Smartphone Antenna In Flexible Pcb

Patent No. US11728564 (titled "Smartphone Antenna In Flexible Pcb") was filed by Aq Corp on Sep 28, 2022.

’564 is related to the field of compact antenna design for smartphones , specifically addressing the challenge of integrating multiple antennas (MST and NFC) within the limited space and often metal-rich environment of modern mobile devices. The background acknowledges the difficulty of fitting antennas for various wireless communication standards (LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, MST) alongside other components like batteries, which can interfere with antenna performance.

The underlying idea behind ’564 is to create a thin, flexible antenna module that integrates multiple antenna coils (e.g., for MST and NFC) on a flexible PCB, coupled with a magnetic sheet to enhance antenna performance. The flexible PCB is designed with strategic through-holes and coil placements, allowing the magnetic sheet to engage with the PCB in a way that optimizes magnetic flux and minimizes interference from surrounding smartphone components.

The claims of ’564 focus on a smartphone antenna module comprising a substrate with first and second major surfaces. A first antenna pattern is formed on the first major surface and includes an inner and outer coil. A second antenna pattern is formed on the second major surface and includes an inner and outer antenna pattern. The inner antenna pattern includes concentric circular lines and defines a radially-extending inner gap. The outer antenna pattern includes concentric circular lines and defines a radially-extending outer gap. The outer gap and inner gap are connected and aligned in a direction.

In practice, the flexible PCB is manufactured with printed coils on one or both sides, and then the magnetic sheet is mechanically engaged with the PCB through the strategically placed holes. The magnetic sheet, typically made of ferrite or a nanocrystalline alloy, acts as a magnetic core , improving the antenna's ability to generate and receive electromagnetic signals, especially at the lower frequencies used by MST. The entire assembly is then coated with protective layers to form a single, robust, and flexible module.

This design differentiates itself from prior approaches by providing a compact and flexible solution that can be easily integrated into smartphones. The use of a magnetic sheet in conjunction with the specific coil and through-hole arrangement allows for efficient magnetic flux management , reducing interference and improving antenna performance compared to traditional antenna designs that may suffer from limited space and proximity to metallic components. The flexible nature of the module also allows it to conform to the often complex internal shapes of smartphones.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the late 2010s when ’564 was filed, at a time when smartphones commonly relied on multiple antennas for various wireless communication technologies such as LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and MST. At that time, hardware constraints made it non-trivial to integrate multiple antennas into a compact smartphone form factor without signal interference or performance degradation.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application because the prior art, whether considered alone or in combination, does not reasonably teach or suggest all elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided. The examiner specifically noted that the claim recitation regarding the outer antenna pattern comprising concentric circular lines, a radially extending outer gap, and the connection of the outer antenna pattern to the outer coil through vias, along with the general surrounding of the inner antenna pattern, and the connection and alignment of the radially extending outer and inner gaps in a direction, is not found in the prior art.

Claims

There are 22 claims in this patent, with claim 1 being the only independent claim. Independent claim 1 is directed to a smartphone antenna module comprising a substrate with first and second major surfaces, and first and second antenna patterns formed on those surfaces, respectively. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features, configurations, and connections of the antenna module elements described in the independent claim, and also describe a smartphone incorporating the antenna module.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)	Support for Specification	Interpretation
Inner antenna pattern (Claim 1)	“In embodiments, a smartphone can include an NEC antenna and an MST antenna. The NEC antenna and the MST antenna, among the antennas, use a considerably low frequency band and handle wireless signals of considerably long wavelengths as compared with other wireless antennas, it is typical that the NFC antenna and the MST antenna have sizes greater than those of other antennas.”	An antenna pattern formed on the second major surface, comprising concentric circular lines and defining a radially-extending inner gap.
Inner coil (Claim 1)	“In embodiments, a smartphone can include an NEC antenna and an MST antenna. The NEC antenna and the MST antenna, among the antennas, use a considerably low frequency band and handle wireless signals of considerably long wavelengths as compared with other wireless antennas, it is typical that the NFC antenna and the MST antenna have sizes greater than those of other antennas.”	A coil that is part of the first antenna pattern, formed on the first major surface of the substrate, and surrounded by an outer coil.
Outer antenna pattern (Claim 1)	“In embodiments, a smartphone can include an NEC antenna and an MST antenna. The NEC antenna and the MST antenna, among the antennas, use a considerably low frequency band and handle wireless signals of considerably long wavelengths as compared with other wireless antennas, it is typical that the NFC antenna and the MST antenna have sizes greater than those of other antennas.”	An antenna pattern formed on the second major surface, comprising concentric circular lines and defining a radially-extending outer gap, and generally surrounding at least part of the concentric circular lines of the inner antenna pattern.
Outer coil (Claim 1)	“In embodiments, a smartphone can include an NEC antenna and an MST antenna. The NEC antenna and the MST antenna, among the antennas, use a considerably low frequency band and handle wireless signals of considerably long wavelengths as compared with other wireless antennas, it is typical that the NFC antenna and the MST antenna have sizes greater than those of other antennas.”	A coil that is part of the first antenna pattern, formed on the first major surface of the substrate, and surrounds the inner coil.
Radially-extending inner gap (Claim 1)	“In embodiments, a smartphone can include an NEC antenna and an MST antenna. The NEC antenna and the MST antenna, among the antennas, use a considerably low frequency band and handle wireless signals of considerably long wavelengths as compared with other wireless antennas, it is typical that the NFC antenna and the MST antenna have sizes greater than those of other antennas.”	A gap defined by the inner antenna pattern into which the concentric circular lines of the inner antenna pattern do not extend.

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US11728564

AQ CORP

Application Number: US17955126
Filing Date: Sep 28, 2022
Status: Granted
Expiry Date: Nov 25, 2040
External Links: Slate, USPTO, Google Patents

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