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 planar 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 planar 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;   a touch screen display mounted in the housing, wherein the touch screen display has a planar glass element that forms the front surface and wherein the planar glass element has a button opening;   a button mounted in the button opening;   a speaker; and   an antenna.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing has a camera opening on the planar rear surface and wherein the wireless communications device further comprises a camera at the camera opening. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 2  wherein the housing has a microphone opening at the bottom side and wherein the wireless communications device further comprises a microphone at the microphone opening. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 3  wherein the housing has a connector opening at the bottom side and wherein the wireless communications device further comprises a connector at the connector opening. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 4  wherein the button opening in the planar glass element is located at the second end. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 5  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. 
 
     
     
         7 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 6  wherein the housing comprises a plastic portion that overlaps the antenna at the second end. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 7  wherein the antenna at the second end comprises a cellular telephone antenna. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 8  further comprising an additional antenna that is configured to handle data communications in a communications band at 2.4 GHz. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 9  further comprising:
 a bezel that runs along the four sides and surrounds the display, wherein the bezel comprises metal; and 
 an additional button that is mounted in an opening in the housing on the left side. 
 
     
     
         11 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 10  wherein the cable comprises a coaxial cable that carries cellular telephone antenna signals for the antenna at the second end. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a plurality of conductive fasteners connected to the coaxial cable at locations along the length of the coaxial cable between the first and second ends;   a metal frame; and   a conductive member that connects the plurality of conductive fasteners to the metal frame.   
     
     
         13 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 1  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. 
     
     
         14 . 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;   a display mounted in the housing, wherein the display has a glass element that extends from the top side to the bottom side and that extends from the left side to the right side and wherein the glass element has first and second openings; and   an antenna.   
     
     
         15 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 14  further comprising:
 a button in the first opening. 
 
     
     
         16 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 15  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. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 15  wherein the first opening is located at the second end and wherein the second opening is located at the first end, the wireless communications device further comprising a speaker at the second opening. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 17  wherein the antenna is at the second end and is configured to handle cellular telephone communications. 
     
     
         19 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 18  further comprising a microphone port in the bottom side. 
     
     
         20 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 19  further comprising a connector port in the bottom side. 
     
     
         21 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 20 , wherein the display comprises a touch screen display, wherein the wireless communications device further comprises a bezel that runs along the four sides and surrounds the display. 
     
     
         22 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a radio-frequency transceiver;   a coaxial cable;   a plurality of conductive fasteners connected to the coaxial cable; and   a conductive member connected to the conductive fasteners.   
     
     
         23 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 21 , wherein the bezel is a metal bezel. 
     
     
         24 . The wireless communications device defined in  claim 21 , wherein the bezel comprises plastic coated with metal.