US 8362960

Here's a concise summary of US Patent 8,362,960:

Title: Handheld device with two antennas, and method of enhancing the isolation between the antennas

Assignee: Fractus SA

Inventors: Josep Mumbru, Jaume Anguera, Jordi Soler, Carles Puente

Filing Date: 2011-12-30

Issue Date: 2013-01-29

Abstract: The invention relates to a handheld device comprising a first antenna (401, 701, 901, 931, 961, 1101, 1151, 1301, 1501) arranged to operate in at least a first frequency band, and a second antenna (402, 702, 902, 1102, 1302, 1502, 2210) arranged to operate in at least a second frequency band, wherein said second frequency band is different from said first frequency band. According to the invention, the second antenna comprises a slot antenna comprising at least one slot in at least one conductive layer. The invention also relates to enhancement of the isolation between first and second antennas in a handheld device.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

The patent includes four independent claims: Claims 1, 15, 20, and 23.

• Claim 1 (Device Claim): This claim describes a handheld device containing two antennas. The first antenna operates in a first frequency band, and the second antenna operates in a different second frequency band. Crucially, the second antenna is a slot antenna, which means it uses at least one slot cut into a conductive material. Furthermore, to improve isolation between the two antennas, the second antenna (the slot antenna) is positioned on the device's printed circuit board (PCB) so that it is largely parallel to the electric currents generated on the PCB by the first antenna.
• Claim 15 (Method Claim): This claim outlines a method for enhancing the isolation between a first antenna and a second antenna within a handheld device. The method involves modifying a geometrical feature of the first antenna (e.g., a slot or a metal strip) to shift its associated resonance frequency away from the operating band of the second antenna. This modification aims to reduce strong electromagnetic coupling between the two antennas.
• Claim 20 (Method Claim): This claim details another method for improving isolation between antennas in a handheld device. This method focuses on altering the geometry of the PCB itself. It involves introducing a feature on the PCB, such as a slot or a conductive strip shorted to the PCB's ground plane, which is designed to increase isolation at a specific frequency or across a frequency band.
• Claim 23 (Device Claim): This claim describes a handheld device with two antennas and an additional, separate conductive strip, referred to as a parasitic element. The first antenna is for mobile communications, and the second antenna is a slot antenna for wireless connectivity. The parasitic element is located near both antennas but is not electrically connected to the PCB's ground plane. Its unfolded length is approximately half of an operating wavelength at a frequency where isolation needs improvement, and it functions as a shield to reduce electromagnetic radiation coupling between the two antennas.

CAFC 2026 Docket Search:
A search of CAFC 2026 dockets for US patent 8362960 did not return any specific docket entries directly referencing this patent within the specified timeframe. The search results provided general updates on Federal Circuit activities in 2026 but did not mention any cases involving US8362960.