Patent Description:
In recent years, as the functional gap between manufacturers is significantly reduced, electronic devices are gradually becoming slimmer in order to satisfy consumers' purchasing desires. On the other hand, a conductive member (e.g., a metal frame or a metal lateral bezel) may be used in at least some structures of the electronic device to increase its rigidity. In particular, in case of an electronic device for communication, at least a part of the conductive member is used as an antenna to achieve the slimmed device, and it is therefore essential to improve the radiation performance.

<CIT> discloses an antenna structure, comprising: a feed end; a first radiator plate coupled to the feed end; a second radiator plate; a third radiator plate coupled to the feed end; a first ground end disposed on the third radiator plate; a second ground end disposed on the third radiator plate and spaced from the first ground end; and a first ring portion coupled to the first radiator plate, the second radiator plate, and the third radiator plate.

<CIT> discloses an antenna structure used in a wireless communication device having a first frame, the antenna structure comprising: a feed end; at least one ground end; a first radiator coupled to the feed end and parallel to the first frame; a first extending section coupled between the feed end and first frame; a second extending section coupled between the feed end and the first frame; a coupling section coupled to the first frame; and a second radiator coupled between the at least one ground end and the first frame.

<CIT> discloses an adjustable multi-band antenna system which is applicable to a mobile terminal with a metal frame structure. The antenna system comprises a metal frame, a PCB (printed circuit board) and an antenna portion. The metal frame is designed to be one portion of an antenna radiator, a loop is formed by the metal frame and the antenna radiator together, a single-stage branch portion is used for debugging low-frequency and high-frequency resonances, and a low-frequency coupling portion and a high-frequency coupling portion can be added according to requirements of working bands. The adjustable multi-band antenna system has the advantages that gaps of the metal frame are formed at the bottom, users are avoided from touching the gaps as much as possible in actual use, and poor antenna performance is avoided during actual handholding; the working bands of the adjustable multi-band antenna system are <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, and a multi-frequency broadband is realized; compared with traditional common antennas, the adjustable multi-band antenna system has the advantages of multiple bands and wide bandwidth.

<CIT> discloses a novel bandwidth-enhanced LTE (long term evolution) metal frame antenna, which comprises a printed circuit board of a hand-held terminal, a metal outer frame connected with an edge part of the PCB, an antenna part and an electrical part connected with the antenna part, wherein the antenna part is positioned in a clearance area arranged on the PCB and is connected with the PCB; the antenna part mainly comprises the metal outer frame, a feed part, an earthing part, a loop radiation part and an earthing point electrical connecting part; the electrical part mainly comprises an electrical connector for connecting and disconnecting radio-frequency signals, and an electrical reactance device; a radio frequency earthing end is arranged inside the electrical connector and is used for being connected with the PCB to be earthed; and the electrical connector is connected with a mobile terminal signal, so as to control connection and disconnection of the electrical connector. With the adoption of the novel bandwidth-enhanced LTE metal frame antenna, by effectively utilizing parts of the metal outer frame and adding the electrical connector, and through controlling the connection and disconnection of the electrical connector, the bandwidth enhancing effect is realized, so that multiple frequency ranges of a GSM (global system for mobile communication), a UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system) and the LTE can be covered.

<CIT> discloses an antenna of a mobile terminal, comprising: a first radiation unit (<NUM>) and at least one coupling branch (<NUM>), wherein the first radiation unit (<NUM>) and the at least one coupling branch (<NUM>) can result in coupled feeding between each other, and a feed point (<NUM>) used for inputting energy is provided at one end (<NUM>) of the first radiation unit (<NUM>); and one end (<NUM>) of the at least one coupling branch (<NUM>) is connected to a metal frame (<NUM>) of the mobile terminal, the at least one coupling branch (<NUM>) is disposed around the first radiation unit (<NUM>), the at least one coupling branch (<NUM>) and the first radiation unit (<NUM>) are not contacted with each other, and the at least one coupling branch (<NUM>) has an opening.

<CIT> discloses an antenna of a terminal and belongs to the antenna technological application field. The antenna includes a bottom frame, a side frame, a circuit board, at least two variable elements, a first radiating unit, a second radiating unit, and a third radiating unit; the circuit board is provided with a signal feeding point, at least two first grounding points and at least two second grounding points; the signal feeding point is connected with the bottom frame through the first radiating unit; the at least two first grounding points are connected with the bottom frame through the second radiating unit with first slot coupling realized, and low-frequency resonance is generated; the at least two second grounding points are connected with the side frame through the third radiating unit with second slot coupling realized, and intermediate-frequency resonance is generated; variable elements are connected in series between at least one first grounding point and the second radiating unit; and variable elements are connected in series between at least one second grounding point and the third radiating unit. With the antenna of the present invention adopted, the problem of a poor effect in antenna frequency adjustment can be solved, the effect of the frequency adjustment of the antenna can be improved, and the performance of the antenna can be improved. The antenna of the present invention is used to send and receive signals.

<CIT> discloses an electronic device comprising: a metal frame having a first slit and a second slit on the first end surface of the metal frame; a first antenna unit having a first radiation branch formed by using a first segment of the first end surface of the metal frame for radiating and receiving a first signal of a first frequency band, wherein the first slot is located at the first The end of a section; a second antenna unit, a second radiation branch formed by using a second segment on the first end surface of the metal frame, for radiating and receiving a second signal of the second frequency band, where the second slot is located The end of the second section, The first antenna unit and the second antenna unit cover multiple frequency bands of Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications.

<CIT> discloses a mobile terminal comprising: a terminal body comprising a circuit board for processing radio signals; a first member defining a first external surface of the mobile terminal and disposed to cover a first surface of the circuit board; a second member defining a second external surface of the mobile terminal and disposed to cover a second surface of the circuit board; a power feed connector for facilitating a power feed connection between the first member and the circuit board; and a ground connector for facilitating a ground connection between the first member and the circuit board, wherein a slit is located between the first member and the second member such that the power feed connector, the first member and the ground connector form a conductive loop for radiating the radio signals.

When the exterior of the electronic device is formed of a conductive member (e.g., a metal frame or a metal bezel) in order to meet the slimming trend of the electronic device, the antenna is not designed separately unlike an injection-molded structure of a dielectric material, and at least a part of the conductive member may be used as the antenna. For example, when used as the antenna, at least a part of the conductive member used as a lateral member (e.g., a lateral bezel) of the electronic device may be segmented to form a unit conductive portion by inserting insulating portions (e.g., segments) of a dielectric material and defining a conductive portion for a power feeder interposed therebetween.

The conductive portion may not satisfy the electrical length required by the antenna according to the miniaturization and/or slimming of the electronic device. So, in order to address insufficient electrical length, a conductive extended portion (e.g., an additional pattern) may be separately disposed near the conductive portion. For example, the conductive extended portion may be a laser direct structuring (LDS) pattern formed on an antenna carrier disposed near the conductive portion, or a conductive pattern formed on a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) or printed circuit board (PCB).

However, separate from the conductive portion, the conductive extended portion disposed near the conductive portion should use an electrical connection member (e.g., C-clip or conductive tape) and/or a conductive connection pattern of a certain length, for electrical connection with the conductive portion. Thus, even if the antenna using the conductive portion is shifted to a desired frequency band via the conductive extended portion, the radiation efficiency may be reduced in the corresponding frequency band.

Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosure is to provide an antenna configured to exhibit excellent radiation performance in a desired frequency band, and an electronic device including the same.

Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide an antenna that is easy to change a design and does not require an additional mounting space, and an electronic device including the same.

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is provided in accordance with claim <NUM>.

The electronic device includes a housing including a front plate, a rear plate facing opposite to the front plate, and a lateral member surrounding a space between the front plate and the rear plate, wherein at least a part of the lateral member includes at least one conductive portion positioned between a first non-conductive portion and a second non-conductive portion which are spaced apart from each other, a conductive extended portion extended from at least a part of the conductive portion to the space, a printed circuit board disposed in the space, and a wireless communication circuit disposed on the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the conductive portion at a first location of the conductive portion spaced apart from the first non-conductive portion.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a foldable housing including a hinge module, a first housing connected to the hinge module, and including a first surface facing in a first direction, a second surface facing in a direction opposite to the first surface, and a first lateral frame surrounding a first space between the first surface and the second surface, wherein at least a part of the first lateral frame includes a conductive portion positioned between first and second non-conductive portions spaced apart from each other, and a conductive extended portion extended from at least a part of the conductive portion into the first space, and a second housing connected to the hinge module, and including a third surface facing in a second direction, a fourth surface facing in a direction opposite to the third surface, and a second lateral frame surrounding a second space between the third surface and the fourth surface, wherein the first housing and the second housing are foldable with respect to each other along the hinge module so that, in a folded state, the first surface faces the third surface and, in an unfolded state, the second direction is identical with the first direction, a flexible display extended from the first surface to the third surface, a printed circuit board disposed in the first space, and a wireless communication circuit disposed on the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the conductive portion at a first location of the conductive portion spaced apart from the first non-conductive portion.

In various embodiments of the disclosure, frequency shift is possible in a relatively wide band through a conductive extended portion integrally extended from a conductive portion used as an antenna without degradation in radiation performance. No additional mounting space is required for the conductive extended portion, so it is possible to contribute to the slimming of the electronic device.

<FIG> illustrates an electronic device in a network environment according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, an electronic device <NUM> in a network environment <NUM> may communicate with an electronic device <NUM> via a first network <NUM> (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or an electronic device <NUM> or a server <NUM> via a second network <NUM> (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). The electronic device <NUM> may communicate with the electronic device <NUM> via the server <NUM>. The electronic device <NUM> includes a processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, an input device <NUM>, an audio output device <NUM>, a display device <NUM>, an audio module <NUM>, a sensor module <NUM>, an interface <NUM>, a haptic module <NUM>, a camera module <NUM>, a power management module <NUM>, a battery <NUM>, a communication module <NUM>, a subscriber identity module (SIM) <NUM>, or an antenna module <NUM>.

The non-volatile memory <NUM> may include an internal memory <NUM> or external memory <NUM>.

The audio output device <NUM> may output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device <NUM>. The audio output device <NUM> may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The receiver may be implemented as separate from, or as part of the speaker.

The display device <NUM> may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector and control circuitry to control a corresponding one of the displays, hologram device, and projector.

The audio module <NUM> may obtain the sound via the input device <NUM>, or output the sound via the audio output device <NUM> or a headphone of an external electronic device (e.g., an electronic device <NUM>) directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly coupled with the electronic device <NUM>.

A connection terminal <NUM> may include a connector via which the electronic device <NUM> may be physically connected with the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device <NUM>). The connection terminal <NUM> may include, for example, a HDMI connector, a USB connector, a SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

The communication module <NUM> may include one or more communication processors that are operable independently from the processor <NUM> (e.g., the AP) and supports a direct (e.g., wired) communication or a wireless communication. The communication module <NUM> may include a wireless communication module <NUM> (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module <NUM> (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). A corresponding one of these communication modules may communicate with the external electronic device via the first network <NUM> (e.g., a short-range communication network, such as Bluetooth™, wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct, or a standard of the Infrared Data Association (IrDA)) or the second network <NUM> (e.g., a long-range communication network, such as a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or wide area network (WAN)). The wireless communication module <NUM> may identify and authenticate the electronic device <NUM> in a communication network, such as the first network <NUM> or the second network <NUM>, using subscriber information (e.g., international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the SIM <NUM>.

The antenna module <NUM> may include an antenna including a radiating element composed of a conductive material or a conductive pattern formed in or on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). The antenna module <NUM> may include a plurality of antennas. Another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) other than the radiating element may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module <NUM>.

An electronic device according to an embodiment may be one of various types of electronic devices. The electronic device may include a portable communication device (e.g., a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance. However, the electronic device is not limited to any of those described above.

Various embodiments of the disclosure and the terms used herein are not intended to limit the technological features set forth herein to particular embodiments and include various changes, equivalents, or replacements for a corresponding embodiment. A singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the things, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of such phrases as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of, or all possible combinations of the items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. As used herein, such terms as "1st" and "2nd", or "first" and "second" may be used to simply distinguish a corresponding component from another, and does not limit the components in other aspect (e.g., importance or order). If an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to, with or without the term "operatively" or "communicatively", as "coupled with", "coupled to", "connected with", or "connected to" another element (e.g., a second element), it means that the element may be coupled with the other element directly (e.g., wiredly), wirelessly, or via a third element.

The term "module" may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may interchangeably be used with other terms, for example, "logic", "logic block", "part", or "circuitry".

A method according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product.

Each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include a single entity or multiple entities. One or more of the above-described components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. In such a case, the integrated component may still perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as they are performed by a corresponding one of the plurality of components before the integration. Operations performed by the module, the program, or another component may be carried out sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order or omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a front surface of a mobile electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a rear surface of the electronic device of <FIG> according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, according to an embodiment, an electronic device <NUM> may include a housing <NUM> that includes a first surface (or front surface) 210A, a second surface (or rear surface) 210B, and a lateral surface 210C that surrounds a space between the first surface 210A and the second surface 210B. According to another embodiment, the housing <NUM> may refer to a structure that forms a part of the first surface 210A, the second surface 210B, and the lateral surface 210C. According to an embodiment, the first surface 210A may be formed of a front plate <NUM> (e.g., a glass plate or polymer plate coated with a variety of coating layers) at least a part of which is substantially transparent. The second surface 210B may be formed of a rear plate <NUM> which is substantially opaque. The rear plate <NUM> may be formed of, for example, coated or colored glass, ceramic, polymer, metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS), or magnesium), or any combination thereof. The lateral surface 210C may be formed of a lateral bezel structure (or "lateral member") <NUM> which is combined with the front plate <NUM> and the rear plate <NUM> and includes a metal and/or polymer. The rear plate <NUM> and the lateral bezel structure <NUM> may be integrally formed and may be of the same material (e.g., a metallic material such as aluminum).

In the shown embodiment, the front plate <NUM> may include two first regions 210D disposed at long edges thereof, respectively, and bent and extended seamlessly from the first surface 210A toward the rear plate <NUM>. In the shown embodiment, the rear plate <NUM> may include two second regions 210E disposed at long edges thereof, respectively, and bent and extended seamlessly from the second surface 210B toward the front plate <NUM> (refer to <FIG>). In various embodiments, the front plate <NUM> (or the rear plate <NUM>) may include only one of the first regions 210D (or of the second regions 210E). In various embodiments, the first regions 210D or the second regions 210E may be omitted in part. In the embodiments, when viewed from a lateral side of the electronic device <NUM>, the lateral bezel structure <NUM> may have a first thickness (or width) on a lateral side where one of the first regions 210D or one of the second regions 210E is not included, and may have a second thickness, being less than the first thickness, on another lateral side where one of the first regions 210D or one of the second regions 210E is included.

According to an embodiment, the electronic device <NUM> may include at least one of a display <NUM>, audio modules <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, sensor modules <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, camera modules <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, key input devices <NUM>, a light emitting device <NUM>, and connector holes <NUM> and <NUM>. In various embodiments, the electronic device <NUM> may omit at least one (e.g., the key input devices <NUM> or the light emitting device <NUM>) of the above components, or may further include other components.

The display <NUM> may be exposed through a substantial portion of the front plate <NUM>, for example. In various embodiments, at least a part of the display <NUM> may be exposed through the front plate <NUM> that forms the first surface 210A and the first regions 210D. In various embodiments, outlines (i.e., edges and corners) of the display <NUM> may have substantially the same form as those of the front plate <NUM>. In another embodiment (not shown), the spacing between the outline of the display <NUM> and the outline of the front plate <NUM> may be substantially unchanged in order to enlarge the exposed area of the display <NUM>.

In another embodiment (not shown), a recess or opening may be formed in a portion of a display area of the display <NUM> to accommodate at least one of the audio modules (e.g., the audio module <NUM>), the sensor module <NUM>, the camera module <NUM>, and the light emitting device <NUM>. In another embodiment (not shown), at least one of the audio modules (e.g., the audio module <NUM>), the sensor module <NUM>, the camera module <NUM>, the sensor module <NUM> (e.g., a fingerprint sensor), and the light emitting device <NUM> may be disposed on the back of the display area of the display <NUM>. In another embodiment (not shown), the display <NUM> may be combined with, or adjacent to, a touch sensing circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the touch strength (pressure), and/or a digitizer for detecting a stylus pen. In various embodiments, at least a part of the sensor modules <NUM> and <NUM> and/or at least a part of the key input devices <NUM> may be disposed in one of the first regions 210D and/or one of the second regions 210E.

The audio modules <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> may correspond to a microphone hole (e.g., the audio module <NUM>) and speaker holes (e.g., the audio modules <NUM> and <NUM>). The microphone hole may contain a microphone disposed therein for acquiring external sounds and, in a case, contain a plurality of microphones to sense a sound direction. The speaker holes may be classified into an external speaker hole and a call receiver hole. In various embodiments, the microphone hole and the speaker holes may be implemented as a single hole, or a speaker (e.g., a piezo speaker) may be provided without the speaker holes.

The sensor modules <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> may generate electrical signals or data corresponding to an internal operating state of the electronic device <NUM> or to an external environmental condition. The sensor modules <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> may include a first sensor module (e.g., the sensor module <NUM>) (e.g., a proximity sensor) and/or a second sensor module (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) disposed on the first surface 210A of the housing <NUM>, and/or a third sensor module (e.g., the sensor module <NUM>) (e.g., a heart rate monitor (HRM) sensor) and/or a fourth sensor module (e.g., the sensor module <NUM>) (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) disposed on the second surface 210B of the housing <NUM>. The fingerprint sensor may be disposed on the second surface 210B as well as the first surface 210A (e.g., the display <NUM>) of the housing <NUM>. The electronic device <NUM> may further include at least one of a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

The camera modules <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> may include a first camera device (e.g., the camera module <NUM>) disposed on the first surface 210A of the electronic device <NUM>, and a second camera device (e.g., the camera module <NUM>) and/or a flash (e.g., the camera module <NUM>) disposed on the second surface 210B. The camera module <NUM> or the camera module <NUM> may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and/or an image signal processor. The flash may include, for example, a light emitting diode or a xenon lamp. In various embodiments, two or more lenses (infrared cameras, wide angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be disposed on one side of the electronic device <NUM>.

The key input devices <NUM> may be disposed on the lateral surface 210C of the housing <NUM>. In another embodiment, the electronic device <NUM> may not include some or all of the key input devices <NUM> described above, and the key input devices <NUM> which are not included may be implemented in another form such as a soft key on the display <NUM>. In various embodiments, the key input devices <NUM> may include the sensor module <NUM> disposed on the second surface 210B of the housing <NUM>.

The light emitting device <NUM> may be disposed on the first surface 210A of the housing <NUM>, for example. For example, the light emitting device <NUM> may provide status information of the electronic device <NUM> in an optical form. In various embodiments, the light emitting device <NUM> may provide a light source associated with the operation of the camera module <NUM>. The light emitting device <NUM> may include, for example, a light emitting diode (LED), an infrared (IR) LED, or a xenon lamp.

The connector holes <NUM> and <NUM> may include a first connector hole (e.g., the connector hole <NUM>) adapted for a connector (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) connector) for transmitting and receiving power and/or data to and from an external electronic device, and/or a second connector hole (e.g., the connector hole <NUM>) adapted for a connector (e.g., an earphone jack) for transmitting and receiving an audio signal to and from an external electronic device.

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view illustrating the electronic device of <FIG> according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, an electronic device <NUM> (e.g., the electronic device <NUM> of <FIG>) may include a lateral bezel structure <NUM>, a first support member <NUM> (e.g., a bracket), a front plate <NUM>, a display <NUM> (e.g., the display <NUM>), a printed circuit board (PCB) <NUM>, a battery <NUM>, a second support member <NUM> (e.g., a rear case), an antenna <NUM>, and a rear plate <NUM>. In various embodiments, the electronic device <NUM> may omit at least one (e.g., the first support member <NUM> or the second support member <NUM>) of the above components or may further include another component. Some components of the electronic device <NUM> may be the same as or similar to those of the electronic device <NUM> shown in <FIG> or <FIG>, thus, descriptions thereof are omitted below.

The first support member <NUM> is disposed inside the electronic device <NUM> and may be connected to, or integrated with, the lateral bezel structure <NUM>. The first support member <NUM> may be formed of, for example, a metallic material and/or a non-metal (e.g., polymer) material. The first support member <NUM> may be combined with the display <NUM> at one side thereof and also combined with the PCB <NUM> at the other side thereof. On the PCB <NUM>, a processor, a memory, and/or an interface may be mounted. The processor may include, for example, one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communications processor (CP).

The memory may include, for example, volatile memory or non-volatile memory.

The interface may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a USB interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, and/or an audio interface. The interface may electrically or physically connect the electronic device <NUM> with an external electronic device and may include a USB connector, an SD card/multimedia card (MMC) connector, or an audio connector.

The battery <NUM> is a device for supplying power to at least one component of the electronic device <NUM>, and may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell. At least a part of the battery <NUM> may be disposed on substantially the same plane as the PCB <NUM>. The battery <NUM> may be integrally disposed within the electronic device <NUM>, and may be detachably disposed from the electronic device <NUM>.

The lateral member <NUM> may have a first surface <NUM> facing the first plate <NUM>, a second surface <NUM> facing the second plate <NUM>, and a lateral surface <NUM> surrounding a space (e.g., a space <NUM> in <FIG>) between the first surface <NUM> and the second surface <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the electronic device <NUM> includes a conductive portion <NUM> segmented and electrically insulated through a pair of non-conductive portions <NUM> and <NUM> spaced apart from each other at a certain interval in at least a part of the lateral member <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> may be utilized as an antenna by being electrically connected to a wireless communication circuit disposed on the printed circuit board <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the antenna includes a conductive extended portion (e.g., a conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>) extended from the conductive portion <NUM> into the inner space of the electronic device <NUM>. Through the conductive portion <NUM> and the conductive extended portion (e.g., the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>), the antenna is capable of operating in a desired frequency band without degradation in radiation performance.

Hereinafter, the configuration of an antenna according to various embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail.

<FIG> is a plan view partially illustrating a lateral member <NUM> including an antenna according to an embodiment of the disclosure. <FIG> is a partial cross-sectional view of a lateral member <NUM> taken along the line A-A' of <FIG> according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the electronic device <NUM> includes the lateral member <NUM> and a first support member <NUM> extended from the lateral member <NUM> toward an inner space <NUM>. According to an embodiment, at least a part of the first support member <NUM> is formed of a conductive member (e.g., a metal member) extended from the lateral member <NUM> made of a conductive material, and another part may be formed as a polymer portion <NUM> (e.g., synthetic resin). According to an embodiment, the conductive member and the polymer portion <NUM> are formed into one body through insert injection. In another embodiment, the at least partially formed conductive part of the first support member <NUM> may be formed as a separate structure (island type) electrically isolated from the lateral surface <NUM> through the polymer portion <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, the lateral member <NUM> includes a conductive portion <NUM> disposed in at least a partial region of the lateral surface <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> is segmented as a unit conductive portion <NUM> through a pair of non-conductive portions <NUM> and <NUM> spaced apart from each other at a certain interval on the lateral surface <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> may be used as an antenna by being electrically connected to a wireless communication circuit (e.g., a power feeder <NUM> in <FIG>) disposed on a printed circuit board (e.g., a printed circuit board <NUM> in <FIG>) to be described later. According to an embodiment, the electrical length of the conductive portion <NUM> used as an antenna may be determined through a spaced interval between the first non-conductive portion <NUM> and the second non-conductive portion <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the first non-conductive portion <NUM> and the second non-conductive portion <NUM> are extended from the polymer portion <NUM>, and are formed together by an insert-injection process. In an alternative example not falling within the scope of the claim, the first non-conductive portion <NUM> and the second non-conductive portion <NUM> may be formed of a different insulating material separately from the polymer portion <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the first non-conductive portion <NUM> and the second non-conductive portion <NUM> may be disposed to be exposed on the outer surface of the electronic device <NUM> together with the conductive portion <NUM>. In another embodiment, the first non-conductive portion <NUM> and the second non-conductive portion <NUM> may be disposed invisible to the naked eye through a paint of an opaque material applied through substantially the entire lateral surface <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, the conductive portion <NUM> includes a conductive extended portion <NUM> extended from one end of the conductive portion <NUM> into the space <NUM> to have a certain shape and electrical length. According to an embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> may be utilized as an antenna that operates in a desired frequency band through the conductive extended portion <NUM>. For example, the conductive portion <NUM> may be operated in an operating frequency band shifted to a low frequency band (e.g., a low band) through the conductive extended portion <NUM> than when only the conductive portion is used. In this case, because the conductive extended portion <NUM> is extended directly from the conductive portion <NUM>, degradation in the radiation performance of the antenna can be prevented. According to an embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> receives strong support by being insert-injected together with the polymer portion <NUM> in the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be disposed to be at least partially exposed from the polymer portion <NUM>. In another embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be disposed to be embedded within the polymer portion <NUM> without being exposed from the polymer portion <NUM>. In another embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be disposed to be extended to a location spaced apart from the polymer portion <NUM> in the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of an antenna in an electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the electronic device <NUM> may include the processor <NUM> and the lateral member <NUM> having the lateral surface <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the lateral member <NUM> may have a first connection piece <NUM> formed at a first location L1 of the conductive portion <NUM>, and a second connection piece <NUM> formed at a second location L2. According to an embodiment, the first location L1 may be disposed closer to the first non-conductive portion <NUM> than the second location L2. In another embodiment, the first location L1 may be disposed farther from the first non-conductive portion <NUM> than the second location L2. According to an embodiment, the first connection piece <NUM> and the second connection piece <NUM> may be integrally formed with the conductive portion <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the first connection piece <NUM> and the second connection piece <NUM> may be disposed to be overlapped with at least a part of the printed circuit board <NUM> disposed in at least a part of the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device <NUM> may include the printed circuit board <NUM> disposed in the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include a first connection part <NUM> (e.g., a conductive pad) electrically connected to the first connection piece <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include a first electrical path <NUM> (e.g., a wiring line) connected from the first connection part <NUM> to the power feeder <NUM> (e.g., a wireless communication circuit). According to an embodiment, the power feeder <NUM> may transmit a signal of a desired frequency band at the first location L1 of the conductive portion <NUM> electrically connected through the first electrical path <NUM>. According to an embodiment, a matching circuit <NUM> may be disposed on the first electrical path <NUM>. According to an embodiment, on the first electrical path <NUM>, an electric shock prevention circuit <NUM> may be further disposed for preventing electric shock and for electro-static discharge (ESD) because the printed circuit board <NUM> has a configuration of directly electrical contact with the lateral member <NUM> forming the exterior of the electronic device <NUM>. In another embodiment, the matching circuit <NUM> may be replaced with a variable element that shifts the operating frequency band through selective switching of a plurality of passive elements.

According to various embodiments, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include a second connection part <NUM> (e.g., a conductive pad) electrically connected to the second connection piece <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include a second electrical path <NUM> (e.g., a wiring line) connected from the second connection part <NUM> to the ground (GND) <NUM> of the printed circuit board <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include at least one electric shock protection capacitor <NUM> disposed on the second electrical path <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, the conductive portion <NUM> may include the conductive extended portion <NUM> extended from a third location L3 of the end contacting the second non-conductive portion <NUM> toward the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be extended from the third location L3 of the conductive portion <NUM> in a direction (direction ①) toward the first non-conductive portion <NUM> in parallel or non-parallel with the conductive portion <NUM>. Accordingly, the conductive portion <NUM> electrically connected to the power feeder <NUM> may have an electrical length including the conductive extended portion <NUM> extended at a certain length EL from the third location L3, and may be determined to operate in a desired operating frequency band. For example, the corresponding frequency band may have a range of about <NUM> megahertz (MHz) to <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, when the first plate (e.g., the front plate <NUM> in <FIG>) is viewed from above, at least a part of the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be disposed so as not to be overlapped with the printed circuit board <NUM>. In another embodiment, when the first plate (e.g., the front plate <NUM> in <FIG>) is viewed from above, at least a part of the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be disposed so as to be overlapped with the printed circuit board <NUM>. In this case, in order to prevent signal distortion and/or radiation performance degradation due to surrounding conductors, a region of the printed circuit board <NUM> overlapped with the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be formed as a non-conductive region.

According to various embodiments, the conductive portion <NUM> may be electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit <NUM> at the first location L1 and electrically connected to the ground <NUM> of the printed circuit board <NUM> at the second location L2 different from the first location L1 (PIFA type). In another embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> may be electrically connected to both the wireless communication circuit <NUM> and the ground <NUM> of the printed circuit board <NUM> simultaneously at the first location L1 (semi-PIFA type). In still another embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> may be electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit <NUM> at the first location L1, electrically connected to the ground <NUM> of the printed circuit board <NUM> at a plurality of points different from the first location L1, and configured to be electrically connected to at least one ground point through a switch so that the operating frequency band may be determined depending on the electrical length adjustment of the conductive portion <NUM> (aperture switch type).

<FIG> is a graph comparing the radiation efficiency of antennas according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, it can be seen that, compared to a conventional conductive portion spaced apart from and electrically connected to a conductive extended portion through a separate electrical connection member, a conductive portion (e.g., the conductive portion <NUM> in <FIG>) including a conductive extended portion (e.g., the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>) integrally extended from the third location L3 of the conductive portion <NUM> exhibits a relatively high efficiency in the range of about <NUM> to <NUM> which is an operating frequency band.

<FIG> are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a conductive extended portion according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be formed in various shapes in the inner space of the electronic device.

In describing the drawings, because the feeding and grounding configuration of the conductive portion <NUM> is substantially the same as shown in <FIG>, detailed description thereof will be omitted, and only the conductive extended portion will be described.

Referring to <FIG>, the conductive portion <NUM> may include a conductive extended portion <NUM> extended from the third location L3 of the end contacting the second non-conductive portion <NUM> toward the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may include a first portion <NUM> extended in a direction (direction ①) toward the conductive portion with a certain interval from the conductive portion <NUM>, a second portion <NUM> bent from the first portion <NUM> in a direction toward the space, and a third portion <NUM> extended from the second portion <NUM> in a direction (direction ②) toward the second non-conductive portion. According to an embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may have an electrical length increased by the extended portions bent a plurality of times at certain intervals in different directions. This may mean that the conductive portion <NUM> used as an antenna may be determined to be shiftable to a lower frequency band.

Referring to <FIG>, the conductive portion <NUM> may include a conductive extended portion <NUM> extended from the third location L3 of the end contacting the second non-conductive portion <NUM> toward the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may include a first portion <NUM> extended from the conductive portion <NUM> in a direction toward the inner space <NUM>, and a second portion <NUM> extended from the first portion <NUM> in a direction (direction ②) toward the second non-conductive portion.

Referring to <FIG>, the conductive portion <NUM> may include a conductive extended portion <NUM> extended from the third location L3 of the end contacting the second non-conductive portion <NUM> toward the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may include a first portion <NUM> extended from the conductive portion <NUM> in a direction toward the inner space <NUM>, a second portion <NUM> extended from the first portion <NUM> in a direction (direction ②) toward the second non-conductive portion, a third portion <NUM> extended from the second portion in the direction toward the inner space <NUM>, and a fourth portion <NUM> extended from the third portion <NUM> in a direction (direction ①) toward the conductive portion <NUM>. The fourth portion <NUM> may be formed to have a length that passes or does not pass through the first portion <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the conductive portion <NUM> may include a conductive extended portion <NUM> extended from a fourth location L4, which is at least a certain region, toward the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may include a first portion <NUM> extended from the conductive portion <NUM> in a direction toward the inner space <NUM>, and a second portion <NUM> extended from the first portion <NUM> in a direction (direction ②) toward the second non-conductive portion. According to an embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> including the conductive extended portion <NUM> may operate as a dual-band antenna because the conductive extended portion <NUM> is extended from a certain region, not from the end of the conductive portion <NUM>. In this case, the conductive portion <NUM> may operate in a first frequency band using a part of the conductive portion <NUM> and the conductive extended portion <NUM> as an electrical length, and simultaneously operate in a second frequency band, which is lower than the first frequency band, using the entire length of the conductive portion <NUM> as an electrical length.

Referring to <FIG>, the conductive portion <NUM> may include the conductive extended portions <NUM> and <NUM> extended from at least certain regions (e.g., the third location L3 and the fourth location L4) toward the inner space <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, in order to cope with the slimming of the electronic device <NUM> and secure an efficient mounting space for the antenna, the conductive portion <NUM> may include both the conductive extended portion <NUM> shown in <FIG> and the conductive extended portion <NUM> shown in <FIG>. In another embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> may include, instead of the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>, the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>, the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>, or the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. <FIG> and <FIG> are views illustrating an unfolded state and a folded state of the foldable electronic device of <FIG> including an antenna according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

The electronic device <NUM> shown in <FIG> may be similar, at least in part, to the electronic device <NUM> shown in <FIG>, or may include other embodiments of the electronic device.

Referring to <FIG>, the electronic device <NUM> may include foldable housing structures <NUM> and <NUM> (e.g., foldable housings) that are rotatably disposed based on the folding axis X. According to an embodiment, the foldable housing structures may include a first housing structure <NUM> (e.g., a first housing) and a second housing structure <NUM> (e.g., a second housing). According to an embodiment, the first housing structure <NUM> and the second housing structure <NUM> may be rotatably connected by a hinge structure <NUM>. For example, the first housing structure <NUM> and the second housing structure <NUM> may be folded to face each other based on the folding axis X by the hinge structure <NUM> or may be opened with respect to each other to have the same plane.

According to various embodiments, the first housing structure <NUM> may have a first surface <NUM> facing in a first direction, a second surface <NUM> facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a first lateral member <NUM> (e.g., a first lateral frame or a first lateral bezel) surrounding at least a part of a space between the first surface <NUM> and the second surface <NUM>. According to an embodiment, at least a part of the first lateral member <NUM> may be formed of a conductive member (e.g., a metal member). According to an embodiment, at least a part of the first lateral member <NUM> formed of the conductive member may be applied as an antenna A1. According to an embodiment, the first lateral member <NUM> may be operated as the antenna A1 by being electrically divided to form a conductive portion <NUM> through a first non-conductive portion <NUM> and a second non-conductive portion <NUM> spaced apart from each other in at least some regions.

According to various embodiments, the second housing structure <NUM> may have a third surface <NUM> facing in a third direction, a fourth surface <NUM> facing in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and a second lateral member <NUM> (e.g., a second lateral frame or a second lateral bezel) surrounding at least a part of a space between the third surface <NUM> and the fourth surface <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, in a state where the first housing structure <NUM> and the second housing structure <NUM> are opened <NUM> degrees, the first surface <NUM> and the third surface <NUM> face the same direction to form a planar structure. According to an embodiment, the electronic device <NUM> may include a display <NUM> (e.g., a touch-type flexible display) disposed to cross the first surface <NUM> of the first housing structure <NUM> and the third surface <NUM> of the second housing structure <NUM>. For example, when the first surface <NUM> of the first housing structure <NUM> and the third surface <NUM> of the second housing structure <NUM> are folded to face each other, the display <NUM> may also be folded to face each other based on the folding axis X. According to an embodiment, on at least a part of the first surface <NUM> of the first housing structure <NUM>, the display <NUM> may not be disposed and a separate sensor region <NUM> may be disposed. In another embodiment, the sensor region <NUM> (e.g., a notch region) may be disposed on at least a part of the third surface <NUM> of the second housing structure <NUM>, or may be disposed to extend to the first surface <NUM> and the third surface <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, the conductive portion <NUM> used as an antenna may be formed using a part (e.g., a lower region) of the first lateral member <NUM> of the first housing structure <NUM>. In another embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> may be disposed in an upper region of the first housing structure <NUM> or in a lateral region connecting the upper region and the lower region.

As will be described later, the conductive portion <NUM> may include a conductive extended portion (e.g., a conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>) having a predetermined electrical length extended in a direction toward the inner space of the first housing structure <NUM>. According to an embodiment, through the conductive extended portion <NUM>, the antenna A1 may be configured to operate in a desired frequency band while coping with the slimming of the first housing structure <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of an antenna in the foldable electronic device of <FIG> according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the first housing structure <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM> may include the first lateral member <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the first lateral member <NUM> may have a first connection piece <NUM> formed at a first location L1 of the conductive portion <NUM> from the first non-conductive portion <NUM>, and a second connection piece <NUM> formed at a second location L2. According to an embodiment, the first location L1 may be disposed closer to the first non-conductive portion <NUM> than the second location L2. In another embodiment, the first location L1 may be disposed farther from the first non-conductive portion <NUM> than the second location L2. According to an embodiment, the first connection piece <NUM> and the second connection piece <NUM> may be integrally formed with the conductive portion <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the first connection piece <NUM> and the second connection piece <NUM> may be disposed to be overlapped with at least a part of the printed circuit board <NUM> disposed in at least a part of the inner space <NUM> of the first housing structure <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device <NUM> may include the printed circuit board <NUM> disposed in the inner space <NUM> of the first housing structure <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include a first connection part <NUM> (e.g., a conductive pad) electrically connected to the first connection piece <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include a first electrical path <NUM> (e.g., a wiring line) connected from the first connection piece <NUM> to a power feeder <NUM> (e.g., a wireless communication circuit). According to an embodiment, the power feeder <NUM> may transmit a signal of a desired frequency band at the first location L1 of the conductive portion <NUM> electrically connected through the first electrical path <NUM>. According to an embodiment, a matching circuit <NUM> may be disposed on the first electrical path <NUM>. According to an embodiment, on the first electrical path <NUM>, an electric shock prevention circuit <NUM> may be further disposed for preventing electric shock and for electro-static discharge (ESD) because the printed circuit board <NUM> has a configuration of directly electrical contact with the first lateral member <NUM> forming the exterior of the first housing structure <NUM>. In another embodiment, the matching circuit <NUM> may be replaced with a variable element that shifts the operating frequency band through selective switching of a plurality of passive elements.

According to various embodiments, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include a second connection part <NUM> (e.g., a conductive pad) electrically connected to the second connection piece <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include a second electrical path <NUM> (e.g., a wiring line) connected from the second connection part <NUM> to a ground (GND) <NUM> of the printed circuit board <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the printed circuit board <NUM> may include at least one electric shock protection capacitor <NUM> disposed on the second electrical path <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, the conductive portion <NUM> may include the conductive extended portion <NUM> extended from a third location L3 of the end contacting the second non-conductive portion <NUM> toward the inner space <NUM> of the first housing structure <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be extended from the end of the conductive portion <NUM> in a direction (direction ①) toward the first non-conductive portion <NUM> in parallel or non-parallel with the conductive portion <NUM>. Accordingly, the conductive portion <NUM> electrically connected to the power feeder <NUM> may have an electrical length including the conductive extended portion <NUM> extended at a certain length from the end, and may be determined to operate in a desired operating frequency band. For example, the corresponding frequency band may have a range of about <NUM> to <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, when the first surface (e.g., the first surface <NUM> in <FIG>) is viewed from above, at least a part of the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be disposed so as not to be overlapped with the printed circuit board <NUM>. In another embodiment, when the first surface (e.g., the first surface <NUM> in <FIG>) is viewed from above, at least a part of the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be disposed so as to be overlapped with the printed circuit board <NUM>. In this case, in order to prevent signal distortion and/or radiation performance degradation due to surrounding conductors, a region of the printed circuit board <NUM> overlapped with the conductive extended portion <NUM> may be formed as a non-conductive region.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion <NUM> extended from the conductive portion <NUM> may be replaced with at least one of the above-described conductive extended portions <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> in <FIG>.

<FIG> is a perspective view partially illustrating a lateral member <NUM> in which a conductive portion <NUM> and a polymer portion <NUM> are insert-injected according to an embodiment of the disclosure. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B' of <FIG> according to an embodiment of the disclosure. <FIG> is a perspective view partially illustrating a state where a conductive extended portion <NUM> is formed in a lateral member <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C' of <FIG> according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

The above-described conductive extended portion (e.g., the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>) should be formed with a slit that is quite narrow from the conductive portion (e.g., the conductive portion <NUM> in <FIG>), and should avoid surrounding electronic components (e.g., a USB connector). Therefore, only the insert injection process for the conductive portion and the polymer portion may not completely fill the slit with a polymer member, which may result in a shape defect of the conductive extended portion.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the conductive extended portion <NUM> (e.g., the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>) will be described.

Referring to <FIG>, the lateral member <NUM> may contain the conductive portion <NUM> and the polymer portion <NUM> through dual injection. According to an embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> may be formed as a unit conductive portion <NUM> through at least one non-conductive portion <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive portion <NUM> may include a conductive extension dummy <NUM> that is formed to extend in a direction toward the inner space of the lateral member <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extension dummy <NUM> may be formed to extend from the conductive portion <NUM> to at least a part of the polymer portion <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extension dummy <NUM> may be disposed to be, at least in part, exposed from or embedded in the polymer portion <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extension dummy <NUM> insert-injected into the polymer portion <NUM> may be cut at least in part to have a predetermined width in a longitudinal direction parallel with the conductive portion <NUM>, thus resultantly forming the conductive extended portion <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the conductive extension dummy <NUM> may be cut through a milling machine or an NC machine. According to an embodiment, the conductive extension dummy <NUM> may be cut to a depth that is greater than the thickness of the conductive extension dummy <NUM>, so that an electrical isolation state from the conductive portion <NUM> may be maintained by a cut portion <NUM> except for a portion intentionally connected to the conductive portion <NUM>.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device <NUM> in <FIG>) includes a housing (e.g., the housing <NUM> in <FIG>) including a front plate (e.g., the front plate <NUM> in <FIG>), a rear plate (e.g., the rear plate <NUM> in <FIG>) facing opposite to the front plate, and a lateral member (e.g., the lateral member <NUM> in <FIG>) surrounding a space (e.g., the space <NUM> in <FIG>) between the front plate and the rear plate, wherein at least a part of the lateral member includes at least one conductive portion (e.g., the conductive portion <NUM> in <FIG>) positioned between a first non-conductive portion (e.g., the first non-conductive portion <NUM> in <FIG>) and a second non-conductive portion (e.g., the second non-conductive portion <NUM> in <FIG>) which are spaced apart from each other; a conductive extended portion (e.g., the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>) extended from at least a part of the conductive portion to the space; a printed circuit board (e.g., the printed circuit board <NUM> in <FIG>) disposed in the space; and a wireless communication circuit (e.g., the power feeder <NUM> in <FIG>) disposed on the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the conductive portion at a first location (e.g., the first location L1 in <FIG>) of the conductive portion spaced apart from the first non-conductive portion.

According to various embodiments, the printed circuit board may include a ground (GND), and the first location of the conductive portion may be electrically connected to the ground.

According to various embodiments, the printed circuit board may include a ground (GND) (e.g., the ground <NUM> in <FIG>), and the conductive portion may be electrically connected to the ground at a second location (e.g., the second location L2 in <FIG>) farther from the first non-conductive portion than the first location.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be extended into the space from an end (e.g., the third location L3 in <FIG>) of the conductive portion in contact with the second non-conductive portion.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be extended to have a predetermined electrical length (e.g., the electrical length EL in <FIG>) and a predetermined interval in parallel with the conductive portion in the space.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be extended from the conductive portion in a direction toward the second non-conductive portion.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be disposed so as not to be overlapped with the printed circuit board when the front plate is viewed from above.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be disposed so as to be overlapped, at least in part, with the printed circuit board when the front plate is viewed from above.

According to various embodiments, a region of the printed circuit board overlapped with the conductive extended portion may be formed as a non-conductive region.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be branched in a direction toward the space between (e.g., at the fourth location L4 in <FIG>) the first location of the conductive portion and the second non-conductive portion.

According to various embodiments, the wireless communication circuit may be configured to transmit and/or receive a signal of at least one frequency band in a range of about <NUM> to <NUM> through the conductive portion and the conductive extended portion.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device may further include a display (e.g., the display <NUM> in <FIG>) disposed in the space and disposed to be visible from an outside through at least a part of the front plate.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device <NUM> in <FIG>) may include a foldable housing including a hinge module (e.g., the hinge structure <NUM> in <FIG>), a first housing (e.g., the first housing structure <NUM> in <FIG>) connected to the hinge module, and including a first surface (e.g., the first surface <NUM> in <FIG>) facing in a first direction, a second surface (e.g., the second surface <NUM> in <FIG>) facing in a direction opposite to the first surface, and a first lateral frame (e.g., the first lateral member <NUM> in <FIG>) surrounding a first space (e.g., the space <NUM> in <FIG>) between the first surface and the second surface, wherein at least a part of the first lateral frame includes a conductive portion (e.g., the conductive portion <NUM> in <FIG>) positioned between first and second non-conductive portions (e.g., the first and second non-conductive portions <NUM> and <NUM> in <FIG>) spaced apart from each other, and a conductive extended portion (e.g., the conductive extended portion <NUM> in <FIG>) extended from at least a part of the conductive portion into the first space, and a second housing (e.g., the second housing structure <NUM> in <FIG>) connected to the hinge module, and including a third surface (e.g., the third surface <NUM> in <FIG>) facing in a second direction, a fourth surface (e.g., the fourth surface <NUM> in <FIG>) facing in a direction opposite to the third surface, and a second lateral frame (e.g., the second lateral member <NUM> in <FIG>) surrounding a second space between the third surface and the fourth surface, wherein the first housing and the second housing are foldable with respect to each other along the hinge module so that, in a folded state, the first surface faces the third surface and, in an unfolded state, the second direction is identical with the first direction; a printed circuit board (e.g., the printed circuit board in <FIG>) disposed in the first space; and a wireless communication circuit (e.g., the wireless communication circuit <NUM> in <FIG>) disposed on the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the conductive portion at a first location (e.g., the first location L1 in <FIG>) of the conductive portion spaced apart from the first non-conductive portion.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be extended to have a predetermined electrical length and a predetermined interval in parallel with the conductive portion.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be disposed so as not to be overlapped with the printed circuit board when the first surface is viewed from above.

According to various embodiments, the conductive extended portion may be branched in the space between (e.g., at the fourth location L4 in <FIG>) the first location of the conductive portion and the second non-conductive portion.

Claim 1:
An electronic device (<NUM>) comprising:
a housing (<NUM>) including:
a front plate (<NUM>) ,
a rear plate (<NUM>) facing in a direction opposite to the front plate (<NUM>),
a lateral member (<NUM>) surrounding a space (<NUM>) between the front plate (<NUM>) and the rear plate (<NUM>), wherein at least a part of the lateral member (<NUM>) includes at least one conductive portion (<NUM>) positioned between a first non-conductive portion (<NUM>) and a second non-conductive portion (<NUM>) which are spaced apart from each other, and
a support member (<NUM>) extended from the lateral member (<NUM>) toward the space (<NUM>) and including a conductive part and a polymer part (<NUM>) formed into one body with the conductive part through insert injection;
a conductive extended portion (<NUM>) integrally extended from at least a part of the conductive portion (<NUM>) to the space (<NUM>) between the front plate (<NUM>) and the rear plate (<NUM>);
a printed circuit board (<NUM>) disposed in the space between the front plate (<NUM>) and the rear plate (<NUM>); and
a wireless communication circuit (<NUM>) disposed on the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the conductive portion at a first location (L1) of the conductive portion (<NUM>) spaced apart from the first non-conductive portion (<NUM>),
wherein the first non-conductive portion (<NUM>) and the second non-conductive portion (<NUM>) are extended from the polymer part (<NUM>), wherein the first non-conductive portion (<NUM>), the second non-conductive portion (<NUM>) and the polymer part (<NUM>) are formed together by insert-injection process, and
wherein the conductive extended portion (<NUM>) is supported by being insert-injected together with the polymer part (<NUM>) in the space (<NUM>).