PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9318793-B2
Application Number: US-201213462268-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Corner bracket slot antennas

Abstract:
A display cover layer may be mounted in an electronic device housing using housing structures such as corner brackets. A slot antenna may be formed from a corner bracket opening, metal traces on a hollow plastic support structure, or other conductive structures. The slot antenna may have a main portion with opposing ends. An antenna feed may be located at one of the ends. The slot antenna may have a slot with one or more bends. The bends may provide the slot antenna with a C-shaped outline. A side branch slot may extend from the main portion of the slot at a location between the two bends. The presence of the side branch slot may enhance antenna bandwidth. A hollow enclosure may serve as an antenna support structure and as a speaker box enclosing a speaker driver. The antenna feed may be positioned so as to overlap the speaker driver.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus having front and rear surfaces, comprising:
 a display layer at the front surface; 
 a housing having a rear housing portion at the rear surface and an edge portion that extends between the rear housing portion and the display layer; 
 a hollow dielectric support structure between the display layer and the rear housing portion, the hollow dielectric support structure having a planar surface that faces the display layer; 
 a slot antenna formed from a slot in a conductive layer that is interposed between the planar surface of the hollow dielectric support structure and the display layer, wherein the slot has opposing ends and the slot antenna has an antenna feed at one of the ends; and 
 a speaker driver in the hollow dielectric support structure, wherein the slot antenna is configured so that the antenna feed overlaps the speaker driver, and sound created by the speaker driver passes through an opening in the edge portion of the housing. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the slot comprises a C-shaped slot. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein the conductive layer comprises metal traces on the hollow dielectric support structure. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus defined in  claim 3 , wherein the metal traces are configured to form an antenna cavity for the slot antenna. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the slot comprises a main portion and a side branch that branches from the main portion at a location between the ends. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the slot comprises a C-shaped slot. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the speaker driver is located directly underneath the antenna feed. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the slot antenna has at least one bend.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to antennas in electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices such as portable computers and handheld electronic devices are becoming increasingly popular. Devices such as these are often provided with wireless communications capabilities. For example, electronic devices may use long-range wireless communications circuitry to communicate using cellular telephone bands. Electronic devices may use short-range wireless communications links to handle communications with nearby equipment. 
     It can be difficult to incorporate antennas, audio components, and other electrical components successfully into an electronic device. Some electronic devices are manufactured with small form factors, so space for components is limited. In many electronic devices, the presence of conductive structures can influence the performance of electronic components such as antennas, further restricting potential mounting arrangements. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways in which to incorporate components such as antennas in electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a housing in which one or more antennas may be formed. The electronic device may have a display with a display cover layer. The display cover layer may be mounted in the electronic device. Corner brackets may be located at the corners of the device to support the display cover layer. 
     A slot antenna may be used to handle wireless communications. The slot antenna may be formed from an opening in the corner bracket, patterned metal traces on a hollow plastic support structure, or other conductive structures. An antenna cavity for the slot antenna may be formed from traces on the plastic support structure or other cavity structures. 
     The slot antenna may have a main portion with opposing ends. An antenna feed may be located at one of the ends. The slot antenna may have a closed slot with one or more bends. The bends may provide the slot antenna with a C-shaped outline. A side branch slot may extend laterally outwards from the main portion of the slot at a location between the two bends and may operate as an open slot. The presence of the side branch slot may enhance antenna bandwidth. A hollow enclosure may serve as an antenna support structure and as a speaker box enclosing a speaker driver. The antenna feed may be positioned so as to overlap the speaker driver to minimize disruption to antenna performance due to the presence of the speaker driver. 
     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 front perspective view of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with antennas in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as the electronic device of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the electronic device of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an illustrative electronic device with a slot antenna in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of a slot antenna in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of a slot antenna having a side branch arm that extends laterally outward from a central portion of a main slot at a location between opposing ends of the main slot in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a graph in which antenna performance (standing wave ratio) has been plotted as a function of operating frequency for an illustrative slot antenna of the type shown in  FIG. 6  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an electronic device housing having a corner bracket with a slot antenna in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an electronic device containing an illustrative slot antenna and an enclosure that may serve as both an antenna cavity support structure and as a speaker box in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of a speaker box containing a speaker driver that overlaps a slot antenna feed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of an edge portion of an electronic device having a speaker with a speaker driver that is located in the vicinity of a slot antenna feed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may be provided with antennas, audio components such as speakers, and other electronic components. It may be desirable to form some of these components in compact device configurations. For example, it may be desirable to form components for electronic devices using portions of housing structures, from structures that allow an antenna and another component to share mounting structures, and using antenna layouts that accommodate small form factor devices while exhibiting satisfactory wireless performance. 
     In some situations, it may be desirable to form conductive antenna structures that have slots. For example, slot antennas for cellular telephone communications, wireless local area network communications (e.g., WiFi® and Bluetooth® communications), and other wireless communications bands may be formed using conductive structures in which slot-shaped openings have been formed. To ensure that electronic components such as antenna and audio structures can be mounted satisfactorily within a desired device, slot-based antennas may be formed that are constructed as part of a structural housing element such as a corner bracket or other internal housing structure. Multiple slot arms may be included in a slot antenna to ensure sufficient wireless bandwidth. Some slot antenna structures may be mounted within a device in the vicinity of an electrical component such as a speaker having a speaker driver mounted in speaker box. These slot antenna structures may have a slot antenna feed that overlaps the speaker driver to minimize interference between the speaker and antenna. 
     An illustrative electronic device in which electronic component mounting schemes such as these may be used is shown in  FIG. 1 . Device  10  may include one or more antenna resonating elements, one or more speakers, one or more components that include antenna structures and speaker structures, and other electronic components. Illustrative arrangements in which an electronic device such as device  10  of  FIG. 1  is provided with electronic components such as antenna structures and/or speaker structures that are formed from housing structures such as brackets, multi-arm slots, and slot antenna resonating elements with feeds that overlap speaker drivers are sometimes described herein as an example. In general, electronic devices may be provided with any suitable electronic components that include antenna structures. The electronic devices may be, for example, desktop computers, computers integrated into computer monitors, portable computers, tablet computers, handheld devices, cellular telephones, wristwatch devices, pendant devices, other small or miniature devices, televisions, set-top boxes, or other electronic equipment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have a display such as display  50 . Display  50  may be mounted on a front (top) surface of device  10  or may be mounted elsewhere in device  10 . Device  10  may have a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may have curved portions that form the edges of device  10  and a relatively planar portion that forms the rear surface of device  10  (as an example). Housing  12  may also have other shapes, if desired. 
     Housing  12  may be formed from conductive materials such as metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel, etc.), carbon-fiber composite material or other fiber-based composites, glass, ceramic, plastic, other materials, or combinations of these materials. Antenna and speaker structures for device  10  may be formed along edges such as edge  58 , at corners such as corner  57 , or elsewhere within housing  12 . 
     Device  10  may have user input-output devices such as button  59 . Display  50  may be a touch screen display that is used in gathering user touch input. The surface of display  50  may be covered using a transparent dielectric member such as a planar cover glass member or a planar clear layer of plastic. The central portion of display  50  (shown as region  56  in  FIG. 1 ) may be an active region that displays images and that is sensitive to touch input. The peripheral portion of display  50  such as region  54  may be an inactive region that is free from touch sensor electrodes and that does not display images. 
     A layer of material such as opaque ink, plastic, or other opaque masking layer material may be placed on the underside of display  50  in peripheral region  54  (e.g., on the underside of the display cover layer). This opaque masking layer may be transparent to radio-frequency signals. Conductive touch sensor electrodes in region  56  may tend to block radio-frequency signals. However, radio-frequency signals may pass through the display cover layer and the opaque layer in inactive display region  54  (as an example). Radio-frequency signals may, if desired, also pass through dielectric housing wall structures or other dielectric structures in device  10 . 
     With one suitable arrangement, housing  12  may be formed from a metal such as aluminum. Portions of housing  12  may form ground structures (e.g., an antenna ground plane). Antenna ground structures may also be formed from traces on antenna support structures, metal tape, conductive fabric, printed circuit traces, and other conductive structures in device  10 . 
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of device  10  of  FIG. 1  showing how device  10  may have a relatively planar rear surface  12 B. Antennas may be mounted within housing  12  along edges such as edge  58 , at corners such as corner  57 , or elsewhere within housing  12 . 
     A cross-sectional view of device  10  taken along line  1300  of  FIG. 2  and viewed in direction  1302  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , antenna structures  80  for forming one or more antennas may be mounted within device  10  under display cover layer  60 . Antenna structures  80  may include conductive material that forms an antenna resonating element for an antenna and antenna ground structures. Ground structures may also be formed from portions of housing  12  (e.g., metal portions of housing  12 ). An antenna in device  10  may be fed using a transmission line. The transmission line may have a positive signal conductor that is coupled to a positive antenna feed terminal and a ground signal conductor that is coupled to antenna ground (e.g., housing  12 , antenna cavity walls, and other conductive ground structures) at a ground antenna feed terminal. 
     The antenna resonating element formed from structures  80  may be based on any suitable antenna resonating element design (e.g., structures  80  may form a patch antenna resonating element, a single arm inverted-F antenna structure, a dual-arm inverted-F antenna structure, other suitable multi-arm or single arm inverted-F antenna structures, a closed and/or open slot antenna structure, a loop antenna structure, a monopole, a dipole, a planar inverted-F antenna structure, a hybrid of any two or more of these designs, etc.). With one suitable arrangement, which may sometimes be described herein as an example, antenna structures  80  may be based on a slot antenna design with an optional antenna cavity (i.e., antenna structures  80  may form a cavity-backed slot antenna). Housing  12  and conductive structures in antenna structures  80  such as cavity sidewall structures may serve as antenna ground for an antenna formed from structure  80  and/or other conductive structures within device  10  may serve as ground (e.g., conductive components, traces on printed circuits, etc.). 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , antenna structures  80  may include a dielectric antenna support such as support  84 . Support  84  may be formed from a dielectric material such as plastic (polymer), glass, ceramic, or other dielectric materials. Support  84  may, as an example, be formed from injection molded plastic. Antenna support structures such as support structures  84  may be hollow. For example, support structures  84  may have relatively thin plastic walls that surround one or more air-filled cavities such as air-filled cavity  82  (as an example). Solid antenna support structures and antenna support structures with different types of interior structures may be used if desired. 
     Antenna structures  80  may be formed from conductive structures that are mounted adjacent to or on top of support structures  84 . For example, antenna structures  80  may include conductive material such as conductive layers  86 ,  90 , and  88  or other conductive structures. Conductive layers  86 ,  90 , and  88  may be formed from layers of metal formed on the surfaces of support structures  84 , from flexible or rigid printed circuits, conductive fabric, conductive foam, metal foil, metal formed on plastic parts using lasers and other tools, or other structures that are attached to support structures  84  using adhesive, from metal housing structures, from portions of electronic components, or other conductive structures. Structures  86  and  90  may form cavity walls for an antenna cavity (e.g., walls that form an open-toped box cavity that is covered by structures  88 ). 
     Structures  86  and  90  may be formed on support structure  84  by plating metal onto the surface of structure (as an example). If desired, structures  90  may be formed from a metal wall (e.g., a sheet of metal, a fabric layer, or a metal coating on structures  84 ). Solder, conductive foam, or other conductive material  81  may be used to ground structures  90  to display structures  64 . Metal layer  88 , which may form a ground plane (conductive plane) in which slot openings are formed for a slot antenna resonating element, may be formed from patterned metal traces on a planar upper surface of antenna support structures  84 , from a flexible printed circuit or other printed circuit, from stamped metal foil, or from other conductive structures. If desired, other types of conductor arrangements may be used in forming the conductive materials for antenna structures  80 . The illustrative configuration of  FIG. 3  is merely illustrative. 
     During operation of the antenna formed from structures  80 , radio-frequency antenna signals can be conveyed through a display cover member such as cover layer  60  in directions  70 . Display cover layer  60  may be formed from one or more clear layers of glass, plastic, or other materials. 
     Display  50  may have an active region such as region  56  in which cover layer  60  has underlying conductive structure such as display panel module  64 . The structures in display panel  64  such as touch sensor electrodes and active display pixel circuitry may be conductive and may therefore attenuate radio-frequency signals. In region  54 , however, display  50  may be inactive (i.e., panel  64  may be absent). An opaque layer such as plastic or ink  62  may be formed on the underside of transparent cover glass  60  in region  54  to block the antenna resonating element that is formed from structures  88  from view by a user of device  10 . Opaque material  62  and the dielectric material of cover layer  60  in region  54  may be sufficiently transparent to radio-frequency signals that radio-frequency signals can be conveyed through these structures in directions  70 . 
     Device  10  may include one or more internal electrical components such as components  23 . Components  23  may include storage and processing circuitry such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, memory chips, and other control circuitry. Components  23  may be mounted on one or more substrates such as substrate  79  (e.g., rigid printed circuit boards such as boards formed from fiberglass-filled epoxy, flexible printed circuits, molded plastic substrates, etc.). Components  23  may include input-output circuitry such as audio circuitry (e.g., circuitry for playing sound through speakers), sensor circuitry, button control circuitry, communications port circuitry, display circuitry, wireless circuitry such as radio-frequency transceiver circuitry (e.g., circuitry for cellular telephone communications, wireless local area network communications, satellite navigation system communications, near field communications, and other wireless communications), and other circuits. Connectors may be used in interconnecting circuitry  23  to transmission line paths. The transmission line paths may be used to route signals between the transceiver circuitry in components  23  and antenna structures  88 . 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of a portion of electronic device  10  showing how antenna structures  80  may include conductive structures such as structures  88  (e.g., a ground plane or other planar conductive layer) having openings such as slot  92  for forming a slot antenna resonating element. Slot antenna resonating element  80  may be formed in edge portion  112  of device  10 . Conductive structures  110  (e.g., a display, conductive portions of housing  12 , etc.) may serve as antenna ground structures and may not overlap region  112  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). In general, antenna structures  80  may be formed in a corner of device  10 , along an edge of device  10 , or elsewhere in housing  12 . 
     Slot  92  may have an inner perimeter (i.e., a perimeter that is about equal to twice the slot&#39;s length). The size of the inner perimeter may be configured to be substantially equal to one wavelength at a fundamental operating frequency of interest. Harmonics, cavity modes, and other factors may allow antenna  80  to cover additional frequencies of interest. 
     To help accommodate slot  92  within device  10 , slot  92  may have a meandering path (e.g., a path with one or more bends). As an example, slot  92  may have a C-shape. With this type of configuration, slot  92  may have a main portion such as main segment  100  and one or more end portions (segments) such as perpendicular end branches  102 . Slot  92  may also have end portions (segments) such as branches  104  that run parallel to main branch  100  at the opposing ends of the slot. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , slot antenna resonating element  80  may have an antenna feed such as feed  94 . Antenna feed  94  may be located at one of the ends of slot  92 . For example, antenna feed  94  may be formed on one of the end segments of slot  92  such as one of perpendicular segments  102  or one of parallel segments  104 . 
     A cross-sectional view of antenna structures  80  taken along line  106  and viewed in direction  108  of  FIG. 4  is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , antenna support structure  84  may be covered with metal layers or other conductive layers such as layers  88 ,  86 , and  90 . Layer  88  may have an opening such as antenna resonating element slot  92  for forming a slot antenna (antenna structures  80 ). 
     To ensure satisfactory bandwidth in desired communications bands during operation of slot antenna  80 , slot antenna  80  may, if desired, be provided with additional branches. Consider, as an example, slot antenna  80  of  FIG. 6 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , slot antenna  80  may include conductive structures such as ground plane structures  88 . Slot  92  may be formed in ground plane structures  88 . Slot  92  may have a shape with straight sides, a shape with curved edges, a shape with a combination of curved and straight edges, shapes with one or more bends, angled sides, or other suitable layouts. In the example of  FIG. 6 , slot  92  has main segment  100 , perpendicular end segments  102  at opposing ends of main segment  100 , and parallel end segments  104  at opposing ends of slot  92 . Antenna feed  94  may be located at one of the ends of slot  92 . For example, antenna feed  94  may have a positive antenna feed terminal such as positive antenna feed terminal  96  and a ground antenna feed terminal such as ground antenna feed terminal  98  that are located on opposing sides of slot  92 . 
     Slot  92  may be characterized by a length such as length L 1 . The width of slot  92  (i.e., the lateral dimension of slot  92  transverse to length L 1 ), may be relatively small relative to length L 1  (i.e., W may be a fifth of L 1  or less, a tenth of L 1  or less, etc.). In this type of configuration, the length L 1  may be approximately one half of a wavelength at an operating frequency of interest. In addition to the main body of slot  92  (i.e., the rectangular slot of length L 1  in the example of  FIG. 6 ), slot  92  may have one or more side branches such as side branch  114 . Branch  114  may have a rectangular slot shape, a rectangular shape with one or more bends (e.g., an L-shape of the type shown in  FIG. 6 ), a shape with curved edges, a shape with straight and curved edges, or other suitable shapes. As shown in  FIG. 6 , for example, slot branch  114  may have a first segment such as segment  118  that extends perpendicularly to main segment  100  of slot  92  and a second segment such as end segment  116  that extends parallel to main segment  100  and perpendicular to segment  118 . 
     The main body of slot  92  has closed ends  104 , so a slot such as slot  92  of  FIG. 6  may sometimes be referred to as a closed slot. If desired, slot  92  may be formed using an open slot configuration (i.e., a configuration in which one of the ends of slot  92  is open to dielectric material and is not covered by ground plane structures  88 ). An open slot antenna may exhibit a resonance at a frequency of operation at which its length is equal to a quarter of a wavelength. Side branch slot  116  may operate as an open slot. In particular, the tip of end  116  may be closed by virtue of being surrounded by ground plane structures  88 , whereas branch  118  may have an open end such as end  120  at the juncture between branch  118  and segment  100  of branch  92 . The length of slot  116  in the  FIG. 6  example is L 2 , so slot  116  may exhibit a resonance at operating frequencies where L 2  is equal to a quarter of a wavelength. 
     Side branch slot  114  may help to broaden the frequency response of antenna  80 . An illustrative graph of antenna performance for an antenna such as antenna  80  of  FIG. 6  is shown in  FIG. 7 . In the graph of  FIG. 7 , antenna performance (standing wave ratio) has been plotted by as a function of operating frequency. As shown by antenna performance curve  122 , antenna  80  may exhibit resonances at frequencies such as frequencies f 1 , f 2 , f 3 , and f 4 . The resonance at frequency f 1  may be associated with a fundamental mode for slot  92  (i.e., a mode associated with length L 1 ). The resonance at frequency f 2  may be associated with a cavity mode for an antenna cavity formed from conductive structures  86  and  90  (e.g., conductive structures forming a box-shaped cavity for antenna  80 ). The resonance at frequency f 3  may be associated with a harmonic of the fundamental slot resonance. The resonance at frequency f 4  may be associated with length L 2  of open-slot side branch  114  of  FIG. 6 . 
     Antenna structures  80  of  FIG. 6  may be used in covering one or more communications bands of interest. As an example, the resonance at frequency f 2  (or at frequency f 1 ) may be used in covering a low communications band (e.g., a low band associated with a cellular telephone network or a local area network), whereas the resonances at frequencies f 3  and f 4  may be used in covering a high communications band (e.g., a high band associated with a cellular telephone network or a local area network). By contributing a broadening influence at frequency f 4  to the antenna resonance at frequency f 3 , the presence of side slot  114  may help ensure that the resonance that spans the f 3  and f 4  frequencies is sufficiently broad to cover the desired high communications band. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a portion of device  10  showing how antenna slot  92  may be formed in an internal housing structure such as metal corner bracket  124  at corner  57  of housing  12 . Corner bracket  124  may have a planar upper surface that is configured to serve as a ledge on which display cover layer  60  may be mounted using adhesive or other fastening mechanisms. Bracket  124  may also have an opposing lower surface. A peripheral portion of the lower surface of bracket  124  may be attached to ledge  126  of housing  12  or other suitable housing structures. Adhesive, screws, welds, or other attachment mechanisms may be used in mounting bracket  124  to housing  12 . If desired, slot  92  may be provided with one or more side branches such as open slot side branch  114  of slot  92  of  FIG. 6 . The presence of these additional side branches may help to broaden the bandwidth of antenna  80  in one or more communications bands of interest. 
     A cross-sectional side view of device  10  in the vicinity of antenna structures  80  that include a slot such as slot  92  in housing structure  124  is shown in  FIG. 9 . Housing structure  124  may be a corner bracket, a bracket or other support structure that is located along an edge of housing  12 , or other structure located in the interior of device  10  or formed as part of housing  12 . Structure  124  may be formed from a conductive material such as metal. Antenna feed  94  may include a positive antenna feed terminal such as antenna feed terminal  96  and a ground antenna feed terminal such as antenna feed terminal  98 . Antenna feed terminals  96  and  98  may be formed on opposing sides of slot  92 . 
     A transmission line such as transmission line  134  may be coupled to antenna feed  94 . Antenna feed  94  may be located at one of the ends of slot  92  to help impedance match transmission line  134  and antenna  80 . Transmission line  134  may have a positive signal conductor that is coupled to positive antenna feed terminal  96  and a ground signal conductor that is coupled to ground antenna feed terminal  98 . Transmission line  134  may be formed from a coaxial cable, a flexible printed circuit with signal line traces, a microstrip transmission line structure, a stripline transmission line structure, or other transmission line structure. Transmission line  134  may be used in conveying signals between antenna  80  and radio-frequency transceiver circuitry in components  23  ( FIG. 3 ). If desired, circuitry such as filters, switches, impedance matching circuits, and other circuits may be interposed in the transmission line path between components  23  and antenna  80 . 
     Display cover layer  60  may be supported by the upper surface of bracket  124 . Adhesive may be used to attach display cover layer  60  to bracket  124 , if desired. Screws such as screw  132  and/or adhesive  130  or other attachment mechanisms may be used in attaching bracket  124  to housing  12 . 
     If desired, some of the interior volume of device  10  may be used to form a cavity for cavity antenna  80  while simultaneously being used to form a speaker box (speaker cavity) for a speaker. As shown in  FIG. 9 , for example, bracket  124  may be mounted above enclosure  136 . Conductive layers may be formed on enclosure  136  such as cavity layers  86  and  90  of  FIG. 3 . This allows enclosure  136  to serve as a support structure for an antenna cavity for antenna  80 . Hollow dielectric support structure  136  may have a planar surface that faces a display layer. 
     Enclosure  136  may also contain a speaker driver such as speaker driver  138 . Speaker driver  138  may include an actuator such as actuator  142  (e.g., a solenoid or other electromechanical actuator). Actuator  142  may be coupled to diaphragm  140  by support structure  158 . Audio signals may be provided to driver terminals  144  and  146  by signal lines  148  and  150 , respectively. When it is desired to play sound for a user of device  10 , the signals that are provided to driver  142  via the signal path formed from lines  148  and  150  can be used to cause actuator  142  to move diaphragm  140 . The movement of diaphragm  140  creates sound that may pass through the port formed by opening  156  in enclosure  136  and opening  154  in housing  12 . 
     If desired, antenna  80  of  FIG. 9  may include a slot such as slot  92  that is formed in ground plane structure  88  formed from patterned metal traces on the upper surface of enclosure (support structure  136 ). The configuration of  FIG. 9  in which slot  92  has been formed in bracket  124  is merely illustrative. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of antenna structures  80  showing how slot  92  may be configure to overlap speaker driver  138 . Speaker driver  136  may be characterized by dimensions such as maximum dimension W. Maximum dimension W may be, for example, the width of speaker driver  136  in horizontal dimension X or horizontal dimension Y or may be the height of speaker driver  136  in dimension Z (as examples). As shown in  FIG. 10 , for example, speaker driver  138  may have a maximum width W in horizontal dimension X. 
     The size of speaker driver  138  may serve as a metric for measuring the location of antenna feed  94  relative to speaker driver  138 . Speaker driver  138  may contain conductive components such as metal parts associated with actuator  158  and other structures. Electric field strength associated with the operation of antenna  80  may be minimized in the vicinity of end of slot  92  and therefore the antenna feed at the end of slot  92 . It may therefore be desirable to locate the feed for antenna  80  (i.e., the end of the slot) in the vicinity of speaker driver  138 , so as not to disrupt antenna operation with the presence of metal structures in speaker driver  138 . The feed for antenna  80  (and the end of the slot) may be considered to be located in the vicinity of driver  138  when the feed (e.g., both of the feed terminals in the feed) or slot end falls within a radius of W, 2W, or 3W of speaker driver  138  (as examples). 
     A top view of a portion of electronic device  10  showing how antenna feed  94  may be configured to overlap speaker driver  138  (or otherwise be located in the vicinity of speaker driver  138 ). As shown in  FIG. 11 , antenna feed  94  may be located directly above speaker driver  138  (see, e.g., speaker driver location  138 A) or may be located in the vicinity of speaker driver  138  without overlapping speaker driver  138  (see, e.g., speaker driver locations  138 B and  138 C). In general, disruption of antenna  80  may be minimized by locating feed  94  (or the slot end) so that at least part of feed  94  (or the slot end) overlaps the footprint (X-Y area) of speaker driver  138 , may be minimized by locating feed  94  (or the slot end) so that at least part of feed  94  (or the slot end) overlaps at least part of a circle of radius 2W centered on speaker driver  138 , or may be minimized by locating feed  94  (or the slot end) so that at least part of feed  94  (or the slot end) overlaps at least part of a circle of radius 3W centered on speaker driver  138  (as examples). Other feed (or the slot end) locations may be used if desired. These feed (or the slot end) locations for antenna structures  80  are merely illustrative. 
     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: 20120502
Publication Date: 20160419
Grant Date: 20160419
Priority Date: 20120502
Inventors: ZHU JIANG
LI QINGXIANG
SCHLUB ROBERT W.
SAMARDZIJA MIROSLAV
COUTTS GORDON
GOMEZ ANGULO RODNEY A.
JIANG YI
SHIU BOON W.
YARGA SALIH
MCMILIN EMILY B.
CABALLERO RUBEN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/44", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q13/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/44", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q13/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/44", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/24", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q13/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q13/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 48191039