Antenna device and communication terminal apparatus

Abstract

An antenna device includes a feed coil connected to a feed circuit, and a coil antenna disposed near the feed coil. A ferrite sheet, in which a magnetic loss term in a usable frequency band is relatively large, is provided between the feed coil and the coil antenna. The feed coil and the coil antenna are magnetically coupled to each other via the ferrite sheet. With this configuration, signal transmission efficiency between the feed coil and the coil antenna is enhanced.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An antenna device comprising:
 a feed coil connected to a feed circuit;   a coil antenna disposed near the feed coil; and   a magnetic layer provided between the feed coil and the coil antenna; wherein   a product of a relative permeability of a magnetic material of the magnetic layer and a thickness of the magnetic layer is less than twenty; and   the feed coil and the coil antenna are magnetically coupled to each other via the magnetic layer.   
     
     
         3 . The antenna device according to  claim 2 , wherein the coil antenna is a planar coil that includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface, the first principal surface is oriented toward an antenna on a communication partner side, the second principal surface is opposite to the first principal surface, and the magnetic layer is arranged so as to cover the second principal surface of the coil antenna. 
     
     
         4 . The antenna device according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the coil antenna includes a first coil conductor that is planar and is located on the first principal surface, and a second coil conductor that is planar and is located on the second principal surface;   an inductance of the first coil conductor, an inductance of the second coil conductor, and a capacitance generated between the first coil conductor and the second coil conductor define an LC parallel resonance circuit; and   an area in which the first coil conductor and the second coil conductor face each other in plan view of the coil antenna is largest near outer end portions of the first coil conductor and the second coil conductor and is smallest at inner end portions of the first coil conductor and the second coil conductor.   
     
     
         5 . The antenna device according to  claim 3 , wherein the antenna device includes a conductive layer, and the magnetic layer is provided between the second principal surface of the coil antenna and the conductive layer. 
     
     
         6 . The antenna device according to  claim 2 , wherein the feed coil is disposed such that at least a portion of the feed coil overlaps the magnetic layer in plan view of the coil antenna. 
     
     
         7 . The antenna device according to  claim 2 , wherein the feed coil is disposed such that a winding axis of the feed coil is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a winding axis of the coil antenna. 
     
     
         8 . The antenna device according to  claim 2 , wherein the coil antenna is a resonance circuit that has a resonance frequency corresponding or substantially corresponding to a carrier frequency of a communication signal. 
     
     
         9 . The antenna device according to  claim 2 , wherein the feed coil and the feed circuit define a resonance circuit that resonates at a frequency corresponding to a carrier frequency of a communication signal. 
     
     
         10 . The antenna device according to  claim 2 , wherein the coil antenna is a planar coil that includes at least a first flat surface and a second flat surface which is connected to the first flat surface, and the feed coil is disposed in a region surrounded by the first flat surface and the second flat surface. 
     
     
         11 . The antenna device according to  claim 2 , wherein the magnetic layer has a thickness of about 300 μm or less. 
     
     
         12 . A communication terminal apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a feed circuit provided in the housing;   a feed coil connected to the feed circuit;   a coil antenna disposed near the feed coil; and   a magnetic layer provided between the feed coil and the coil antenna; wherein   the feed coil and the coil antenna are electromagnetically coupled to each other via the magnetic layer.   
     
     
         13 . The communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the feed coil is disposed in the housing near an end portion of the housing such that a winding axis of the feed coil is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an end surface of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the coil antenna is a planar coil that includes at least a first flat surface and a second flat surface which is connected to the first flat surface, the first flat surface is parallel or substantially parallel with a principal surface of the housing, and the second flat surface extends along an end portion of the housing to form an angle with the first flat surface. 
     
     
         15 . The communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising a conductive layer that extends along a winding axis of the feed coil such that the feed coil is sandwiched between the conductive layer and the coil antenna, the conductive layer is disposed such that, in plan view, the conductive layer covers the feed coil and at least a portion of the conductive layer is positioned inside an inner periphery of a coil conductor of the coil antenna. 
     
     
         16 . The communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein a product of a relative permeability of a magnetic material of the magnetic layer and a thickness of the magnetic layer is less than twenty. 
     
     
         17 . The communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the feed coil is disposed such that at least a portion of the feed coil overlaps the magnetic layer in plan view of the coil antenna. 
     
     
         18 . The communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the coil antenna is a resonance circuit that has a resonance frequency corresponding or substantially corresponding to a carrier frequency of a communication signal. 
     
     
         19 . The communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the feed coil and the feed circuit define a resonance circuit that resonates at a frequency corresponding to a carrier frequency of a communication signal. 
     
     
         20 . The communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the coil antenna is a planar coil that includes at least a first flat surface and a second flat surface which is connected to the first flat surface, and the feed coil is disposed in a region surrounded by the first flat surface and the second flat surface. 
     
     
         21 . The communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the magnetic layer has a thickness of about 300 μm or less.