenna of another device, it is necessary to direct the surface opposite to the surface on which the display device is arranged in the electronic device toward the antenna of the other device.

[0019] Figures 8A and 8B illustrate the case where the antenna of another device functions as a transmitting antenna and the antenna of the electronic device functions as a receiving antenna. Alternatively, the antenna of the electronic device may function as a transmitting antenna and the antenna of another device functions as a receiving antenna.

[0020] The aforementioned Patent Document 1 proposes placing an antenna used for contactless communication, etc., on the back side of the touchpad (the side opposite the touch surface). Furthermore, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, it may be necessary to make the antenna invisible to the user by using a transparent electrode or the like as the antenna. In other words, in Patent Document 1, because it is necessary to make the antenna an element invisible to the user, it may be necessary to use a special material such as a transparent electrode for the antenna.

[0021] The electronic device according to one embodiment described below allows for flexibility in the material of the antenna used for contactless communication, etc., and the antenna may be constructed from a conventional material such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC).

[0022] Figure 1 is a front view of an electronic device according to one embodiment. That is, Figure 1 is a diagram showing the electronic device according to one embodiment as viewed from the front.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, an electronic device 1 according to one embodiment comprises a cover glass 60 and a panel portion 10 in its appearance when viewed from the front. The panel portion 10 may include at least one of a display 20 and a touch sensor 30, as will be described later. Alternatively, the panel portion 10 may include both the display 20 and the touch sensor 30. The panel portion 10 will be described further later. The cover glass 60 may be a thin, plate-shaped glass or tempered glass. The cover glass 60 may be arranged to cover the panel portion 10. The cover glass 60 may have a function to protect the panel portion 10. By forming the cover glass 60 to be somewhat thin, the touch sensor 30 can detect contact by the user. The cover glass 60 may also be made of a light-transmitting material, such as transparent, so that the display on the display 20 can be seen by the user.

[0024] The Z-axis direction shown in Figure 1 may represent, for example, the "thickness" direction of each component (e.g., the panel portion 10 and / or the cover glass 60, etc.) constituting the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment. Furthermore, the electronic device 1 shown in Figure 1 is merely an example of one embodiment and is not limited to the size and / or shape of the electronic device 1 shown in Figure 1; it may be implemented in various forms.

[0025] Figure 2 is a diagram showing a partial cross-section of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment. That is, Figure 2 is a diagram showing a partial cross-section of the electronic device 1 shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 may be a diagram showing a partial cross-section of the electronic device shown in Figure 1 parallel to the YZ plane.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment may include a cover glass 60 and a housing 70. The cover glass 60 may be a thin, plate-shaped glass, tempered glass, or transparent plastic, as described above. The housing 70 may define the appearance of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment. The housing 70 may be made of plastic or aluminum, for example.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment may include a panel portion 10, a sheet metal portion 40, and a first antenna 51. As described above, the panel portion 10 may include at least one of a display 20 and a touch sensor 30. As shown in Figure 2, the panel portion 10 may include both the display 20 and the touch sensor 30. Also, as shown in Figure 2, the panel portion 10 may have a first surface 11 and a second surface 12 opposite to the first surface 11. The first surface 11 of the panel portion 10 may be the surface facing the positive Z-axis direction of the panel portion 10 as shown in Figure 2. The second surface 12 of the panel portion 10 may be the surface facing the negative Z-axis direction of the panel portion 10 as shown in Figure 2.

[0028] Hereafter, the positive direction of the Z-axis shown in Figure 2 may be referred to as "up." Also, the positive Z-axis side of each component shown in Figure 2 may be referred to as the "front" side. Similarly, the negative Z-axis direction shown in Figure 2 may be referred to as "down." Also, the negative Z-axis side of each component shown in Figure 2 may be referred to as the "back" side. For example, the first surface 11 of the panel 10 may be the upper surface or front surface of the panel 10. Also, the second surface 12 of the panel 10 may be the lower surface or back surface of the panel 10.

[0029] If the panel section 10 includes a display 20, the display 20 can display predetermined information on the first surface 11 of the panel section 10. That is, the display 20 may have a display surface on the side of the first surface 11 of the panel section 10. The display 20 may be, for example, an LCD or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). Furthermore, the display 20 is not limited to LCDs or OLEDs, but may be various types of display devices. The display 20 may include components such as TFT (Thin Film Transistor) glass. Since the display 20 can be a conventionally known display device, a more detailed explanation is omitted.

[0030] If the panel portion 10 includes a touch sensor 30, the touch sensor 30 can detect user contact on the first surface 11 of the panel portion 10. That is, the touch sensor 30 may have a touch surface on the side of the first surface 11 of the panel portion 10. The touch sensor 30 may be, for example, a capacitive type. Furthermore, the touch sensor 30 is not limited to a capacitive type, but may be a touch (tap) detection device of various types. The touch sensor 30 may include a material such as CF (Color Filter) glass. Since the touch sensor 30 can be a conventionally known touch detection device, a more detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0031] One embodiment of the electronic device 1 may include a circuit (drive circuit) 32 for driving the touch sensor 30. The drive circuit 32 may include, for example, a driver IC (Integrated Circuit) for the touch sensor 30. The drive circuit 32 may be located, for example, near the edge of the panel portion 10, as shown in Figure 2.

[0032] In the electronic device 1 shown in Figure 2, the touch sensor 30 is located above the panel 10, and the display 20 is located below the panel 10. However, the relative positions of these can be reversed.

[0033] The sheet metal portion 40 may be formed to cover at least a portion of the second surface 12 of the panel portion 10, as shown in Figure 2. The sheet metal portion 40 may also be formed to cover the entire second surface 12 of the panel portion 10. The sheet metal portion 40 may be made of a material such as metal that has sufficient strength to support the panel portion 10 from the back side. The sheet metal portion 40 may also be formed to have a gap between it and the panel portion 10 for the placement of the first antenna 51, as shown in Figure 2. The sheet metal portion 40 may be formed by press working, such as deep drawing.

[0034] The first antenna 51 may be configured as an antenna such as a coil. The first antenna 51 may be an antenna element used for contactless communication such as Near Field Communication (NFC) or Felica®. As shown in Figure 2, the first antenna 51 is positioned between the panel portion 10 and the sheet metal portion 40.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the first antenna 51 may be attached to the sheet metal portion 40 via a magnetic sheet 82 when it is placed on the sheet metal portion 40.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, in the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, when attaching the sheet metal part 40 to the panel part 10, for example, a BL (Backlight) optical sheet (BL film) 84 may be interposed. As shown in Figure 2, in the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB) 90 may be placed on the back side of the sheet metal part 40.

[0037] One embodiment of the electronic device 1 may not include at least a portion of the functional parts shown in Figure 2, and may include other functional parts and / or components other than those shown in Figure 2.

[0038] Generally, in electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet devices, sheet metal or metal foil is often placed on the back of the display (the side opposite the display surface) for noise reduction or to ensure strength. Therefore, in typical smartphones and tablet devices, the magnetic field generated by the antenna is blocked by this sheet metal or metal foil. Consequently, wireless communication using the antenna is expected to become impossible or experience a deterioration in communication quality.

[0039] In the aforementioned Patent Document 1, the magnetic field generated by the antenna can be prevented from being blocked by placing the antenna on the display surface side of the display. However, as mentioned above, placing a coil-shaped antenna on the display surface side of the display may make the display difficult to see. For this reason, in Patent Document 1, it may be necessary to use a transparent electrode or the like as the antenna.

[0040] In the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment shown in Figure 2, the sheet metal portion 40 also has a function that contributes to noise countermeasures and / or strength assurance for the display 20 and / or touch sensor 30. On the other hand, in the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment shown in Figure 2, the first antenna 51 (and magnetic sheet 82) is arranged between the panel portion 10 (and BL optical sheet 84, etc.) which includes at least one of the display 20 and the touch sensor 30, and the sheet metal portion 40.

[0041] Therefore, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, the magnetic field generated downward from the first antenna 51 is blocked, while the magnetic field generated upward from the first antenna 51 is not blocked. For this reason, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, contactless communication functionality can be realized on the surface side (top side) of the panel portion 10, which includes at least one of the display 20 and the touch sensor 30. Therefore, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, a user can perform contactless communication using the antenna 51 while, for example, checking the display on the display 20. Furthermore, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, a user can perform contactless communication using the antenna 51 while, for example, operating the touch surface of the touch sensor 30. When actually designing the electronic device 1, the magnetic field shielding performance of the panel portion 10, which includes at least one of the display 20 and the touch sensor 30, may be confirmed by demonstration experiments and / or simulations.

[0042] Furthermore, according to the electronic device 1 of one embodiment, the first antenna 51 can be placed on the underside (backside) of the panel portion 10, which includes at least one of the display 20 and the touch sensor 30. Therefore, according to the electronic device 1 of one embodiment, even if the first antenna 51 is made of a normal coil or a flexible printed circuit (FPC), the display of the display 20 is not obstructed. Thus, according to the electronic device 1 of one embodiment, even if a normal antenna material is used for the first antenna 51, the user can clearly see, for example, the display of the display 20.

[0043] Thus, according to the electronic device 1 of one embodiment, the degree to which the freedom of configuration and / or arrangement of an antenna used for contactless communication and the like is restricted can be reduced. For this reason, according to the electronic device 1 of one embodiment, it is possible to provide an electronic device that increases the freedom of configuration and / or arrangement of an antenna used for contactless communication and the like.

[0044] Figure 3 shows a partial cross-section of an electronic device according to another embodiment. Similar to Figure 2, Figure 3 may be a diagram that partially shows a cross-section of a part of an electronic device according to another embodiment, i.e., a cross-section parallel to the YZ plane of the electronic device.

[0045] As shown in Figure 3, the electronic device 2 according to one embodiment is a modified version of the electronic device 1 shown in Figure 2, with changes to the configuration and / or shape of the sheet metal portion 40. Also, Figure 3 omits some of the components that make up the electronic device 2 according to one embodiment. For example, Figure 3 omits the illustration of the drive circuit 32, housing 70, magnetic sheet 82, BL optical sheet 84, and printed circuit board 90 that the electronic device 2 according to one embodiment may have. Also, in Figure 3, the display 20 and / or touch sensor 30 are shown integrally as a panel portion 10.

[0046] In the electronic device 1 shown in Figure 2, the sheet metal portion 40 is assumed to be integrally formed. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, in the electronic device 2 according to one embodiment, the sheet metal portion 40 may be separable into multiple parts.

[0047] As shown in Figure 3, in the electronic device 2 according to one embodiment, the sheet metal portion 40 may include, for example, a frame portion 42 and a lid portion 44. The frame portion 42 may be formed, for example, as a frame material to be attached to the panel portion 10 and attached to the second surface 12 side of the panel portion 10. The lid portion 44 may also be formed so as to be attached to the frame portion 42 from below. A recess 46 may be formed in the lid portion 44 where the first antenna 51 is attached. In this case, for example, the lid portion 44 may be attached to the frame portion 42 after the first antenna 51 has been attached to the recess 46 of the lid portion 44. The frame portion 42 and / or the lid portion 44 may be formed by press working, such as deep drawing.

[0048] The depth of the recess 46 in the lid portion 44 (in the Z-axis direction as shown in the figure) may be greater than the thickness of the first antenna 51 (in the Z-axis direction as shown in the figure). By forming the recess 46 in this way, it is possible to avoid the upper surface of the first antenna 51 coming into contact with the lower surface of the panel portion 10 or the lower end of the frame portion 42.

[0049] Furthermore, when attaching the lid portion 44 to the frame portion 42, an adhesive layer 48 may be used, which is positioned to surround the lid portion 44 and / or the frame portion 42. The adhesive layer 48 may consist of, for example, double-sided tape or an adhesive. In this case, the adhesive layer 48 may also include a conductive adhesive, such as conductive double-sided tape. This is expected to further enhance noise countermeasures by the sheet metal portion 40, including the frame portion 42 and the lid portion 44.

[0050] Thus, in the electronic device 2 according to one embodiment, the sheet metal portion 40 may be composed of a frame portion 42 and a lid portion 44. In this case, the frame portion 42 may be attached to the second surface 12 side of the panel portion 10. The lid portion 44 may also be attached to the frame portion 42. In this case, the first antenna 51 may also be attached to the lid portion 44 of the sheet metal portion 40.

[0051] Furthermore, in the electronic device 2 according to one embodiment, the lid portion 44 of the sheet metal portion 40 may have a recess 46 at the location where the first antenna 51 is positioned. In this case, the recess 46 may be formed to have a depth greater than or equal to the thickness of the first antenna 51.

[0052] Generally, when a rigid component such as the first antenna 51 is placed on the back side (the side opposite the display surface) of a device such as a display 20, there is a risk that the rigid component will come into contact with the back side of the device, causing malfunctions in the device. For example, if the display 20 is an LCD, when the first antenna 51 comes into contact with the back side of the display 20, the LCD will be pushed from the back, causing a phenomenon in which a display different from the intended display may seep onto the display 20. To avoid such display malfunctions, for example, a step may be formed in the sheet metal portion 40 by drawing, as shown in Figure 2. On the other hand, even when a step is formed in the sheet metal portion 40 by drawing, as shown in Figure 2, if the edge of the step comes into contact with the back side of the display 20, display malfunctions of the display 20 may still occur.

[0053] On the other hand, in the electronic device 2 shown in Figure 3, the first antenna 51 is positioned so as not to come into contact with the second surface of the panel portion 10. With this configuration, the electronic device 2 according to one embodiment can avoid display problems with the display 20.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the electronic device 2 of one embodiment, by configuring the sheet metal portion 40 to be separable into a frame portion 42 and a lid portion 44, the first antenna 51 can be easily replaced. For example, if the sheet metal portion 40 is manufactured as a device integrated with the panel portion 10, if a defect is found in the first antenna 51, it becomes difficult to replace only the first antenna 51, and there is a risk that the entire device, including other components, will have to be discarded.

[0055] However, according to the electronic device 2 of one embodiment, if a defect is found in the first antenna 51, the first antenna 51 can be easily replaced by separating the lid portion 44 from the frame portion 42. Alternatively, the lid portion 44 on which the first antenna 51 is installed may be commercially available as, for example, a contactless communication unit. In this case, if a defect is found in the first antenna 51, the panel portion 10 including the display 20 and / or touch sensor 30 can continue to be used as is by replacing only the contactless communication unit.

[0056] Thus, according to the electronic device 2 of one embodiment, the degree to which the freedom of configuration and / or arrangement of an antenna used for contactless communication and the like is restricted can be reduced. For this reason, according to the electronic device 2 of one embodiment, it is possible to provide an electronic device that increases the freedom of configuration and / or arrangement of an antenna used for contactless communication and the like.

[0057] Next, other features that can be incorporated into the electronic device 1 and / or electronic device 2 according to the above embodiment will be described.

[0058] (Arrangement of the touch sensor drive circuit) In relatively small electronic devices such as electronic device 1 and / or electronic device 2 according to the embodiments described above, the internal space is very limited. Therefore, if, for example, an antenna for contactless communication such as the first antenna 51 is placed close to the panel portion 10, it is conceivable that the distance between the circuit (drive circuit) 32 that drives the touch sensor 30 and the first antenna 51 will be reduced.

[0059] In this case, due to structural reasons in electronic device 1 and / or electronic device 2, it is conceivable that the drive circuit 32 of the touch sensor 30 cannot be adequately shielded, for example, by sheet metal. If the drive circuit 32 of the touch sensor 30 cannot be adequately shielded, depending on the distance between the drive circuit 32 and the first antenna 51, the drive circuit 32 may be affected by the magnetic field and / or noise generated when communication is performed via the first antenna 51. If the drive circuit 32 is affected by the magnetic field and / or noise, it may cause the touch sensor 30 to malfunction.

[0060] The applicant confirmed, through demonstration experiments and / or simulations, how a touch sensor reacts when an antenna used for contactless communication is placed near the driver IC of the touch sensor. As a result, it was confirmed that when an antenna used for contactless communication is placed near the driver IC of the touch sensor, the touch sensor may determine that a touch has been detected even if the user has not actually touched the touch sensor.

[0061] Therefore, in one embodiment, the first antenna 51 may be positioned so as not to be extremely close to the drive circuit 32 of the panel section 10. For example, as shown in the electronic device 3 in Figure 4, the first antenna 51 and the drive circuit 32 of the touch sensor 30 may be positioned so as not to overlap when the panel section 10 is viewed from above. In Figure 4, the panel section 10 is shown with a dashed line for clarity. In Figure 4, both the first antenna 51 and the drive circuit 32 of the touch sensor 30 are positioned on the underside (back side) of the panel section 10. Also, in one embodiment, the first antenna 51 and the drive circuit 32 of the touch sensor 30 may be positioned so as to be a certain distance apart when the panel section 10 is viewed from above. For example, when the panel section 10 is viewed from above, the first antenna 51 and the drive circuit 32 of the touch sensor 30 may be positioned so as to be about 20 mm apart in the Y-axis direction as shown in Figure 4.

[0062] Thus, in the electronic device 1 or electronic device 2 according to one embodiment, when the panel portion 10 is viewed from above, the first antenna 51 may be positioned so as not to overlap with the circuit 32 that drives the touch sensor 30 of the panel portion 10.

[0063] By arranging the first antenna 51 and the drive circuit 32 so that they do not overlap or are spaced apart to a certain extent, the influence of the first antenna 51 on the drive circuit 32 when it performs communication can be reduced. Therefore, this reduces the risk of the touch sensor 30 falsely detecting a touch.

[0064] (Placement of the second antenna) Recent electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet terminals almost always include antennas for LTE, GPS, and / or WiFi, in addition to antennas used for contactless communication, such as the first antenna 51. On the other hand, as mentioned above, the internal space of relatively small electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet terminals is very limited. For this reason, the degree of freedom in the configuration and / or placement of antennas, not only those used for contactless communication, but also those used for LTE, GPS, and / or WiFi, tends to be considerably restricted. Hereinafter, an antenna used for LTE, GPS, and / or WiFi, which is different from the first antenna 51, may be referred to as the second antenna 52.

[0065] For example, if a first antenna 51 used for contactless communication and a second antenna 52 used for LTE, GPS, and / or WiFi are placed in close proximity, it is conceivable that they may influence each other. In this case, there is concern that the quality of communication by the first antenna 51 and the second antenna 52 may deteriorate.

[0066] Therefore, in one embodiment, the second antenna 52 may be positioned such that the magnetic field generated by the first antenna 51 is blocked by the sheet metal portion 40. For example, the electronic device 4 shown in Figure 5 is equipped with a second antenna 52 as an antenna used for LTE, GPS, and / or WiFi, etc. In the electronic device 4 shown in Figure 5, the magnetic field generated by the first antenna 51 and directed toward the second antenna 52 is blocked by the sheet metal portion 40. Also, in the electronic device 4 shown in Figure 5, the magnetic field generated by the second antenna 52 and directed toward the first antenna 51 is also blocked by the sheet metal portion 40. Therefore, the electronic device 4 can reduce the degree to which communication by the first antenna 51 and communication by the second antenna 52 mutually influence each other. In one embodiment, at least one of the first antenna 51 and the second antenna 52 may be positioned such that the sheet metal portion 40 is interposed between the first antenna 51 and the second antenna 52. In the electronic device 4 shown in Figure 5, the second antenna 52 is positioned outside the space formed by the panel portion 10 and the sheet metal portion 40.

[0067] Thus, the electronic device 1 or electronic device 2 according to one embodiment may include a second antenna 52 different from the first antenna 51. In this case, the second antenna 52 may be located outside the space formed by the panel portion 10 and the sheet metal portion 40.

[0068] (Display requirements) Figure 6 is a magnified view of a typical display device, such as the display 20 of an electronic device 1 or electronic device 2 according to one embodiment. The following explanation will use the case where the display 20 is an LCD as an example.

[0069] As shown in Figure 6, in a display 20 such as an LCD, a large number of electrodes 22 arranged in a grid are typically connected to a power supply line. Each of the electrodes 22 is connected to a liquid crystal element 24. Each of these liquid crystal elements 24 can represent a display color. In Figure 6, only the uppermost of the large number of electrodes 22 is given a reference numeral. Similarly, in Figure 6, only the uppermost of the large number of liquid crystal elements 24 is given a reference numeral.

[0070] The electrode 22 shown in Figure 6 is generally a conductor (conductive material). Therefore, if the first antenna 51 is placed in the position shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3, there is a concern that communication by the first antenna 51 will be affected by the electrode 22 of the display 20. In one embodiment, the panel 10 may suppress the current flowing through a specific electrode 22. By suppressing the current flowing through the electrode 22, the influence of the electrode 22 as a conductive material can be reduced.

[0071] The following describes the conditions under which the current flowing through electrode 22 is suppressed. Figure 7 shows an example of the simulation results of the effect of electrode 22 as a conductive material. Here, the electrode 22 density in the display 20 is very small compared to the wavelength of 13.56 MHz. Therefore, in this simulation, the lattice shape of electrode 22 was approximated by sheet metal. The thickness of this sheet metal was set to 0.3 μm, assuming the actual thickness of electrode 22. In addition, the communication quality by the transmitting antenna and receiving antenna is proportional to the coupling coefficient between the antennas. Therefore, in this simulation, evaluation was performed using the coupling coefficient (with a maximum value of 1.00).

[0072] As shown in Figure 7, increasing the conductivity of the sheet metal causes the coupling coefficient between the transmitting and receiving antennas to deteriorate rapidly. Simulation results confirmed that when the sheet metal thickness is 0.3 μm, the influence of the electrodes can be suppressed if the conductivity is less than half that of the copper plate. Therefore, when the sheet metal thickness for electrode 22 is set to 0.3 μm, the area occupied by electrode 22 in the area of ​​the display 20 may be set to less than half. With such a configuration, the impact on the antenna's communication performance can be avoided or reduced. Furthermore, conductivity is proportional to the electrode thickness. For this reason, when the sheet metal thickness for electrode 22 is doubled to 0.6 μm, the area occupied by electrode 22 in the area of ​​the display 20 may be set to less than one-quarter. With such a configuration, the impact on the antenna's communication performance can also be avoided or reduced.

[0073] In summary, by setting the product of "the thickness of the sheet metal assuming the electrode 22" and "the area occupied by the electrode 22 within the area of ​​the display 20" to be 0.15 or less, the impact on the communication performance of the antenna can be avoided or reduced.

[0074] Thus, in the electronic device 1 or electronic device 2 according to one embodiment, the thickness of the electrode 22 that drives the liquid crystal element 24 constituting the display 20 and the ratio of the area of ​​the electrode 22 to the area of ​​the display 20 may be configured to satisfy predetermined conditions.

[0075] (Touch sensor sensitivity) In electronic devices such as electronic device 1 or electronic device 2 according to one embodiment, the distance between the touch sensor 30 and the first antenna 51 is likely to be relatively close. When these distances are close, it is expected that the touch sensor 30 will be affected by the magnetic field generated by the first antenna 51, similar to the drive circuit 32 of the touch sensor 30. When the touch sensor 30 is affected by the magnetic field generated by the first antenna 51, the risk of malfunctions occurring, such as the touch sensor 30 detecting an incorrect touch, increases.

[0076] In particular, in recent years, some electronic devices such as smartphones or tablet devices have been designed with operating modes that anticipate users touching touch sensors while wearing gloves. Such operating modes are known, for example, as glove mode, glove touch mode, or glove touch mode. These operating modes temporarily increase the sensitivity (detection sensitivity) of the touch sensor so that it can detect user touches even when gloves are being worn. Consequently, in such operating modes, the touch sensor 30 is affected by the magnetic field generated by the first antenna 51, increasing the risk of the touch sensor 30 detecting false touches.

[0077] As described above, in electronic devices such as smartphones or tablet devices, it is often difficult to position touch sensors at a distance from antennas used for contactless communication. On the other hand, the applicant has found through field experiments that noise detected by touch sensors occurs at approximately the same timing in multiple specific sensor electrodes. Therefore, in one embodiment, the noise pattern can be eliminated by observing the characteristics of the generated noise in advance.

[0078] By removing noise patterns in this way, it is possible to suppress malfunctions of the touch sensor without affecting the signal distribution of user finger touches or glove touches detected by the touch sensor.

[0079] Furthermore, in cases where, for example, the sensitivity of a touch sensor needs to be very high, it may be difficult to simultaneously detect a touch using the touch sensor and perform contactless communication using an antenna. In such cases, an operating mode such as a "low-sensitivity glove mode" may be set. A "low-sensitivity glove mode" is a mode in which, for example, when electronic device 1 or electronic device 2 performs contactless communication, the glove mode automatically becomes low-sensitivity. In this "low-sensitivity glove mode," for example, a touch by a user wearing relatively thin gloves can be detected, but a touch by a user wearing relatively thick gloves cannot be detected or is difficult to detect.

[0080] In one embodiment, electronic device 1 or electronic device 2 may automatically start operating in an operating mode such as "low-sensitivity glove mode" when performing contactless communication. In another embodiment, the user may be able to pre-configure whether or not electronic device 1 or electronic device 2 automatically starts operating in an operating mode such as "low-sensitivity glove mode" when performing contactless communication. Furthermore, in one embodiment, when performing contactless communication, the electronic device 1 or electronic device 2 may allow the user to choose whether or not to start operating in an operating mode such as "low-sensitivity glove mode".

[0081] Thus, in one embodiment of the electronic device 1 or electronic device 2, the touch sensor 30 may control the sensitivity of detecting user contact in accordance with the influence of the magnetic field generated by the first antenna 51.

[0082] While embodiments relating to this disclosure have been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art will find it easy to make various modifications or alterations based on this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications or alterations are within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or step can be rearranged in a logically consistent manner, and multiple components or steps can be combined into one or divided.

[0083] The embodiments described above are not limited to implementation as electronic device 1 or electronic device 2, etc. For example, the embodiments described above may be implemented as a system including electronic device 1 or electronic device 2, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0084] 1 Electronic equipment 10 Panel section 11 Page 1 12 Side 2 20 displays 22 electrodes 24 liquid crystal elements 30 touch sensors 32 Drive Circuit 40 Sheet Metal Section 42 Frame section 44 Lid section 46 recess 48 Adhesive layer 51 First Antenna 52 Second Antenna 60 Cover glass 70 cabinets 82 Magnetic Sheets 84 BL (Backlight) Optical Sheet 90 Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

Claims

1. A panel portion having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the panel portion including at least one of a display that displays predetermined information on the first surface and a touch sensor that detects user contact on the first surface, A sheet metal portion that covers at least a part of the second surface of the panel portion, A first antenna is disposed between the panel portion and the sheet metal portion, Electronic devices equipped with these features.

2. The sheet metal portion comprises a frame portion attached to the second surface side of the panel portion and a lid portion attached to the frame portion. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna is attached to the lid portion.

3. The lid portion is provided with a recess where the first antenna is to be placed. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the recess is formed to have a depth greater than or equal to the thickness of the first antenna.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, when the panel is viewed from above, the first antenna is positioned so as not to overlap with the circuit that drives the touch sensor on the panel.

5. It is equipped with a second antenna different from the first antenna, The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second antenna is located outside the space formed by the panel and the sheet metal portion.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the electrode that drives the liquid crystal elements constituting the display and the ratio of the area of ​​the electrode to the area of ​​the display are configured to satisfy predetermined conditions.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensor controls the sensitivity for detecting contact by the user in accordance with the influence of the magnetic field generated by the first antenna.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna is used for short-range wireless communication.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the panel portion includes both the display and the touch sensor.

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