Antenna Layout Offset Rear Touch Panel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional portable electronic devices with wireless communication functions face challenges in achieving optimal reception sensitivity due to the overlap of antennas with display and touch panels, and the need for a large ground layer with low impedance to handle high-frequency signals.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device features a unique antenna layout where antennas are strategically positioned to avoid overlap with touch panels, utilizing a housing design that includes a rear touch panel offset from the display panel, allowing for increased antenna size and improved reception sensitivity, and a circuit board configuration that connects multiple boards to reduce ground impedance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If antennas are positioned close to display panels to maximize antenna size, then antenna reception sensitivity is improved, but interference from display and touch panels increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna reception sensitivityVSAvoidinterference from display and touch panels
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent positions antennas in the front-rear direction (depth dimension) of the housing rather than only in the planar dimensions. By placing antennas closer to the rear surface of the housing and offsetting them from the display panel plane, the design utilizes the third dimension to achieve spatial separation between antennas and interfering components while maintaining effective antenna size and reception sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If a large ground layer is formed in the circuit board, then ground impedance is reduced for high-frequency signals, but the circuit board size must increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveground impedanceVSAvoidcircuit board area
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent connects multiple circuit boards (main circuit board, touch panel circuit board, and other sub-boards) through conductive connections to create a unified ground system. By merging the ground layers of multiple boards, the effective ground area is increased without requiring any single board to be larger, thereby reducing ground impedance while maintaining a compact overall device size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If rear touch panel is offset from display panel, then antenna layout freedom is improved, but device structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna layout freedomVSAvoidhousing structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the touch panel function into separate physical components: a display panel and a rear touch panel positioned at different locations in the housing. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component's position - the display panel remains on the front surface while the touch panel is offset on the rear surface, creating spatial freedom for antenna placement without requiring complex integrated structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2717548B1Portable electronic device, group of portable electronic devices, and method for manufacturing portable electronic device
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP2717548B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2717548B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2717548B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A first antenna (31) is disposed closer to a rear touch panel (4) than to a display panel (2a) in the front-rear direction of a housing (20). The first antenna (31) is disposed so as to be offset with respect to the rear touch panel (4) in a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the housing (20) so that at least a part of the first antenna (31) does not overlap the rear touch panel (4) in the front-rear direction of the housing (20). With such a structure, the display panel and touch panel are provided at the front surface and rear surface, respectively, and good reception sensitivity can be obtained.