SHIELDING LAYER FOR A DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ANTENNAS
A shielding layer is provided that reduces the coupling between magnetic field lines emanating from a plurality of antennas in an electronic device. In one embodiment, the shielding layer is a heterogeneous shielding layer that has different regions. Each region is configured to be positioned adjacent to a respective antenna. Each region is a different type of material, has a different thickness, and/or has other non-uniformities (e.g., different permeabilities) to concentrate magnetic field lines in accordance to the properties of the respective antenna. In another embodiment, a heterogeneous shielding layer is provided that has different regions that are formed of a same material that is configured to concentrate magnetic field lines. Each region is configured to be positioned adjacent to a respective antenna. The different regions are separated by gap to isolate the magnetic field lines emanating from the respective antenna, which reduces the coupling between the magnetic field lines.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a shielding layer formed of at least one material configured to concentrate magnetic field lines,
wherein the shielding layer includes a first region that has a first characteristic and a second region that has a second characteristic that is different from the first characteristic, and
wherein the first region is configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a first antenna and the second region is configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a second antenna.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first characteristic of the first region is a first permeability and the second characteristic of the second region is a second permeability, the first permeability being different from the second permeability.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first characteristic of the first region is a first thickness and the second characteristic of the second region is a second thickness, the first thickness being different from the first thickness.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gap that separates the first region from the second region.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second region rings the first region.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna is a near field communication (NFC) antenna and the second antenna is a wireless power transfer (WPT) antenna.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one material comprises a ferrite material.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shielding layer is formed of at least two materials that are each configured to concentrate magnetic field lines, wherein the first region comprises a first material of the at least two materials and the second region comprises a second material of the at least two materials, the first material being different from the second material.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first material comprises a first ferrite material and the second material comprises a second ferrite material, the first ferrite material being different from the second ferrite material.
10 . An apparatus, comprising:
a shielding layer having at least two regions separated by a gap,
wherein the at least two regions are formed of a same material,
wherein each of the at least two regions are configured to concentrate magnetic field lines, and
wherein the shielding layer is configured to be positioned adjacent to a plurality of antennas.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the same material comprises a ferrite material.
12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a first region of the at least two regions has a first thickness and a second region of the at least two regions has a second thickness, the first thickness being different from the second thickness.
13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a first region of the at least two regions rings a second region of the at least two regions.
14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a first antenna of the plurality of antennas is a near field communication (NFC) antenna and a second antenna of the plurality of antennas is a wireless power transfer (WPT) antenna.
15 . A method for forming a shielding layer, comprising:
forming a first region of the shielding layer that covers a first portion of a substrate, the first region having a first characteristic; and
forming a second region of the shielding layer having a second characteristic that covers a second portion of the substrate, the first portion being different than the second portion.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
forming a gap that separates the first region from the second region.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein a first region rings the second region.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first characteristic of the first region is a first permeability value and the second characteristic of the second region is a second permeability value, the first permeability value being different from the second permeability value.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first characteristic of the first region is a first thickness and the second characteristic of the second region is a second thickness, the first thickness being different from the first thickness.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first region and the second region comprise a ferrite material.