Conductive Housing Slit for NFC Antenna in Folded Notebook
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Solution Overview
Problem
Notebook PCs with conductive metal housings face radio wave interference issues when folded, blocking HF-band RFID system signals due to the conductive materials covering the coil antenna.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a power feeding coil with a coil aperture that overlaps with a slit or aperture in the conductive housing, allowing induced current to flow around the housing and maintain NFC communication, even when the notebook is closed, using a magnetic member and a variable-capacitance capacitor to detect and adjust for the opening and closing of the housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the housing is made of conductive metal to increase strength and reduce thickness, then structural strength is improved, but radio wave transmission is blocked when the notebook is folded
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented by providing openings (slits or apertures) that divide the continuous conductive metal housing into regions. These openings create pathways for radio waves to pass through while maintaining the overall structural integrity and strength of the metal housing. The power feeding coil is positioned to align with these segmented openings, ensuring radio wave transmission capability even when the housing is in a folded state.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the coil antenna is covered by the conductive housing when folded, then housing integrity is maintained, but NFC communication capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The opening in the housing acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the need for housing integrity and NFC communication capability. By positioning the power feeding coil so its coil aperture overlaps with the opening, radio waves can pass through the opening to reach the coil, enabling NFC communication even when the housing is folded and the coil would otherwise be covered by the conductive housing.
3Reliability
If the power feeding coil is positioned on the housing surface, then NFC communication is enabled, but the coil is blocked by the conductive housing when folded
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with non-uniform local quality by creating specific openings at strategic locations where the power feeding coil is positioned. Rather than making the entire housing uniformly conductive or uniformly open, the opening is localized to the area needed for radio wave transmission, allowing the rest of the housing to maintain its conductive properties for structural strength while enabling NFC communication at the specific location of the power feeding coil.
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
Enables reliable NFC communication regardless of the notebook's state, ensuring consistent performance from any surface, including when the display section is open or closed, by guiding induced current through the housing surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a power feeding coil including a coil aperture facing the opening... The coil aperture of the power feeding coil preferably overlaps with the opening... allowing induced current to flow around the housing and maintain NFC communication
Data Source
AI summary
An information terminal apparatus includes a flat plate-shaped conductive housing including a first principal surface, a second principal surface, and a side surface that connects the principal surfaces, and a display provided on the first principal surface. The conductive housing includes a slit extending from the first principal surface to the second principal surface. Near the slit, a power feeding coil coupled to an IC element for an HF-band RFID system is disposed. The power feeding coil is magnetically coupled to the conductive housing via the slit. Thus, the conductive housing is utilized as a radiation element of the HF-band RFID system.