PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9748635-B2
Application Number: US-201414340983-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device with component trim antenna

Abstract:
An optical component such as a camera, an acoustic component such as a speaker, or other electrical component may be mounted on the surface of an electronic device housing. A window structure may overlap the component. The window structure may be formed form an optically transparent material to allow light to pass or may be formed from an acoustically transparent material to allow acoustic signals to pass. A conductive structure such as a metal member may surround at least part of the periphery of the window structure. The conductive structure may serve as an antenna structure for an antenna. Radio-frequency transceiver circuitry may be coupled to an antenna feed for the antenna using a radio-frequency transmission line. The conductive structure may serve as a cosmetic trim for the electrical component.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 an optically transparent window mounted to the housing, wherein the optically transparent window has a periphery; 
 a dielectric structure having first and second surfaces; and 
 a conductive antenna that runs along at least some of the periphery of the optically transparent window, wherein the conductive antenna comprises a conductive structure having a first portion formed on the first surface of the dielectric structure and having a second portion formed on the second surface of the dielectric structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive antenna comprises a loop antenna that runs along substantially all of the periphery of the optically transparent window. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of light-emitting elements mounted within the housing that are configured to emit light through the optically transparent window. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3 , wherein the housing comprises a conductive housing. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4 , wherein the conductive antenna is configured to transmit and receive wireless signals through the optically transparent window. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 4 , wherein the optically transparent window protrudes from the conductive housing. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6 , wherein the electronic device comprises a cellular telephone. 
     
     
       8. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing having conductive side wall structures, wherein the conductive sidewall structures have an upper surface; 
 a plurality of optical components mounted in the housing; 
 an optically transparent window in the housing that overlaps the plurality of optical components, wherein the optical components emit light through the optically transparent window and the optically transparent window has a periphery and an internal surface; 
 a dielectric structure mounted to the upper surface of the conductive sidewall structures and that runs along the periphery of the optically transparent window; and 
 an antenna mounted in the housing, wherein the antenna comprises a metal antenna resonating element that runs along at least some of the periphery of the optically transparent window, and wherein a portion of the metal antenna resonating element is formed between the upper surface of the conductive sidewall structures and the internal surface of the optically transparent window. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of optical components is configured to process images. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 8 , wherein the conductive antenna traces comprise a resonating element for a loop antenna. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the dielectric structure is substantially perpendicular to the second surface of the dielectric structure. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the conductive structure comprises an antenna resonating element of the conductive antenna. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 8 , wherein the antenna comprises an inverted-F antenna having an antenna ground, the metal antenna resonating element comprises an inverted-F antenna resonating element arm for the inverted-F antenna, the inverted-F antenna comprises an antenna feed having a first antenna feed terminal coupled to the inverted-F antenna resonating element arm and a second antenna feed terminal coupled to the antenna ground, and the inverted-F antenna comprises a short circuit branch coupled between the inverted-F antenna resonating element arm and the antenna ground. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive antenna comprises an inverted-F antenna having an antenna ground plane, the conductive structure comprises an inverted-F antenna resonating element arm for the inverted-F antenna, the inverted-F antenna comprises an antenna feed having a first antenna feed terminal coupled to the inverted-F antenna resonating element arm and a second antenna feed terminal coupled to the antenna ground, and the inverted-F antenna comprises a short circuit branch coupled between the inverted-F antenna resonating element arm and the antenna ground.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/396,499, filed Feb. 14, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This application claims the benefit of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/396,499, filed Feb. 14, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly, to antennas for electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices such as portable computers and cellular telephones are often provided with wireless communications capabilities. For example, electronic devices may use long-range wireless communications circuitry such as cellular telephone circuitry to communicate using cellular telephone bands. Electronic devices may use short-range wireless communications circuitry such as wireless local area network communications circuitry to handle communications with nearby equipment. Electronic devices may also be provided with satellite navigation system receivers and other wireless circuitry. 
     To satisfy consumer demand for small form factor wireless devices, manufacturers are continually striving to implement wireless communications circuitry such as antenna components using compact structures. At the same time, it may be desirable to include conductive structures in an electronic device such as metal device housing structures and electronic components. Because conductive structures can affect radio-frequency performance, care must be taken when incorporating antennas into an electronic device that includes conductive structures. If antennas are not mounted properly within a device, antenna performance may suffer. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved antenna mounting arrangements for wireless electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a housing. An optical component such as a camera, an acoustic component such as a speaker, or other electrical component may be mounted on a surface of the housing. A window structure may overlap the component. The window structure may be formed form an optically transparent material to allow light to pass or may be formed from an acoustically transparent material to allow acoustic signals to pass. The window structure may be mounted flush with the surface of the housing or may be mounted to a protruding portion of the housing. 
     A conductive structure such as a metal member may surround at least part of the periphery of the window structure. The conductive structure may serve as a cosmetic trim for the electrical component. The conductive structure may serve as an antenna structure for an antenna. Radio-frequency transceiver circuitry may be coupled to an antenna feed for the antenna using a radio-frequency transmission line. 
     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 with wireless communications circuitry in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of an electronic device showing how an electronic component may have a structure that protrudes from the housing of the electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device of the type shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is diagram of an illustrative antenna coupled to radio-frequency transceiver circuitry by a communications path in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of an illustrative inverted-F antenna structure of the type that may be used in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of an illustrative monopole antenna structure of the type that may be used in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram of an illustrative loop antenna structure of the type that may be used in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of an electronic device having an electronic component that has a trim structure that serves as an antenna structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna structure of the type shown in  FIG. 8  that may be used in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an electronic component that has been mounted in an electronic device housing and that has a conductive trim structure that serves as an antenna structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an electronic component trim structure that may be used as an antenna structure and that may be mounted to a dielectric housing structure that protrudes from an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16  are cross-sectional side views of illustrative configurations that may be used for mounting a component trim structure that serves as an antenna structure in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of an illustrative structure that may be used as a cosmetic trim for one or more electronic device components and that may serve as an antenna structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative audio component in an electronic device that may have a conductive trim structure that serves as an electronic device antenna structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices such as electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be provided with one or more antennas. The antennas can include loop antennas, inverted-F antennas, strip antennas, planar inverted-F antennas, slot antennas, hybrid antennas that include antenna structures of more than one type, or other suitable antennas. Conductive structures for the antennas may, if desired, be formed from conductive electronic device structures such as housing structures, component structures, or other conductive structures. Examples in which electronic device  10  is provided with an antenna that is formed from a trim structure or other structure that is associated with an electrical component and the structures with which the electronic component is mounted in electronic device  10  are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     Electronic device  10  may be a portable electronic device or other suitable electronic device. For example, electronic device  10  may 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, or a media player. Device  10  may also be a television, a set-top box, a desktop computer, a computer monitor into which a computer has been integrated, or other suitable electronic equipment. 
     Device  10  may include a housing such as housing  12 . 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. 
     Device  10  may, if desired, have a display such as display  14 . Display  14  may, for example, be a touch screen that incorporates capacitive touch electrodes. Display  14  may include image pixels formed form light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs), plasma cells, electrowetting pixels, electrophoretic pixels, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, or other suitable image pixel structures. A cover glass layer may cover the surface of display  14 . Buttons such as button  19  may pass through openings in the cover glass. The cover glass may also have other openings such as an opening for speaker port  26 . 
     Housing  12  may include a peripheral member such as member  16 . Member  16  may run around the periphery of device  10  and display  14 . In configurations in which device  10  and display  14  have a rectangular shape, member  16  may have a rectangular ring shape (as an example). Member  16  or part of member  16  may serve as a bezel for display  14  (e.g., a cosmetic trim that surrounds all four sides of display  14  and/or helps hold display  14  to device  10 ). Member  16  may also, if desired, form sidewall structures for device  10  (e.g., by forming a metal band with vertical sidewalls, etc.). Member  16  may be formed of a conductive material and may therefore sometimes be referred to as a peripheral conductive member or conductive housing structure. Member  16  may be formed from a metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, or other suitable materials. One, two, three, or more than three separate structures may be used in forming member  16  (e.g., member  16  may be separated into segments by dielectric-filled gaps). 
     Housing  12  (e.g., peripheral member  16  or other housing structures) may have openings such as openings  21 ,  23 , and  25 . Openings such as opening  23  may be used to form input-output ports (e.g., ports that receive analog and/or digital connectors such as Universal Serial Bus connectors, 30-pin data connectors, data connectors with 5-10 contacts, audio jack connectors, video connectors, or other connectors). Openings such as openings  21  and  25  may be used to accommodate electrical components such as audio components or other electrical devices. Opening  21  may, for example, form a microphone port and opening  25  may form a speaker port. Other portions of housing  12  such as other sidewall portions or other portions of the front or rear planar surface of device  12  may also be provided with structures to accommodate components. 
     Components may, for example, be associated with housing openings (e.g., ports), connectors, dielectric structures that are part of housing  12  or that are mounted to housing  12 , optical and/or radio-frequency-transparent window structures (e.g., glass, plastic, or other dielectric materials that are flush with housing  12 , glass, plastic, or other dielectric materials that are mounted using conductive and/or dielectric structures that protrude from housing  12 ), acoustically transparent window structures, or other device structures. Components may be mounted on sidewalls formed from peripheral member  16  or sidewalls that are part of a planar front or rear portion of housing  12  or may be mounted on front or rear planar surfaces of housing  12 . 
     Housing  12  may have a planar front surface (e.g., a front surface such as the surface of a planar cover layer over display  14  of  FIG. 1 ). As shown in the rear perspective view of device  10  of  FIG. 2 , housing  12  may have an opposing rear surface such as a planar surface associated with opposing rear housing structure  58 . Rear housing structure  58 , which may sometimes be referred to as a rear housing member, rear housing wall, or planar housing member) may be formed from glass, ceramic, plastic, metal, carbon-fiber composites or other fiber-based composites, other materials, or a combination of two or more of any of these materials. 
     Device  10  may be provided with structures such as structure  56  that are associated with a camera, sensor, or other optical component, a microphone, a speaker, or other audio component (e.g., an audio component in an acoustic port such as ports  21  and  24  of  FIG. 1 ), or other electrical component in device  10 . Structure  56  may have an optically transparent window to allow light to reach a camera image sensor or to exit or enter other light-based components, an acoustically transparent window such as an acoustic mesh structure to allow sound to reach a microphone or to exit a speaker or to otherwise accommodate an audio device, or may have other structures associated with the housing and use of an electrical component. In the example of  FIG. 2 , structure  56  has been formed in the upper left portion of the rear of housing  12 . This is merely illustrative. Structures such as structure  56  may be formed elsewhere on the rear housing structure  56 , on the front of housing  12 , on a sidewall of housing  12 , or two or more of these surfaces of device  10 , etc. 
     Structure  56  may lie flush with the surface of device  10  or may protrude from the surface of device  10 . For example, structure  56  may lie flush with portions of housing  12  such as rear housing structure  58  or may have portions that protrude from the surface of rear housing structure  58  or other portions of housing  12 . 
     One or more antennas for device  10  may be formed from conductive structures that are associated with structure  56 . For example, structure  56  may have a window structure such as a transparent optical window or an acoustically transparent window formed from a mesh or other structure with acoustic openings. The window structure may be provided with one or more conductive structures such as one or more strips of metal. Metals strips such as strips of stainless steel, aluminum, plated copper, or other materials may be used in enhancing the aesthetics of structure  56  (e.g., by serving as cosmetic trim structures), may be used in blocking stray light or otherwise performing optical functions, may be used in blocking or reflecting sound (e.g., when used in an audio component such as a speaker or microphone), may be used in providing structural support for structure  56 , or may be used to provide other functions or two or more of these functions. By coupling an antenna feed to these conductive structures so that the conductive structures can serve as an antenna for device  10 , the conductive structures can also be used in transmitting and receiving radio-frequency signals. Antennas may also include parts of housing  12  such as peripheral conductive member  16 , conductive traces on printed circuit board, and other conductive structures. 
     Antennas in device  10  may be used to support any communications bands of interest. For example, device  10  may include antenna structures for supporting local area network communications, voice and data cellular telephone communications, global positioning system (GPS) communications or other satellite navigation system communications, Bluetooth® communications, 60 GHz communications (e.g., IEEE 802.11ad communications), etc. 
     A schematic diagram of an illustrative configuration that may be used for electronic device  10  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , electronic device  10  may include storage and processing circuitry  28 . Storage and processing circuitry  28  may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in storage and processing circuitry  28  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors, power management units, audio codec chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. 
     Storage and processing circuitry  28  may be used to run software on device  10 , such as internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactions with external equipment, storage and processing circuitry  28  may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using storage and processing circuitry  28  include internet protocols, wireless local area network protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as WiFi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol, cellular telephone protocols, etc. 
     Circuitry  28  may be configured to implement control algorithms that control the use of antennas in device  10 . For example, circuitry  28  may perform signal quality monitoring operations, sensor monitoring operations, and other data gathering operations and may, in response to the gathered data and/or information on which communications bands are to be used in device  10 , control which antenna structures within device  10  are being used to receive and process data and/or may adjust one or more switches, tunable elements, or other adjustable circuits in device  10  to adjust antenna performance. 
     Input-output circuitry  30  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. Input-output circuitry  30  may include input-output devices  32 . Input-output devices  32  may include touch screens, buttons, joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, speakers, tone generators, vibrators, cameras, sensors (e.g., ambient light sensors, light-based proximity sensors, etc.), light-emitting diodes and other status indicators, data ports, etc. A user can control the operation of device  10  by supplying commands through input-output devices  32  and may receive status information and other output from device  10  using the output resources of input-output devices  32 . 
     Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include satellite navigation system receiver circuitry such as Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver circuitry  35  (e.g., for receiving satellite positioning signals at 1575 MHz) or satellite navigation system receiver circuitry associated with other satellite navigation systems. Transceiver circuitry  36  may handle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) communications, may handle the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communications band, and may handle other wireless local area network communications bands of interest (e.g., 60 GHz signals associated with IEEE 802.11ad communications). Circuitry  34  may use cellular telephone transceiver circuitry  38  for handling wireless communications in cellular telephone bands such as bands in frequency ranges of about 700 MHz to about 2700 MHz or bands at higher or lower frequencies. Wireless communications circuitry  34  can include circuitry for other short-range and long-range wireless links if desired. For example, wireless communications circuitry  34  may include global positioning system (GPS) receiver equipment or other satellite navigation system equipment, wireless circuitry for receiving radio and television signals, paging circuits, etc. In WiFi® and Bluetooth® links and other short-range wireless links, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over tens or hundreds of feet. In cellular telephone links and other long-range links, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over thousands of feet or miles. 
     Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include one or more antennas  40 . Antennas  40  may be formed using any suitable antenna types. For example, antennas  40  may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from loop antenna structure, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, closed and open slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures, strip antennas, monopoles, dipoles, hybrids of these designs, etc. Different types of antennas may be used for different bands and combinations of bands. For example, one type of antenna may be used in forming a local wireless link antenna and another type of antenna may be used in forming a remote wireless link. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram showing how radio-frequency signal path  44  may be used to convey radio-frequency signals between antenna  40  and radio-frequency transceiver  42 . Antenna  40  may be one of antennas  40  of  FIG. 3 . Radio-frequency transceiver  42  may be a receiver and/or transmitter in wireless communications circuitry  34  ( FIG. 3 ) such as receiver  35 , wireless local area network transceiver  36  (e.g., a transceiver operating at 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 60 GHz, or other suitable frequency), cellular telephone transceiver  38 , or other radio-frequency transceiver circuitry for receiving and/or transmitting radio-frequency signals. 
     Signal path  44  may include one or more transmission lines such as one or more segments of coaxial cable, one or more segments of microstrip transmission line, one or more segments of stripline transmission line, or other transmission line structures. Signal path  44  may include a positive conductor such as positive signal line  44 A and may include a ground conductor such as ground signal line  44 B. Antenna  40  may have an antenna feed with a positive antenna feed terminal (+) and a ground antenna feed terminal (−). If desired, circuitry such as filters, impedance matching circuits, switches, amplifiers, and other circuits may be interposed within path  44 . 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram showing how antenna  40  may be implemented using an inverted-F configuration. As shown in  FIG. 5 , antenna  40  may include an antenna ground such as antenna ground  48  and may include an inverted-F antenna resonating element such as antenna resonating element  46 . Antenna resonating element  46  may have a main resonating element arm such as arm  54 . Short circuit branch  50  may be coupled between arm  54  and ground  48 . Antenna feed arm  52  may also be coupled between arm  54  and ground  48  and may include an antenna feed with positive and ground antenna feed terminals (e.g., an antenna feed coupled to a signal path such as path  44  of  FIG. 4 ). 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram showing how antenna  40  may be implemented using a monopole antenna configuration. As shown in  FIG. 6 , antenna  40  may include an antenna ground such as antenna ground  48  and may include a monopole antenna resonating element such as antenna resonating element  46 . Antenna resonating element  46  and ground  48  may be feed using an antenna feed that includes a positive antenna feed terminal (+) that is coupled to antenna resonating element  46  and a ground antenna feed terminal (−) that is coupled to antenna ground  48 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 7 , antenna  40  has been implemented using a loop antenna configuration. In this type of arrangement, antenna resonating element  46  has been configured to form a loop that is fed by an antenna feed having a positive antenna feed terminal (+) and a ground antenna feed terminal (−) that are each coupled to different portions of the antenna resonating element. 
     The illustrative antenna configurations of  FIGS. 5, 6, and 7  are merely illustrative. In general, antenna  40  may be implemented using any suitable type of antenna (e.g., loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, closed and open slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures, strip antennas, monopoles, dipoles, hybrids of these designs, etc.). 
     The conductive structures that form antenna  40  may be formed from strips of metal or other metal structures, conductive housing structures (e.g., metal structures such as stainless steel structures, aluminum structures, or structures formed from other metals), portions of conductive components (e.g., parts of switches, connectors, etc.), conductive traces on a printed circuit (e.g., metal traces on a flexible printed circuit that is formed from a flexible sheet of polyimide or other polymers or a rigid printed circuit board substrate such as an FR4 substrate), conductive structures such as metal traces formed on a structure formed from glass, ceramic, plastic, other dielectric materials, or a combination of two or more of these materials, or other conductors. 
     If desired, at least some of the conductive structures for antenna  40  may be associated with structure  56  ( FIG. 2 ). For example, at least some of the conductive structures for antenna  40  such as antenna resonating element  46  and/or antenna ground  48  may be formed from part or all of a cosmetic trim structure for structure  56  or conductive structures that are otherwise associated with structure  56  (e.g., conductive structures within a camera or in the vicinity of a camera that is associated with structure  56 , conductive structures within a speaker or in the vicinity of a speaker that is associated with structure  56 , or other structures that are mounted on or near structure  56 ). The conductive structures may, for example, surround some or all of the periphery of an optical or acoustic window structure that is mounted in structure  56  overlapping the camera, speaker, or other electrical component. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an illustrative configuration for device  10  in which conductive antenna structures for antenna  40  such as antenna resonating element  46  have been formed on structure  56 . Structure  56  may be associated with a component such as a camera, a speaker, or other component in device  10 . Structure  56  may protrude above the surface of rear housing wall  58 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , for example, structure  56  may protrude a distance H above the surface of rear housing wall  58  so that the surface of electronic component window structure  66  lies a distance H above the surface of rear housing wall  58 . Electronic component window structure  66  may have a circular shape, a rectangular shape, or other outline and may be mounted to structure  56 . Antenna resonating element  46  may surround some or all of the periphery of window structure  66 . 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 9 , antenna resonating element structure  46  of  FIG. 8  may have a circular shape with terminals  60  and  62 . Terminals  60  and  62  may, for example, form an antenna feed for antenna  40  in a configuration in which antenna resonating element structure  46  is used as a loop antenna. If desired, antenna resonating element structure  46  of  FIG. 9  may be used to form other types of antenna structures such as inverted-F antenna resonating antenna  40  of  FIG. 5 , monopole antenna  40  of  FIG. 7 , etc. Terminal  60  and/or terminal  62 , and/or other portions of antenna resonating element  46  may be used in forming an antenna feed terminal for antenna  40 . Antenna resonating element structure  46  of  FIG. 9  includes optional notch  64 . Notch  64  may be included in antenna resonating element  46  so that the exposed portion of antenna resonating element  46  forms two C-shaped segments running along opposing portions of the periphery of window structure  66 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . If desired, antenna resonating element  46  may be provided with two or more notches such as notch  64  or notch  64  may be omitted. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of structure  56  in a configuration in which part of structure  56  has been formed from rear housing structure (housing wall)  58 . Structure  56  may be associated with component  72 . Component  72  may be an optical component such as a light sensor, status indicator light, camera, or other electronic device that uses light or may be an audio component such as a speaker that produces sound, a microphone that receives sound, or other component that uses sound. If desired, component  72  may be implemented using other electronic devices. The use of optical and audio devices as component  72  is merely illustrative. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , structure  56  may include a window structure such as window  66  that overlaps component  72 . Window  66  may include structures that are transparent to light and/or sound and that allow signals  74  to enter and/or exit device  10 . Signals  74  may be optical signals (light) and/or acoustic signals. For example, component  72  may be a camera, light sensor, light source, or other optical component that produces and/or receives light  74  through transparent optical window  66 . As another example, component  72  may be a microphone, speaker, buzzer, or other sound source or sound detector that can transmit and/or receive sound  74  through acoustically transparent window  66 . An acoustically transparent structure for window  66  may, for example, be formed from a mesh structure (e.g., a plastic mesh) or a structure with circular holes, rectangular holes, or other openings that allow sound to pass. 
     Structure  56  may include portions of housing member  58  such as vertically extending portions  70 . One or more additional structures such as structures  68  may also be used in forming structure  56 . Antenna resonating element  46  may be mounted in structure  56  around the periphery of window structure  66  and may be used in transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals for device  10 . 
     In configurations of the type shown in  FIG. 10  in which structure  56  protrudes a distance H from the surface of rear housing wall  58  or other housing structures in device  10 , antenna resonating element  46  (i.e., antenna  40 ) may protrude from the surface of device  10 , thereby reducing signal blockage and helping to enhance antenna performance. Antenna performance may also be enhanced by ensuring that there is sufficient separation between antenna resonating element  46  and adjacent conductive structures. For example, in configurations in which structure  58  is formed from a conductive material such as metal, antenna performance may be enhanced by forming structure  68  from a dielectric such as plastic to ensure that antenna resonating element  46  and portion  70  of structure  58  are separated by a minimum distance D (e.g., a distance D of at least 0.5 mm, of at least 1.0 mm, of at least 2.0 mm, or at least 5 mm (as examples). If desired, portions  70  of structures  58  may be formed from dielectric or other portions of structures  58  or all of structures  58  may be formed from dielectric. 
     In a configuration of the type shown in  FIG. 10 , window  66  may be transparent to light and/or sound, so that component  72  can use light and/or sound that is passing through window  66 . Structures  68  may, if desired, be opaque to sound and/or light. For example, structures  68 , portion  70  of structures  58 , and other portions of structure  58  and housing  12  may be formed from opaque plastic, from metal, from layers of one or more materials that include at least one opaque layer, or other structures that are not optically and/or acoustically transparent. 
     Antenna resonating element  46  may have portions such as portion  76  that are visible to viewer  78  (e.g., a user of device  10 ) from the exterior of device  10 . Antenna resonating element  46  may therefore serve as a cosmetic trim for structure  56  and component  72 . Antenna resonating element  46  may, as an example, be formed from a stainless steel member, a plated copper structure, or other metal structure that surrounds some or all of window  66  to provide a cosmetic outline for window  66 , while simultaneously being used as part of antenna  40  for handling radio-frequency signals for device  10 . 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of structure  56  in a configuration in which the sidewalls of structure  56  have been formed from portion  70  of structure  58  (e.g., plastic portions or portions of glass, ceramic, or other structures). Grooves such as grooves  80  or other engagement features may be formed in portions  70  to receive corresponding portions  82  of antenna resonating element  46 . Antenna resonating element  46  of  FIG. 11  may be formed from a metal member other structure. Exposed portion  76  of antenna resonating element  46  may be visible to a user of device  10  so that antenna resonating element  46  may serve as cosmetic trim for window  66 , structure  56 , and component  72 . 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of structure  56  in a configuration in which antenna resonating element  46  has been embedded within structure  68 . Structure  68  may be, for example, a plastic structure and antenna resonating element  46  may be a metal structure that is embedded within structure  68  by injection molding (i.e., insert molding). In the configuration of  FIG. 12 , portion  76  of antenna resonating element  46  has been exposed to the exterior of device  10 , so that antenna resonating element  46  may serve as a cosmetic trim. 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 13 , antenna resonating element  46  has been embedded within structure  68  (e.g., by injection molding) so that antenna resonating element  46  is not visually exposed to the exterior of device  10 . 
       FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of structure  56  in an illustrative configuration in which antenna resonating element  46  has been mounted on an interior surface of structure  68  in structure  58 . 
       FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of structure  56  in a configuration in which antenna resonating element  46  has an L-shaped cross-section. Portion  76  of antenna resonating element may be visible from the exterior of structure  56  so that antenna resonating element  46  of  FIG. 15  may serve as cosmetic trim. 
     In the configuration of  FIG. 16 , antenna resonating element  46  has been mounted between ledge portion  84  of structure  68  and portion  86  of window  66 . If desired, window  66  may be provided with a peripheral interior layer of opaque masking material such as black ink to help hide antenna resonating element  46  from view. As shown in the  FIG. 16  example, the opaque masking material may be omitted so that a user may view antenna resonating element  46  through window  66  (e.g., an optically transparent window structure), allowing antenna resonating element  46  to serve as a cosmetic trim structure. 
       FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a portion of device  10  showing how antenna resonating element  46  may serve as a cosmetic trim for structure  56  in a configuration in which window  66  and structure  56  are associated with multiple components such as component  72 A and component  72 B. Components  72 A and  72 B may be optical components, acoustic components, or other electrical components. Light and/or sound associated with components  72 A and  72 B may pass through window  66 . With one illustrative configuration, component  72 A may be a camera and component  72 B may be a light-emitting-diode-based flash or other light source that produces illumination for the camera, while window  66  may be an optically transparent structure. In another illustrative configuration, component  72 A may be a light source and component  72 B may be a light sensor (e.g., an infrared light source and sensor in a light-based proximity sensor). Components  72 A and  72 B may also be acoustic components such as speakers, microphones, buzzers, tone generators, etc. (e.g., in configurations in which window structure  66  is acoustically transparent). Sidewalls for structure  56  may be formed from portions  70  of structure  58  and/or additional structures that protrude from structure  58  such as structures  68  of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional side view of structure  56  in a configuration in which window  66  has been formed from an acoustically transparent material such as a mesh (e.g., a plastic mesh formed from interwoven plastic fibers) or a plastic member or other dielectric structure with an array of circular or rectangular openings (as an example). Antenna resonating element  46  may be formed on the exterior of window  66  (e.g., so that resonating element  46  surrounds the periphery of window  66  and forms a cosmetic trim for window  66 , structure  56 , and component  72 ) or may be formed on the interior of window  66  (e.g., where shown by antenna resonating element  46 ′ of  FIG. 18 ). 
     Structures  68  of  FIGS. 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 , and  18  may, if desired, be formed from portions  70  of structure  58  or one or more additional structures (e.g., portions of window structures such as structures  66 , other portions of housing  12 , etc.). Although structure  56  is shown as protruding above the surface of structure  58  (e.g., by height H), this is merely illustrative. Antenna resonating element  46  (e.g., a cosmetic trim structure) and window  66  may, if desired, lie flush with the exposed exterior surface of structure  58  in housing  12  of device  10 . 
     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: 20140725
Publication Date: 20170829
Grant Date: 20170829
Priority Date: 20120214
Inventors: DABOV TEODOR
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q7/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q7/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q7/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 48945152