US 11495875

US patent 11495875, titled "Smartphone antenna in flexible PCB," was issued on November 8, 2022, from an application filed on July 13, 2022 (Application number US17/864,078). The original assignee and current assignee is AQ Corp (though a reassignment to WYE IP CAPITAL LLC via a patent security agreement is noted as of September 29, 2025). The inventors are Sang Hoon Lee, Kyoung Jun CHOI, and Sae Rom LEE.

Abstract:
The patent describes a smartphone antenna module designed for use in a smartphone. It comprises a flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and a magnetic sheet. The flexible PCB includes a first coil, a second coil, and a third coil. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the major surface of the PCB, the first and third coils are arranged side-by-side, and the second coil surrounds both the first and third coils. The flexible PCB has a first core area surrounded by the first coil and a second core area surrounded by the third coil, with a through-hole formed in the first core area. The magnetic sheet includes a first sheet portion, a second sheet portion, and an intermediate portion connecting them. The flexible PCB and magnetic sheet are integrated such that the first sheet portion is placed over a first PCB section and overlaps a coil portion of the first coil. The second sheet portion is placed under a second PCB section, overlapping coil portions of both the first and third coils. At least part of the intermediate portion passes through the first through-hole. The second sheet portion is also placed under a third PCB section, overlapping a coil portion of the third coil.

Independent Claims Overview:

The patent includes multiple independent claims covering various configurations of the smartphone antenna module and a smartphone incorporating it. The primary independent claims focus on the arrangement of coils on a flexible PCB in conjunction with a magnetic sheet.

• Claim 1 (Smartphone Antenna Module): This claim describes a smartphone antenna module featuring a flexible PCB and a magnetic sheet. The flexible PCB contains first, second, and third coils. The first and third coils are side-by-side, and the second coil encircles both. There's a first core area (surrounded by the first coil) with a through-hole, and a second core area (surrounded by the third coil). The PCB is divided into first, second (intermediate), and third sections. The magnetic sheet has a first portion, a second portion, and an intermediate part connecting them. The first sheet portion is over the first PCB section and overlaps part of the first coil. The second sheet portion is under the second PCB section, overlapping parts of both the first and third coils. At least part of the magnetic sheet's intermediate portion passes through the first through-hole. Finally, the second sheet portion also extends under the third PCB section, overlapping part of the third coil.

• Claim 17 (Smartphone): This claim describes a smartphone that includes a display module, the smartphone antenna module as defined in claim 1, and a non-magnetic rear wall. The magnetic sheet of the antenna module is arranged generally parallel to the rear wall. It specifies that the first sheet portion and at least part of the third sheet portion (implied from the second sheet portion covering part of the third coil in Claim 1) are positioned between the rear wall and the first PCB section, while at least part of the second PCB section is interposed between the rear wall and the second sheet portion.

• Claim 18 (Smartphone Antenna Module - Alternative Configuration): This independent claim presents another smartphone antenna module. It features a flexible PCB with a through-hole, a first coil antenna surrounding the through-hole, and a second coil antenna surrounding the first coil antenna and the through-hole. Crucially, it states that there is no electrical connection between the first and second coil antennas within the flexible PCB. A magnetic sheet is included, featuring a base portion and a head portion extending from an edge of the base portion. The head portion is sized to pass through the through-hole, and the base portion is wider than the through-hole. When assembled, the head portion is placed over a first PCB section and overlaps a first coil portion of the first coil antenna, while the base portion is placed under a second PCB section and overlaps a second coil portion of the first coil antenna. The base portion also overlaps a first coil portion of the second coil antenna.

• Claim 26 (Smartphone - Alternative Configuration): Similar to Claim 17, this claim describes a smartphone incorporating the antenna module of claim 18. It includes a display module, the antenna module, and a non-magnetic rear wall. The magnetic sheet is parallel to the rear wall, with the first magnetic sheet portion interposed between the rear wall and the first PCB section. At least part of the second PCB section is interposed between the rear wall and the second magnetic sheet portion.

• Claim 27 (Smartphone Antenna Module - Distinct Coil Relationships): This independent claim defines a smartphone antenna module with a flexible PCB and a magnetic sheet. The flexible PCB has a through-hole and includes first, second, and third coils. The first coil surrounds the through-hole, the third coil is distinct from the first coil, and the second coil surrounds both the first and third coils. The claim specifies that the second coil segment of the second coil comprises lines generally perpendicular to an axis, with a first line and a second line located inside the first line. The second line crosses the third coil when viewed in the thickness direction of the flexible PCB, while the first line does not, so the entire third coil is located between the second line and the second segment of the first coil.

• Claim 34 (Smartphone Antenna Module - Magnetic Sheet Shape and Coil Overlap): This claim details a smartphone antenna module with a flexible PCB having a through-hole and first, second, and third coils. The magnetic sheet has a head portion, a neck portion, and a base portion. The head portion has a first width, the neck portion has a width smaller than the head and base portions, and the base portion has a width greater than the neck portion. The first coil has a first coil segment in a first PCB section that overlaps the head portion, and a second coil segment in a second PCB section that overlaps the base portion. The second coil has a first coil segment in the first PCB section that overlaps the head portion, and a second coil segment in the second PCB section that overlaps the base portion. The third coil is located between the second segment of the first coil and the second segment of the second coil, and the second coil completely surrounds the third coil.

Litigation:
The patent 11495875 is currently active and is involved in litigation. A PTAB case, IPR2026-00232, was filed and is pending. Additionally, a US case (2:25-cv-01012) was filed in the Texas Eastern District Court. The first worldwide family litigation for this patent has also been filed.

Uncertainty:
The specific details of the pending IPR and District Court litigation (e.g., parties involved, asserted claims) are not directly available from the provided search results beyond the case numbers. The CAFC docket searches did not return specific entries for this patent number within the 2026 timeframe, which could mean the listed cases have not yet reached the CAFC, are under seal, or were simply not explicitly matched in the general CAFC search results provided. I have relied on the "Legal status" section of the Google Patents page for US11495875B1 for the litigation information.