Battery Electrodes as NFC Antenna Radiators

Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile devices face challenges in integrating Near Field Communication (NFC) antennas due to their low operating frequency, requiring large physical sizes that can conflict with other antennas and compromising hearing aid compatibility (HAC) performance.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a battery with electrodes and an electrolyte serves as both a battery and an NFC/FM antenna, eliminating the need for separate antennas and optimizing space, with the battery's electrodes functioning as radiating elements for wireless communication via magnetic field induction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a separate NFC antenna is integrated into the mobile device, then NFC functionality is achieved, but the physical size requirements conflict with other antennas and HAC performance is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveNFC functionalityVSAvoidantenna space

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the battery and NFC antenna into a single integrated component. The battery electrodes serve dual purposes: providing electrical power and functioning as the NFC antenna radiating elements. This merging eliminates the need for separate antenna space while maintaining NFC functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The battery electrodes are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: energy storage and wireless communication. By making the battery electrodes serve as both power sources and NFC antenna elements, the invention achieves multi-functionality that resolves the space conflict between battery and antenna requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a separate NFC antenna is integrated into the mobile device, then NFC functionality is achieved, but HAC performance is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveNFC functionalityVSAvoidHAC performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the battery and NFC antenna into a single integrated component. The battery electrodes serve dual purposes: providing electrical power and functioning as the NFC antenna radiating elements. This merging eliminates the need for separate antenna space while maintaining NFC functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated battery/antenna structure acts as an intermediary solution that reconciles the conflict between NFC functionality and HAC performance. By using the battery electrodes as antenna elements, the design inherently provides proper spacing and isolation from other antennas, thus maintaining HAC performance while enabling NFC.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If separate batteries and antennas are used, then each component can be optimized independently, but device space is wasted and complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent optimizationVSAvoidantenna integration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the battery and NFC antenna into a single integrated component. The battery electrodes serve dual purposes: providing electrical power and functioning as the NFC antenna radiating elements. This merging eliminates the need for separate antenna space while maintaining NFC functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The battery electrodes are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: energy storage and wireless communication. By making the battery electrodes serve as both power sources and NFC antenna elements, the invention achieves multi-functionality that resolves the space conflict between battery and antenna requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 configuration provides a peak gain improvement of over 10 dB for NFC signals while maintaining HAC performance, reducing the physical size requirements and allowing coexistence with other antennas.

Implementation Method 1

The integration of a battery with electrodes and an electrolyte serves as both a battery and an NFC/FM antenna, eliminating the need for separate antennas and optimizing space, with the battery's electrodes functioning as radiating elements for wireless communication via magnetic field induction.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic field induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP2385577B1Mobile wireless communications device with an integrated battery/antenna and related methods

Publication Date: 2019.03.20 BLACKBERRY LTD

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AI summary

A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a cellular transceiver carried by the portable housing, and a battery carried by the portable housing and comprising a pair of electrodes and an electrolyte therebetween. The mobile wireless communications device may further include a wireless communications circuit carried by the portable housing and configured to wirelessly communicate via at least one of the electrodes.