Antenna system for a hearing aid

• US 9,729,979 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: zden, Sinasi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, RYAN C
• Application Number:
  US13/271,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20120087506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: 381315, 343718
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/021 Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

A hearing aid includes a hearing aid assembly having an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field, a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna, and a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user, whereby the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna propagates along a surface of a head of the user with its electrical field substantially orthogonal to the surface of the head of the user.

Claims

1. A hearing aid, comprising:

an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;

a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and

a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna is inside the housing;

wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and

wherein the antenna is a passively excited antenna.

2. A hearing aid, comprising:

an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;

a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and

a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna is inside the housing;

wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and

wherein the antenna further comprises a parasitic antenna element.

3. The hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein the first section of the antenna is actively excited.

4. The hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein the hearing aid further comprises a primary antenna element.

5. The hearing aid according to claim 4, wherein the primary antenna element and the parasitic antenna element are positioned on opposite sides of the hearing aid.

6. The hearing aid according to claim 4, wherein the first section forms a ground potential plane for the primary antenna and the parasitic antenna element.

7. The hearing aid according to claim 4, wherein an excitation point for the parasitic antenna element is opposite to an excitation point for the primary antenna element.

8. The hearing aid according to claim 4, wherein the primary antenna element and the parasitic antenna element have a same length.

9. The hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein the antenna has a total length that is at least a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field, or longer.

10. The hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein the parasitic antenna element comprises a patch geometry, a rod geometry, a monopole geometry, a meander line geometry, or any combination thereof.

11. The hearing aid of claim 2, wherein the antenna is completely surrounded by the housing.

12. A hearing aid, comprising:

an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;

a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and

a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna is inside the housing;

wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and

wherein the current of the antenna has its maximum amplitude in the first section during emission of the electromagnetic field.

13. The hearing aid according to claim 12, wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is at least 1 GHz.

14. The hearing aid according to claim 12, wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is between 1.5 GHz and 3 GHz.

15. The hearing aid according to claim 12, wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is 2.4 GHz.

16. The hearing aid according to claim 12, wherein an electrical field associated with an operation of the hearing aid is substantially orthogonal to a surface of a head of the user when the hearing aid is at an intended operational position with respect to the user.

17. The hearing aid according to claim 12, wherein the first section extends in a direction that forms an angle with the ear-to-ear axis of the user when the hearing aid is at an intended operational position with respect to the user, the angle being anywhere between −

18° and

18°

.

18. The hearing aid according to claim 12, wherein the antenna has a total length that is more than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field.

19. The hearing aid according to claim 12, wherein the antenna has a total length that is less than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field.

20. The hearing aid of claim 12, wherein the antenna is fixedly coupled to the transceiver.

21. The hearing aid of claim 12, wherein the antenna is completely surrounded by the housing.

22. A hearing aid, comprising:

an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;

a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and

a housing for accommodation of the antenna;

wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and

wherein the antenna further comprises a parasitic antenna element, and the parasitic antenna element comprises an antenna shortening component.

23. The hearing aid according to claim 22, wherein the antenna shortening component comprises a serial inductor.

24. A hearing aid, comprising:

an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;

a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and

a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna is inside the housing;

wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and

wherein the antenna comprises a second section, wherein a magnitude of the current in the first section is larger than a magnitude of a current in the second section.

25. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the first section is a first linear section that is positioned with a longitudinal direction substantially in parallel with the ear-to-ear axis of the user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user.

26. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the first section is accommodated in the housing with its longitudinal direction along a width of the housing.

27. A binaural hearing aid system comprising at least one hearing aid according to claim 24.

28. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is at least 1 GHz.

29. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is between 1.5 GHz and 3 GHz.

30. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is 2.4 GHz.

31. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the antenna comprises a monopole antenna.

32. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the electromagnetic field has an associated electrical field that is substantially orthogonal to a surface of a head of the user.

33. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the first section extends in a direction that forms an angle with the ear-to-ear axis of the user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user, the angle being anywhere between −

18° and

18°

.

34. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna propagates along a surface of a head of the user.

35. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the antenna has a total length that is more than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field.

36. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein the antenna has a total length that is less than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field.

37. The hearing aid according to claim 24, wherein at least a majority of the antenna is inside the housing.

38. The hearing aid of claim 24, wherein the antenna is fixedly coupled to the transceiver.

39. A device configured to be worn at a head of a user, comprising:

a structure to be worn at the head of the user, the structure comprising a hearing aid housing of a hearing aid;

an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field, the antenna located underneath an exterior wall of the hearing aid housing; and

a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna and located inside the hearing aid housing;

wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length being between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction substantially orthogonal to a body of a user when the antenna system is worn in its operational position by the user; and

wherein the antenna comprises a second section, wherein a magnitude of the current in the first section is larger than a magnitude of a current in the second section.

40. The device according to claim 39, wherein the antenna comprises a monopole antenna.

41. The device according to claim 39, wherein the electromagnetic field has an associated electrical field that is substantially orthogonal to a surface of a head of the user when the hearing aid is at an intended operational position with respect to the user.

42. The device according to claim 39, wherein the antenna has a total length that is at least a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field, or longer.

43. The device according to claim 39, wherein the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna propagates along a surface of a head of the user.