Apparatus and methods for wireless communication TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatus and methods for wireless communication. In particular, they relate to apparatus in portable electronic devices.

BACKGROUND

Apparatus, such as mobile cellular telephones, usually include one or more antennas that enable the apparatus to communicate wirelessly. One of the antennas may be a near field coupling member (such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna) that enables information to be wirelessly transmitted to, and/or received from, another near field coupling member (a radio frequency identification tag or reader for example). In current apparatus, the magnetic field strength of near field coupling members may be relatively low and may be oriented in an undesirable direction. As a result, it may be difficult to transfer information to and/or from the apparatus. Additionally, the near field coupling member may occupy space within the apparatus and may result in the apparatus being undesirably large.

Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an alternative apparatus. BRIEF SUMMARY

According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided an apparatus comprising: a ground member comprising a first surface, a second surface, and an edge extending between the first surface and the second surface; and a near field coupling member positioned adjacent or at the edge of the ground member, the near field coupling member being configured to electromagnetically couple with other coupling members external to the apparatus, and being configured to receive signals from and/or transmit signals to radio frequency circuitry; the near field coupling member including a plurality of loops.

The near field coupling member may have a longitudinal axis and the plurality of loops may be arranged sequentially along the longitudinal axis.

The longitudinal axis of the near field coupling member may be oriented at an angle between thirty and ninety degrees relative to the plane defined by the edge of the ground member.

The longitudinal axis of the near field coupling member may be orthogonal to the plane defined by the edge of the ground member.

The ground member may define a plurality of apertures and the plurality of loops may extend through the apertures so that a first portion of the near field coupling member is positioned adjacent the first surface of the ground member and a second portion of the near field coupling member is positioned adjacent the second surface of the ground member. The first portion of the near field coupling member may be separate from, and connectable to, the second portion of the near field coupling member.

The second portion of the near field coupling member may be mounted on the second surface of the ground member.

The apparatus may further comprise a housing defining a cavity for receiving an electronic component having an interface external to the apparatus, the plurality of loops of the near field coupling member may be at least partially mounted on the housing.

The plurality of loops of the near field coupling member may be at least partially mounted on an exterior surface of the housing.

The plurality of loops of the near field coupling member may be at least partially mounted on an interior surface of the housing. The electronic component may be an electrical connector or an input device configured to enable user control of audio volume, power, camera or screen lock.

The apparatus may further comprise a magnetic core positioned within at least a portion of the plurality of loops of the near field coupling member. The magnetic core may be a ferrite core.

The near field coupling member may be configured to have a magnetic field adjacent the edge of the ground member that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the edge.

The near field coupling member may be a radio frequency identification (RFID) coupling member. According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided a module comprising an apparatus as described in any of the preceding paragraphs.

According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided a portable communication device comprising an apparatus as described in any of the preceding paragraphs. According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided a method comprising: providing a ground member comprising a first surface, a second surface, and an edge extending between the first surface and the second surface; and positioning a near field coupling member adjacent or at the edge of the ground member, the near field coupling member being configured to electromagnetically couple with other coupling members external to the apparatus, and being configured to receive signals from and/or transmit signals to radio frequency circuitry; the near field coupling member including a plurality of loops.

The near field coupling member may have a longitudinal axis and the plurality of loops may be arranged sequentially along the longitudinal axis.

The longitudinal axis of the near field coupling member may be oriented at an angle between thirty and ninety degrees relative to the plane defined by the edge of the ground member.

The longitudinal axis of the near field coupling member may be orthogonal to the plane defined by the edge of the ground member.

The ground member may define a plurality of apertures and the plurality of loops may extend through the apertures so that a first portion of the near field coupling member is positioned adjacent the first surface of the ground member and a second portion of the near field coupling member is positioned adjacent the second surface of the ground member.

The first portion of the near field coupling member may be separate from, and connectable to, the second portion of the near field coupling member.

The second portion of the near field coupling member may be mounted on the second surface of the ground member. The method may further comprise providing a housing defining a cavity for receiving an electronic component having an interface external to the apparatus, the plurality of loops of the near field coupling member being at least partially mounted on the housing.

The plurality of loops of the near field coupling member may be at least partially mounted on an exterior surface of the housing.

The plurality of loops of the near field coupling member may be at least partially mounted on an interior surface of the housing.

The electronic component may be an electrical connector or an input device configured to enable user control of audio volume, power, camera or screen lock.

The method may further comprise providing a magnetic core for positioning within at least a portion of the plurality of loops of the near field coupling member. The magnetic core may be a ferrite core. The near field coupling member may be configured to have a magnetic field adjacent the edge of the ground member that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the edge.

The near field coupling member may be a radio frequency identification (RFID) coupling member.

According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided an apparatus comprising: a housing defining a cavity configured to receive one or more electronic components, the one or more electronic components having an interface external to the apparatus; and a near field coupling member mounted on at least one surface of the housing and being positioned adjacent at least a part of the cavity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION

For a better understanding of various examples of embodiments of the present invention reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an electronic communication device according to various embodiments of the invention;

Figs. 2A and 2B illustrate front and side view diagrams respectively of an apparatus according to various embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 3 illustrates a front view diagram of another apparatus according to various embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 4 illustrates a perspective view diagram of the apparatus illustrated in fig. 3; Fig. 5 illustrates a side view diagram of the magnetic field of the apparatus illustrated in figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 illustrates a front view diagram of a further apparatus according to various embodiments of the invention; and

Fig. 7 illustrates a flow diagram of a method according to various embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, the wording 'connect' and 'couple' and their derivatives mean operationally connected or coupled. It should be appreciated that any number or combination of intervening components can exist (including no intervening components). Additionally, it should be appreciated that the connection or coupling may be a physical galvanic connection and/or an electromagnetic connection.

Figures 2A, 2B, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate an apparatus comprising: a ground member comprising a first surface, a second surface, and an edge extending between the first surface and the second surface; and a near field coupling member positioned adjacent the edge of the ground member, the near field coupling member being configured to electromagnetically couple with other coupling members and being configured to connect to radio frequency circuitry; the near field coupling member including a plurality of loops being oriented substantially parallel to the edge of the ground member. In more detail, fig. 1 illustrates an electronic communication device 10 according to various embodiments of the invention. The electronic communication device 10 may be any apparatus and may be a portable communication device (for example, a mobile cellular telephone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant or a hand held computer), or a module for such devices. As used here, 'module' refers to a unit or apparatus that excludes certain parts or components that would be added by an end manufacturer or a user.

The electronic communication device 10 comprises an apparatus 12, radio circuitry 14, functional circuitry 16, and a ground member 18. The apparatus 12 may also be referred to as an antenna arrangement and is configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals in the near field. The radio circuitry 14 is connected between the apparatus 12 and the functional circuitry 16 and may include a receiver and a transmitter. The functional circuitry 16 is operable to provide signals to, and receive signals from the radio circuitry 14. The electronic communication device 10 may include one or more matching circuits between the apparatus 12 and the radio circuitry 14. In the embodiment where the electronic device 10 is a portable communication device, the functional circuitry 16 may include a processor, a memory and input/output devices such as an audio input device (a microphone for example), an audio output device (a loudspeaker for example), a user input device (a touch screen display, a keypad or a keyboard for example) and a display.

The apparatus 12 and the electronic components that provide the radio circuitry 14 and the functional circuitry 16 may be interconnected via the ground member 18 (for example, a printed wiring board). The ground member 18 may be used as a ground plane for the apparatus 12 by using one or more layers of the printed wiring board. In other embodiments, some other conductive part of the electronic communication device 10 (a battery cover for example) may be used as the ground member 18 for the apparatus 12. The ground member 18 may be formed from several conductive parts of the electronic device 10, for example and not limited to the printed wiring board, a conductive battery cover, and/or at least a portion of a cover of the electronic communication device 10. It should be appreciated that the ground member 18 may be planar or non-planar.

The apparatus 12 and the radio circuitry 14 may be configured to operate in one or more operational frequency bands and via one or more protocols. For example, the operational frequency bands and protocols may include (but are not limited to) radio frequency identification low frequency (RFID LF) (0.125- 0.134 MHz); radio frequency identification high frequency (RFID HF) (13.56- 13.56 MHz); radio frequency identification ultra high frequency (RFID UHF) (433 MHz, 865-956 MHz, 2450 MHz). The apparatus 12 and the radio circuitry 14 may be configured to operate using Near Field communication (NFC) (13.56 MHz) and may thus be able to communicate with other devices according to the proximity card standard ISO/IEC 14443. A frequency band over which the apparatus 12 can efficiently operate using a protocol is a frequency range where the return loss of the apparatus 12 is greater than an operational threshold. For example, efficient operation may occur when the antenna's return loss is better than -6dB or -1 OdB. Figs. 2A and 2B illustrate front and side view diagrams respectively of an apparatus 12 according to various embodiments of the invention. The apparatus 12 includes the ground member 18 and a near field coupling member 28. Figs. 2A and 2B also illustrate a Cartesian co-ordinate axis 20 that includes an X axis 22, a Y axis 24 and a Z axis 26 which are orthogonal relative to one another.

The ground member 18 is substantially planar and includes a first surface 30, a second surface 32 which is opposite the first surface 30, and an edge 34 which extends between the first surface 30 and the second surface 32. The first surface 30 and the second surface 32 are oriented so that they are parallel to the plane defined by the X axis 22 and the Z axis 26. The edge 34 is oriented so that it is parallel to the plane defined by the X axis 22 and the Y axis 24. When the apparatus 12 is included in an electronic communication device such as a mobile cellular telephone, the first and second surfaces 30, 32 may be oriented parallel to the front and rear surfaces of the device. Consequently, the first and second surfaces 30, 32 may be oriented parallel to the display of the device. The edge 34 may be positioned at, and oriented parallel to the top surface of the device (that is, the surface which extends between the front and rear surface and is usually located at the top of the device when the user operates the device). It should be appreciated that this arrangement of the apparatus 12 within an electronic communication device is an example and that other arrangements may be formed. For example, the edge 34 may be positioned and oriented parallel to a side surface of the device. The near field coupling member 28 may comprise any suitable conductive material and may comprise copper for example. The near field coupling member 28 is positioned adjacent or at the edge 34 of the ground member 18. The near field coupling member 28 is connected to the radio frequency circuitry 14 via one or more feed points 36 and may consequently receive signals from, and transmit signals to the radio frequency circuitry 14. In at least some embodiments, the near field coupling member 28 may also be referred to as an antenna or an inductive element.

The near field coupling member 28 has an electrical length that results in an inductance that is matched with a matching circuit (not illustrated in the figures). Consequently, the near field coupling member 28 may electromagnetically couple with other coupling members in the near field (for example, within ten centimeters of the near field coupling member 28) and external to the apparatus 12 and the electronic communication device 10. It should be appreciated that the combination of the near field coupling member 28 and another coupling member transfer information via electromagnetic induction and may be considered to be similar to a pair of inductively coupled transformer windings. In at least some embodiments, the near field coupling member is configured so that it is unable to operate effectively in the 'far field'.

The near field coupling member 28 has a longitudinal axis 29 that is oriented parallel to the Z axis 26 and is therefore oriented substantially perpendicular and orthogonal to the plane defined by the edge 34. The near field coupling member 28 includes a plurality of loops 38 that are arranged in sequence along the longitudinal axis 29. Consequently, the near field coupling member 28 is shaped as a solenoid that extends along the Z axis 26. In this embodiment, each of the plurality of loops 38 have a square cross section, are substantially planar and the plane of each loop is oriented substantially parallel to the plane defined by the X axis 22 and the Y axis 24. Therefore, the plurality of loops 38 are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 29 and are oriented substantially parallel to the edge 34 of the ground member 18.

In other embodiments, the longitudinal axis 29 of the coupling member 28 may be oriented at a different angle to the plane defined by the edge 34. For example, the longitudinal axis 29 of the coupling member 28 may form any angle Θ relative to the plane defined by the edge 34. The angle Θ may be any angle in the range of thirty to ninety degrees, the range of forty to ninety degrees, the range of fifty to ninety degrees, the range of sixty to ninety degrees, the range of seventy to ninety degrees or the range of eighty to ninety degrees.

At least some loops in the plurality of loops 38 may not be planar and may not be oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 29. For example, the plurality of loops 38 may be oriented at an angle greater than, or less than, zero degrees relative to the X-Y plane. The plurality of loops 38 may be oriented at an angle other than ninety degrees relative to the longitudinal axis 29. Additionally, at least some loops in the plurality of loops 38 may be oriented in different planes or directions to one another. The plurality of loops 38 may have any suitable cross sectional shape. For example, the plurality of loops 38 may have a circular cross section, an elliptical cross section or a rectangular cross section.

The orientation of a portion of the magnetic field of the near field coupling member 28 is represented in fig. 2B by an arrow 37 which generally follows the magnetic field pattern of a solenoid. In more detail, the arrow 37 extends perpendicularly from the end of the near field coupling member 28 nearest the edge 34 in the -Z direction. The arrow 37 then loops over the near field coupling member 28 and returns at the other end of the near field coupling member 28, oriented in the -Z direction. It should be appreciated that the magnetic field of the near field coupling member 28 is three dimensional and may be considered to have a toroidal shape around the near field coupling member 28.

Various embodiments provide an advantage in that the near field coupling member 28 may electromagnetically couple with another coupling member (such as a radio frequency identification tag) that is positioned adjacent the edge 34. The other coupling member may be part of a stationary infrastructure device such as a RFID card reader as typically found in train stations, for example, and may therefore be external and physically separate from the apparatus 12. It should be appreciated that where the magnetic field vector has at least a component that is normal to another coupling member, energy is transferred via electromagnetic induction. Consequently, the near field coupling member 28 may couple efficiently with other coupling members that are positioned adjacent the edge 34 in an arc 39 between 45 degrees and 135 degrees from the edge 34. It should be appreciated that if the apparatus 12 is considered in three dimensions, arc 39 may be replaced with a cone that extends from the edge 34 having axis of symmetry that is parallel to the Z axis 26. Where the edge 34 is positioned at the top of a portable communication device, the apparatus 12 may be inductively coupled with another coupling member by pointing the top of the portable communication device towards the other coupling member whilst maintaining visual contact with the front face of the portable communication device so that the user can see what is happening, via the display of the portable communication device, during the coupling between the apparatus and the other coupling member. This action may be advantageously intuitive to a user and may consequently facilitate coupling with other coupling members. Additionally, due to the angle of the radiation from the apparatus 12, this action advantageously results in an effective exchange of data between the couplers. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate front and perspective views of another apparatus 12 according to various embodiments of the invention. The apparatus 12 illustrated in figs. 3 and 4 is similar to the apparatus illustrated in figs. 2A and 2B and where the features are similar, the same reference numerals are used. Figs. 3 and 4 also illustrates the Cartesian co-ordinate axis 20.

The apparatus 12 illustrated in figs. 4 and 5 differs from the apparatus illustrated in figs. 2A and 2B in that it further comprises an electronic component 40, a housing 42, a magnetic core 44 and an audio output device 46.

The electronic component 40 may be any component that has an interface which is external to the apparatus 12 and/or that is positioned around the periphery of the apparatus 12. For example, the electronic component 40 may be an electrical connector (such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, an audio visual (AV) connector, a direct current (DC) connector, a system or docking connector (for miscellaneous signals) or a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connector) that has a socket interface that is external to the apparatus 12. The electronic component 40 may be an input device (one or more keys, switches, and so on). For example, the electronic component 40 may be volume controls for the audio output device 46 which includes one or more buttons which are external to the apparatus 12. The electronic component 40 may be a camera activation switch that includes a button that is external to the apparatus. The electronic component 40 may be a button or a switch for powering on and powering off the electronic communication device 10. The electronic component 40 may be a button, slider or a switch for locking a display of the electronic communication device 10. The electronic component 40 may be a card reader (such as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), smart card reader or a memory card reader) that includes an aperture that allows insertion of a card. The housing 42 is positioned at or adjacent the edge 34 of the ground member 18 and defines a cavity 48 in which one or more electronic components 40 are positioned. It should be appreciated that the housing 42 (and therefore the near field coupling member 28) may be separated from the edge 34 by a relatively small gap (for example, of the order of a few millimeters). In this embodiment, the housing 42 is shaped as a hollow cube where the two faces which lie parallel to the X-Y plane form apertures to the cavity 48. In other embodiments, the housing 42 may have any suitable shape for receiving one or more electronic components 40. For example, the housing 42 may be formed from the covers of an electronic device. Furthermore, the housing 42 may not define any apertures and may therefore have a closed box configuration. The housing 42 may be the body of the electronic component itself, and not a separate component. The housing 42 may be formed by a substrate (such as a flexible substrate) which is adhered to the surface of the electronic component or housing of the electronic component.

The magnetic core 44 is provided around the housing 42 on the exterior side faces (that is, the faces which lie parallel to the Y-Z plane) and on the top face (that is, the top face which lies parallel to the X-Z plane). The magnetic core 44 may comprise any ferromagnetic material such as iron or any ferrimagnetic compound such as a ferrite. In various embodiments, the magnetic core 44 may be integrated into the housing 42 (that is, they may be manufactured as a single unit) and in other embodiments, the magnetic core 44 may be separate to the housing 42 and then provided around the housing 42 (that is, they may be manufactured separately and later coupled together). In still other embodiments, the magnetic core 44 may be provided on the interior surfaces of the housing 42. The plurality of loops 38 of the near field coupling member 28 are wrapped around the exterior of the housing 42 and the magnetic core 44. In other embodiments, the plurality of loops 38 may be coupled to the interior surfaces of the housing 42. The plurality of loops 38 extend through two or more apertures 48 in the ground member 18 and wrap around the second surface 32 of the ground member 18. Consequently, a first portion 50 of the near field coupling member 28 is positioned adjacent the first surface 30 of the ground member 18 and a second portion 52 of the near field coupling member 28 is positioned adjacent the second surface 32. From figures 3 and 4, it should be appreciated that approximately three quarters of the near field coupling member 28 is mounted around the housing 42 and that approximately one quarter of the near field coupling member 28 is mounted adjacent the second surface 32 of the ground member 18.

In various embodiments, the first and second portions 50, 52 of the near field coupling member 28 are separate to one another and may be connected via a connector (such as a spring connector) or via bonding (such as soldering). In these embodiments, the first and second portions 50, 52 may be formed (for example) by providing conductive ink on the housing 42 and on the second surface 32 of the ground member 18 which then form the near field coupling member 28 when the apparatus 12 is assembled. In other embodiments, the first and second portions 50, 52 may be integral and wrapped around the housing 42 and the ground member 18.

The audio output device 46 is positioned at the edge 34 of the second surface 32 of the ground member 18. The audio output device 46 may be any transducer for converting electrical signals into acoustic waves and may be a loudspeaker for example.

The apparatus 12 illustrated in figs. 3 and 4 advantageously has the magnetic field pattern illustrated in fig. 5. Since the near field coupling member 28 extends through the ground member 18 and is mounted on the second surface 32 of the ground member 18, the magnetic field is not shielded by the ground member 18 and is relatively strong (when compared with the apparatus illustrated in figs. 2A & 2B) adjacent the edge 34 and extending in the -Z and -Y directions. This arrangement may increase the sensitivity of the near field coupling member 28 around the edge 34 and may therefore facilitate the transfer of information to and/or from another coupling member such as a radio frequency identification reader or a radio frequency identification tag.

The apparatus 12 illustrated in figs. 3, 4 and 5 also provides an advantage in that since the near field coupling member 28 is mounted around or within the housing of an existing electronic component, the inclusion of the near field coupling member 28 in an electronic device does not require any additional volume to be allocated to the apparatus 12. Consequently, the apparatus 12 may not require an electronic device to be designed specially to accommodate the apparatus 12. Furthermore, the apparatus 12 may not occupy a significant volume in an electronic device and this may advantageously result in a relatively small electronic device or may result in additional space for other components of the electronic device (cellular antennas for example).

The apparatus 12 illustrated in figs. 3, 4 and 5 also provides an advantage in that the magnetic core 44 increases the magnetic field strength of the near field coupling member 28.

Fig. 6 illustrates a front view diagram of a further apparatus 12 according to various embodiments of the invention. The apparatus illustrated in fig. 6 is similar to the apparatus illustrated in figs. 3, 4 and 5 and where the features are similar, the same reference numerals are used.

In this embodiment, the apparatus 12 includes a second housing 53 which is positioned on the second surface 32 of the ground member 18 and may house the audio output device 46 for example. The second portion 52 of the plurality of loops 38 extend around the second housing 53. Since the plurality of loops 38 extend around the housing 42 and the second housing 53, they have a relatively large area (in comparison to the embodiment illustrated in figs. 3, 4 and 5) and may consequently have a stronger associated magnetic field with a better coupling distance. Any audio output device 46 output requirements may be met by forming apertures in between the plurality of loops 38 adjacent the second housing 53 so that acoustic waves may leave the apparatus 12.

Fig. 7 illustrates a flow diagram of a method of manufacturing an apparatus 12 according to various embodiments of the invention. At block 54, the method includes providing a housing 42 defining a cavity 48 for receiving an electronic component 40 that has an interface external to the apparatus and/or is positioned at the periphery of the apparatus 12.

At block 56, the method includes providing a magnetic core 44 around at least a portion of the exterior or interior of the housing 42.

At block 58, the method includes a near field coupling member 28 is provided and may be mounted at least partially on the housing 42. At block 60, the method includes providing a ground member 18 which includes a first surface 30, a second surface 32 and an edge 34 which extends between the first surface 30 and the second surface 32.

At block 62, the method includes positioning the near field coupling member 28 adjacent or at the edge 34 of the ground member 18.

It should be appreciated that where the near field coupling member 28 comprises two separate portions 50, 52, the first portion 50 may be provided in block 58, the second portion 52 may be provided in block 60, and the two portions 50, 52 are connected in block 62. It should also be appreciated that blocks 54 and 56 are optional and may not be carried out to manufacture an apparatus as illustrated in figs. 2A and 2B.

The blocks illustrated in the Fig. 7 may represent steps in a method and/or sections of code in a computer program. For example, a controller may read the computer program to control machinery to perform the blocks and thus manufacture an apparatus according to various embodiments of the invention. The illustration of a particular order to the blocks does not necessarily imply that there is a required or preferred order for the blocks and the order and arrangement of the block may be varied. Furthermore, it may be possible for some blocks to be omitted.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that modifications to the examples given can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. For example, the apparatus 12 may be combined with a planar near field coupling member to increase the angle of the arc over which the electronic device may couple with other coupling members.

Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described. For example, the apparatus illustrated in figs. 2A and 2B may include a housing and/or a magnetic core. Although functions have been described with reference to certain features, those functions may be performable by other features whether described or not.

Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments, those features may also be present in other embodiments whether described or not. Whilst endeavoring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.