PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8970446-B2
Application Number: US-201113175764-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device with magnetic antenna mounting

Abstract:
An electronic device may have magnetically mounted antenna structures. The electronic device may have a dielectric member against which one or more antennas are mounted. The dielectric member may be a cover glass layer that covers a display in the electronic device, a dielectric antenna window, or other dielectric structure. Each antenna may have an antenna support structure. Conductive antenna structures for the antenna may be mounted to the antenna support structure. The antennas may be cavity-backed planar inverted-F antennas. Portions of each antenna support structure may be configured to receive magnets. The magnets may be attracted towards ferromagnetic structures mounted on the dielectric member. As the magnets are attracted towards the ferromagnetic structure, the antennas may be held in place against the dielectric member.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device having an interior and an exterior comprising:
 a display cover layer having an internal surface at the interior of the device and an external surface at the exterior of the device; 
 magnetic structures; and 
 an antenna that is biased against the display cover layer by the magnetic structures, wherein the antenna is biased against the internal surface of the display cover layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the antenna comprises a plastic support structure to which the magnetic structures are mounted. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the antenna comprises a cavity-backed planar inverted-F antenna. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a display module; and 
 a housing in which the display module and the antenna are mounted, wherein the display cover layer covers the display module. 
 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  further comprising a ferromagnetic structure attached to the display cover layer. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the antenna comprises a dielectric support member with at least one portion to which the magnetic structures are mounted and at least one portion that supports conductive antenna resonating element structures. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6  further comprising guiding structures that guide the antenna as the antenna moves relative to the housing when biased by the magnetic structures. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the guiding structures comprise at least one elongated member that passes through an opening in the antenna. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the antenna comprises a flex circuit antenna resonating element. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the antenna comprises metal structures on a plastic support structure and wherein the plastic support structure has protrusions that rest against the display cover layer. 
     
     
       11. An electronic device comprising:
 a dielectric member; 
 magnetic structures; and 
 an antenna that is biased against the dielectric member by the magnetic structures, wherein the dielectric member comprises a dielectric antenna window mounted within a conductive housing. 
 
     
     
       12. A computer, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted within the housing, wherein the display and housing are separated by a channel; 
 at least one antenna in the channel; 
 a cover layer that covers the display; 
 ferromagnetic structures on the cover layer; and 
 magnetic structures that are attracted to the ferromagnetic structures and that bias the antenna towards the cover layer. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer defined in  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of magnets mounted to the housing that pull the ferromagnetic structures and the cover layer towards the housing. 
     
     
       14. The computer defined in  claim 12  wherein the antenna comprises a cavity-backed antenna having conductive cavity walls formed on a dielectric antenna support structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with antennas. 
     Electronic devices such as computers are often provided with antennas. For example, a computer monitor with an integrated computer may be provided with antennas that are located along an edge of the monitor. 
     Challenges can arise in mounting antennas within an electronic device. For example, the relative position between an antenna and surrounding device structures can have an impact on antenna tuning. If the position of an antenna is not well controlled, the antenna may become detuned. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved mounting arrangements for antennas in electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have magnetically mounted antenna structures. The electronic device may have a dielectric member against which one or more antennas are mounted. The dielectric member may be a cover glass layer that covers a display in the electronic device, a dielectric antenna window member, or other dielectric structure. 
     A ring-shaped ferromagnetic member may be mounted around the periphery of a cover glass layer or other dielectric member. The electronic device may have a housing in which a display is mounted. A channel may be formed between the walls of the housing and the display. Magnets may be mounted within the channel to attract the ferromagnetic member and thereby hold the cover glass on the housing. 
     Antennas may be mounted within part of the channel. For example, each antenna may be mounted between a pair of the magnets that are used in holding the cover glass to the housing. Each antenna may have an antenna support structure. The antenna support structure may be formed from a dielectric such as plastic. Conductive antenna structures for the antenna may be mounted to the antenna support structure. The shape of the antenna support structure and conductive antenna structures may be configured to form a cavity-backed planar inverted-F antenna. 
     Portions of each antenna support structure may be configured to receive magnets. The magnets may be attracted towards the ferromagnetic member that is mounted to the cover glass. As the magnets are attracted towards the ferromagnetic member, the antennas may be held in place against the cover glass member. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with antenna structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of a conventional mounting arrangement for an antenna in a computer with a display. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with magnetically mounted antenna structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an interior surface of a portion of a display cover glass that has been provided with a peripheral ring-shaped strip of a ferromagnetic material with openings for antennas in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an interior surface of a portion of a display cover glass of the type shown in  FIG. 4  in which an antenna has been mounted in an opening in the ferromagnetic material using magnets in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a portion of an electronic device housing showing how the housing may be provided with a feature that receives a post or other guiding structure for guiding an antenna in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device with magnetically mounted antenna structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device showing magnets for mounting antenna structures and magnets for holding a display cover glass layer in place on the electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an antenna having a conductive cavity and antenna resonating element traces mounted on a plastic support structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an electronic device in which antennas have been magnetically mounted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing an illustrative housing structure that may be used to receive an antenna structure guiding member such as a guide post in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna structures having recesses that receive magnets for mounting the antenna structures within an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna having an antenna resonating element formed from a structure such as a flex circuit that is magnetically mounted to a dielectric member such as a cover glass layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a rear perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with antenna structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of an antenna that has been magnetically mounted under a dielectric antenna window in an electronic device with conductive housing walls in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may be provided with antennas and other wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may be used to support wireless communications in multiple wireless communications bands. One or more antennas may be provided in an electronic device. For example, antennas may be used to form an antenna array to support communications with a communications protocol such as the IEEE 802.11(n) protocol that uses multiple antennas. 
     An illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with one or more antennas is shown in  FIG. 1 . Electronic device  10  may be a computer such as a computer that is integrated into a display such as a computer monitor. Electronic device  10  may also be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a somewhat smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, pendant device, headphone device, earpiece device, or other wearable or miniature device, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other electronic equipment. Illustrative configurations in which electronic device  10  is a computer formed from a computer monitor are sometimes described herein as an example. In general, electronic device  10  may be any suitable electronic equipment. 
     Antennas may be formed in device  10  in any suitable location such as location  26 . The antennas in device  10  may include loop antennas, inverted-F antennas, strip antennas, planar inverted-F antennas, slot antennas, cavity antennas, hybrid antennas that include antenna structures of more than one type, or other suitable antennas. The antennas may cover cellular network communications bands, wireless local area network communications bands (e.g., the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands associated with protocols such as the Bluetooth® and IEEE 802.11 protocols), and other communications bands. The antennas may support single band and/or multiband operation. For example, the antennas may be dual band antennas that cover the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. The antennas may also cover more than two bands (e.g., by covering three or more bands or by covering four or more bands). 
     Conductive structures for the antennas may, if desired, be formed from conductive electronic device structures such as conductive housing structures, from conductive structures such as metal traces on plastic carriers, from metal traces in flexible printed circuits and rigid printed circuits, from metal foil, from wires, or from other conductive materials. 
     Device  10  may include a display such as display  18 . Display  18  may be mounted in a housing such as electronic device housing  12 . Housing  12  may be supported using a stand such as stand  14  or other support structure. 
     Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as a case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some situations, parts of housing  12  may be formed from dielectric or other low-conductivity material. In other situations, housing  12  or at least some of the structures that make up housing  12  may be formed from metal elements. 
     Display  18  may be a touch screen that incorporates capacitive touch electrodes or other touch sensor components or may be a display that is not touch sensitive. Display  18  may include image pixels formed from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs), plasma cells, electronic ink elements, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, or other suitable image pixel structures. 
     A cover glass layer may cover the surface of display  18 . Rectangular active region  22  of display  18  may lie within rectangular boundary  24 . Active region  22  may contain an array of image pixels that display images for a user. Active region  22  may be surrounded by an inactive peripheral region such as rectangular ring-shaped inactive region  20 . The inactive portions of display  18  such as inactive region  20  are devoid of active image pixels. Display driver circuits, antennas (e.g., antennas in region  26 ), and other components that do not generate images may be located under inactive region  20 . 
     The cover glass for display  18  may cover both active region  22  and inactive region  20 . The inner surface of the cover glass in inactive region  20  may be coated with a layer of an opaque masking material such as opaque plastic (e.g., a dark polyester film) or black ink. The opaque masking layer may help hide internal components in device  10  such as antennas, driver circuits, housing structures, mounting structures, and other structures from view. 
     The cover layer for display  18 , which is sometimes referred to as a cover glass, may be formed from a dielectric such as glass or plastic. Antennas mounted in region  26  under an inactive portion of the cover glass may transmit and receive signals through the cover glass. This allows the antennas to operate, even when some or all of the structures in housing  12  are formed from conductive materials. For example, mounting the antenna structures of device  10  in region  26  under part of inactive region  20  may allow the antennas to operate even in arrangements in which some or all of the walls of housing  12  are formed from a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel (as examples). 
     A conventional arrangement for mounting an antenna under an inactive display region in a computer is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in the cross-sectional side view of  FIG. 2 , liquid crystal display module  50  is mounted under cover glass  34  in housing  32  of computer  30 . Active display region  36  is associated with display module  50 . The underside of cover glass  34  is coated with black masking material  52  in inactive display region  38 . Ring-shaped peripheral metal strip  40  surrounds the rectangular periphery of display  50  under inactive region  38 . Rectangular openings such as opening  42  are formed in metal strip  40  to accommodate antennas such as cavity antenna  44 . Using structures  46  on cavity antenna  44 , cavity antenna  44  is mounted to mounting structure  48  on housing  32  at a distance H below cover glass layer  34 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , cover glass  34  rests on the edge of housing  32 . As a result, the position of cover glass  34  may be accurately fixed with respect to housing  32 . Although cover glass  34  is registered to housing  32 , antenna  44  is mounted to housing  32  using components that are subject to manufacturing variations such as structures  46  and  48 . Manufacturing variations that affect the size and shape of housing  32  and components  46  and  48  can lead to undesired variations in distance H. These variations in the distance at which the dielectric of cover glass  34  lies from antenna  44  can create corresponding variations in the performance of antenna  44 . For example, shifts in antenna position relative to cover glass  34  of about 1 to 2 mm due to manufacturing variations can detune antenna  44  enough to result in undesired shifts in antenna frequency response of about 100 MHz. 
     An antenna mounting arrangement of the type that may be used to address these concerns is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in the exploded perspective view of  FIG. 3 , electronic device  10  (e.g., a computer formed by integrating computer circuitry into a computer monitor housing or other device of the type described in connection with  FIG. 1 ), may have a display module such as display module  56  mounted in a housing such as housing  12 . Cover glass  54  (e.g., a layer of glass, plastic, or other suitable transparent cover layer material) may cover display module  56 . Display module  56  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) display module, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display module, a plasma display, or other suitable display structure. When cover glass  54  is mounted on housing  12 , display  56  may produce images in active display region  22  (bounded by rectangular dashed line  24 ). The edge of display  56  may not extend substantially into inactive display region  20  of cover glass  54 . 
     If desired, the underside of inactive display region  20  may be coated with an opaque masking layer such as a layer of black plastic or ink or other opaque structures. Some or all of the interior surface of inactive region  20  may also be covered with a ring-shaped peripheral ferromagnetic member such as ferromagnetic member  58 . Member  58  may be formed from one or more strips of stainless steel or other suitable ferromagnetic metals and may be attached to the interior surface of cover glass  54  in inactive region  20  using adhesive or other suitable attachment mechanisms. 
     The space between the sidewalls of housing  12  and display module  56  may form a peripheral channel such as channel  72  that surrounds display module  56  and that is surrounded by the sidewalls of housing  12 . Magnets such as magnets  60  may be mounted in channel  72  (e.g., using adhesive, mounting brackets, recesses in housing  12 , other mounting structures connected to housing  12 , etc.). There may be any suitable number of magnets  60  in channel  72  (e.g., one, two, three, four, five or more, etc.). With one suitable arrangement, 5-30 magnets  60  may be distributed around the periphery of housing  12  (as an example). 
     When cover glass  54  is placed in the vicinity of housing  12 , magnets  60  will tend to attract ferromagnetic structures  58  in direction  62  against housing  12  and will thereby help to hold cover glass  54  in place on housing  12 . The use of magnets  60  may allow cover glass  54  to be mounted on display  12  without need to use potentially unsightly fasteners on the exterior surface of cover glass  54 . If desired, other types of mechanisms may be used for attaching cover glass  54  to housing  12  (e.g., mating engagement features, springs, clips, fasteners in the interior of device housing  12 , etc.). 
     Antenna structures such as one or more antennas  66  may be mounted within one or more of channels  72 . In the  FIG. 3  example, a pair of antennas  66  has been mounted in the channel that is located along the right-hand edge of housing  12 . If desired, fewer than two antennas  66  or more than two antennas  66  (e.g., three or more antennas  66 , four or more antennas  66 , etc.) may be mounted in the right-hand channel  72 . One or more antennas  66  may also be mounted in one or more other channels  72 . The arrangement of  FIG. 3  in which antennas  66  are mounted in a channel  72  on the right-hand side of device  10  is merely illustrative. 
     Antennas  66  may be cavity-backed antennas or other suitable antennas. Antennas  66  may be, for example, cavity-backed planar inverted-F antennas. With this type of arrangement, a cavity such as a box-shaped cavity may be formed from conductive (ground plane) metal wall structures that surround a plastic support or other antenna carrier structure. The cavity may have an open top that faces the underside of cover glass  58 . Conductive antenna structure (e.g., patterned metal structures forming a planar inverted-F antenna resonating element structure or other antenna resonating element structure) may be formed within the opening. The presence of the cavity walls on the sides and bottom of the cavity will tend to isolate the antenna from surrounding conductive structures such as parts of display module  56  and housing  12 . This may help improve antenna performance consistency. The presence of the cavity opening facing the underside of cover glass  58  will tend to focus the operation of the antenna outwards through the dielectric of cover glass  58  in inactive region  20 . If desired, antennas  66  may use other types of antenna configurations. The use of cavity-backed antennas in implementing antennas  66  is merely illustrative. 
     To accurately position antennas  66  relative to their environment, antennas  66  may be provided with magnetic structures such as magnetic structures  68 . Structures  68  may pull antennas  66  in direction  70  so that antennas  66  rest against the underside of cover glass  54  or structures that are attached to cover glass  54 . Other biasing structures such as foam or springs that push antennas  66  in direction  70  may be used, if desired, although such structures may tend to compete with the attractive force from magnets  60  that is attempting to hold cover glass  54  in place on housing  12 . 
     The registration of antennas  66  against cover glass  54  helps to ensure that the separation between the antenna resonating element structures in antennas  66  and the dielectric material of cover glass  54  is well controlled. By accurately controlling the distance between antenna  66  and cover glass  54 , manufacturing variations that may potentially influence the tuning of antennas  66  may be reduced. This may make it possible to improve antenna performance and/or reduce antenna size (e.g., by allowing a narrow-band antenna design to be used). 
     A portion of the interior surface of an illustrative cover glass structure is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , ferromagnetic structures  58  may be formed around the rectangular periphery of cover glass  54 . Ferromagnetic structure  58  may, for example, be formed in a peripheral rectangular ring shape. Openings  74  may be formed in ferromagnetic structures  58  to accommodate antennas  66 . Antennas  66  may be biased towards cover glass  54  in regions  74  by ferromagnetic structures  58 . Openings  74  are devoid of conductive materials such as metal. The open face of the antenna cavity and the antenna resonating element in each antenna  66  may be positioned so as to overlap with a respective one of openings  74 . During operation, radio-frequency antenna signals may therefore be conveyed to and from antennas  60  through the portions of cover glass  54  within openings  74 . Magnetic structures  68  may be positioned so as to overlap with ferromagnetic structures  58 , so that antennas  66  are biased towards cover glass  54 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an interior portion of device  10  showing how an antenna may be mounted over an opening such as opening  74  of  FIG. 5  using magnetic structures. As shown in  FIG. 5 , antenna  66  may have portions such as structures  80  on which magnetic structures  68  are mounted. Antenna  66  may be formed from a dielectric support structure such as an injection molded plastic member. Structures  80  may be protruding structures such as tabs or other suitable structures that serve as mounting structures for magnetic structures  68 . Structures  80  may extend outwardly from the ends of an injection molded plastic member or other support structure sufficiently that magnetic structures  68  overlap ferromagnetic structures  58 . 
     Magnetic structures  68  may be formed from one or more magnets. Portions  80  of antenna  66  (i.e., the protruding end portions of the plastic support for antenna  66 ) may have features such as openings  82  that receive guiding structures such as guiding members  84 . Guiding structures  84  may be elongated members such as threaded screws that are characterized by longitudinal axes  86 . Openings  82  may be sufficiently large to allow antenna  66  to slide up and down along guiding structures  84 . 
     Antenna  66  (i.e., the dielectric support structure for antenna  66 ) may be provided with features such as protrusions  76  or other structures that support antenna  66  when antenna  66  comes to rest against cover glass  54  (or against structures that are mounted to cover glass  54 ). Protrusions  76  may be configured so as to accurately define the distance between the conductive antenna structures that make up the antenna and cover glass  54 . Magnetic structures  68  will tend to attract ferromagnetic structures  58 , which will bias antenna  66  towards cover glass  54 . When biased in this way, protrusions  76  of antenna  66  will contact cover glass  54  (or structures that are mounted to cover glass  54 ). The distance between protrusions  76  and the antenna resonating element portion of antenna  66  can be well controlled during manufacturing, so this arrangement will allow accurate control of the distance between antenna  66  and cover glass  54 . Accurate control of the separation between antenna  66  and cover glass  54  may help ensure that antenna  66  performs accurately and is not unduly influenced by manufacturing variations. 
     In the example of  FIG. 5 , antenna  66  has magnetic structure mounting structures  80  that protrude from opposing ends of an elongated antenna support structure. Other types of arrangements may be used such as arrangements with fewer than two or more than two guiding structures  84 , with fewer than two or more than two protruding portions such as structures  80 , etc. The arrangement of  FIG. 5  is merely illustrative. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , guiding structure  84  may be formed using an elongated member that protrudes through antenna carrier  66  (i.e., through opening  82  in structures  80 ) along axis  86 . Housing  12  may be provided with an integral or attached structure for receiving the tip of guiding structure  84 . For example, housing  12  may be provided with a structure such as structure  88  of  FIG. 6  that has an opening such as opening  90  for receiving the tip of guiding structure  84 . The tip of guiding structure  84  may be cylindrical and may be threaded (e.g., guiding structure  84  may be a screw or other threaded shaft). Opening  90  may form a mating threaded cylindrical bore in structure  88 . With this type of arrangement, guiding structure  84  may be attached to housing  12  by screwing guiding structure  84  into opening  90 . Guiding structure  84  may also be implemented using a thread-free shaft configuration (e.g., a press-fit pin), if desired. 
     When mounted in device  10 , antenna  66  may be configured as shown in  FIG. 7 . Antenna  66  may have a portion such as portion  80  that has an opening such as opening  82 . Guiding structure  84  may be a screw that is screwed into structure  88  on housing  12 . Head  84 ′ of guiding structure  84  may capture portion  80  and antenna  66 . Magnetic structures  68  such as one or more magnets on either end of antenna  66  may be attached to portion  80  and may be used to pull antenna  66  towards cover glass  54  in direction  70  until protrusions  76  come to rest on cover glass  54  or come to rest on structures that are attached to cover glass (e.g., on opaque masking material  92  or on structures that are mounted against material  92 ). 
     A cross-sectional side view of an antenna mounted in device  10  using magnetic structures  68  is shown in  FIG. 8 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , magnets  60  may be attached to housing  12  and, through their attraction to ferromagnetic material  58 , can pull housing  12  towards material  58  and cover glass  54  in direction  70  while pulling material  58  and cover glass  54  towards housing  12  in direction  62 . Antenna  66  may be free to move along guide structures  84 . Magnetic structures  78  are attracted to ferromagnetic material  58  and therefore pull antenna portions  80  and the rest of antenna  66  towards cover glass  58  in direction  70 , until portions  76  of antenna  66  contact cover glass  54  (or contact structures mounted to cover glass  54 ). 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna. As shown in  FIG. 9 , antenna  66  may have a support structure such as antenna support structure  102 . Protrusions  76  may be formed as an integral portion of antenna support structure  102  or may be mounted to support structure  102 . Protrusions  80  ( FIG. 8 ) may be attached to the surface of rectangular structures shown in  FIG. 9  or may be formed as an integral portion of those structures. Antenna support structures  102  may be hollow or solid and may be formed from injection-molded plastic, machined plastic, glass, ceramic, or other suitable dielectric materials. Support structures  102  may be formed form a single unitary piece of material or may be formed from multiple structures that are attached using fasteners, adhesive, or other attachment mechanisms. 
     Conductive antenna structures may be formed on antenna support structure  102  to form antenna  66 . The conductive structures may include conductive antenna resonating element structure  92  and conductive antenna cavity walls  90 . Structures such as structure  92  and structures such as walls  90  may be formed using metal or other conductive materials. 
     Conductive structure  92  may be patterned to form an antenna resonating element such as an inverted-F antenna resonating element for antenna  66 . Antenna  66  may be fed at an antenna feed formed from positive antenna feed terminal  94  and ground antenna feed terminal  98 . Transmission line  100  may be coupled between the feed for antenna  66  and a radio-frequency transceiver (e.g., a dual band IEEE  802 . 11  transceiver, a cellular telephone transceiver, etc.). Transmission line  100  may have a positive conductor such as conductor  96  that is coupled to positive antenna feed terminal  94  and may have a ground conductor such as an outer braid on transmission line  100  that is coupled to ground feed terminal  98 . Transmission line  100  may be implemented using a coaxial cable. Other types of transmission line paths (e.g., microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge coupled stripline transmission lines, etc.) may be used for implementing some or all of transmission line  100  if desired. 
     Conductive cavity structures  90  on the outer surfaces of structure  102  may be formed from planar metal layers and may be used in forming an antenna cavity for cavity-backed antenna  66 . Structures  90  may include planar sidewall structures on the sides of support structure  102  and may include a planar layer on the rear surface of structure  102 . The upper surface of support structure  102  may be open (i.e., the cavity may face upwards in the orientation shown in  FIG. 9 ). Antenna resonating element  92  (e.g., an inverted-F antenna resonating element or other suitable antenna resonating element) may be formed within the opening at the top of the cavity formed from cavity wall structures  90 . 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 9 , structure  102  has a box shape, so the cavity that backs resonating element  92  has a box shape with an opening in its upper (outermost) face. If desired, some or all of the surfaces of structure  102  may be curved (see, e.g., curved dashed line  104 , which illustrates how the rear wall of the cavity formed by structures  90  may be curved). The use of curved walls for the antenna cavity may help antenna  66  fit into a device with a curved wall for housing  12 . 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative embodiment for device  10 . In the example of  FIG. 10 , magnetic structures  78  have been mounted under a protruding portion of antenna  66  (protruding portion  80 ) that has recesses for receiving magnetic structures  78 . Magnetic structures  78  may be formed from one or more magnets. As shown in  FIG. 10 , display  56  may be mounted within housing  12  using mounting structures such as mounting structures  104  (e.g., an aluminum chassis or other support structure). Adhesive may be used to attach ferromagnetic structures  58  and/or mounting structures  104  to adjacent structures such as cover glass  54 . In this type of arrangement, some of mounting structures  104  may be interposed between ferromagnetic structures  58  and cover glass  54  or, if desired, ferromagnetic structures  58  may be interposed between mounting structures  104  and cover glass  54 . These two possible locations for ferromagnetic structures  58  are illustrated in  FIG. 10  as locations  58 A and  58 B. Openings in ferromagnetic structures  58  such as openings  74  ( FIG. 4 ) may remain free of metal from structures  104 . 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an illustrative configuration that may be used for mounting guiding structure  84  to housing  12 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , structure  88  may be implemented using a nut that is welded to housing  12  using welds  106 . Guiding structure  84  may be a threaded shaft that is adapted to screw into threaded opening  90  in the nut. 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an illustrative support structure arrangement that may be used for antenna  66 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , support structure  102  may have portions such a structures  80  that contains recesses into which magnetic structures  78  such as magnets  78 A and  78 B may be mounted. Magnets  78 A and  78 B may be attached to structures  80  of antenna support structure  102  by press fitting magnets  78 A and  78 B into the recesses in structures  80 , using adhesive, using fasteners, or using other suitable attachment mechanisms. Magnets  78 A and  78 B may have bevels and other surface features to engage with the sidewall shape or other desired shape of housing  12 . 
       FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna mounting arrangement for device  10  in which antenna  66  has been formed using an antenna resonating element (shown as element  92 ) that is mounted on a recess in antenna support structure  102 . Magnetic structures  78  may be mounted in recesses or other structures in support structure  102  and may pull antenna  66  against a structure such as cover glass  54  or other dielectric member in direction  70  due to magnetic attraction between magnetic structures  78  and ferromagnetic structures  58 . 
     Antenna resonating element  92  may include patterned metal traces such as metal traces  110  (e.g., traces that form an inverted-F antenna resonating element, a patch antenna, a single-band antenna, a dual-band antenna, an antenna that covers more than two communications bands, an L-shaped antenna resonating element, or other antenna resonating element). Metal traces  110  may be formed on a plastic substrate (e.g., a plastic support structure such as support structure  102 ), may be formed in a flexible printed circuit (“flex circuit”) formed from a sheet of flexible polymer such as a layer of flexible polyimide, may be formed using stamped metal foil, wires, or other conductive antenna resonating element structures. Structures such as protrusions  76  may be formed in antenna mounting structure  102 . When structures  102  are pulled against cover glass  54  by the magnetic attraction between ferromagnetic structures  58  and magnetic structures  78 , protrusions  76  may rest against cover glass  54  and may help accurately define the distance between antenna resonating element  92  and cover glass  54 . In antenna  66  of  FIG. 13  and in other antennas  66  such as antenna  66  of  FIG. 5 , the positions of ferromagnetic structures  58  and magnetic structures  78  may, if desired, be reversed. 
       FIG. 14  is a rear perspective view of device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which housing  12  has been provided with an antenna window. In the  FIG. 14  example, the walls of housing  12  may be implemented using a conductive material such as metal. To accommodate radio-frequency antenna signals, one or more antennas for device  10  may be mounted under a dielectric window structure such as dielectric antenna window  112 . Antenna window  112  may, for example, be formed from a plastic member, a glass member, a ceramic member, or other dielectric structures that are mounted in an opening within the metal walls of housing  12 . During wireless operation, radio-frequency signals may be received by an antenna in device  10  through antenna window  112  and radio-frequency signals may be transmitted from an internal transmitter to external equipment through antenna window  112 . 
     In scenarios of the type shown in  FIG. 14  in which the rear of housing  12  is substantially planar, window  112  may be implemented using a flat or slightly bent sheet of plastic or other planar dielectric member. In general, housing  12  and window  112  may have any suitable shapes (flat, curved, etc.). The shape of antenna  66  may be configured to mate with the shape of the inner surface of the member. For example, if the inner surface of antenna window  112  is flat, the surface of antenna  66  may be flat and if the inner surface of antenna window  112  is curved, the surface of antenna  66  may be curved. 
       FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of device  10  of  FIG. 14  taken along line  114  of  FIG. 14  and viewed in direction  116 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , ferromagnetic structures  58  may be mounted to the inner surface of antenna window structure  112 . Adhesive, screws, other fasteners, or other attachment mechanisms may be used in attaching structures such as ferromagnetic structures  58  to antenna window structure  112 . 
     In the illustrative example of  FIG. 15 , ferromagnetic structures  58  have been formed in a ring or other pattern in which some of structures  58  are located at one end of antenna  66  and some of structures  58  are located at another end of antenna  66 . Ferromagnetic structures  58  may have an opening such as opening  74  to accommodate antenna  66 . Other antenna window structures  112  and arrangements for attaching ferromagnetic structures  58  to antenna window structures  112  may be used if desired. 
     Antenna  66  may be formed from a plastic carrier such as carrier  102  of  FIG. 9  and may have cavity walls such as walls  90  of  FIG. 9 . The cavity walls may form an antenna cavity for antenna  66 . An antenna resonating element such as antenna resonating element  92  of  FIG. 9  (e.g., an inverted-F antenna resonating element) may be formed in an opening at the top of the cavity formed by walls  90 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , antenna  66  may have protruding structures such as structures  80 . Structures  80  may protrude from the ends of antenna  66 , so as to overlap ferromagnetic structures  58 . Magnetic structures  68  may be mounted to structures  80  by press fitting structures  68  into recesses in structures  80 , by attaching structures  68  to structures  80  using adhesive, using fasteners, or using other attachment mechanisms. 
     Guiding structures  84  may be implemented using screws or other suitable structures that mate with structures such as structures  88  on housing  12 . Structures  88  may be, for example, threaded nuts that have been welded to housing  12  as described in connection with structure  88  of  FIG. 11 . Protruding portions  80  of antenna  66  and magnetic structures  68  may be provided with openings that receive guiding structures  84  or may otherwise be configured to accommodate guiding structures  84 . Guiding structures  84  may help control the lateral position of antenna  66  under antenna window  112  while allowing antenna  66  to move vertically (e.g., in direction  70 ) relative to housing  12  and antenna window  112 . 
     Due to the magnetic attraction between magnetic structures  68  and ferromagnetic structures  58 , antenna  66  may be biased outwards in direction  70  so that the outer surface of antenna  66  contacts the adjacent inner surface of dielectric window  112 . The biasing provided to antenna  66  by the attraction between magnetic structures  68  and ferromagnetic structures  58  helps to hold antenna  66  in place against antenna window  112 . By controlling the location of antenna  66  with respect to nearby structures such as dielectric antenna window  112 , antenna detuning due to manufacturing variations can be minimized. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20110701
Publication Date: 20150303
Grant Date: 20150303
Priority Date: 20110701
Inventors: PASCOLINI MATTIA
GUTERMAN JERZY
HAYLOCK JONATHAN
ZHU JIANG
JEZIOREK PETER
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q1/2258", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2258", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2258", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 46579317