Antenna Slot and Bridge Design for Metallic Frame Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing antennas for portable electronic devices that are compact, robust, and efficient in radio communications while fitting within tight spaces without compromising the device's design or performance, particularly addressing the 'death grip' phenomenon caused by metallic frames.
Innovation Solution
The antenna design features an electrically conductive ground plane with a slot and a bridge, where the slot's longitudinal direction is parallel to the edge, and the ground plate's dimensions are optimized to match half wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, allowing for efficient communication without requiring gaps in the metallic frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If gaps are made in the metallic frame to accommodate the antenna, then the antenna can be installed, but the device's aesthetic appearance and structural integrity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is nested within the metallic frame structure by utilizing the interior surface of the frame as the antenna substrate. The radiating element is positioned inside the frame's enclosed space, allowing the antenna to be accommodated without creating external gaps or openings in the frame, thus preserving both aesthetic appearance and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna design transitions from a planar configuration requiring gaps in the frame to a three-dimensional configuration that utilizes the interior volume of the frame. By positioning the radiating element in the third dimension (inside the frame's enclosed space) and configuring it to radiate outward, the antenna fits within the existing frame structure without requiring modifications to the frame's external appearance.
2Volume of moving object
If gaps are created in the metallic frame for antenna installation, then the antenna can be mounted, but the device becomes prone to death grip phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is nested within the metallic frame structure, with the radiating element positioned inside the frame's enclosed space. This configuration allows the user's hand to hold the device without directly loading the electric field near any gaps, as there are no gaps in the frame. The frame acts as a protective enclosure that isolates the antenna's electric field from direct user contact, eliminating the death grip phenomenon.
Solution Approach 2:
The metallic frame itself acts as an intermediary structure between the antenna and the user's hand. By positioning the radiating element inside the frame and allowing it to radiate outward through the frame's material, the frame mediates the interaction between the antenna's electric field and the user's hand, preventing direct loading of the field by the user while still allowing the antenna to function effectively.
3Reliability
If the antenna size is increased to achieve efficient communication, then communication performance improves, but the device's compact form factor is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna design utilizes three-dimensional space within the metallic frame rather than requiring a large planar area. By configuring the radiating element to extend in the direction perpendicular to the frame's surface and utilizing the frame's interior volume, the antenna achieves sufficient electrical length for efficient communication at lower frequencies while maintaining the device's compact overall dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna is nested within the metallic frame structure, utilizing the frame's interior space to accommodate the radiating element. This allows the antenna to achieve the necessary physical dimensions for efficient communication without increasing the device's external footprint, as the antenna occupies the interior volume of the existing frame rather than requiring additional external space.
4Volume of moving object
If openings are made in the metallic back plate for antenna installation, then the antenna can be mounted, but the device's structural integrity and aesthetic appearance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is nested within the metallic frame structure by positioning the radiating element inside the frame's enclosed space formed by the side edges and ends. This configuration allows the antenna to be installed without requiring any openings or cutouts in the metallic back plate or frame, preserving both the structural integrity and aesthetic appearance of the device's exterior surfaces.
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
This design enhances antenna efficiency and robustness, preventing performance degradation due to the 'death grip' issue while maintaining a compact and aesthetically appealing form factor for portable devices.
Implementation Method 1
The antenna comprises an elongated first slot (908) delimited by at least one of said ground plane (901) and said bridge (907)... The dimensions of said first ground plate (904) are such that its length in said longitudinal direction is essentially equal to at least one of: a half wavelength of electromagnetic radiation at an operational frequency of said antenna
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4a~4d
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An antenna comprises an electrically conductive ground plane (401, 505, 608, 701, 801, 901) that defines a first plane and has a first edge (402, 507, 903, 1505). An electrically conductive first ground plate (403, 501, 502, 605, 606, 702, 802, 803, 904) is located on a second plane parallel to said first plane and displaced by a first distance from said first plane. Said first ground plate has a second edge (404, 906) parallel to said first edge (402, 507, 903, 1505) of the ground plane (401, 505, 608, 701, 801, 901). An electrically conductive bridge (406, 607, 703, 807, 907) connects said second edge (404, 906) of the first ground plate (403, 501, 502, 605, 606, 702, 802, 803, 904) to said first edge (402, 507, 903, 1505) of the ground plane (401, 505, 608, 701, 801, 901). An elongated first slot (407, 503, 504, 601, 602, 704, 908, 1501) is delimited by at least one of said ground plane (401, 505, 608, 701, 801, 901) and said bridge (406, 607, 703, 807, 907). The longitudinal direction of said first slot (407, 503, 504, 601, 602, 704, 908, 1501) is parallel to said first edge (402, 507, 903, 1505). Said first slot (407, 503, 504, 601, 602, 704, 908, 1501) is coincident with said first ground plate (403, 501, 502, 605, 606, 702, 802, 904) seen from a direction (405, 909) perpendicular to said first and second planes. A first antenna feed point (408, 603, 604, 705, 910) is on the distal side of said first slot (407, 503, 504, 601, 602, 704, 908, 1501) seen from the center of said ground plane (401, 505, 608, 701, 801, 901).