Multifunction wireless device and methods related to the design thereof

Abstract

A multifunction wireless device, a method and system of identifying complexity factors and a method any system of optimizing the geometry of an antenna system using such complexity factors.

1 - 105 . (canceled) 
   
   
       106 . A multifunction wireless device comprising a radio-frequency (RF) system and an antenna system capable of fully functioning in at least one communication standard, each of the at least one standard being allocated in at least one frequency band, each of the at least one frequency band being fully contained within one of the following regions of an electromagnetic spectrum, wherein at least three regions of the electromagnetic spectrum includes:
 a 810 MHz-960 MHz region;   a 1710 MHz-1990 MHz region;   a 1900 MHz-2170 MHz region;   wherein the multifunction wireless device is able to operate in at least one frequency band contained in each of the at least three regions; and   wherein the antenna system includes an antenna contour featuring a complexity factor F 21  larger than one and a complexity factor F 32  larger than one.   
   
   
       107 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna contour features a value of F 21  between 1.05 and 1.80, and a value of F 32  between 1.10 and 1.90. 
   
   
       108 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device is at least one of a smartphone and a handheld multimedia terminal having a complexity factor F 21  larger than 1.39 and a value of F 32  larger than 1.50. 
   
   
       109 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device is at least one of a slim device, a clamshell device, a twist device, and a slider device having a value of F 21  of more than 1.43. 
   
   
       110 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device further includes a ground-plane, and wherein an antenna overlaps the ground-plane and has an antenna contour that features a value of F 21  being higher than 1.45. 
   
   
       111 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the RF system includes at least two RF transceivers and the antenna contour has a value of F 21  being higher than 1.45. 
   
   
       112 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna contour features F 21  being higher than 1.45 and wherein the antenna system includes at least two antenna elements. 
   
   
       113 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device is a slim device with a thickness of less than 14 mm and wherein the antenna contour features a value of F 32  larger than 1.60. 
   
   
       114 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device further includes a ground-plane, and wherein an intersection of a projection of an antenna rectangle onto a ground plane rectangle with the ground plane rectangle is less than 90% of an area of the antenna rectangle. 
   
   
       115 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device is one of a clamshell device, a twist device and a slider device, and wherein the antenna contour features a value of F 32  higher than 1.63. 
   
   
       116 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes at least one of a camera and a connector integrated in an antenna box associated with the antenna system and wherein the antenna contour features a value of F 32  larger than 1.56. 
   
   
       117 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein at least one antenna has a projection area that overlaps with a ground plane of a printed circuit board (PCB) of the multifunction wireless device in at least 50% of a projection area, and wherein the antenna contour features a value of F 21  smaller than 1.42 and a value of F 32  larger than 1.55. 
   
   
       118 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the RF system includes at least two RF transceivers and wherein at least one antenna includes an antenna contour featuring a value of F 21  lower than 1.40 and a value of F 32  larger than 1.50. 
   
   
       119 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system includes at least two antenna elements and wherein F 21  is larger than 1.43 and F 32  is larger than 1.61. 
   
   
       120 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system includes at least three antenna elements and wherein the antenna contour features a value of F 21  lower than 1.36. 
   
   
       121 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna contour features F 21  between 1.32 and 1.54, and at the same time F 32  between 1.44 and 1.22. 
   
   
       122 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna contour features a value of F 32  smaller than 1.52. 
   
   
       123 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device is at least one of a clamshell phone, a twist phone and a slider phone, and wherein the antenna contour features a value of F 32  smaller than 1.30. 
   
   
       124 . The multifunction wireless device according to  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device is at least one of a smart phone and a handheld multimedia terminal, and wherein the multifunction wireless device is of a type selected from the group consisting of twist, clamshell, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       125 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes a thickness of less than 14 mm, wherein the multifunction wireless device includes two parts, each of the two parts having a maximum thickness of 7 mm, and wherein the multifunction wireless device is of a type selected from the group consisting of clamshell, twist, slider, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       126 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device incorporates at least one of 3.5G and 4G features. 
   
   
       127 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 126 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes at least two dedicated antennas for the 4G features forming an antenna diversity arrangement. 
   
   
       128 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system includes a plurality of antenna elements, wherein the RF system includes an RF transceiver operable to drive each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements through one contact, and wherein at least one of the plurality of antenna elements has a second contact for grounding purposes. 
   
   
       129 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes at least one parasitic antenna element, the at least one parasitic antenna element comprising a contact terminal used for grounding purposes. 
   
   
       130 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes a ground plane, and wherein the antenna system is integrated within the multifunction wireless device in such a way that an antenna rectangle of the antenna system is at least partially on a projection of a ground plane rectangle associated with the ground plane. 
   
   
       131 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes a ground plane, wherein an antenna rectangle of the antenna system is in a projection of a ground plane rectangle associated to the ground plane in an area of less than 30% of the antenna rectangle, and wherein the antenna contour of the antenna system features a complexity factor F 21  larger than 1.20. 
   
   
       132 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes a ground plane, wherein an antenna rectangle of the antenna system is in a projection of a ground plane rectangle associated to the ground plane in an area larger than 80% of the antenna rectangle, and wherein the antenna contour of the antenna system features a complexity factor F 21  smaller than 1.45. 
   
   
       133 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system is integrated in a bottom part of a body of the multifunction wireless device, and wherein the antenna system features an antenna contour with a complexity factor F 21  smaller than 1.45 and a complexity factor F 32  smaller than 1.50. 
   
   
       134 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device is a two-body multifunction wireless device which integrates the antenna system in a vicinity of a hinge that allows rotation of at least one of the two bodies, and wherein the antenna contour of the antenna system features a complexity factor F 21  larger than 1.20 and a complexity factor F 32  larger than or equal to 1.55. 
   
   
       135 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system includes a feeding point responsible for an operation of the antenna system in its lowest frequency band placed near a corner of an antenna rectangle associated to the antenna system. 
   
   
       136 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes a ground plane, the ground plane being encompassed by a ground plane rectangle, and wherein the antenna system includes a feeding point responsible for an operation of the antenna system in its lowest frequency band, the feeding point being placed in such a way that a contact terminal of the multifunction wireless device is located near an edge of the ground plane. 
   
   
       137 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes wireless connectivity to other wireless devices or networks than 3G or 4G through a wireless system. 
   
   
       138 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 137 , wherein the multifunction wireless device includes a twist structure in which a body portion can be twisted such that it can be rotated with two or more axes of rotation. 
   
   
       139 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the multifunction wireless device operates simultaneously in at least two wireless services, wherein a first one of the at least two wireless services is a mobile telephone service, and wherein a second one of the at least two wireless services is one of a short range wireless connectivity service and a geolocalization service. 
   
   
       140 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , the multifunction wireless device further includes five functional blocks, wherein the five functional blocks include a display, a processing module, a memory module, a communication module and a power management module. 
   
   
       141 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , the multifunction wireless device further includes at least one multilayer printed circuit board on which to carry electronics, wherein at least one of the at least one multilayer printed circuit board includes at least one of a feeding means for the antenna system, a grounding means for the antenna system, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       142 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system includes at least one feeding point and at least one grounding point. 
   
   
       143 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system includes:
 a first portion operable to provide a first path for currents associated with a radiation mode in a first frequency band within a first region of the electromagnetic spectrum, preferably the region of 810 MHz-960 MHz;   a second portion operable to provide a second path for currents associated with a radiation mode in a second frequency band within a second region of the electromagnetic spectrum, preferably the region of 1710 MHz-1990 MHz;   a third portion operable to provide a third path for currents associated with a radiation mode in a third frequency band within a third region of the electromagnetic spectrum, preferably the region of 1900 MHz-2170 MHz; and   wherein at least two portions of the first, second, and third portions overlap at least partially with each other.   
   
   
       144 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system includes at least one slot, aperture or opening within a structure. 
   
   
       145 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system is provided with a structure which is bended, folded, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       146 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna system includes additional conducting parts in an antenna box associated to the antenna system. 
   
   
       147 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein a structure of the antenna system includes at least one antenna element, wherein the at least one antenna element is formed by at least one conducting geometric element. 
   
   
       148 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 147 , wherein the structure of the antenna system includes at least two antenna elements, the at least two antenna elements being electromagnetically coupled by means of at least one of capacitive coupling or inductive coupling. 
   
   
       149 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein a dimension of an antenna box associated to the antenna system not included in a largest face thereof is used to separate the antenna system from an element of the multifunction wireless device, the element being selected from the group consisting of a ground plane, a grounded shield can, a loudspeaker module, a vibrating module, a memory card socket, a hard disk drive, a connector, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       150 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 106 , wherein the antenna contour of the antenna system includes straight segments, curved segments or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       151 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 150 , wherein the antenna contour includes a plurality of segments, the plurality of segments being connected together defining a single set of joined segments. 
   
   
       152 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 150 , wherein the segments of the antenna contour are shorter than at least one fifth of a free-space wavelength corresponding to a lowest frequency band of operation. 
   
   
       153 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 150 , wherein the antenna contour includes at least 10 segments. 
   
   
       154 . The multifunction wireless device of  claim 150 , wherein the antenna contour includes a length larger than 2 times a length of a diagonal of an antenna rectangle associated to the antenna system. 
   
   
       155 . A multifunction wireless device comprising:
 a memory comprising more than 1 GByte;   a central data processing unit;   a screen comprising at least 75.000 pixels and a color resolution depth of more than 65.000 colors;   a keypad comprising more than 40 keys and/or a touch screen having a size of at least half a size of the multifunction wireless device;   at least two bodies operable to be moved against each other, wherein the at least two bodies include a clamshell, flip, twist or slider device;   a battery for energy supply of the multifunction wireless device without an external energy supply;   a first means for providing a wireless connection for a mobile phone service within at least two different mobile phone communication standards;   a second means for providing a wireless connection for other digital data transmission with a data transmission rate of at least 1 Mbit/s;   an antenna system for at least the first means for providing a wireless connection, wherein the antenna system includes:
 a complexity factor of F 21  being more than 1.52 and less than 1.65; and 
 a complexity factor F 32  being more than 1.55 and less than 1.70.