Apple Inc.

Jonathan M Haylock

Jerzy S Guterman

Mattia Pascolini

Jiang Zhu

Boon Wai Shiu

Peter N Jeziorek

Robert W Schlub

Erdinc Irci

Joshua G Nickel

Ruben Caballero

Robert J Hill

Enrique Ayala Vazquez

Jayesh Nath

Jason S Sloey

Michelle Rae Goldberg

Nicholas Alan Rundle

Justin Lawrence Gregg

David Phillip Tarkington

Gordon C Cameron

Peter G Panagas

Adil Syed

Chun-Lung Chen

Hagan O'Connor

Fernando Urioste

Peter Jeziorek

Metal housing walls may form an antenna cavity. Antenna structures may be formed from metal traces mounted on a carrier in the antenna cavity. The antenna structures may form an array of antennas such as an array of planar inverted-F antennas. The housing may have an inner cavity wall such as a circular inner cavity wall. The planar inverted-F antennas may lie between the inner cavity wall and the metal walls of the housing. Each planar inverted-F antenna may have an associated parasitic antenna resonating element. The planar inverted-F antennas may be configured to resonate in upper and lower frequency bands. The parasitic elements may each extend inwardly from the metal walls and may broaden the frequency response of the planar inverted-F antennas in the lower frequency band. Parasitic elements may be used to isolate antennas from each other.

Electronic device with array of antennas in housing cavity

Electronic devices may be provided with antenna structures. The antenna structures may include an antenna support structure covered with patterned antenna traces. An antenna support structure may be mounted in an electronic device so that a surface of the antenna support structure that is covered with patterned antenna traces lies flush with a planar surface of the electronic device housing. A display cover layer or other planar structure may be attached to the surface of the antenna support structure and the planar surface of the housing adhesive. Injection molding and extrusion techniques may be used in forming a support structure with elongated parallel cavities. An injection molding tool may have a mold core supported by a support structure at one end, supporting engagement features at the ends of mating mold core structures, or support pins. Molded interconnect devices may be soldered to laser direct structuring components to form antennas.

Methods for forming elongated antennas with plastic support structures for electronic devices

Electronic devices may be provided with antenna structures such as distributed loop antenna resonating element structures. A distributed loop antenna may be formed on an elongated dielectric carrier and may have a longitudinal axis. The distributed loop antenna may include a loop antenna resonating element formed from a sheet of conductive material that extends around the longitudinal axis. A gap may be formed in the sheet of conductive material. The gap may be located under an opaque masking layer on the underside of a display cover glass associated with a display. The loop antenna resonating element may have a main body portion that includes the gap and may have an extended tail portion that extends between the display and conductive housing structures. The main body portion and extended tail portion may be configured to ensure that undesired waveguide modes are cut off during operation of the loop antenna.

Distributed loop antennas with extended tails

Wireless electronic devices may include wireless communications circuitry such as a transceiver, antenna, and other wireless circuitry. The transceiver may be coupled to the antenna through a bidirectional switch connector. The switch connector may mate with a corresponding radio-frequency test probe that is connected to radio-frequency test equipment. When the test probe is mated with the switch connector, the transceiver may be decoupled from the antenna. During transceiver testing, radio-frequency test signals may be conveyed between the test unit and the transceiver using the test probe. During antenna testing, radio-frequency test signals may be conveyed between the test unit and the antenna using the test probe. Transceiver testing and antenna testing may, if desired, be conducted in parallel using the test probe.

Bidirectional radio-frequency probing

A test system may be provided in which devices under test are tested using radio-frequency test stations. A test station may include a test host, a test unit coupled to the test host, and a shielded enclosure. The shielded enclosure may contain a test antenna coupled to the test unit via a radio-frequency cable. A computer-controlled loading arm may be used to place a device under test on a positioner within the test enclosure. The test enclosure may have an enclosure door that is opened and closed using a computer-controlled pneumatic cylinder. When the enclosure door is closed, a portion of the enclosure door may actuate one or more levers on the positioner, which may in turn actuate one or more positioning arms to press the device under test against one or more guide surfaces on the positioner, thereby precisely positioning the device under test within the test enclosure.

Testing systems with automated loading equipment and positioners

Electronic devices may be provided with conductive structures such as displays and conductive housing walls. Conductive gaskets may be used to form electrical paths between opposing conductive structures in an electronic device. During device assembly, a conductive gasket may be compressed between opposing conductive structures. The conductive gasket may be formed from a conductive gasket wall structure. The conductive gasket wall structure may surround and at least partly enclose an air-filled cavity. Conductive gasket wall structures may be formed from conductive fabric, dielectric sheets coated with metal, or other conductive wall materials. The interior of a conductive gasket may be hollow and completely devoid of supporting structures or may contain internal structures for biasing the conductive gasket wall outwards. Planar gaskets and gaskets with other cross sections may be provided.

Conductive gaskets with internal cavities

An electronic device may have magnetically mounted antenna structures. The electronic device may have a dielectric member against which one or more antennas are mounted. The dielectric member may be a cover glass layer that covers a display in the electronic device, a dielectric antenna window, or other dielectric structure. Each antenna may have an antenna support structure. Conductive antenna structures for the antenna may be mounted to the antenna support structure. The antennas may be cavity-backed planar inverted-F antennas. Portions of each antenna support structure may be configured to receive magnets. The magnets may be attracted towards ferromagnetic structures mounted on the dielectric member. As the magnets are attracted towards the ferromagnetic structure, the antennas may be held in place against the dielectric member.

Electronic device with magnetic antenna mounting

A test system may include a wireless test chamber with metal walls lined with pyramidal absorbers. A trapdoor may be provided in a wall opening to accommodate a robotic arm. The robotic arm may have grippers that grip a device under test or a support structure that is supporting a device under test. The robotic arm may move the device under test to a docking station for automatic battery charging during testing. When it is desired to perform wireless tests on a device under test, the robotic arm may move the device under test through the trapdoor into an interior portion of the test chamber. A turntable and movable test antenna may be used to rotate the device under test while varying angular orientations between test antenna and device under test. Emitted radiation levels can be measured using a liquid filled phantom and test probe on a robotic arm.

Robotic wireless test system

A hinge apparatus includes an inner cylindrical housing having a first slot formed therethough extending between distal ends of the inner cylindrical housing, and an outer cylindrical housing having a second slot formed therethough extending between distal ends of the outer cylindrical housing and being configured to engage with the inner cylindrical housing. The first slot and second slot form unique paths which prevent complete alignment of the first slot and the second slot during axial rotation of the hinge apparatus.

Coaxial hinge apparatus

Electrical devices may be tested using test equipment. A device may have an associated cable with a connector. The test equipment may have an associated cable with a connector. An adapter may have a pair of connectors. One of the adapter connectors may be connected to the connector of the cable associated with the device and the other of the adapter connectors may be connected to the connector of the cable that is associated with the tester. A retention clip may be attached to a groove in the adapter. Flexible members in the clip may each grasp an opposing side of the adapter within the groove. A retention member in the clip may bear against the connector on the cable that is associated with the device to hold the connectors for the device cable and the adapter together.

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Jonathan M Haylock