Antenna for Use in a Wearable Device

• US 20170062913A1
• Filed: 11/11/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Hirsch, Eric Christian, Hviid, Nikolaj
• Granted Patent: US 9,972,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/08 Ferrite rod or like elongated core
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An earpiece includes a housing, a first short range transceiver for far field communication disposed within the housing, and a second short range transceiver for near field communication disposed within the housing. The second short range transceiver for near field communications comprises an antenna formed from a plurality of coil turns. There is a battery disposed within the housing. The earpiece further includes a first generally planar printed circuit board disposed within the housing and a second generally planar printed circuit board disposed within the housing. There is a flexible connector between circuit boards. The battery is positioned between the first generally planar printed circuit board and the second generally planar printed circuit board. The antenna is mounted perpendicularly to the plurality of components mounted on the first generally planar printed circuit board to thereby reduce electromagnetic interference.

Claims

1. An earpiece, comprising:

a housing;

a first short range transceiver for far field communication disposed within the housing;

a second short range transceiver for near field communication disposed within the housing;

wherein the second short range transceiver for near field communications comprises an antenna formed from a plurality of coil turns;

a battery disposed within the housing;

a first generally planar printed circuit board disposed within the housing and having a first plurality of components mounted thereto;

a second generally planar printed circuit board disposed within the housing and having a second plurality of components mounted thereto;

a flexible connector between the first generally planar circuit board and the second generally planar circuit board for providing electrical connections therebetween;

wherein the battery is positioned between the first generally planar printed circuit board and the second generally planar printed circuit board;

wherein the antenna is mounted perpendicularly to the plurality of components mounted on the first generally planar printed circuit board to thereby reduce electromagnetic interference.

2. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the antenna is mounted at a posterosuperior portion of the earpiece device.

3. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the antenna is mounted between the first generally planar printed circuit board and the second generally planar printed circuit board along an edge of the battery.

4. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the plurality of coil turns are wrapped around a ferrite material.

5. The earpiece of claim 4 wherein the ferrite material comprises a sheet of ferrite material.

6. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the plurality of coil turns are wrapped around the battery.

7. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the plurality of coil turns are wrapped around a spacer which is wrapped around the battery.

8. The earpiece of claim 1 further comprising a balanced armature speaker and wherein the plurality of coil turns are wrapped around the balanced armature speaker.

9. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the plurality of coil turns are wrapped around a portion of the housing.

10. The earpiece of claim 9 wherein the housing includes a tip portion and wherein the plurality of coil turns are wrapped around the tip portion of the housing.

11. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the first short range transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver.

12. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the second short range transceiver is a near field magnetic induction (NFMI) transceiver.

13. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the earpiece is a right earpiece.