This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 102143806, filed on Nov. 29, 2013. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a docking station and more particularly to a docking station equipped with an antenna.
2. Description of Related Art
With the progress of science and technology, mass communications have been gradually changed to wireless communications. For instance, wireless communications are applicable to handheld electronic devices including smart phones and tablet PCs capable of performing the wireless Internet access function.
The smart phones are often characterized by small volume and light weight, so that they can be carried around with ease. Since the small smart phones are not able to provide users with large display screens and operating interfaces, docking stations that may be employed together with the smart phones have been developed. The users may set the smart phones onto the docking stations whereby the users may be provided with large display screens and operating interfaces (e.g., keyboards). However, when the smart phones are configured onto the docking stations, the antennas of the smart phones may be covered by the casings of docking stations, such that the signal receiving and transmitting capabilities of the smart phones may be reduced. Accordingly, how to guarantee the satisfactory signal receiving and transmitting capabilities of the smart phones configured on the docking stations is crucial to the design of the docking stations.
The invention is directed to a docking station that allows an electronic device configured onto the docking station to have favorable signal receiving and transmitting capabilities.
In an embodiment of the invention, a docking station that includes a first casing, a second casing, and a signal transmitting/receiving unit is provided. The first casing has a first antenna. The second casing is connected to the first casing and has a cavity, and the cavity is adapted to hold an electronic device. The signal transmitting/receiving unit is disposed at a bottom of the cavity and electrically connected to the first antenna. When the electronic device is held in the cavity, the electronic device receives and transmits wireless signals by the first antenna through the signal transmitting/receiving unit.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the docking station further includes a display screen and a keyboard. The display screen is disposed at the first casing, and the keyboard is disposed at the second casing.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the docking station further includes a hinge, and the first casing is pivoted to the second casing through the hinge.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the signal transmitting/receiving unit is a metal sheet that is shaped as an antenna.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the signal transmitting/receiving unit is a circuit board, and the circuit board has a metal layer that is shaped as an antenna.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the signal transmitting/receiving unit is covered by the second casing.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the signal transmitting/receiving unit is exposed by the second casing.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the signal transmitting/receiving unit is electrically connected to the first antenna through a signal line.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the docking station includes a signal booster located between the signal transmitting/receiving unit and the first antenna and connected to the signal transmitting/receiving unit and the first antenna through a signal line.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the electronic device has a second antenna, and when the electronic device is held in the cavity, the signal transmitting/receiving unit and the second antenna are coupled to each other.
According to an embodiment of the invention, when the electronic device moves away from the cavity, the first antenna neither receives nor transmits the wireless signals.
In light of the foregoing, the docking station described herein has the signal transmitting/receiving unit at the bottom of the cavity of the second casing, and the first casing of the docking station has the first antenna. The signal transmitting/receiving unit is electrically connected to the first antenna. Accordingly, if the user places the electronic device in the cavity of the second casing, the signal transmitting/receiving unit at the bottom of the cavity is adjacent to the electronic device, such that the electronic device is capable of receiving and transmitting the wireless signals by the first antenna of the docking station through the signal transmitting/receiving unit. As a result, the signal receiving and transmitting capabilities of the electronic device may be improved.
In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.
According to the above configuration, the docking station 100 described herein has the signal transmitting/receiving unit 130 at the bottom of the cavity 122 of the second casing 120, and the first casing 110 of the docking station 100 has the first antenna 112. The signal transmitting/receiving unit 130 is electrically connected to the first antenna 112. Accordingly, if a user places the electronic device 50 in the cavity 122 of the second casing 120, the signal transmitting/receiving unit 130 at the bottom of the cavity 122 is adjacent to the electronic device 50, such that the electronic device 50 is capable of receiving and transmitting the wireless signals by the first antenna 112 of the docking station 100 through the signal transmitting/receiving unit 130. As a result, the signal receiving and transmitting capabilities of the electronic device 50 may be improved.
The electronic device 50 described in the present embodiment receives and transmits signals by way of coupling through the signal transmitting/receiving unit 130, for instance. Specifically, the electronic device 50 has a second antenna 52. When the electronic device 50 is held in the cavity 122 of the second casing 120, the signal transmitting/receiving unit 130 and the second antenna 52 of the electronic device 50 are electrically connected through coupling. The second antenna 52 of the electronic device 50 receives signals from the signal transmitting/receiving unit 130 or transmits signals to the signal transmitting/receiving unit 130 through wireless connection. The position of the second antenna 52 shown in
With reference to
In the present embodiment, the docking station 100 includes a display screen 150 and a keyboard 160. The display screen 150 is disposed at the first casing 110, and the keyboard 160 is disposed at the second casing 120. When the electronic device 50 is configured at the docking station 100, as shown in
According to the present embodiment, the docking station 100 further includes a hinge 170, and the first casing 110 is pivoted to the second casing 120 through the hinge 170, for instance. Thereby, the first casing 110 and the second casing 120 may be unfolded (as shown in
The signal transmitting/receiving unit 130 described in the present embodiment is a metal sheet, for instance, and the metal sheet is shaped as an antenna, such that the metal sheet is adapted for receiving and transmitting wireless signals corresponding to certain bandwidths of the first and second antennas 112 and 52. However, the invention is not limited thereto; in another embodiment, the signal transmitting/receiving unit 130 may be a circuit board that has a metal layer, and the metal layer is shaped as an antenna, such that the metal layer is adapted for receiving and transmitting wireless signals corresponding to certain bandwidths of the first and second antennas 112 and 52.
As shown in
To sum up, the docking station described herein has the signal transmitting/receiving unit at the bottom of the cavity of the second casing, and the first casing of the docking station has the first antenna. The signal transmitting/receiving unit is electrically connected to the first antenna. Accordingly, if the user places the electronic device in the cavity of the second casing, the signal transmitting/receiving unit at the bottom of the cavity is adjacent to the electronic device, such that the electronic device is capable of receiving and transmitting the wireless signals by the first antenna of the docking station through the signal transmitting/receiving unit. As a result, the signal receiving and transmitting capabilities of the electronic device may be improved.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102143806 | Nov 2013 | TW | national |