Method and apparatus for improving hearing aid antenna efficiency

• US 9,628,924 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Bauman, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Etesam, Amir
• Application Number:
  US14/248,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20150296311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 381315
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/10 using reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A hearing assistance system includes one or more hearing aids capable of wireless communication and an antenna assembly external to the one or more hearing aids for improving performance of the wireless communication. In various embodiments, the antenna assembly includes one or more fabric patches configured to be worn by a hearing aid user to function as an antenna or an antenna reflector. In various embodiments, the one or more fabric patches are integrated with a garment worn by the hearing aid user.

Claims

1. A hearing assistance system for delivering sound to a user wearing a garment, comprising:

a first hearing aid configured to be worn by the user, the first hearing aid including;

a first hearing aid circuit including a first communication circuit including a first antenna and configured to perform wireless communication, a first microphone, a first receiver, and a first processing circuit coupled to the first microphone, the first receiver, and the first communication circuit; and

a first hearing aid shell housing the first hearing aid circuit; and

a wearable antenna assembly external to the first hearing aid shell, the wearable antenna assembly including one or more conductive fabric patches configured to be worn by the user and function as an antenna reflector configured to redirect signals of the wireless communication for improving efficiency of the first antenna.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable antenna assembly is configured to be integrated with the garment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more conductive fabric patches comprise:

one or more fabric substrates; and

the antenna reflector including one or more reflector components integrated into the one or more fabric substrates.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the wearable antenna assembly is configured for each of the one or more reflector components to be located within approximately one half of a carrier wavelength of the wireless communication from the first hearing aid antenna when the hearing aid and the wearable antenna assembly are being worn by the user.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second hearing aid configured to be worn by the user, the second hearing aid including:

a second hearing aid circuit including a second communication circuit to perform wireless communication with at least the first communication circuit, a second microphone, a second receiver, and a second processing circuit coupled to the second microphone, the second receiver, and the second communication circuit; and

a second hearing aid shell to house the second hearing aid circuit, and wherein the wearable antenna assembly is external to the first and second hearing aid shells and configured to be coupled to the first and second communication circuits and to be worn by the user in a manner enhancing performance of the wireless communication between the first and second hearing aids.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more conductive fabric patches are formed by interweaving an electrically conductive material with a non-conductive material.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more conductive fabric patches are formed by conductive inks, dyes or residues embedded into the one or more fabric substrates.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more conductive fabric patches are attached to fabric in the garment.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more conductive fabric patches each comprise a conductive metal surrounded by fabric and molded or bent around the contour of a portion of the body of the user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more conductive fabric patches each comprise an insulator, and the conductive metal is surrounded by the insulator.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable antenna assembly is configured to be attached to the garment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wearable antenna assembly is attached to a surface of the garment that is invisible when the garment is worn by the wearer.

17. The system of claim 6, wherein the garment comprises a cap or hat, and the wearable antenna assembly comprises the antenna reflector integrated with the cap or hat.

5. A hearing assistance system for delivering sound to a user wearing a garment, comprising:

a first hearing aid configured to be worn by the user, the first hearing aid including;

a first hearing aid circuit including a first communication circuit configured to perform wireless communication, a first microphone, a first receiver, and a first processing circuit coupled to the first microphone, the first receiver, and the first communication circuit; and

a first hearing aid shell housing the first hearing aid circuit;

a wearable antenna assembly external to the first hearing aid shell and integrated with the garment, the wearable antenna assembly configured to be coupled to the first communication circuit and including one or more conductive fabric patches configured to be worn by the user and function as an antenna for the first communication circuit to perform the wireless communication, wherein the one or more conductive patches include one or more fabric substrates and the antenna including one or more antenna components integrated into the one or more fabric substrates; and

a cable configured to detachably connect the antenna to the first hearing aid.

23. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more conductive fabric patches are formed by interweaving an electrically conductive material with a non-conductive material.

24. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more conductive fabric patches are formed by electrically conductive inks, dyes or residues embedded into the one or more fabric substrates.

25. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more conductive fabric patches are formed by affixing electrically conductive material onto the one or more fabric substrates.

12. A hearing assistance system for delivering sound to a user wearing a garment, comprising:

a pair of hearing aids configured to be worn by the user, the hearing aids each including;

a hearing aid circuit including a communication circuit configured to perform wireless communication, a microphone, a receiver, and a processing circuit coupled to the microphone, the receiver, and the communication circuit, the communication circuit including an antenna; and

a hearing aid shell housing the hearing aid circuit; and

a wearable antenna assembly external to the one or more hearing aids, the wearable antenna assembly configured to be worn by the user, the wearable antenna assembly including an antenna reflector configured to redirect signals to be received by the antenna of the communication circuit of each of the hearing aids, wherein the wearable antenna assembly comprises;

one or more fabric substrates; and

one or more reflector components of the antenna reflector integrated into the one or more fabric substrates, wherein the wearable antenna assembly is configured for each of the one or more reflector components to be located within a approximately one half of a carrier wavelength of the wireless communication from the antenna of the communication circuit of each of the one or more hearing aids when the one or more hearing aids and the wearable antenna assembly are being worn by the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the wearable antenna assembly is integrated into the garment.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the wearable antenna assembly is configured to be detachably attached to the garment.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more reflector components are formed by interweaving an electrically conductive material with a non-conductive material.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more reflector components are formed by conductive inks, dyes or residues embedded into the one or more fabric substrates.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more reflector components are attached to fabric in the garment.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more reflector components each comprise a conductive metal surrounded by fabric and molded or bent around the contour of a portion of the body of the user.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more reflector components each comprise an insulator, and the conductive metal is surrounded by the insulator.