Antenna Assembly with Non-Metallic Backboard for Wireless Devices

Solution Overview

Problem

Metal backboards in wireless communication devices act as electromagnetic shields, affecting antenna performance and creating structural integrity and appearance issues due to slots and gaps.

Innovation Solution

An antenna assembly with a non-metallic backboard and a metal frame that integrates a radiating portion, feed portion, and matching circuits to minimize interference and improve radiation efficiency across multiple frequency bands, including WiFi, LTE-A, and GPS, while maintaining structural integrity and appearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a metal backboard is used to strengthen structure and improve heat dissipation, then structural strength and heat dissipation are improved, but antenna performance deteriorates due to electromagnetic shielding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidantenna performance

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The backboard is segmented into a non-metallic portion and a metal frame portion, allowing different materials to serve different functions. The non-metallic backboard maintains structural strength while the metal frame provides localized support without causing full electromagnetic shielding, thus resolving the contradiction between structural strength and antenna performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The device uses a composite structure combining non-metallic materials (for the main backboard area) with metal materials (for the frame). This composite approach allows the backboard to provide structural strength and heat dissipation while the non-metallic portion prevents electromagnetic shielding, maintaining antenna performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If slots and gaps are added to the backboard, then antenna performance may be improved, but structural integrity and appearance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna performanceVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding slots and gaps to a metal backboard to improve antenna performance, the invention inverts the approach by using a non-metallic backboard material that inherently allows electromagnetic wave transmission. This eliminates the need for slots and gaps while maintaining both structural integrity and antenna performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If a non-metallic backboard is used to improve antenna performance, then electromagnetic shielding is reduced, but structural strength and heat dissipation may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna performanceVSAvoidstructural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The device uses a composite structure combining non-metallic materials (for the main backboard area) with metal materials (for the frame). This composite approach allows the backboard to provide structural strength and heat dissipation while the non-metallic portion prevents electromagnetic shielding, maintaining antenna performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enhances antenna performance by reducing interference and improving radiation efficiency across various frequency bands, maintaining the structural integrity and appearance of the device without slots or gaps in the backboard.

Implementation Method 1

a metal backboard may act as an electromagnetic shield over an antenna assembly in the wireless communication device, thus affecting antenna performance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic shielding: Faraday Cage

Implementation Method 2

An antenna assembly with a non-metallic backboard and a metal frame that integrates a radiating portion, feed portion, and matching circuits to minimize interference and improve radiation efficiency across multiple frequency bands, including WiFi, LTE-A, and GPS

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS10644382B2Antenna assembly and wireless communication device employing same

Publication Date: 2020.05.05 CHIUN MAI COMM SYST INC

AI summary

An antenna assembly includes a side frame, a feed portion, a ground portion, a radiating portion, and a first matching circuit. The side frame defines a first gap to form a first radiating section from the first gap to a side portion. The radiating portion is inside the side frame and connects to the feed portion and the ground portion, the radiating portion is spaced apart from the side frame and connected to the first radiating section. One end of the first matching circuit connects to an end of the first radiating section adjacent to the first gap, another end connects to the ground portion. The feed portion feeds current into the radiating portion, two opposites ends of the first radiating section and the first matching circuit to activate radiating signals in a first frequency band. A wireless communication device employing the antenna assembly is also provided.