ANTENNA USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CONDUCTORS FOR AN AUDIO TRANSDUCER

• US 20170150279A1
• Filed: 12/05/2016
• Published: 05/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Solum, Jeffrey Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,798,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/021 Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0216 BTE hearing aids having a receiver in the ear mould
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A hearing assistance device to provide sound to the ear of a user, the device comprising a housing, hearing assistance electronics enclosed in the housing, an acoustic transducer adapted to be worn in the ear, a cable assembly adapted to connect the acoustic transducer to the hearing assistance electronics, a wireless communications receiver connected to the hearing assistance electronics, and an antenna comprising one or more conductors forming at least a portion of the cable assembly.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A hearing device, comprising:

hearing electronics in a housing of the device;

an acoustic transducer electrically coupled to the hearing electronics using at least two conductors; and

wireless communication electronics in the housing, the wireless communication electronics having a first electrical connection to the hearing electronics and a second electrical connection to the hearing electronics, wherein the second electrical connection includes a connection to one or more of the at least two conductors, and wherein the one or more conductors are configured to be dedicated for use as an antenna for wireless communication.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the antenna includes a monopole antenna.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the antenna includes a dipole antenna.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the antenna includes a patch antenna.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the antenna includes a loop antenna.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the antenna includes a wave guide antenna.

8. The device of claim 2, wherein the housing is configured to be worn on the ear of a user.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the housing includes an on-the-ear (OTE) housing.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the housing includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) housing.

11. A method, comprising:

coupling an acoustic transducer to hearing electronics using at least two conductors;

coupling wireless communication electronics to the hearing electronics using a first connection without using the at least two conductors;

coupling the wireless communication electronics to one or more of the at least two conductors using a second connection; and

transmitting or receiving wireless communications using the one or more conductors as a dedicated antenna.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the hearing electronics and the wireless communication electronics are included in a first housing.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication electronics include a tuning circuit for electrically matching the antenna with the wireless communication electronics.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the antenna includes a tuning component for electrically matching the antenna with the wireless communication electronics.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the acoustic transducer is included in a second housing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second housing includes an earmold.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second housing includes an in-the-ear (ITE) housing.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second housing includes an in-the-canal (ITC) housing.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second housing includes a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) housing.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second housing is an earbud.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least two conductors are included in a cable assembly configured to be connected to the first housing and the second housing.