Hearing aid with antenna for reception and transmission of electromagnetic signals

• US 7,742,614 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Original Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Inventors: Christensen, Kare T., Knudsen, Ove
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elbin; Jesse A
• Application Number:
  US10/589,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20080056520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,952 Days
• Field of Search: 381/314, 381/315, 381/322, 381/324, 381/331, 343/718, 343/842, 320/108, 455/41.2, 455/575.5
• US Class Current: 381/324
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• 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 9/27 Spiral antennas
• 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 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/49 Reducing the effects of electromagnetic noise on the functioning of hearing aids, by, e.g. shielding, signal processing adaptation, selective (de)activation of electronic parts in hearing aid
• 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 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603

Abstract

The invention regards a communication device which is adapted for placement in a users ear. The communication device comprises a shell part enclosing an input transducer for receiving an input signal, a signal processing device and an output transducer for providing a signal perceivable as sound, a battery located at a surface part of the shell which is facing away from the head of the user, a transmission and reception circuit for transmission and/or reception of electromagnetic energy. According to the invention an antenna for radiating and/or receiving electromagnetic energy is provided such that it has a first surface turned towards the surroundings and a second surface located in close proximity of the battery.

Claims

1. Communication device adapted for placement in a users ear, the device comprising:

a custom-made shell part enclosing an input transducer for receiving an input signal,

a signal processing device and an output transducer for providing a signal perceivable as sound,

a battery located at a surface part of the shell which is facing away from the head of the user, and

a transmission and reception circuit for transmission and/or reception of electromagnetic energy, the transmission and reception circuit including a planar antenna for radiating and/or receiving electromagnetic energy, the antenna being disposed in relation to the battery such that the antenna has a first surface facing away from the battery and a second surface facing towards the battery, the antenna and battery further being situated in close proximity to each other such that the battery is an electromagnetic shield between the antenna and other parts of the communication device circuitry, thereby preventing the antenna from becoming de-tuned as a result of variations in the position of the other circuitry in the device, and also such that the battery is a ground plane for the antenna.

2. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna is tuned to radiate and/or receive electromagnetic energy in the frequency range of 50 MHz to 50 GHz.

3. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna is shaped as a part of a flexprint.

4. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna is embedded in a face plate and/or battery drawer.

5. Communication device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the antenna is a metal part.

6. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna is manufactured by deposition of metal material on surface parts of a faceplate and/or battery drawer.

7. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna covers a surface area of the shell which is wider than the projection of the battery onto a faceplate surface.

8. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna is also a charging loop for the battery.

9. A method of shielding a planar antenna in a hearing aid from de-tuning or electromagnetic noise effects caused by other components in the hearing aid, the method comprising:

preventing the planar antenna from becoming de-tuned as a result of the position of other hearing aid circuitry located inside said hearing aid by disposing the planar antenna, which is part of a transmission and reception circuit, in close proximity to a battery situated inside the hearing aid such that the planar antenna has one surface facing in a sound-gathering direction of the heading aid and an opposite surface facing towards the battery, said preventing including electromagnetically shielding the planar antenna with respect to the other hearing aid components and arranging the battery as a ground plane for the antenna.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the antenna is tuned to radiate and/or receive electromagnetic energy in the frequency range of 50 MHz to 50 GHz.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising shaping the antenna as a part of a flexprint.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising embedding the antenna in a face plate and/or battery drawer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the antenna is a metal part.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising manufacturing the antenna by depositing metal material on surface parts of a faceplate and/or battery drawer.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising positioning the antenna such that it covers a surface area of a shell of the hearing aid which is wider than the projection of the battery onto a faceplate surface.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the antenna as a charging loop for the battery.