Apple Inc.
Antennas in patterned conductive layers

Abstract:

An electronic device may include a substrate and a conductive layer on the substrate. The conductive layer may be patterned to form a first region and a second region that surrounds and defines the shape of the first region. The first region may be formed from a continuous portion of the conductive layer. The second region may include a grid of openings that divides the conductive layer into an array of patches. The first region may form an antenna resonating element for an antenna. The second region may block antenna currents from the antenna resonating element and may be transparent to radio-frequency electromagnetic waves. The openings may have a width that is too narrow to be discerned by the human eye. This may configure the first and second regions to appear as a single continuous conductive layer despite the fact that an antenna resonating element is formed therein.