EP-4738608-A1 - ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING ANTENNA

EP4738608A1EP 4738608 A1EP4738608 A1EP 4738608A1EP-4738608-A1

Abstract

An electronic device including an antenna is provided. A side member of the electronic device includes a first conductive portion, a second conductive portion, and a non-conductive portion disposed between the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion. The electronic device may comprise: the side member; a wireless communication circuit which is electrically connected to the first conductive portion and provides an RF signal of a designated frequency; and a first tuning unit which is electrically connected to the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion, wherein the first tuning unit includes: a variable capacitor which is electrically connected to the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion; and a plurality of switches for switching electrical connections between both ends of the variable capacitor and at least one lumped element.

Inventors

PARK, Sungkoo
KIM, SEWOONG
Kim, Haeyeon
NAM, HOJUNG
LEE, KYUNGJAE
LEE, Kookjoo
HWANG, SOONHO

Assignees

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240610

Claims (15)

An electronic device comprising: a front surface plate facing a front side of the electronic device; a rear surface plate facing a rear side of the electronic device; a side surface member disposed between the front surface plate and the rear surface plate, the side surface member including a first conductive portion, a second conductive portion, and a non-conductive portion disposed between the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion; a wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the first conductive portion and configured to provide an RF signal of a predetermined frequency; and a first tuning unit electrically connected to the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion, wherein the first tuning unit comprises: a variable capacitor electrically connected to the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion, and a plurality of switches configured to switch an electrical connection between opposite ends of the variable capacitor and at least one lumped element, and wherein, as a capacitance of the variable capacitor is adjusted, a length of a radiator including the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion and configured to radiate the RF signal is adjusted.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein one end of the variable capacitor is electrically connected to the first conductive portion through a first capacitor that is connected between the one end of the variable capacitor and a first switch among the plurality of switches, and wherein another end of the variable capacitor is electrically connected to the second conductive portion through a second capacitor that is connected between the other end of the variable capacitor and a second switch among the plurality of switches.
The electronic device of claim 2, wherein, by controlling the first switch, the second switch, and the variable capacitor, the length of the radiator including the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion and configured to radiate the RF signal is adjusted.
The electronic device of claim 2, wherein a third capacitor connected in parallel with the first capacitor is disposed between the one end of the variable capacitor and the first conductive portion, and wherein a fourth capacitor connected in parallel with the second capacitor is disposed between the other end of the variable capacitor and the second conductive portion.
The electronic device of claim 4, wherein a third switch among the plurality of switches is disposed between the one end of the variable capacitor and the third capacitor, and wherein a fourth switch among the plurality of switches is disposed between the other end of the variable capacitor and the fourth capacitor.
The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the length of the radiator including the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion and configured to radiate the RF signal is adjusted by controlling the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the variable capacitor.
The electronic device of claim 2, wherein a fifth switch configured to switch a connection between the one end and the other end of the variable capacitor is disposed between the one end and the other end of the variable capacitor.
The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the length of the radiator including the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion and configured to radiate the RF signal is adjusted by controlling the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the fifth switch.
The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the one end of the variable capacitor is connected to the first conductive portion through at least one electronic element configured to protect the tuning unit, and wherein the other end of the variable capacitor is connected to the second conductive portion through at least one electronic element configured to protect the tuning unit.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the tuning unit is formed as an integrated circuit (IC) chip, and the IC chip is disposed adjacent to the non-conductive portion.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the side surface member includes a third conductive portion and another non-conductive portion disposed between the first conductive portion and the third conductive portion, and wherein the electronic device further comprises a second tuning unit electrically connected to the third conductive portion and the first conductive portion.
The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the second tuning unit further comprises: another variable capacitor electrically connected to the third conductive portion and the first conductive portion; and another plurality of switches configured to switch an electrical connection between opposite ends of the other variable capacitor and at least one lumped element.
The electronic device of claim 12, wherein, as a capacitance of the variable capacitor and a capacitance of the other variable capacitor are adjusted, a length of a radiator including the first conductive portion, the second conductive portion, and the third conductive portion and configured to radiate the RF signal is adjusted.
The electronic device of claim 11, wherein one end of the first conductive portion is connected to the first tuning unit.
The electronic device of claim 14, wherein another end of the first conductive portion is connected to the second tuning unit.

Description

[Technical Field] The disclosure relates to an electronic device including an antenna and, more particularly, to an electronic device in which an exterior metal frame operates as an antenna radiator. [Background Art] The use of electronic devices such as bar-type, foldable-type, rollable-type, and sliding-type smartphones or tablet PCs is increasing, and various functions are being provided by the electronic devices. An electronic device may perform wireless communication with another electronic device using at least one antenna. For example, the electronic device may have at least a portion of a housing formed of a conductive member (e.g., metal), and at least a portion of the housing formed of the conductive member may be used as an antenna (or a radiator, or an antenna radiator) for performing wireless communication. The electronic device may adjust an operating frequency band using a tuner or a switch. [Disclosure of Invention] [Solution to Problem] An embodiment of the disclosure provides an electronic device including a front surface plate facing a front side of the electronic device, a rear surface plate facing a rear side of the electronic device, a side surface member disposed between the front surface plate and the rear surface plate, the side surface member including a first conductive portion, a second conductive portion, and a non-conductive portion disposed between the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion, a wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the first conductive portion and configured to provide an RF signal of a predetermined frequency, and a first tuning unit electrically connected to the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion. The first tuning unit includes a variable capacitor electrically connected to the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion, and a plurality of switches configured to switch an electrical connection between opposite ends of the variable capacitor and at least one lumped element. As a capacitance of the variable capacitor is adjusted, a length of a radiator including the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion and configured to radiate the RF signal is adjusted. [Brief Description of Drawings] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to various embodiments in a network environment.FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment, viewed from the front.FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the electronic device of FIG. 2A, viewed from the rear.FIG. 3 is a view illustrating some regions around a side surface member that operates as an antenna radiator of an electronic device according to an embodiment.FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an example of a tuning unit according to an embodiment.FIG. 5 is a view illustrating antenna characteristics of a radiator according to an embodiment.FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an example of a tuning unit connected to electronic elements according to an embodiment.FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an example of a tuning unit connected to electronic elements for ESD protection according to an embodiment.FIG. 8 is a view illustrating an example of a tuning unit including a plurality of capacitors according to an embodiment.FIG. 9 is a view illustrating some regions around a side surface member operating as an antenna radiator of an electronic device according to an embodiment.FIG. 10 is a view illustrating radiation efficiency of a radiator according to an embodiment.FIG. 11 is a view illustrating some regions around a side surface member operating as an antenna radiator of an electronic device according to an embodiment.FIG. 12A is a view illustrating an example of an antenna structure including a plurality of tuning units according to an embodiment.FIG. 12B is a view illustrating an example of an antenna structure including a plurality of tuning units according to an embodiment.FIG. 12C is a view illustrating an example of an antenna structure including a plurality of tuning units according to an embodiment.FIG. 12D is a view illustrating an example of an antenna structure including a plurality of tuning units according to an embodiment. [Mode for the Invention] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains may easily implement the disclosure. However, the disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to embodiments set forth herein. To clearly describe the disclosure, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted from the drawings, and similar or like parts are provided with similar or like reference signs. The terms as used herein are expressed using currently used general terms in consideration of the functions mentioned in the disclosure,and may mean various different terms according to intentions of technicians engaged in the art, c