Shared Antenna Structures for Multi-Band Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a challenge in designing compact wireless electronic devices that can simultaneously support multiple communication bands, such as near field communications, cellular telephone, satellite navigation, and wireless local area network bands, while minimizing device size and avoiding antenna interference.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves using shared antenna structures, such as conductive housing members forming inverted-F or loop antennas, which can handle both near field and non-near-field communications signals, with signal combining circuitry like duplexers to route signals effectively across different frequencies, allowing for minimized device size and efficient multi-band operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate antennas are used for near field communications and non-near-field communications, then each antenna can be optimized for its specific frequency band, but the device size increases and the number of antenna components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines near field communications antenna and non-near-field communications antenna into a single shared antenna structure. The antenna is designed with multiple resonating elements that can operate at different frequency bands, allowing both NFC and far-field communications (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) to use the same physical antenna, thereby reducing device size while maintaining communication performance
Solution Approach 2:
The shared antenna structure is designed to perform multiple functions by supporting both near field magnetic coupling for NFC and far-field electromagnetic radiation for other wireless communications. The antenna includes configurable resonating elements that can be tuned to different frequency bands, enabling a single antenna to serve multiple communication protocols
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple antennas are incorporated to cover growing communications bands, then band coverage is improved, but antenna interference with each other and with device components increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple antenna functions into a single shared antenna structure, the patent eliminates the spatial proximity issues that cause interference between separate antennas. The shared antenna design includes isolation mechanisms and frequency-selective elements that prevent mutual interference while maintaining broad band coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna structure incorporates different resonating elements with specific local properties optimized for different frequency bands. Each resonating element can be independently configured to operate at specific frequencies, allowing the antenna to cover multiple bands while minimizing interference through localized frequency separation
3Volume of moving object
If compact antenna structures are used to minimize device size, then device form factor is improved, but the ability to cover multiple communications bands simultaneously is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The compact shared antenna structure achieves multi-functionality by incorporating multiple resonating elements that can operate across different frequency bands. The antenna design allows a single compact structure to support both NFC at 13.56 MHz and far-field communications at higher frequencies, maintaining broad band coverage while minimizing device size
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna includes configurable and tunable resonating elements that can dynamically adjust their operating frequencies. This dynamic capability allows the antenna to adapt to different communication bands as needed, enabling a compact structure to cover multiple bands simultaneously through frequency tuning rather than requiring separate fixed-frequency antennas
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 approach enables wireless devices to operate efficiently across multiple communication bands with reduced size, minimizing the need for separate antennas and ensuring satisfactory performance over a range of frequencies, thus addressing the challenge of antenna interference and size constraints.
Implementation Method 1
The antenna structures may be based on an inverted-F antenna resonating element
Implementation Method 2
The antenna structures may be configured to handle signals associated with the non-near-field communications circuitry
Implementation Method 3
Near field communications schemes involve electromagnetically coupled communications over short distances
Implementation Method 4
The antenna structures may also be used to form a near field communications loop antenna
Data Source
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AI summary
Electronic devices may be provided that contain wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antenna structures. The antenna structures may include conductive housing structures such as a peripheral conductive housing member. The antenna structures may be based on an inverted-F antenna resonating element or other types of antenna resonating element. An electronic device may have near field communications circuitry and non-near-field communications circuitry such as cellular telephone, satellite navigation system, or wireless local area network transceiver circuitry. Antenna structures may be configured to handle signals associated with the non-near-field communications circuitry. The antenna structures may also have portions that form a near field communications loop antenna for handling signals associated with the near field communications circuitry.