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EP-4310629-B1 - ANTENNA AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING SAME

EP4310629B1EP 4310629 B1EP4310629 B1EP 4310629B1EP-4310629-B1

Inventors

  • LEE, SEOKWOO
  • SHIN, DONGRYUL
  • LEE, JIWOO
  • CHOI, YOUNGWON

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220819

Claims (10)

  1. An electronic device (300) comprising: a housing (310) comprising at least one opening (3111a) and made of a metal material; a key button assembly (400) disposed in an inner space (3001) of the housing (310) and disposed to be at least partially exposed to an outside through the at least one opening (3111a); a conductive support frame (315) disposed beneath the key button assembly (400) in the inner space (3001); an antenna structure (500) fixed beneath the conductive support frame (315) and positioned to at least partially correspond to the at least one opening (3111a), the antenna structure (500) comprising a substrate (590), and a plurality of antenna elements (AR) disposed on the substrate (590) at a designated interval; and a wireless communication circuit (595) disposed in the inner space (3001) and configured to form a directional beam in a designated frequency band toward the key button assembly (400) through the plurality of antenna elements (AR), wherein the conductive support frame (315) includes a plurality of through-holes (3151) disposed to overlap the plurality of antenna elements (AR), respectively, when viewed from above.
  2. The electronic device (300) of claim 1, wherein the key button assembly (400) comprises: at least one key button (421) exposed through the at least one opening (311a); a button substrate (410) disposed between the at least one key button (421) and the conductive support frame (315) and comprising at least one conductive pad (411); and a switching member (430) disposed between the at least one key button (421) and the button substrate (410) and configured to contact the at least one conductive pad (411) through a pressing operation of the at least one key button (421), wherein the plurality of antenna elements (AR)are positioned to overlap the at least one key button (421) when viewed from above.
  3. The electronic device (300) of claim 2, wherein the at least one key button includes two or more key buttons (423, 424), and wherein the plurality of antenna elements (AR) are disposed to overlap the two or more key buttons (423, 424) when viewed from above.
  4. The electronic device (300) of claim 2, wherein the plurality of antenna elements (AR) have an arrangement structure corresponding to a shape of the at least one key button (425) when viewed from above.
  5. The electronic device (300) of claim 2, wherein the plurality of antenna elements (AR) are disposed not to overlap the at least one conductive pad (411) when viewed from above.
  6. The electronic device (300) of claim 2, wherein the substrate (590) is fixed to the support frame (315) by a conductive support member (550).
  7. The electronic device (300) of claim 6, wherein the conductive support member (550) is fixed to the conductive support frame (315) through at least one of screw (S) fastening, soldering, bonding, taping, thermal attachment, or structural coupling.
  8. The electronic device (300) of claim 6, further comprising a device substrate (370) disposed in the inner space (3001) and comprising a recess (371), wherein the conductive support member (550) is disposed so as to be at least partially seated in the recess (371).
  9. The electronic device (300) of claim 6, wherein heat generated by the antenna structure (500) is transferred to the conductive support frame (315) through the conductive support member (550).
  10. The electronic device (300) of claim 1, wherein the designated frequency band comprises a range of 3GHz - 300GHz.

Description

Technical Field The disclosure relates to antennas and electronic devices including the same. Background Art In line with development of wireless communication technologies, electronic devices (for example, electronic devices for communication) have become daily necessities, and content use has been increasing exponentially as a result. Network capacities have gradually reached limits due to such a rapid increase in content use, and in order to satisfy wireless data traffic demands that have been increasing since commercialization of 4th generation (4G) communication systems, there has been research regarding a communication system (for example, 5th generation (5G), pre-5G communication system, or new radio (NR)) for transmitting and/or receiving signals by using a high-frequency (for example, mmWave) band (for example, 3GHz - 300GHz band). WO 2020/153694 A1 discloses an electronic device comprising: a conductive housing comprising a first surface facing in a first direction, a second surface facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a side surface surrounding at least a part of a space formed between the first surface and the second surface; a printed circuit board seated inside the housing; and a side key fastened in an edge area of the housing. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem Next-generation wireless communication technologies may substantially transmit/receive radio signals by using frequencies in the range of 3GHz to 300GHz. There has been development regarding an efficient disposition structure for overcoming severe free space loss resulting from frequency characteristics and for increasing antenna gain, and a new antenna structure (for example, antenna module) conforming thereto. An antenna structure may include a plurality of antenna elements (for example, conductive patches or conductive patterns) disposed at an interval in an array type. Such antenna elements may be disposed such that a beam pattern is formed in one direction inside an electronic device. For example, the antenna structure may be disposed such that a beam pattern is formed in the inner space of the electronic device toward at least a part of the front surface, the rear surface, and/or a side surface. Recently, electronic devices (for example, laptop PC or tablet PC) may include a housing made of a metal material in order to reinforce rigidity and improve design aesthetics. If an antenna structure is applied inside such a housing made of a metal material, the area corresponding to the antenna structure may be replaced with a nonconductive area partially made of a nonconductive material (for example, polymer) in order to reduce radiation performance degradation. Such a nonconductive area may degrade the design aesthetics of the electronic device, and may weaken the rigidity of the housing. Moreover, considering that electronic devices are becoming slimmer, the space inside an electronic device, in which an antenna structure can be disposed without degradation of radiation performance due to interference of other electronic components, may gradually decrease. disposition structure which may help improve aesthetic appeal, and an electronic device including the same. Various embodiments of the disclosure may provide an antenna having a disposition structure which may help improve and/or reinforce rigidity, and an electronic device including the same. Various embodiments of the disclosure may provide an antenna having an efficient disposition structure in connection with other electronic components, and an electronic device including the same. Problems to be solved by the disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and may be variously expanded without deviating from the idea and scope of the disclosure. Solution to Problem An electronic device including at least the features of claim 1. Optional features of the electronic device are provided in dependent claims 2 to 10. Advantageous Effects of invention Electronic devices according to embodiments of the disclosure include a disposition structure in which a beam pattern is formed by using a nonconductive area of a key button assembly such that a partial area of a metal housing is not damaged or altered, thereby helping improve design aesthetics and reinforce rigidity, and efficient disposition space utilization may reduce design restrictions in connection with other components of the electronic devices. Various other advantageous effects identified explicitly or implicitly through the disclosure may be provided. Brief Description of Drawings In connection with description of drawings, identical or similar components may be given identical or similar reference numerals. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device inside a network environment according to various embodiments of the disclosure.FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic device for supporting legacy network communication and 5G network communication according to various