Electronic device and antenna module

Abstract

An electronic device includes a device body, a processing unit, and an antenna module. The antenna module includes an insulating frame and an antenna structure. The insulating frame has a first surface, and a second surface corresponding to the first surface. The antenna structure includes a feeding portion, a first radiation portion, and a first extension portion. The feeding portion includes a first feeding terminal, a second feeding terminal, and a conductive via. The second feeding terminal is coupled to the processing unit, and the conductive via is configured to connect the first feeding terminal to the second feeding terminal. The first radiation portion is connected to the first feeding terminal, the first extension portion is disposed on the second surface and is connected to the first radiation portion, and a first slot is formed between the first extension portion and the second feeding terminal.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: a device body; a processing unit disposed in the device body; and an antenna module disposed in the device body and comprising: an insulating frame having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface corresponds to the second surface; and an antenna structure comprising a feeding portion, a first radiation portion, and a first extension portion, wherein the feeding portion comprises a first feeding terminal, a conductive via, and a second feeding terminal, wherein the first feeding terminal is disposed on the first surface, the second feeding terminal is disposed on the second surface and is coupled to the processing unit, and the conductive via extends through the insulating frame to connect the first feeding terminal to the second feeding terminal, the first radiation portion is at least partially disposed on the first surface and is connected to the first feeding terminal, the first extension portion is disposed on the second surface and is connected to the first radiation portion, and a first slot is formed between the first extension portion and the second feeding terminal.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a first opening is formed between the first extension portion and the first radiation portion, and the insulating frame has a first assembling portion and is assembled to the device body by means of the first assembling portion, wherein the first assembling portion is located within the first opening.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating frame has a third surface connected between the first surface and the second surface, and the first radiation portion extends from the first surface through the third surface to the second surface to be connected to the first extension portion.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the antenna structure comprises a second radiation portion and a second extension portion, wherein the second radiation portion is at least partially disposed on the third surface and is connected to the first radiation portion, and the second extension portion is disposed on the second surface and is connected to the second radiation portion.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein a second opening is formed between the second extension portion and the second radiation portion, and the insulating frame has a second assembling portion and is assembled to the device body by means of the second assembling portion, wherein the second assembling portion is located within the second opening.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna structure comprises a third radiation portion and a grounding portion, wherein the third radiation portion is disposed on the first surface and is connected to the first feeding terminal and the first radiation portion, the grounding portion is disposed on the first surface and is connected to the first feeding terminal, and a second slot is formed between the third radiation portion and the grounding portion.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna structure comprises a grounding portion disposed on the first surface and connected to the first feeding terminal and comprising two sections that are bent relative to each other, wherein a third slot is formed between the two sections.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna structure comprises a grounding portion disposed on the first surface, wherein one section of the grounding portion is connected to the first feeding terminal, and a fourth slot is formed between the other section of the grounding portion and the first feeding terminal.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the other section of the grounding portion has at least one protruding portion, wherein the at least one protruding portion extends from the other section to the first feeding terminal.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a shielding structure and at least one electronic element, wherein the at least one electronic element is disposed in the device body, and the shielding structure is disposed in the device body to shield the antenna module from the at least one electronic element.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the antenna structure comprises a grounding portion connected to the first feeding terminal and coupled to the shielding structure to be grounded to a ground plane of the electronic device through the shielding structure.

12. An antenna module, comprising: an insulating frame having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface corresponds to the second surface; and an antenna structure comprising a feeding portion, a first radiation portion, and a first extension portion, wherein the feeding portion comprises a first feeding terminal, a conductive via, and a second feeding terminal, wherein the first feeding terminal is disposed on the first surface, the second feeding terminal is disposed on the second surface, and the conductive via extends through the insulating frame to connect the first feeding terminal to the second feeding terminal, the first radiation portion is at least partially disposed on the first surface and is connected to the first feeding terminal, the first extension portion is disposed on the second surface and is connected to the first radiation portion, and a first slot is formed between the first extension portion and the second feeding terminal.

13. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein a first opening is formed between the first extension portion and the first radiation portion, and the insulating frame has a first assembling portion and is assembled to a device body by means of the first assembling portion, wherein the first assembling portion is located within the first opening.

14. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the insulating frame has a third surface connected between the first surface and the second surface, and the first radiation portion extends from the first surface through the third surface to the second surface to be connected to the first extension portion.

15. The antenna module according to claim 14, wherein the antenna structure comprises a second radiation portion and a second extension portion, wherein the second radiation portion is at least partially disposed on the third surface and is connected to the first radiation portion, and the second extension portion is disposed on the second surface and is connected to the second radiation portion.

16. The antenna module according to claim 15, wherein a second opening is formed between the second extension portion and the second radiation portion, and the insulating frame has a second assembling portion and is assembled to a device body by means of the second assembling portion, wherein the second assembling portion is located within the second opening.

17. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the antenna structure comprises a third radiation portion and a grounding portion, wherein the third radiation portion is disposed on the first surface and is connected to the first feeding terminal and the first radiation portion, the grounding portion is disposed on the first surface and is connected to the first feeding terminal, and a second slot is formed between the third radiation portion and the grounding portion.

18. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the antenna structure comprises a grounding portion disposed on the first surface and connected to the first feeding terminal and comprising two sections that are bent relative to each other, wherein a third slot is formed between the two sections.

19. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the antenna structure comprises a grounding portion disposed on the first surface, wherein one section of the grounding portion is connected to the first feeding terminal, and a fourth slot is formed between the other section of the grounding portion and the first feeding terminal.

20. The antenna module according to claim 19, wherein the other section of the grounding portion has at least one protruding portion, wherein the at least one protruding portion extends from the other section to the first feeding terminal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a partial three-dimensional view of an antenna module of FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of the antenna module of FIG. 3 from another perspective.

(5) FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D are each a front view of an antenna structure of FIG. 3 from different perspectives.

(6) FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B respectively illustrate a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the antenna module of this embodiment in different frequency bands.

(7) FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B respectively illustrate antenna efficiency of the antenna module of this embodiment in different frequency bands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(8) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, an electronic device 100 of this embodiment is a tablet computer and includes a device body 110, a processing unit 120, and an antenna module 130. The processing unit 120 and the antenna module 130 are disposed in the device body 110, the antenna module 130 is coupled to the processing unit 120, and the processing unit 120 is configured to process wireless signals transmitted and received by the antenna module 130. In other embodiments, the electronic device 100 may be other types of electronic products, such as a notebook computer, which is not limited in the present invention.

(9) FIG. 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a partial three-dimensional view of an antenna module of FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the antenna module 130 of this embodiment includes an insulating frame 132 and an antenna structure 134. The insulating frame 132 is made of, for example, plastic, which has a corresponding first surface 132a and a second surface 132b and has a corresponding third surface 132c and a fourth surface 132d. The third surface 132c is connected between the first surface 132a and the second surface 132b, and the fourth surface 132d is connected between the first surface 132a and the second surface 132b. The antenna structure 134 is made of metal and is arranged along the first surface 132a, the second surface 132b, the third surface 132c, and the fourth surface 132d, for example, by using a laser direct structuring (LDS) process.

(10) FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of the antenna module of FIG. 3 from another perspective. FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D are each a front view of an antenna structure of FIG. 3 from different perspectives. Referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5D, specifically, the antenna structure 134 includes a feeding portion 134a, a first radiation portion 134b, and a first extension portion 134c. The feeding portion 134a includes a first feeding terminal 134a1, a conductive via 134a2, and a second feeding terminal 134a3. The first feeding terminal 134a1 is disposed on the first surface 132a of the insulating frame 132, the second feeding terminal 134a3 is disposed on the second surface 132b of the insulating frame 132 and is coupled to the processing unit 120 (shown in FIG. 1) through a signal line CL (shown in FIG. 2), and the conductive via 134a2 extends through the insulating frame 132 and is connected to the first feeding terminal 134a1 and the second feeding terminal 134a3. The first radiation portion 134b is disposed on the first surface 132a of the insulating frame 132 and is connected to the first feeding terminal 134a1, and the first radiation portion 134b extends from the first surface 132a through the third surface 132c to the second surface 132b. The first extending portion 134c is disposed on the second surface 132b of the insulating frame 132 and is connected to the first radiation portion 134b.

(11) Based on the above, the antenna structure 134 is disposed on a three-dimensional insulating frame 132, the feeding portion 134a extends from the first surface 132a of the insulating frame 132 to the opposite second surface 132b, the first extension portion 134c extends from the first radiation portion 134b to be located on the second surface 132b. Thus, a first slot C1 (marked in FIG. 5D) may be formed between the first extension portion 134c and the second feeding terminal 134a3, and a corresponding impedance matching bandwidth can be adjusted by changing a width of the first slot C1.

(12) The antenna structure 134 of this embodiment further includes a second radiation portion 134d and a second extension portion 134e. The second radiation portion 134d is disposed on the third surface 132c of the insulating frame 132 and is connected to the first radiation portion 134b, and the second extension portion 134e is disposed on the second surface 132b of the insulating frame 132 and is connected to the second radiation portion 134d. In addition, the antenna structure 134, for example, generates a low frequency band (for example, 800 MHz) and a corresponding double frequency band (for example, 1700 MHz) by a resonance of the first radiation portion 134b, the first extension portion 134c, the second radiation portion 134d, and the second extension portion 134e. By changing a width W1 (marked in FIG. 5D) of the first slot C1, impedance matching of the antenna structure 134 in the low frequency band may be adjusted to cover the required low frequency bandwidth range. Moreover, a resonance frequency of the low frequency band can be adjusted by changing the extension length of the second radiation portion 134d.

(13) Further, the antenna structure 134 of this embodiment further includes a third radiation portion 134f and a grounding portion 134g. The third radiation portion 134f is disposed on the first surface 132a of the insulating frame 132 and is connected to the first feeding terminal 134a1 and the first radiation portion 134b, the grounding portion 134g is disposed on the first surface 132a of the insulating frame 132 and is connected to the first feeding terminal 134a1, and a second slot C2 (marked in FIG. 5B) is formed between the third radiation portion 134f and the grounding portion 134g. By changing a width W2 (marked in FIG. 5B) of the second slot C2, impedance matching of the antenna structure 134 in the low frequency band may also be adjusted to cover the required low frequency bandwidth range.

(14) In addition, the antenna structure 134 generates a first high frequency band (for example, 1600 MHz) and a corresponding double frequency band (for example, 3500 MHz) by a resonance of the first radiation portion 134b and the first extension portion 134c, and for example, generates a second high frequency band (for example, 2000 MHz) and a corresponding double frequency band (for example, 3700 MHz) by a resonance of the third radiation portion 134f Based on the above, the grounding portion 134g of this embodiment includes a plurality of sections 134g1, 134g2, and 134g3. The section 134g1 is connected to the first feeding terminal 134a1, the section 134g2 is connected to the section 134g1 and is bent relative to the section 134g1, and the section 134g3 is connected to the section 134g2. A third slot C3 (marked in FIG. 5B) is formed between the section 134g1 and the section 134g2, and a fourth slot C4 (marked in FIG. 5B) is formed between the section 134g3 and the first feeding terminal 134a1. By changing a width W3 (marked in FIG. 5B) of the third slot C3 and/or a width W4 (marked in FIG. 5B) of the fourth slot C4, impedance matching of the antenna structure 134 in the first and second frequency bands may be adjusted to cover the required high frequency bandwidth range. Moreover, by changing the extension length of the first radiation portion 134b, an impedance matching bandwidth and a resonance frequency of the first high-frequency band can be adjusted, and by changing the extension length of the third radiation portion 134f, an impedance matching bandwidth and a resonance frequency of the second high frequency band can be adjusted.

(15) Furthermore, the section 134g3 of the grounding portion 134g of this embodiment has two protruding portions P1, P2, and the protruding portions P1, P2 extend from the section 134g to the first feeding terminal 134a1. The antenna structure 134, for example, generates a third high frequency band (for example, 5000 MHz) by a resonance of an open loop formed by the protruding portion P1 and the first feeding terminal 134a1. By changing the width W5 (marked in FIG. 5B) of the feeding portion 134a and a length L1 of the protruding portion P1, distances d1 and d2 between the protruding portion P1 and the first feeding terminal 134a1 can be changed, so as to adjust the impedance matching bandwidth and the resonance frequency of the third high frequency band. In addition, by changing a length L2 of the protruding portion P2, the impedance matching bandwidth and the resonance frequency of the corresponding high frequency band (for example, 3800 MHz) can be adjusted.

(16) The antenna module 130 of this embodiment can be applicable to antenna signal processing units of various specifications due to being capable of covering a plurality of frequency bands such as a low frequency band and a high frequency band as described above. Therefore, a signal transmission/reception frequency band can be upgraded or changed as long as a different antenna signal processing unit is replaced, without the need to redesign or replace the antenna module 130, thereby saving device costs.

(17) Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5D, the insulating frame 132 of this embodiment has a first assembling portion 1321 and a second assembling portion 1322, and is assembled to the device body 110 by means of the first assembling portion 1321 and the second assembling portion 1322 (shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). Correspondingly, in the antenna structure 134 of this embodiment, the first extension portion 134c has a smaller width W6 (marked in FIG. 5D, for example, 1 mm), and a first opening OP1 is formed between the first extension portion 134c and the first radiation portion 134b. Similarly, the second extension portion 134e has a smaller width W7 (marked in FIG. 5D, for example, 1 mm), and a second opening OP2 is formed between the second extension portion 134e and the second radiation portion 134d. The first assembling portion 1321 and the second assembling portion 1322 are respectively located within the first opening OP1 and the second opening OP2. In this way, the antenna structure 134, the first assembling portion 1321, and the second assembling portion 1322 may be properly arranged in a limited space. The first assembling portion 1321 and/or the second assembling portion 132 are, for example, assembled with a housing of the device body 110 or other components (such as buttons), which is not limited in the present invention.

(18) Referring to FIG. 2, the electronic device 100 of this embodiment further includes a shielding structure 140 and an electronic element 150. The electronic element 150 is disposed within the device body 110, and is, for example, a central processing unit or other elements that may generate interference signals. The shielding structure 140 made of metal is disposed in the device body 110 and shields the antenna module 130 from the electronic element 150, so as to prevent the interference signal generated by the electronic element 150 from causing adverse effects on the antenna module 130. In an embodiment of the present invention, the shielding structure 140 is a conductive foam. In this embodiment, a touch display panel 112 of the device body 110 is grounded through the shielding structure 140, for example, which is grounded to a ground plane G of the electronic device 100. In addition, in the antenna structure 134 of this embodiment, the grounding portion 134g extends to the fourth surface 132d and is coupled to the shielding structure 140 by means of a copper foil 134g4, so as to be grounded to the ground plane G through the shielding structure 140.

(19) In addition, since the antenna module 130 of this embodiment faces the touch display panel 112 with the fourth surface 132d (shown in FIG. 2), a side of the antenna module 130 close to the touch display panel 112 is an area where the grounding portion 134g is located and is relatively unrelated to antenna radiation efficiency. Therefore, in the area, the antenna structure 134 may be disposed to partially overlap a touch sensing circuit 112a of the touch display panel 112 (as shown in an overlapping area R, a width W8 is 0.4 mm, for example) to save the configuration space.

(20) In this embodiment, a width W9 of the insulating frame 132 on the third surface 132c (marked in FIG. 5A) is, for example, 4.3 mm, a width W10 of the insulating frame 132 on the first surface 132a (marked in FIG. 2 and FIG. 5B) is, for example, 9 mm, and a maximum length L3 (marked in FIG. 5B) of the antenna structure 134 is, for example, 75 mm. In addition, referring to FIG. 2, in this embodiment, a distance d3 between the shielding structure 140 and an edge of the device body 110 is, for example, 17 mm, a distance d4 between the touch display panel 112 and the edge of the device body 110 is, for example, 11.3 mm, a distance d5 between the touch display panel 112 and the antenna module 130 is, for example, 0.8 mm, a thickness T1 of the housing at the edge of the device body 110 is, for example, 1.5 mm, a height H of an internal accommodation space of the device body 110 is, for example, 5.1 mm, and a thickness T2 of the shielding structure 140 is, for example, 3 mm. In other embodiments, the above sizes may be other appropriate values, which is not limited in the present invention.

(21) FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B respectively illustrate a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the antenna module of this embodiment in different frequency bands. As shown in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, the VSWR of the antenna module 130 (marked in FIG. 3) of this embodiment in a frequency band of 698 to 960 MHz may be less than or equal to 6, the VSWR in a frequency band of 1427 to 2700 MHz and a 5G frequency band of 3300 to 3800 MHz may be less than 3, and the VSWR in the frequency band of 5150 to 5925 MHz may be less than 5.5. In addition, if the antenna structure 134 is spaced apart from another antenna 50 (for example, a Wi-Fi antenna) shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 by a distance of 3 mm, isolation between the two antennas may be greater than −10 dB.

(22) FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B respectively illustrate antenna efficiency of the antenna module of this embodiment in different frequency bands. As shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B, antenna efficiency of the antenna module 130 (marked in FIG. 3) of this embodiment in the frequency band of 698 to 960 MHz may be in a range of −4.0 to −7.3 dBi, the antenna efficiency in the frequency band of 1427 to 1610 MHz may be in a range of −4.3 to −5.9 dBi, the antenna efficiency in the frequency band of 1710 to 2700 MHz may be in a range of −3.2 to −5.4 dBi, the antenna efficiency in the frequency band of 3300 to 3800 MHz may be in a range of −4.1 to −6.1 dBi, the antenna efficiency in the frequency band of 5150 to 5925 MHz may be in a range of −4.2 to −6.4 dBi.

(23) Based on the above, in the present invention, the antenna structure is disposed on the insulating frame to form a three-dimensional structure, and a plurality of slots are formed by using the feeding portion, the radiation portion, and the grounding portion, so that the impedance matching of various frequency bands of the antenna module can be adjusted by changing the widths of the slots. Accordingly, a plurality of required frequency bandwidth range can be covered by using a simple antenna structure in a limited configuration space. In addition, the antenna module of the present invention can be applicable to antenna signal processing units of various specifications due to being capable of covering a plurality of frequency bands such as a low frequency band and a high frequency band. Therefore, a signal transmission/reception frequency band can be upgraded or changed as long as a different antenna signal processing unit is replaced, without the need to redesign or replace the antenna module, thereby saving device costs.