Antenna for wireless communications integrated in electronic device
An apparatus includes a housing and a circuit including an inductor and at least one capacitor in electrical communication with the inductor. The circuit has a resonance frequency and bounds a non-electrically-conductive region of the housing. The circuit is configured to be operable as an antenna.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a slab-shaped portion of a housing, the slab-shaped portion comprising a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and an electrically conductive material between the first surface and the second surface;
a region within the slab-shaped portion between the first surface and the second surface and bordered by the electrically conductive material;
a dielectric material within the region; and
at least one capacitor extending along a periphery of the dielectric material, the at least one capacitor in electrical communication with the electrically conductive material to form a circuit having a resonance frequency and configured to be operable as an antenna.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises an electronic device selected from the group consisting of: a medical device, an auditory prosthesis, a hearing aid, a cochlear implant system, a component of an auditory prosthesis, a sound processor of an auditory prosthesis, an actuator of an auditory prosthesis, a magnetic coupler of an auditory prosthesis, a microphone of an auditory prosthesis, a battery, and a rechargeable battery.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the region comprises a cavity substantially circumscribed by the electrically conductive material and comprising an opening at a surface of the electrically conductive material, the at least one capacitor extending across the opening.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the resonance frequency is in a range between 2 GHz and 6 GHz.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller spaced from the circuit, the controller configured to wirelessly transmit electromagnetic signals to the circuit, to receive wirelessly transmitted electromagnetic signals from the circuit, or both.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the slab-shaped portion is planar and the region is planar and coplanar with the slab-shaped portion.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, during operation of the apparatus, the electrically conductive material is at an electrical reference voltage of the apparatus.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of: air, ceramic, plastic, and polymer.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the region extends to the first surface and to the second surface.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the region extends to the first surface and not to the second surface.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the region does not extend to the first surface and does not extend to the second surface.