Flexible Display Antenna Segmentation for Sliding Housing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional flexible display electronic devices experience degraded antenna performance when the housing structure or shape is changed, such as during folding or sliding operations.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device maintains antenna performance by disposing an external segment on a sliding cover facing an inner segment on a side member, ensuring consistent antenna characteristics across various housing configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the housing structure or shape is changed (folding or sliding operations), then the flexibility and adaptability of the electronic device is improved, but the antenna performance is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing configuration flexibilityVSAvoidantenna performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna is divided into multiple segments (first antenna segment on the first housing, second antenna segment on the second housing) that can move independently relative to each other during folding or sliding operations, allowing each segment to maintain its electrical characteristics while the overall antenna structure adapts to different housing configurations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna structure is designed to be dynamic rather than static, with segments that can change their relative positions and orientations based on the housing configuration, enabling the antenna to maintain performance across folded, unfolded, slid, and non-slided states

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the size or shape of the housing is altered, then the device functionality is enhanced, but the antenna characteristics are changed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidantenna characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna is segmented across multiple housings, with each segment designed to maintain its electrical properties independently, ensuring that changes in housing size or shape do not alter the overall antenna characteristics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna design accommodates parameter changes in the housing (size, shape, position) by allowing the antenna segments to adjust their relative configuration while maintaining consistent electrical parameters such as impedance and resonance frequency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3813343B1Electronic device including flexible display and antenna
Publication Date: 2023.04.12 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3813343B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3813343B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3813343B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic device which employs a flexible display and, even when a housing is changed in size or shape, can keep an antenna at the same characteristic. The electronic device may comprise: a first side surface member, on one surface of which a plurality of conductive parts and at least one first non-conductive part disposed between the plurality of conductive parts are arranged; a second side surface member movable toward the one side of the first side surface member; a flexible display, the width of the exposed portion of which can be adjusted on the basis of the movement of the second side surface member; and a wireless communication circuit electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of conductive parts and configured to transmit or receive an RF signal, wherein the second side surface member comprises a sliding cover surface disposed to face the one surface of the first side surface member, and the sliding cover surface has at least one second non-conductive part formed on a portion thereof facing the first non-conductive part, when the overlap between the second side surface member and the first side surface member is largest, and the sliding cover surface is formed not to face the first non-conductive part when the overlap between the second side surface member and the first side surface member is smallest or there is no overlap therebetween. Various other embodiments of the present invention may be additionally provided.