Hearing aid antenna for high-frequency data communication

• US 10,547,957 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2018
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Elghannai, Ezdeen, Hilde, Karl, Yang, Zhenchao
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thang V
• Application Number:
  US16/144,738
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

Hearing aids having example antennas tuned to transmit and receive signals having a frequency greater than or equal to 2.4 GHz are described. The antenna includes a first segment and a second segment. The first segment is configured to fit inside a housing of the hearing aid and to be within the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into an ear of a wearer. The second segment is configured to be within the housing and disposed near a side of the housing facing toward an outside of the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into the ear of the wearer.

Claims

1. A hearing aid comprising:

a housing configured to fit inside an ear canal;

an antenna within the housing, the antenna comprising;

a first segment configured to fit inside the housing and to be within the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into an ear of a wearer; and

a second segment configured to be within the housing and disposed near a side of the housing facing toward an outside of the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into the ear of the wearer,

wherein the first segment is shorter than the second segment,

wherein the second segment is within a first environment having a first dielectric constant when the hearing aid is inserted in the ear of the wearer, and the first segment is within a second environment having a second dielectric constant that is substantially greater than the first dielectric constant when the hearing aid is inserted in the ear of the wearer, and

wherein the antenna is tuned to transmit and receive signals having a frequency equal to or greater than 2.4 GHz; and

circuitry, within the housing, coupled to the antenna and configured to transmit the signals to the antenna and receive the signals from the antenna.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the first segment is approximately 0.5 cm, and the second segment is approximately 3 cm.

3. The heading aid of claim 1, wherein the first segment is within a range of 0.4 cm and 0.6 cm, and the second segment is within a range of 2 cm and 4 cm.

4. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the first segment is configured in a helix shape such that an impedance of the antenna is closer to an impedance of the circuitry coupled to the antenna as compared to if the first segment had a linear shape.

5. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the second segment is configured to curve around an internal perimeter of the housing.

6. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the first segment is substantially orthogonal to the second segment.

7. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the second segment is configured in a shape comprising one of a circular shape, a spiral shape, or a serpentine shape.

8. The hearing aid of claim 1, further comprising a battery positioned inside the housing in a manner to reflect signals transmitted from the antenna.

9. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the antenna of the hearing-aid is configured to transmit and receive signals having a frequency within a frequency band of 2.4 to 2.483 GHz.

10. A method of manufacturing a hearing aid, the method comprising:

forming a first segment of an antenna of the hearing aid to fit inside a housing of the hearing aid and to be within an ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into an ear of a wearer;

forming a second segment of the antenna of the hearing aid to be within the housing and disposed near a side of the housing facing toward an outside of the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into the ear of the wearer,

wherein forming the second segment comprises forming the second segment such that the second segment is within a first environment having a first dielectric constant when the hearing aid is inserted in the ear of the wearer, and forming the first segment comprises forming the first segment such that the first segment is within a second environment having a second dielectric constant that is substantially greater than the first dielectric constant when the hearing aid is inserted in the ear of the wearer,

wherein the first segment is shorter than the second segment, and

wherein the antenna is tuned to transmit and receive signals having a frequency equal to or greater than 2.4 GHz; and

coupling the antenna to circuitry within the housing that is configured to transmit the signals to the antenna and receive the signals from the antenna.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein forming the first segment comprises forming the first segment to be approximately 0.5 cm, and wherein forming the second segment comprises forming the second segment to be approximately 3 cm.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein forming the first segment comprises forming the first segment to be within a range of 0.4 cm and 0.6 cm, and wherein forming the second segment comprises forming the second segment to be within a range of 2 cm and 4 cm.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein forming the first segment comprises forming the first segment in a helix shape such that an impedance of the antenna is closer to an impedance of the circuitry coupled to the antenna as compared to if the first segment had a linear shape.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein forming the second segment comprises curving the second segment around an internal perimeter of the housing.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein forming the first segment comprises forming the first segment to be substantially orthogonal to the second segment.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein forming the second segment comprises forming the second segment to have a shape comprising one of a circular shape, a spiral shape, or a serpentine shape.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning a battery inside the housing in a manner to reflect signals transmitted from the antenna.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the antenna of the hearing aid is configured to transmit and receive signals having a frequency within a frequency band of 2.4 to 2.483 GHz.

19. A hearing aid comprising:

a housing configured to fit inside an ear canal;

an antenna within the housing, the antenna comprising;

a first segment configured to fit inside the housing and to be within the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into an ear of a wearer; and

a second segment configured to be within the housing and disposed near a side of the housing facing toward an outside of the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into the ear of the wearer,

wherein the first segment is shorter than the second segment, and

wherein the antenna is tuned to transmit and receive signals having a frequency equal to or greater than 2.4 GHz; and

circuitry, within the housing, coupled to the antenna and configured to transmit the signals to the antenna and receive the signals from the antenna,

wherein the first segment is configured in a helix shape such that an impedance of the antenna is closer to an impedance of the circuitry coupled to the antenna as compared to if the first segment had a linear shape.