Handheld Electronic Device With Cable Grounding

Abstract

A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains a conductive housing and other conductive elements. The conductive elements may form an antenna ground plane. One or more antennas for the handheld electronic device may be formed from the ground plane and one or more associated antenna resonating elements. Transceiver circuitry may be connected to the resonating elements by transmission lines such as coaxial cables. Ferrules may be crimped to the coaxial cables. A bracket with extending members may be crimped over the ferrules to ground the coaxial cables to the housing and other conductive elements in the ground plane. The ground plane may contain an antenna slot. A dock connector and flex circuit may overlap the slot in a way that does not affect the resonant frequency of the slot. Electrical components may be isolated from the antenna using isolation elements such as inductors and resistors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless communications device having opposing front and rear surfaces surrounded by four sides including a top side, a right side, a bottom side, and a left side, the wireless communications device comprising:
 a housing that forms the rear surface and that forms the top side, the right side, the bottom side, and the left side, wherein the top side is located at a first end of the wireless communications device and wherein the bottom side is located at an opposing second end of the wireless communications device; and   a touch screen display mounted in the housing, wherein the touch screen display has a glass element that forms the front surface and wherein the glass element has an opening.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a button mounted in the opening. 
 
     
     
         3 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 2  wherein the button is located at the second end. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 3  wherein the button allows a user to supply an input command to the wireless communications device and wherein the button is round and has a concave exterior surface. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the glass element has an additional opening and wherein the wireless communications device further comprises a speaker mounted in the additional opening. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 1  wherein the bottom side of the housing has a microphone opening and wherein the wireless communications device further comprises a microphone at the microphone opening. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 1  wherein the bottom side of the housing has a connector opening and wherein the wireless communications device further comprises a connector at the connector opening. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing has a camera opening on the rear surface and wherein the wireless communications device further comprises a camera at the camera opening. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 8  further comprising an antenna at the second end, wherein the housing comprises a plastic portion that overlaps the antenna at the second end. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 1  further comprising an antenna, wherein the antenna is at the second end, the wireless communications device further comprising:
 a wireless transceiver at the first end; and 
 a cable that couples the wireless transceiver at the first end to the antenna at the second end. 
 
     
     
         11 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a cellular telephone antenna. 
     
     
         12 . A wireless communications device having a front face including opposing first and second edges, comprising:
 a housing;   a glass element that covers the front face from the first edge to the second edge, wherein the glass element includes a hole; and   an antenna within the housing.   
     
     
         13 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 12 , wherein the antenna comprises a cellular telephone antenna. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 13 , wherein the housing includes a bezel that surrounds the glass element. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 14 , further comprising a coaxial cable that carries cellular telephone antenna signals for the cellular telephone antenna. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a metal frame;   a radio-frequency transceiver, wherein the coaxial cable is coupled between the radio-frequency transceiver and the cellular telephone antenna;   a plurality of ferrules connected to the coaxial cable; and   a conductive member that is welded to the metal frame and that electrically connects the ferrules to the metal frame.   
     
     
         17 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 16 , further comprising a metal tab that is electrically connected to a metal portion of the housing; and
 a spring that presses one of the ferrules against the metal tab.   
     
     
         18 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an additional antenna that is configured to handle data communications in a communications band at 2.4 GHz.   
     
     
         19 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 12 , further comprising a button that is accommodated in the hole, wherein the button allows a user to supply an input command to the wireless communications device and wherein the button is round and has a concave exterior surface. 
     
     
         20 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a bezel that surrounds the glass element; and   an additional button that is mounted in an opening in the housing.   
     
     
         21 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 20 , wherein the bezel is a metal bezel. 
     
     
         22 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 20 , wherein the bezel is formed from plastic that is coated with a metal coating. 
     
     
         23 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 12 , wherein the housing comprises a plastic portion that overlaps the antenna.