Patent ID: 8138977

Claim:
A handheld electronic device antenna in a handheld electronic device having housing surfaces and a dielectric housing portion in a corner of the handheld electronic device, comprising: a ground plane antenna element; a strip antenna resonating element, wherein the strip antenna resonating element has a proximal end that is fed by a transmission line and a distal end that is located at an interior location within the handheld electronic device away from the housing surfaces and under the dielectric housing portion in the corner of the handheld electronic device, wherein the strip antenna resonating element has a first portion at the proximal end that extends upwards from the ground plane antenna element, wherein the strip antenna resonating element has a second portion at the distal end that extends downwards towards the ground plane antenna element, wherein the strip antenna resonating element has at least one right-angle bend between the proximal and distal ends, and wherein the first and second portions are parallel to each other, and wherein the strip antenna resonating element is not grounded along its length; and at least one printed circuit board that surrounds an air-filled hole in which at least a portion of the strip antenna resonating element is located, wherein the at least one printed circuit board has top and bottom surfaces and wherein the at least one printed circuit board does not have any metal on the top and bottom surfaces in contact with a perimeter of the air-filled hole.