HEARING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR A WIRELESS RECEIVING AND/OR SENDING OF DATA

• US 20090169038A1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Original Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Inventors: Henriksen, Poul, Bodvarsson, Thorvaldur Oil, Knudsen, Ove
• Granted Patent: US 8,300,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0213 Constructional details of earhooks, e.g. shape, material
• 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 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

The present invention is related in particular to means for a wireless communication to and from a hearing device (10) comprising a first portion (12) adapted for being arranged at a user and for providing a signal, an output transducer (18) for converting said signal to an acoustic output and a second portion (14) adapted for being arranged in an ear canal of said user and for providing said acoustic output to said user and further related to a method for a wireless receiving and/or sending of data in a hearing device (10). In order to provide such a hearing device (10) with sufficient characteristics regarding the ability to send and/or receive data in a wireless manner using desired frequencies without a need for additional external antenna solutions or for a size not meeting the current requirements of smallness for hearing devices a hearing device (10) it is proposed, further comprising a coupling element (16) coupling said first portion (12) and said second portion (14), an antenna, and a wireless interface (22) for receiving and/or sending data by means of said antenna, wherein said coupling element (16) comprises an electrically conducting element (24) coupled to said wireless interface (22), wherein said electrically conducting element (24) is at least a part of said antenna. A corresponding method and use of a hearing device is also proposed.

Claims

1. A hearing device (10) comprising:

a first portion (12) adapted for being arranged at a user and for providing a signal,

an output transducer (18) for converting said signal to an acoustic output,

a second portion (14) adapted for being arranged in an ear canal of said user and for providing said acoustic output to said user,

a coupling element (16) coupling said first portion (12) and said second portion (14),

an antenna, and

a wireless interface (22) for receiving and/or sending data by means of said antenna,

wherein said coupling element (16) comprises an electrically conducting element (24) coupled to said wireless interface (22), wherein said electrically conducting element (24) is at least a part of said antenna.

2. The hearing device (10) according to claim 1,

wherein said second portion (14) includes said output transducer (18) and wherein said coupling element (16) is adapted for transmitting said signal to said output transducer (18).

3. The hearing device (10) according to claim 2,

wherein said electrically conducting element (24) is adapted for carrying said signal upon transmission to said output transducer (18).

4. The hearing device (10) according to claim 2,

wherein said coupling element (16) comprises two balanced wires for transmitting said signal to said output transducer (18), wherein said electrically conducting element (24) comprises said wires.

5. The hearing device (10) according to claim 4,

wherein said wireless interface (22) is coupled to said wires via a high-pass filter (124), wherein said wireless interface (22) is coupled to said high-pass filter (124) via a balun (123) and wherein said high-pass filter (124) is coupled to said wires via respective capacitors (126), wherein said first portion (12) includes a low-pass filter (125) in the path of said signal.

6. The hearing device (10) according to claim 5,

wherein said balun (123) comprises a transformer and wherein said high-pass filter (124) comprises a capacitor and an inductance.

7. The hearing device (10) according to claim 2,

wherein said coupling element (16) comprises two wires for transmitting said signal to said output transducer (18) and a shield element for shielding said wires, wherein said electrically conducting element (24) comprises said shield element.

8. The hearing device (10) according to claim 7,

wherein said wireless interface (22) is coupled to said shield element via a high-pass filter (124), wherein said wireless interface (22) is coupled to said high-pass filter (124) via a balun (123), wherein said first portion (12) includes a low-pass filter (125) in the path of said signal.

9. The hearing device (10) according to claim 8,

wherein said balun (123) comprises a transformer and wherein said high-pass filter (124) comprises a capacitor and an inductance.

10. The hearing device (10) according to claim 1,

wherein said first portion (12) includes said output transducer (18) and wherein said coupling element (16) is provided for transmitting said acoustic output to said second portion (14).

11. The hearing device (10) according to claim 10,

wherein said wireless interface (22) is coupled to said electrically conducting element (24) via a balun (123).

12. The hearing device (10) according to claim 10,

wherein said coupling element (16) comprises a tube for transmitting said acoustic output to said second portion (14), in particular a flexible tube.

13. The hearing device (10) according to claim 1,

wherein said wireless interface (22) is adapted for receiving and/or sending data by means of radio frequency signals, in particular by means of electromagnetic radiation in the frequency range of 1 MHz to 1000 GHz, preferably of 1 MHz to 3 GHz, wherein the wireless interface is most preferably adapted for receiving and/or sending data according to a communications standard, in particular according to Blue-tooth.

14. The hearing device (10) according to claim 1,

wherein said first portion (12) is adapted for being arranged behind an ear of said user.

16. Use of a hearing device according to claim 1.

15. A method of wirelessly receiving and/or sending of data in a hearing device (10) comprising a coupling element (16) coupling a first portion (12) and a second portion (14) of said hearing device (10), comprising the steps of:

providing (30) an electrically conducting element (24) in said coupling element (16),

arranging (32) said first portion (12) at a user of said hearing device,

arranging (34) said second portion (14) in an ear canal of said user, and

receiving and/or sending data (36) by means of said electrically conducting element (24).