WO2015156577A1

WO2015156577A1 - Auxiliary apparatus for electronic device including antenna

Info

Publication number: WO2015156577A1
Application number: PCT/KR2015/003468
Authority: WO
Inventors: 홍원빈; 금준식; 이영주; 이정엽
Original assignee: 삼성전자주식회사
Priority date: 2014-04-07
Filing date: 2015-04-07
Publication date: 2015-10-15

Abstract

The present disclosure relates a 5G or pre-5G communication system to be provided in order to support a higher data transmission rate after the 4G communication system such as an LTE. The present invention relates to an auxiliary apparatus for an electronic device including an antenna, wherein the auxiliary apparatus includes at least one of a first antenna included in a first unit and an internal antenna of the electronic device, and a second unit including a second antenna for generating capacitance. Further, the present invention also includes embodiments different from the above-described embodiment.

Description

Auxiliary Devices for Electronic Devices with Antennas

The present invention relates to an auxiliary device used for an electronic device with an antenna.

In order to meet the increasing demand for wireless data traffic since the commercialization of 4G communication systems, efforts are being made to develop improved 5G communication systems or pre-5G communication systems. For this reason, a 5G communication system or a pre-5G communication system is called a system after a 4G network (Beyond 4G Network) or a system after an LTE system (Post LTE).

In order to achieve high data rates, 5G communication systems are being considered for implementation in the ultra-high frequency (mmWave) band (eg, such as the 60 Gigabit (60 GHz) band). In order to mitigate the path loss of radio waves in the ultra-high frequency band and increase the propagation distance of radio waves, beamforming, massive array multiple input / output (FD-MIMO), and FD-MIMO are used in 5G communication systems. Array antenna, analog beam-forming, and large scale antenna techniques are discussed.

In addition, in order to improve the network of the system, 5G communication systems have advanced small cells, advanced small cells, cloud radio access network (cloud RAN), ultra-dense network (ultra-dense network) , Device to Device communication (D2D), wireless backhaul, moving network, cooperative communication, Coordinated Multi-Points (CoMP), and interference cancellation The development of such technology is being done.

In addition, in 5G systems, Hybrid FSK and QAM Modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC), Advanced Coding Modulation (ACM), and FBMC (Filter Bank Multi Carrier) and NOMA are advanced access technologies. (non orthogonal multiple access), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) are being developed.

Also, in modern society, electronic devices for various communications are used. Furthermore, due to the development of communication technology, services based on wireless communication are being implemented in various electronic devices. Accordingly, the types of electronic devices having antennas for wireless communication are gradually diversifying. Physical space is essential to secure the performance of the antenna. In general, the antenna has a maximum performance in the magnitude of lambda / 2 or lambda / 4. Is the wavelength at the operating frequency. However, there are cases where the size of the antenna is designed to be much smaller than the wavelength, and in general, an antenna having a size smaller than the wavelength is referred to as a 'small antenna'. At this time, the performance of the small antenna is proportional to the antenna size.

When the communication band is 700 to 3000 MHz, the wavelength of the low band frequency 700 MHz is about 40 cm. For example, when the communication band of the portable terminal (eg, smart phone) includes the 700 MHz, a space for installing the 40 cm antenna is not allowed. Therefore, in the low band, the antenna built in the portable terminal corresponds to a small antenna. Recently, portable terminals have tended to decrease thickness, increase screen size, reduce bezel, and the like, and thus, space for mounting an antenna is gradually decreasing. Moreover, due to the multifunctionality of the portable terminal, the number of components mounted therein increases, and it becomes more difficult to secure space for mounting the antenna.

One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for increasing antenna efficiency.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a device having an additional antenna that affects characteristics of an internal antenna of an electronic device.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for changing a resonance frequency of an internal antenna of an electronic device.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a device having different effects on the internal antenna of the electronic device according to the use state.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for improving data rate through antenna performance improvement.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for improving a broadcast signal reception rate by improving antenna performance.

An auxiliary device of an electronic device having an antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a second antenna configured to generate capacitance with at least one of a first antenna included in a first unit and an internal antenna of the electronic device. And a second unit comprising an antenna. Here, the value of the capacitance may vary depending on the relative positional relationship between the first unit and the second unit.

By using an auxiliary device having an antenna element according to an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device can increase reception coverage of the electronic device, improve data transmission speed, and improve call reception performance. Can be obtained.

1 illustrates an example of antenna performance change due to handgrip in an electronic device.

2 illustrates an example of an electronic device and an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

3 illustrates an example of components of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

4 is a view illustrating a state change of an auxiliary device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 illustrates an antenna structure of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 illustrates capacitance change according to a state of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

7 illustrates an example of a change in antenna characteristics due to a state of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

8 illustrates an equivalent circuit of antennas included in an auxiliary device and an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

9 illustrates an example of replaceable structures of antennas included in the auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

10 illustrates an example of a change in resonance frequency according to a state change of the auxiliary device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

11 illustrates another example of resonant frequency change according to a state change of the auxiliary device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

12 illustrates an implementation of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of change in antenna resonance frequency of an electronic device due to an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

14 is a view showing another implementation of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

15 illustrates another implementation of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

16 illustrates an example of using an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

17 is a view showing another application example of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

18 illustrates antenna performance due to an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

19 illustrates an example of components of an auxiliary device according to another exemplary embodiment.

20 illustrates an equivalent circuit of antennas provided in an auxiliary device and an electronic device, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, the operating principle of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations related to the present invention will be omitted when it is determined that the detailed description of the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention. Terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, and may be changed according to intentions or customs of users or operators. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the contents throughout the specification.

Hereinafter, a description will be given of a technique for improving antenna performance of an electronic device having an antenna by using an assist device.

Terms used to identify components of the electronic device and the auxiliary device used in the following description are for convenience of description. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the terms described below, and other terms may be used to refer to objects having equivalent technical meanings.

In the present invention, the electronic device may be a portable electronic device, and may be a smart phone, a portable terminal, a mobile phone, a mobile pad, a media player. (media player), a tablet computer (tablet computer), a handheld computer (handheld computer) or a personal digital assistant (PDA). In addition, the electronic device may be a device combining two or more functions of the above-described devices.

An intuitive method for improving antenna performance of an electronic device is to secure a relatively large antenna installation space by installing the antenna outside the electronic device. For example, fabricating the exterior of an electronic device with a metal frame, using the exterior as an antenna, inserting an antenna pattern into an antenna rear case, and an antenna in a bumper case, which is one of additional accessories. Methods such as installing the same may be considered.

Alternatively, by adding an external antenna that is physically connected to the internal antenna of the electronic device, the idea of extending the antenna space is possible. However, the expansion through the physical connection can cause the following problems. A separate fastening terminal is required for physical connection from the internal antenna to the external antenna. Due to the structure of the electronic device, an external antenna installation position may be fixed to a specific range. For example, the installation position may include a rear case, a bumper case, a protection case, a protection film, and the like. In addition, since the antenna space expansion is limited, the antenna performance improvement range may also be limited. In addition, in the case of a portable terminal (eg, a smart phone), antenna performance may be degraded due to a user's handgrip effect in a call state. An example of performance deterioration due to the hand grip is shown in FIG. 1. 1 illustrates an example of antenna performance change due to handgrip in an electronic device. 1 shows the reflection coefficient according to the frequency. Referring to FIG. 1, it is confirmed that a frequency with a minimum reflection coefficient, that is, a resonant frequency, is changed according to hand grip.

Accordingly, various embodiments of the present invention propose a method of avoiding the influence from the human body while improving antenna performance. To this end, a new antenna space setting is required, and various embodiments of the present disclosure use an auxiliary device used in the electronic device.

Referring to FIG. 2, the auxiliary device 210 may be physically attached to the electronic device 220. In FIG. 2, the electronic device 220 is a portable terminal such as a smart phone, and the auxiliary device 210 is a cover of the electronic device 220. The auxiliary device 210 may be referred to as a cover, a flip cover, a view cover, or the like. The auxiliary device 210 is a structure independent of the electronic device 220 and may be attached to an exterior of the electronic device 220. Alternatively, the auxiliary device 210 may be combined with a part of the component of the electronic device 220. For example, the auxiliary device 210 may include all or part of a rear cover of the electronic device 220. In this case, when the auxiliary device 210 is removed, the rear cover of the electronic device 220 is also removed. In FIG. 2, a hole is formed in a part of the auxiliary device 210, but the hole may not exist.

Referring to FIG. 3, the auxiliary device includes a first unit 320 and a second unit 330. The first unit 320 is a component attached to the electronic device and may include a part of a component (for example, a rear cover) of the electronic device or may be a structure independent of the electronic device. That is, the relative positional relationship between the first unit 320 and the electronic device is not changed unless the auxiliary device is removed. The first unit 320 includes a first side 322 and a second side 324. The first surface 322 is a surface in contact with a rear side of the electronic device, and may be referred to as an inner side. The second surface 324 is a surface opposite to the first surface 322 and may be referred to as an outer side.

The second unit 330 is a structure independent of the electronic device. The second unit 330 includes a first surface 332 and a second surface 334. The first surface 332 may be in contact with a front side of the electronic device, and may be referred to as an inner surface. The second surface 334 is a surface opposite to the first surface 332 and may be referred to as an outer surface. The first unit 320 and the second unit 330 are interconnected with a material having ductility, or connected through a hinge, thereby the second unit 330 and the electronic device. The relative positional relationship between them can be changed. Accordingly, the auxiliary device may have an open state, a closed state, and a folding state. The states of the auxiliary device may be defined as shown in FIG. 4.

4 is a view illustrating a state change of an auxiliary device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, (a) shows a closed state, (b) shows an open state, and (c) shows a folded state.

Referring to FIG. 4A, the closed state is a state in which the first unit 420 and the second unit 430 are disposed substantially parallel to each other, and the second unit 430 is disposed in the parallel state. The front surface of the electronic device 400 is covered. That is, the closed state is a state in which the first surface of the second unit 430, that is, the inner surface and the electronic device 400 are in contact with each other. In the closed state, an outer surface of the first unit 420 and an outer surface of the second unit are exposed. In addition, in the closed state, the front surface of the electronic device 400 is not exposed.

Referring to FIG. 4B, the open state is a state in which the second unit 430 and the first unit 420 are disposed side by side. In the open state, an outer surface of the first unit 420 is exposed, and an inner surface and an outer surface of the second unit are exposed. In addition, in the open state, the front surface of the electronic device 400 is exposed.

Referring to FIG. 4C, the folded state is a state in which the second unit 430 and the first unit 420 are substantially parallel to each other, and the second unit 430 is disposed in parallel. The outer surface and the outer surface of the first unit 420 is in a state facing. In the closed state, the inner surface of the second unit is exposed. In addition, in the folded state, the front surface of the electronic device 400 is exposed.

Referring to FIG. 5, the electronic device includes an internal antenna 506, and the auxiliary device includes a first antenna 526 and a second antenna 536. In other words, the auxiliary device according to the embodiment of the present invention may include at least one antenna. The antenna refers to a conductor structure having a specific pattern designed for signal emission or to aid signal emission. The first antenna 526 and the second antenna 536 included in the auxiliary device may be referred to as a 'cover antenna'.

The first antenna 526 is a main radiator of the cover antenna and includes a feeding part for capacitively connecting the internal antenna 506. That is, the first antenna 526 has a capacitive coupling with the internal antenna 506. The second antenna 536 is a means for changing antenna characteristics according to the state of the auxiliary device. Here, the state includes an open state, a closed state, and a folded state.

In the example of FIG. 5, the internal antenna 506, the first antenna 526, and the second antenna 527 are located at the bottom of the electronic device and the auxiliary device. However, the positions of the internal antenna 506, the first antenna 526, and the second antenna 527 are examples, and may be disposed at different positions. However, the position of the first antenna 526 and the second antenna 527 may depend on the position of the internal antenna 506.

In addition, in the example of FIG. 5, antenna patterns of the internal antenna 506, the first antenna 526, and the second antenna 527 are omitted. Specific antenna patterns of the internal antenna 506, the first antenna 526, and the second antenna 536 may be based on a signal band, an antenna type, characteristics of the electronic device, and intended capacitance. Can vary.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover antenna may be included in the auxiliary device. In this case, the cover antenna is installed at the time of manufacturing the auxiliary device. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cover antenna may be installed after the user. For example, the cover antenna may be installed in the auxiliary device in the form of a sticker, that is, in the form of a sticker. In this case, the cover antenna may be attached in the form of an antenna pattern printed on a non-conductive film, or only the antenna pattern may be attached to the auxiliary device.

6 illustrates capacitance change according to a state of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, (a) shows an open state, (b) shows a closed state, and (c) shows a folded state. In FIG. 6, although a specific antenna pattern is illustrated, the illustrated antenna pattern is an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 6, capacitance is generated between the first antenna 626 included in the first unit 620 and the second antenna 636 included in the second unit 630. However, capacitances of different sizes are generated according to the state of the auxiliary device. Specifically, in the open state as shown in the above (a), when the capacitance of the size C ₁ is in the closed state as shown in the above (b), when the capacitance of the size C ₂ is as the folded state as in the above (c), Capacitance of size C ₃ may occur. Specific values of the C ₁ , the C ₂ , and the C ₃ are determined based on characteristics of the first antenna 626 and the second antenna 636, such as shape, area, relative positional relationship, and segment structure. Therefore, characteristics of the shape, area, and relative positional relationship of the first antenna 626 and the second antenna 636 are design variables that may vary according to the intention of the implementer and target antenna performance of the present invention.

7 illustrates an example of a change in antenna characteristics due to a state of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 illustrates characteristics of an entire antenna including both an internal antenna of the electronic device and a first antenna and a second antenna of the auxiliary device. 7 shows a reflection coefficient with respect to a frequency change, and a frequency having a minimum reflection coefficient is a resonance frequency.

The frequency characteristics shown in FIG. 7 do not take into account the characteristics of the antenna itself, specifically, the influence of other components of the auxiliary device (eg, dielectric other than the antenna pattern) according to the use state, and the influence of the user's hand grip. Characteristic. That is, the change in the frequency characteristic shown in FIG. 5 is to compensate for the change in the antenna characteristic by the other component of the auxiliary device or the hand grip.

Referring to FIG. 7, in the open state, in the closed state, and in the folded state, the resonance frequencies are different from each other. Specifically, when the auxiliary device is not installed, the resonance frequency is f ₀ , and when the auxiliary device is open, the resonance frequency is lowered to f ₁ . On the other hand, when the auxiliary device is in the closed state or the folded state, the resonance frequency is increased to f ₂ or f ₃ . Therefore, in the open state, if the resonance frequency is increased by f ₀ -f ₁ due to an external factor, the influence of the external factor may be compensated by changing the frequency characteristic as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, in the closed state, if the resonance frequency is reduced by f ₂ -f ₀ due to an external factor, the influence of the external factor may be compensated by changing the frequency characteristic as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, in the folded state, if the resonance frequency is reduced by f ₃ -f ₀ due to an external factor, the influence of the external factor may be compensated through the frequency characteristic change as shown in FIG. 7.

In the case of the frequency characteristic change illustrated in FIG. 7, the resonant frequency of the antenna itself in the open state decreases, and the resonant frequency of the antenna itself in the closed state or the folded state increases. That is, the example of FIG. 7 assumes a situation in which the resonance frequency increases due to an external factor in the open state, and the resonance frequency decreases due to an external factor in the closed state or the folded state. However, if the resonance frequency is lowered by an external factor in the open state, unlike the example of FIG. 7, the auxiliary device may be designed to increase the resonance frequency of the antenna itself in the open state. In addition, if the resonance frequency is increased by an external factor in the closed state or the folded state, unlike the example of FIG. 7, the auxiliary device is designed to reduce the resonance frequency of the antenna itself in the closed state or the folded state. Can be. That is, the change of the resonance frequency according to the state of the auxiliary device may vary according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 8, the internal antenna 806, the first antenna 826, and the second antenna 836 are capacitively coupled. C _P1 between the internal antenna 806 and the first antenna 826 is a parasitic capacitance value generated between physically separated antenna patterns. The C _P1 is not changed according to the state of the auxiliary device. C ₁₂ between the first antenna 826 and the second antenna 836 is a capacitance value generated between antenna patterns physically separated, and may be changed according to a state of the auxiliary device. The internal antenna 806, the first antenna 826, and the second antenna 836 may radiate a signal as one antenna. In the open state, the total capacitance of the antenna is as shown in Equation 1 below.

Equation 1

In Equation 1, C _total is the total capacitance of the antenna, C ₁ is the capacitance of the internal antenna of the electronic device, C ₂ is the capacitance of the first antenna of the auxiliary device, and C _P1 is the internal antenna and It means the parasitic capacitance between the first antenna.

Referring to Equation 1, the second antenna 836 does not affect the total capacitance. That is, in the open state, the second antenna 836 is the same as that which is not connected. At this time, the resonance frequency is expressed by Equation 2 below.

Equation 2

In Equation 2, f _r denotes a resonance frequency, L _tot denotes total inductance, and C _tot denotes total capacitance.

Looking at the relationship between the parasitic capacitance and other variables are shown in Equation 3 below.

Equation 3

In Equation 3, C _P1 is a parasitic capacitance between the internal antenna and the first antenna, ε _r is the permittivity of the auxiliary device, and a is the overlap between the internal antenna and the first antenna. An overlapped area, d is a distance between the internal antenna and the first antenna, f _r is a resonance frequency.

An equivalent circuit of the antenna shown in FIG. 8 is an example. Therefore, the antennas according to the embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in other structures. For example, the antennas may be replaced with antennas in the manner shown in FIG. 9 below.

9 illustrates an example of replaceable structures of antennas included in the auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The equivalent circuit of each antenna illustrated in FIG. 8 may have a CRLH structure shown in (a), an RLC structure as shown in (b), and a traveling wave structure as shown in (c).

Referring to (a), the CRLH structure includes a sub-circuit including a capacitor 778 disposed in parallel with a series connected inductor 776 and a capacitor 780. The circuit, the capacitor 772, and the inductor 774 have a structure connected in series. Referring to (b), the RLC structure includes a sub-circuit in which a resistor 784 and a capacitor 786 are connected in parallel, and has a structure in which the sub-circuit and the inductor 782 are connected in series. Referring to (c), the traveling wave structure includes a sub-circuit in which the inductor 792 and the positive term 796 are connected in parallel, and the sub-circuit and the capacitor 794 are connected in series.

10 illustrates an example of a resonant frequency change according to a state change of the auxiliary device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 illustrates characteristics of an entire antenna including both an internal antenna of the electronic device and a first antenna and a second antenna of the auxiliary device. 10 shows a reflection coefficient with respect to a frequency change, and a frequency having a minimum reflection coefficient is a resonance frequency.

Referring to FIG. 10, the resonance frequency is f ₀ when the auxiliary device is not installed. When the auxiliary device is in the open state, the resonance frequency is lowered to f ₁ . On the other hand, when the auxiliary device is in the closed state, the resonance frequency is increased to f ₂ . The resonance frequency change in the closed state is caused by the generation of C ₁₂ between the first antenna 826 and the second antenna 836 shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, the resonance frequency change due to external factors can be compensated for. For example, the phenomenon that the frequency is lowered due to the user's hand grip may be corrected.

Unlike the case of FIG. 7, the antenna characteristic illustrated in FIG. 10 does not consider a folded state of the auxiliary device. That is, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, only some of the three states (eg, the open state, the closed state, and the folded state) of the auxiliary device may be selectively considered. Accordingly, FIG. 10 illustrates a case in which only the open state and the closed state are considered.

11 illustrates another example of resonant frequency change according to a state change of the auxiliary device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 illustrates characteristics of an entire antenna including both an internal antenna of an electronic device, a first antenna, and a second antenna of the auxiliary device. 11 shows a reflection coefficient with respect to a frequency change, and a frequency having a minimum reflection coefficient is a resonance frequency.

Referring to FIG. 11, when the auxiliary device is in the closed state, the resonance frequency is f ₂ . When the auxiliary device is in the folded state, the resonance frequency is raised to f ₃ . The resonance frequency change in the folded state is caused by the change of C ₁₂ between the first antenna 826 and the second antenna 836 shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, the resonance frequency change due to external factors can be compensated for. For example, the phenomenon that the frequency is lowered due to the user's hand grip may be corrected.

Unlike the case of FIG. 7, the antenna characteristic illustrated in FIG. 11 does not consider an open state of the auxiliary device. That is, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, only some of the three states (eg, the open state, the closed state, and the folded state) of the auxiliary device may be selectively considered. Accordingly, FIG. 11 illustrates a case in which only the closed state and the wing folded state are considered.

Referring to FIG. 12, the auxiliary device includes a cover antenna 1246, and an LCD panel (Liquid Crystal Display panel) 1262 and a bracket 1264 of the electronic device correspond to ground. The cover antenna 1246 may be installed to maximize the performance of the sub-antenna of the upper end of the upper electronic device. The feeding part of the cover antenna 1246 is installed in proximity to the main radiator of the sub-antenna embedded in the electronic device, and the main radiator of the cover antenna 1246 is installed on the top of the front part of the auxiliary device, thereby performing performance in the closed state. It can be implemented to minimize degradation. In order to install the cover antenna 1246, a space of about {1/10 x N x wavelength} or more is preferably secured. In addition, it is preferable that no other conductor exists around the cover antenna 1246. In this case, maximum performance may be expected when the ground is separated by {½ × wavelength} from the open, closed and folded states.

In the implementation as shown in FIG. 12, an antenna operating band may change in the open state, the closed state, and the folded state. That is, when only the operating in the open state in consideration of operating in the communication band, the performance may be degraded by resonating the antenna outside the communication band in the closed state or the folded state. Therefore, it is desirable to implement such that additional compensation elements (eg, capacitance, inductance) occur in the closed state and the folded state. In this case, an example of a change in the resonance point of the antenna is shown in FIG. 13. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of change in antenna resonance frequency of an electronic device due to an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 13 shows the reflection coefficient according to the frequency change. Referring to FIG. 13, in the open state, a lower reflection coefficient appears than when not installed. That is, it can be implemented to optimize the performance in the open state. In addition, the closed state when the front ground of the electronic device: forming the back ground and the capacitance C _fold with the electronic device when the folded state to form a capacitance C _close (for example, LCD panel 1262, the bracket 1264) By implementing such a method, performance can be ensured.

14 is a view showing another implementation of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 14, (a) shows a side view and a front view of an open state, (b) shows a side view and a front view of a closed state, and (c) shows a side view and a front view of a folded state.

Referring to FIG. 14, the cover antenna of the auxiliary device 1410 includes a pattern 1 1471, a pattern 2 1472, and a pattern 3 1473. According to the state of the auxiliary device 1410, some of the pattern 1 (1471), the pattern 2 (1472), and the pattern 3 (1473) is a major pattern that contributes to signal radiation, and the rest does not affect signal radiation. Anything can act as a dummy pattern.

Referring to FIG. 14A, in the open state, only the pattern 1 1471 is capacitively coupled with the internal antenna of the electronic device 1400. Pattern 2 (1472) and Pattern 3 (1473) do not contribute to signal radiation. That is, in the open state, the pattern 1 1471 becomes the main pattern, the pattern 2 1472 and the pattern 3 1473 become the dummy pattern. For example, a resonance frequency may be formed in a low band according to the stub length of the pattern 1 1471. In the open state, a low band broadband antenna may be implemented by combining a resonance frequency of the internal antenna of the electronic device 1400 and the resonance frequency of the pattern 1 1471.

Referring to FIG. 14B, in the closed state, the capacitance C _close is formed by the pattern 2 1472 dispersed in the first unit and the second unit of the auxiliary device 1410. Accordingly, the pattern 2 1472 is capacitively coupled with the pattern 1 1471, and the pattern 1 1471 and the pattern 2 1472 affect signal emission. That is, in the closed state, the pattern 1 (1471) and the pattern 2 (1472) are the main pattern, the pattern 3 (1473) is the dummy pattern. That is, the pattern 2 1472 does not affect the open state, but forms a capacitance with a front ground (eg, a bracket) of the electronic device 1400 in the closed state, and generates a new resonance frequency. have.

Referring to FIG. 14C, in the folded state, the capacitance C _fold is formed by the pattern 3 1473 distributed in the first unit and the second unit of the auxiliary device 1410. Accordingly, the pattern 3 1473 is capacitively coupled with the pattern 1 1471, and the pattern 1 1471 and the pattern 3 1473 affect signal emission. That is, in the folded state, the pattern 1 (1471) and the pattern 3 (1473) is a main pattern, the pattern 2 (1472) is a dummy pattern. For example, the pattern 3 1473 may form a capacitance with a conductor on the rear surface of the electronic device 1400, and generate a new resonance frequency according to a specific position of the pattern 3 1473.

In the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 14, in the closed state shown in (b), the C _close is formed. In this case, the C _fold may have a value of 0, but in some cases, may have a value. However, the value of C _fold may be designed to have a relatively very small value compared to C _close . That is, in the case of (b), the influence by the pattern 2 1472 may be implemented to be dominant compared to the influence by the pattern 3 1473. Similarly, in the case of (c), the C _close value may not be 0, but the effect of the pattern 3 1473 may be implemented to be dominant compared to the effect of the pattern 2 1472. To this end, the area of the patterns (1471, 1472, 1473), the degree of overlap, location, shape, length, the dielectric constant of the material other than the patterns (1471, 1472, 1473), etc. in the auxiliary device 1410 This can be considered a design element. In this case, other components (eg, bracket, LCD, camera, etc.) of the electronic device 1400 may be further used.

15 illustrates another implementation of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 15 illustrates an example in which a plurality of cover antennas are implemented.

Referring to FIG. 15, the auxiliary device includes a cellular subcover antenna 1546-1 for the cellular sub antenna 1506-1 and a WLAN cover antenna 1154-6 for the WLAN antenna 1506-2. It includes 2). That is, since the electronic device may include a plurality of antennas for different bands, the auxiliary device may also include cover antennas corresponding to each band. As illustrated in FIG. 15, the electronic device may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna 1506-3, a cellular main antenna 1506-4, a 2nd Generation (3G) / 3G (3rd Generation) antenna, and 1506-150. 5) may be further included, and the auxiliary device may further include corresponding cover antennas.

16 illustrates an example of using an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 16 illustrates cover antennas applied to various platforms.

Referring to FIG. 16, as shown in (a), the auxiliary device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be an auxiliary device for the smart phone 1662 and may include at least one cover antenna. In addition, as shown in (b), the auxiliary device according to the embodiment of the present invention may be an auxiliary device for a tablet personal computer (1694), and may include at least one cover antenna. In addition, as shown in (c), the auxiliary device according to the embodiment of the present invention may be an auxiliary device for the tablet type smartphone 1696 and may include at least one cover antenna.

Referring to FIG. 17, the auxiliary device may include a cover antenna 1746 for the broadcast receiver 1742. For example, the broadcast receiver 1782 may be a means for receiving Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), radio, or the like. In general, broadcast signals belong to a low frequency band compared to data communication signals such as cellular communication. Therefore, since the wavelength of the broadcast signal is relatively long, it is common to use a separate external antenna. However, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover antenna 1746 may perform the role of the external antenna instead. In this case, unlike the conventional external antenna, the cover antenna 1746 according to the embodiment of the present invention has an advantage of not requiring physical fastening.

The broadcast receiver 1762 operates as a means for receiving a broadcast signal, and at the same time, may function as a main antenna for the broadcast signal. In detail, the broadcast receiver 1802 may perform a function of a feeding unit capable of contact feeding with the external antenna. In addition, the broadcast receiver 1762 may form a capacitive coupling pad pattern to implement contactless power supply with the external antenna. More specifically, the pattern of the capacitive coupling pad has an area of 1/100 or less of the frequency of the broadcast signal, thereby enabling coupling in a near field.

As an antenna for the broadcast receiver 1762, an audio output device including a conductor material such as an earphone may be used as an alternative antenna. If an alternative antenna such as the earphone and the cover antenna 1746 are installed at the same time, the electronic device may selectively use any one by comparing reception sensitivity. Alternatively, the electronic device may receive a broadcast signal using both. In this case, diversity gain can be further obtained.

18 illustrates antenna performance due to an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 illustrates a change in throughput according to transmission power. FIG. 18 illustrates performance when a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) technique is applied using a main antenna and a sub antenna of an electronic device.

Referring to FIG. 18, in the open state, it is confirmed that the performance is improved compared to the uninstalled state. In addition, in the closed state and the folded state, it is confirmed that the performance equivalent to the uninstalled state appears. That is, by the cover antenna in the auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the influence of the auxiliary device or the hand grip can be compensated.

Table 1 below shows simulation results assuming bands B13, B5, B2, and B4 defined by the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard.

Table 1

As shown in Table 1, when using the auxiliary device having a cover antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is confirmed that the reception sensitivity is improved in all states compared to the case where the auxiliary device without the cover antenna is used.

In the above-described embodiments of the present invention, the first antenna included in the first unit of the auxiliary device is capacitively connected to the internal antenna included in the electronic device. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the first antenna and the internal antenna may be physically connected. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in which the first antenna and the internal antenna are physically connected.

Referring to FIG. 19, the auxiliary device includes a first unit 1920 and a second unit 1930. The first unit 1920 is a component attached to the electronic device, and may include a part of a component (eg, a rear cover) of the electronic device or may be a structure independent of the electronic device. That is, as long as the auxiliary device is not removed, the relative positional relationship between the first unit 1920 and the electronic device is not changed. The first unit 1920 includes a first surface 1922 and a second surface 1924. The first surface 1922 is a surface in contact with a rear surface of the electronic device, and may be referred to as an inner surface. The second surface 1924 is a surface opposite to the first surface 1922 and may be referred to as an outer surface.

In addition, the first unit 1920 includes a connection module 1928. The connection unit 1928 is a physical fastening means between the first antenna included in the first unit 1920 and an internal antenna of the electronic device. The connection unit 1928 forms an inductance between the first antenna included in the first unit 1920 and an internal antenna of the electronic device. For example, the connector 1928 may include a conductor capable of transmitting a signal. In the case of FIG. 19, the connection unit 1928 is located at the upper right side of the first unit, but according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the position of the connection unit 1928 may vary. In addition, in the case of Figure 19, the connecting portion 1928 is shown in the shape of a circular column, according to various embodiments of the present invention, the shape of the connecting portion 1928 may vary.

The second unit 1930 is a structure independent of the electronic device. The second unit 1930 includes a first surface 1932 and a second surface 1934. The first surface 1932 may be a surface in contact with the front surface of the electronic device, and may be referred to as an inner surface. The second surface 1934 is a surface opposite to the first surface 1932 and may be referred to as an outer surface. The first unit 1920 and the second unit 1930 are interconnected with a material having ductility, or connected through a hinge, so that the relative position between the second unit 1930 and the electronic device is Relationships may change. Accordingly, the auxiliary device may have an open state, a closed state, and a folded state. The states of the auxiliary device may be defined as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 20, the internal antenna 2006 and the first antenna 2026 are physically connected by the connection unit 2028, and the internal antenna 2006 and the second antenna 2036 are capacitively connected ( capacitive coupled). L _S1 between the internal antenna 2006 and the first antenna 2026 is an inductance value generated by the connection unit 2028. The L _S1 may be maintained regardless of the state of the auxiliary device. C ₁₂ between the first antenna 2026 and the second antenna 2036 is a capacitance value generated between antenna patterns physically separated, and may be changed according to a state of the auxiliary device. The combination of the internal antenna 2006, the first antenna 2026, and the second antenna 2036 may function as one antenna. An equivalent circuit of the antenna shown in FIG. 8 is an example. Therefore, the antennas according to the embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in other structures.

Methods according to the embodiments described in the claims or the specification of the present invention may be implemented in the form of hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

When implemented in software, a computer-readable storage medium for storing one or more programs (software modules) may be provided. One or more programs stored in a computer readable storage medium are configured for execution by one or more processors in an electronic device. One or more programs include instructions that cause an electronic device to execute methods in accordance with embodiments described in the claims or specification of the present invention.

Such programs (software modules, software) may include random access memory, non-volatile memory including flash memory, read only memory (ROM), and electrically erasable programmable ROM. (EEPROM: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), magnetic disc storage device, compact disc ROM (CD-ROM), digital versatile discs (DVDs) or other forms It can be stored in an optical storage device, a magnetic cassette. Or, it may be stored in a memory composed of some or all of these combinations. In addition, each configuration memory may be included in plural.

In addition, the program may be configured through a communication network such as the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WLAN), or a storage area network (SAN), or a combination thereof. It may be stored in an attachable storage device that is accessible. Such a storage device may be connected to a device for performing an embodiment of the present invention through an external port. In addition, a separate storage device on a communication network may be connected to a device for performing an embodiment of the present invention.

In specific embodiments of the present invention described above, the components included in the invention are expressed in the singular or plural number according to the specific embodiments presented. However, the singular or plural expressions are selected to suit the circumstances presented for convenience of description, and the present invention is not limited to the singular or plural elements, and the singular or plural elements may be used in the singular or the singular. Even expressed components may be composed of a plurality.

Meanwhile, in the detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the scope of the following claims, but also by the equivalents of the claims.

Claims

An auxiliary device for an electronic device having an antenna, comprising:

A second unit including a first antenna included in a first unit and at least one of an internal antenna of the electronic device, and a second antenna for generating capacitance;

The value of the capacitance is dependent on the relative positional relationship of the first unit and the second unit.
The method according to claim 1,

The first unit is included in the auxiliary device or the electronic device.
The method according to claim 1,

And the first antenna is capacitive or inductively coupled to the internal antenna.
The method according to claim 1,

The first unit includes a connection module for physically connecting the internal antenna and the first antenna.
The method according to claim 6,

And the connection unit generates inductance between the internal antenna and the first antenna.
The method according to claim 1,

The relative positional relationship is divided into an open state, a closed state, and a folding state.

The closed state is a state in which the second unit is in contact with the front surface of the electronic device,

The folded state is a state in which the second unit is in contact with a rear cover of the electronic device or a rear cover of the electronic device or the first unit of the auxiliary device.

The open state is a state other than the closed state and the folded state.
The method according to claim 6,

The first antenna includes a first pattern capacitively connected to the internal antenna in the open state, the closed state, and the folded state.
The method according to claim 6,

The second antenna may include a second pattern capacitively coupled to at least one of the first antenna and the internal antenna in the closed state, and at least one of the first antenna and the internal antenna in the folded state. Device comprising a third pattern coupled to the.
The method according to claim 1,

And the second antenna includes at least one pattern capacitively coupled to at least one of the first antenna and the internal antenna or operating in a dummy pattern according to the relative positional relationship.
The method according to claim 1,

The first antenna includes a first pattern,

The second antenna includes a second pattern and a third pattern,

The first pattern and the second pattern generates a capacitance of a first value in a first state of the auxiliary device,

And the first pattern and the third pattern generate a capacitance of a second value in a second state of the auxiliary device.
The method according to claim 1,

The first antenna and the second antenna may be configured to compensate for the antenna resonance point change caused by the user's handgrip and other components of the auxiliary device and the first antenna and the second antenna. A device for forming capacitance.
The method according to claim 1,

And the resonant frequency of all the antennas including the internal antenna, the first antenna, and the second antenna when the relative positional relationship is open, is the same as the resonant frequency of the internal antenna when no auxiliary device is installed.
The method according to claim 1,

And the resonant frequency of all the antennas including the internal antenna, the first antenna, and the second antenna when the relative positional relationship is open is lower than the resonant frequency of the internal antenna when no auxiliary device is installed.
The method according to claim 1,

When the second unit is in contact with the front or rear of the electronic device, the resonance frequency of the entire antenna is higher than the resonance frequency of the internal antenna when the auxiliary device is not installed.
The method of claim 14,

The antenna for data communication includes at least one of a main antenna for cellular communication, a sub antenna for cellular communication, an antenna for wireless LAN, and an antenna for global positioning system (GPS). Device.