[go: up one dir, main page]

EP1257001A1 - Interface between a mobile radio device and its accessory device based on capacitive coupling for sharing ground planes to rise antenna gain of accessory device - Google Patents

Interface between a mobile radio device and its accessory device based on capacitive coupling for sharing ground planes to rise antenna gain of accessory device Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1257001A1
EP1257001A1 EP01111601A EP01111601A EP1257001A1 EP 1257001 A1 EP1257001 A1 EP 1257001A1 EP 01111601 A EP01111601 A EP 01111601A EP 01111601 A EP01111601 A EP 01111601A EP 1257001 A1 EP1257001 A1 EP 1257001A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
area
ground potential
accessory device
housing
mobile
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP01111601A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Dirk Moldenhauer
Herbert Dingfelder
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Original Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB filed Critical Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority to EP01111601A priority Critical patent/EP1257001A1/en
Publication of EP1257001A1 publication Critical patent/EP1257001A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q9/00—Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
    • H01Q9/04—Resonant antennas
    • H01Q9/0407—Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
    • H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
    • H01Q1/24—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
    • H01Q1/241—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM
    • H01Q1/242—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use
    • H01Q1/243—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use with built-in antennas
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/48—Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a first device having a first housing, an antenna system and a first area of ground potential, connectable to a second device having a second housing and a second area of ground potential.
  • the present invention further relates to an arrangement for receiving or transmitting radio signals, where a first device is connected to a second device and particularly where an accessory device is connected to a mobile device.
  • a mobile telephone system can be developed either by developing a new mobile device which includes both the telephone and additional functionality or by mounting a separate accessory device with additional functionality to an already existing mobile device.
  • Such an accessory device permits a higher flexibility for a user, because additional functionality can be added or removed whenever wanted. Therefore e.g. a MP3 player device can be mounted to the mobile telephone device, where an existing system connector of that mobile telephone device operates for mechanical mounting the two devices as well as for electrical connecting the two devices to share electrical resources like battery, display etc.
  • a positioning device in general consists of electrical components like e.g. a patch antenna and a related ground potential.
  • An acceptable high reception performance of the antenna requires a minimum size of the area of ground potential.
  • such a device can be made as small as the including electrical components allows it, but ignoring the size of the area of ground potential, which will be necessary to maintain a certain reception performance. Since the coupling area allows capacitive coupling of additional area of ground potential, the dimension of such a device can be independent of the necessary area of ground potential.
  • the coupling part allows easy covering of the area of ground potential from a second device. Further when the coupling area which is protruding beyond the housing is formed in respect to the shape of a part of the housing of that second device, a mechanical fixation of that first device to that second device can be achieved.
  • the invention is therefore preferably provided for an arrangement where, according to claim 11 or 12, an accessory device like e.g. a positioning terminal is coupled to a mobile device like e.g. an already existing mobile telephone terminal.
  • an accessory device like e.g. a positioning terminal is coupled to a mobile device like e.g. an already existing mobile telephone terminal.
  • the present invention allows that the dimensions of that positioning system is not determined by the needed area of ground potential to achieve a good antenna performance. Rather the necessary dimension of area of ground potential can be achieved by coupling additional area of ground potential from the existing standard mobile telephone terminal to the positioning terminal.
  • the present invention in general has the advantage that especially when a new small accessory device is created for an already existing mobile device, there are no changes necessary to the mobile device to couple additional area of ground potential from that mobile device to the accessory device.
  • a part of the housing of that mobile device e.g. the bottom of that housing, is the area of ground potential and therefore is made out of metal or laminated with a metal foil, it is only necessary to create the coupling area of that accessory device in respect to that mobile device to achieve a capacitive coupling, when both devices are connected.
  • a positioning device 100 for receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) signals is shown.
  • GPS Global Positioning System
  • a patch antenna 120 is included in a housing 110.
  • an area of ground potential 130 is used as reference for that antenna 120. Due to the fact that such an accessory device has to be as small as possible the smallest dimensions of the housing 110 are given by the included electrical components.
  • the antenna 120 and an ASIC which is not shown. But thus the available space for an area of ground potential is limited.
  • the area of ground potential is a part of the housing which form the bottom of the housing and the coupling area 131 is protruding beyond that housing 110. Therefore that part of the area of ground potential can be used as a coupling area 131, which allows a capacitive coupling of additional area of ground potential from outside of the housing 110.
  • an accessory device 100 like a GPS receiver with a housing 110 and at least an antenna 120 and an area of ground potential 130 with a coupling area 131 is shown. That positioning device 100 is connected with a mobile telephone device 200.
  • the mobile telephone device 200 is an already existing mobile phone, which has a housing 210 and a area of ground potential 230 and which has all functionality to establish a telephone call and all necessary user interfaces, like a display, keys, etc., but which are not shown here.
  • the two devices 100 and 200 are connected, e.g. by clipping the housing 110 to the housing 210 and an already existing system connector, which is not shown, of that mobile telephone device.
  • the system connector allows that e.g. the user interfaces can be shared by both devices, e.g. the positioning data calculated by the mobile positioning device 100 are provided to the user via the display of that mobile telephone system. Therefore electrical signals are transferred via that system connector and a matching system connector in that mobile positioning device 100.
  • Such a typical system connector has multiple thin pins for transferring the signals and the related signal ground, which of course can be identical to ground potential of the area of ground potential.
  • the coupling area 131 which is protruding beyond the housing 110, covers a part of the area of ground potential 230 of that mobile telephone device 200.
  • the coupling area has dimensions of around 12 by 45 mm and the airgap is around 0.1mm. Therefore a coupling between the area of ground potential of the accessory device and the mobile device with a capacitive of 47pF is achieved.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Telephone Set Structure (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention provides an arrangement or interface (131) for capacitively coupling the ground plane (230) of a mobile device (200) with the ground plane (130,131) of its accessory device (100). Thus, the ground planes of both devices are shared. This results in an extended ground plane (130,131,230) of the accessory device (100) for rising the antenna gain of a patch antenna (120) incorporated in its housing (110). Hence, the accessory device can be further miniaturized without the drawback of lower antenna gain. The mobile device (200) can be a mobile telephone terminal, its accessory device can be a mobile positioning terminal.

Description

    FIELD OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention relates to a first device having a first housing, an antenna system and a first area of ground potential, connectable to a second device having a second housing and a second area of ground potential. The present invention further relates to an arrangement for receiving or transmitting radio signals, where a first device is connected to a second device and particularly where an accessory device is connected to a mobile device.
    • DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
  • In current mobile devices, like e.g. a mobile telephone or personal organizer the size or dimension of such a mobile device tends to be smaller and smaller. Concurrently it is required to add more and more additional functionality like e.g. for positioning or a chatboard or a MP3 player to the base functionality.
  • Due to the minimized dimensions of the mobile device additional functionality can be added to a mobile telephone system either by developing a new mobile device which includes both the telephone and additional functionality or by mounting a separate accessory device with additional functionality to an already existing mobile device. Such an accessory device permits a higher flexibility for a user, because additional functionality can be added or removed whenever wanted. Therefore e.g. a MP3 player device can be mounted to the mobile telephone device, where an existing system connector of that mobile telephone device operates for mechanical mounting the two devices as well as for electrical connecting the two devices to share electrical resources like battery, display etc.
  • In other cases, e.g. in the United States it is considered necessary to use a positioning device at any time. Therefore such an accessory device has to be permanently plugged to the mobile device. Hence such an accessory device should have dimensions as small as possible to achieve the overall smallest size of that mounted arrangement.
  • A positioning device in general consists of electrical components like e.g. a patch antenna and a related ground potential. An acceptable high reception performance of the antenna requires a minimum size of the area of ground potential. The greater the area of the ground potential, the higher the reception performance of the antenna, e.g. the antenna gain. Therefore the size of the area of ground potential should be as great as possible. But this is a condition, which is in sharp conflict with the dimensions a user wants to have for such a mobile device.
  • Consequently, a need exists for a device and an arrangement of such devices, which has minimized dimensions and a high reception performance.
    • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a first device, which is connectable to a second device and where a first area of ground potential has a coupling area, which is formed in respect to the shape of a second area of ground potential, and where said coupling area covers at least a part of said second area of ground potential, when said first device is connected to said second device, and where said second area of ground potential is capacitive coupled to said first area of ground potential, when said coupling area covers at least a part of said second area of ground potential.
  • Preferably such a device can be made as small as the including electrical components allows it, but ignoring the size of the area of ground potential, which will be necessary to maintain a certain reception performance. Since the coupling area allows capacitive coupling of additional area of ground potential, the dimension of such a device can be independent of the necessary area of ground potential.
  • It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a first device where the coupling area of the first area of ground potential is protruding beyond the housing of that first device.
  • Therefore the coupling part allows easy covering of the area of ground potential from a second device. Further when the coupling area which is protruding beyond the housing is formed in respect to the shape of a part of the housing of that second device, a mechanical fixation of that first device to that second device can be achieved.
  • Further it is still a principal object of the present invention to provide an arrangement with a first and a second device according to claim 8.
  • It is an advantage of the present invention, that in such an arrangement the area of ground potential of the second device is shared by both devices, especially when the dimension of that first device is too small to allow a size of area of ground potential, which is necessary to maintain a certain reception performance.
  • The invention is therefore preferably provided for an arrangement where, according to claim 11 or 12, an accessory device like e.g. a positioning terminal is coupled to a mobile device like e.g. an already existing mobile telephone terminal.
  • There a need exists that the total size of such an arrangement has to be as small as possible, the additional positioning device has to be as small as possible, too. Thus the present invention allows that the dimensions of that positioning system is not determined by the needed area of ground potential to achieve a good antenna performance. Rather the necessary dimension of area of ground potential can be achieved by coupling additional area of ground potential from the existing standard mobile telephone terminal to the positioning terminal.
  • The present invention in general has the advantage that especially when a new small accessory device is created for an already existing mobile device, there are no changes necessary to the mobile device to couple additional area of ground potential from that mobile device to the accessory device. In particular, when a part of the housing of that mobile device, e.g. the bottom of that housing, is the area of ground potential and therefore is made out of metal or laminated with a metal foil, it is only necessary to create the coupling area of that accessory device in respect to that mobile device to achieve a capacitive coupling, when both devices are connected. Thus a coupling of area of ground potential requires connectors with thick contact pins, which would lead to necessary changes of the system connector in both devices, here it is an advantage that the invention permits that no additional or special dimensioned connector in the housing of that mobile device is necessary to combine the areas of ground potential nor any other change on the existing mobile device.
    • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention will be better understood by reading the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:
  • Fig.1 is a schematic representation of a positioning device according to a preferred embodiment.
  • Fig.2 is a schematic representation of a preferred arrangement with a positioning device and a mobile telephone device.
  • In Fig.1 a positioning device 100 for receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) signals is shown. To receive signals, which are transmitted by GPS satellites a patch antenna 120 is included in a housing 110. To obtain a good antenna performance an area of ground potential 130 is used as reference for that antenna 120. Due to the fact that such an accessory device has to be as small as possible the smallest dimensions of the housing 110 are given by the included electrical components. Here there are mainly the antenna 120 and an ASIC, which is not shown. But thus the available space for an area of ground potential is limited. In this embodiment the area of ground potential is a part of the housing which form the bottom of the housing and the coupling area 131 is protruding beyond that housing 110. Therefore that part of the area of ground potential can be used as a coupling area 131, which allows a capacitive coupling of additional area of ground potential from outside of the housing 110.
  • The effect of capacitive coupling of two mounted devices will now be explained in more detail exemplary with Fig.2, where the combination of such an accessory device and a mobile telephone device is illustrated. Here again an accessory device 100, like a GPS receiver with a housing 110 and at least an antenna 120 and an area of ground potential 130 with a coupling area 131 is shown. That positioning device 100 is connected with a mobile telephone device 200. The mobile telephone device 200 is an already existing mobile phone, which has a housing 210 and a area of ground potential 230 and which has all functionality to establish a telephone call and all necessary user interfaces, like a display, keys, etc., but which are not shown here.
  • The two devices 100 and 200 are connected, e.g. by clipping the housing 110 to the housing 210 and an already existing system connector, which is not shown, of that mobile telephone device. The system connector allows that e.g. the user interfaces can be shared by both devices, e.g. the positioning data calculated by the mobile positioning device 100 are provided to the user via the display of that mobile telephone system. Therefore electrical signals are transferred via that system connector and a matching system connector in that mobile positioning device 100. Such a typical system connector has multiple thin pins for transferring the signals and the related signal ground, which of course can be identical to ground potential of the area of ground potential. Additional it could be possible to connect the area of ground potential from that accessory device and that mobile telephone device via that system connector, but that leads to the disadvantage that due to the thin pins the connection is not usable for connecting area of ground potential. Alternatively usage of thick pins or a lot of pins for ground connection this would be a feasible solution, but this requirements are completely contrary to the requirements that a mobile and accessory device have to be as small as possible.
  • When connecting the accessory device and the mobile telephone device together the coupling area 131, which is protruding beyond the housing 110, covers a part of the area of ground potential 230 of that mobile telephone device 200. In the preferred embodiment the coupling area has dimensions of around 12 by 45 mm and the airgap is around 0.1mm. Therefore a coupling between the area of ground potential of the accessory device and the mobile device with a capacitive of 47pF is achieved.

Claims (12)

  1. A first device (100) having a first housing (110), an antenna system (120) and a first area of ground potential (130), wherein said first device (100) is connectable to a second device (200) having a second housing (210) and a second area of ground potential (230)
    characterized in that
    said first area of ground potential (130) has a coupling area (131), which is formed in respect to the shape of said second area of ground potential (230),
    said coupling area (131) covers at least a part of said second area of ground potential (230), when said first device (100) is connected to said second device (200),
    and where said second area of ground potential (230) is capacitive coupled to said first area of ground potential (130), when said coupling area (131) covers at least a part of said second area of ground potential (230).
  2. The first device according to claim 1,
    characterized in that
    at least a part of the first housing (110) of said first device (100) is the first area of ground potential (130).
  3. The first device according to claim 1 or 2,
    characterized in that
    said coupling area (131) of said first area of ground potential (130) protrude beyond the housing.
  4. The first device according to claim 1-3, characterized in that the antenna system (120) is a patch antenna.
  5. The first device according to claim 4, characterized in that said first device is a mobile positioning terminal.
  6. The first device according to claim 1-3, characterized in that the antenna system (120) is a planar inverted F antenna.
  7. The first device according to claim 6, characterized in that said first device is a mobile telephone terminal.
  8. An arrangement for receiving or transmitting radio signals, where a first device (100) having a first housing (110) and an antenna system (120) and a first area of ground potential (130), is connected to a second device (200), having a second housing (210) and a second area of ground potential (230),
    characterized in that
    said first area of ground potential (130) has a coupling area (131) which is formed in respect to the shape of said second area of ground potential(230),
    said coupling area (131) covers at least a part of said second area of ground potential (230),
    and where said second area of ground potential (230) is capacitive coupled to said first area of ground potential (130), when said coupling area (131) covers at least a part of said second area of ground potential (230).
  9. The arrangement according to claim 8,
    characterized in that
    at least a part of the second housing (210) is the second area of ground potential (230).
  10. The arrangement according to claim 8 or 9,
    characterized in that
    at least a part of said first housing (110) is the first area of ground potential (130).
  11. The arrangement according to claim 8 to 10,
    characterized in that
    said second device (200) is a mobile device and said first device (100) is an accessory device for said mobile device.
  12. The arrangement according to claim 11,
    characterized in that
    said mobile device is a mobile telephone terminal and said accessory device is a mobile positioning terminal.
EP01111601A 2001-05-12 2001-05-12 Interface between a mobile radio device and its accessory device based on capacitive coupling for sharing ground planes to rise antenna gain of accessory device Withdrawn EP1257001A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP01111601A EP1257001A1 (en) 2001-05-12 2001-05-12 Interface between a mobile radio device and its accessory device based on capacitive coupling for sharing ground planes to rise antenna gain of accessory device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP01111601A EP1257001A1 (en) 2001-05-12 2001-05-12 Interface between a mobile radio device and its accessory device based on capacitive coupling for sharing ground planes to rise antenna gain of accessory device

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1257001A1 true EP1257001A1 (en) 2002-11-13

Family

ID=8177405

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01111601A Withdrawn EP1257001A1 (en) 2001-05-12 2001-05-12 Interface between a mobile radio device and its accessory device based on capacitive coupling for sharing ground planes to rise antenna gain of accessory device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1257001A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1447879A1 (en) * 2003-02-14 2004-08-18 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft An extension for an antenna ground plate, an antenna ground plate, an antenna, and devices using the same
US7751856B2 (en) 2003-10-28 2010-07-06 Nokia Corporation Coordination of apparatus and mobile terminal media processing circuitry

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5949369A (en) * 1996-12-30 1999-09-07 At & T Corp, Portable satellite phone having directional antenna for direct link to satellite
WO1999052175A1 (en) * 1998-04-02 1999-10-14 Allgon Ab Wide band antenna means incorporating a radiating structure having a band form
WO1999054956A2 (en) * 1998-04-20 1999-10-28 Allgon Ab Ground extension arrangement for coupling to ground means in an antenna system, and an antenna system and a mobile radio device having such ground arrangement
US6160515A (en) * 1999-06-01 2000-12-12 Motorola, Inc. Dispersive surface antenna
US6215447B1 (en) * 1998-01-16 2001-04-10 Rangestar Wireless, Inc. Antenna assembly for communications devices

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5949369A (en) * 1996-12-30 1999-09-07 At & T Corp, Portable satellite phone having directional antenna for direct link to satellite
US6215447B1 (en) * 1998-01-16 2001-04-10 Rangestar Wireless, Inc. Antenna assembly for communications devices
WO1999052175A1 (en) * 1998-04-02 1999-10-14 Allgon Ab Wide band antenna means incorporating a radiating structure having a band form
WO1999054956A2 (en) * 1998-04-20 1999-10-28 Allgon Ab Ground extension arrangement for coupling to ground means in an antenna system, and an antenna system and a mobile radio device having such ground arrangement
US6160515A (en) * 1999-06-01 2000-12-12 Motorola, Inc. Dispersive surface antenna

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1447879A1 (en) * 2003-02-14 2004-08-18 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft An extension for an antenna ground plate, an antenna ground plate, an antenna, and devices using the same
US7751856B2 (en) 2003-10-28 2010-07-06 Nokia Corporation Coordination of apparatus and mobile terminal media processing circuitry

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7023389B2 (en) Detachable antenna module
RU2676211C1 (en) Matched multi-band antenna in portable wireless devices
US8326347B2 (en) Wireless communication system integrated into a computer display
US20060281500A1 (en) Mobile telecommunication apparatus having antenna assembly compatible with different communication protocols
US20100279694A1 (en) Display panel structure, electronic device using the same, and mobile information equipment
US7728778B2 (en) Portable electronic device with receiver and antenna
KR101408654B1 (en) A portable terminal having an antenna mounted on an FPCB of a side key
EP1257001A1 (en) Interface between a mobile radio device and its accessory device based on capacitive coupling for sharing ground planes to rise antenna gain of accessory device
US7161544B2 (en) Mobile terminals including a built-in radio frequency test interface
JP4554655B2 (en) Mobile communication system, card device, and mobile communication terminal
EP0899891A2 (en) A wireless terminal adapted for inductively coupling with a radio
EP3616258B1 (en) Millimeter wave antenna
KR101003578B1 (en) Broadcasting Receiving Antenna for Multi-connection Connector of Portable Wireless Terminal
KR101030851B1 (en) Detachable Wireless Extension
KR100946025B1 (en) Mobile communication terminal
CN106878502B (en) Circuit board structure, antenna device and mobile terminal
JP2005328112A (en) Mobile wireless terminal
JPH10126513A (en) Mobile communication computer
KR100566185B1 (en) Antenna unit for card with wireless communication module
CN110299603B (en) Antenna connection assembly, antenna and mobile terminal
EP2182580A1 (en) Method for receiving radio frequency signals by the ground chassis of a mobile communications device
KR20010104073A (en) PlANAR INVERTED F-ANTENNA USING EMBEDED-TYPE ANTENNA FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION STATION
JP2001102834A (en) Wireless communication device
JPH10200606A (en) Portable wireless communication device
JP2011228891A (en) Wireless terminal

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20020424

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Free format text: AL;LT;LV;MK;RO;SI

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20030331

AKX Designation fees paid
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: 8566

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20030514