Hearing aid with an antenna

• US 9,883,295 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2013
• 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: Akdeniz, Birol, Steffens, Jens Henrik
• Primary Examiner(s): EASON, MATTHEW A
• Application Number:
  US14/199,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20150131829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• 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 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A hearing aid includes: a signal processor; a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point; wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point; and wherein the antenna has a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency.

Claims

1. A hearing aid comprising:

a signal processor;

a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and

an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point;

wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point;

wherein at least a part of the first branch extends in a first direction that corresponds with a longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the second branch has a first portion extending in a second direction that corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid, and a second portion forming an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the first branch of the antenna has a first antenna end, and the second branch of the antenna has a second antenna end;

wherein the first branch has a first length d1 measured along a profile of the first branch from the excitation point to the first antenna end;

wherein the second branch has a second length d2 measured along a profile of the second branch from the excitation point to the second antenna end; and

wherein d1 and d2 satisfy the below criteria;

d2>

d1, and 0<

|(d1−

d2)/d2|<

0.25; and

wherein the first antenna end has a zero current during an operation of the antenna.

2. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the first length is at least λ

/4 and/or wherein the second length is at least λ

/4.

3. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the first branch forms a loop and/or the second branch forms a loop.

4. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is a part of an assembly, and wherein the first portion and the second portion of the second branch forms at least a part of the second branch that extends from a first side of the assembly to a second side of the assembly.

5. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is a part of an assembly, and wherein the at least a part of the first branch extends along a first side of the assembly.

6. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is a part of an assembly, wherein the hearing aid is a behind-the-ear hearing aid configured to be positioned behind an ear of a user during use, and wherein the hearing aid has a first longitudinal side that corresponds with the first side of the assembly and a second longitudinal side that corresponds with the second side of the assembly.

7. The hearing aid according to claim 5, wherein the first portion of the second branch extends along a second side of the assembly that is opposite from the first side of the assembly.

8. The hearing aid according to claim 7, wherein the second portion of the second branch extends along a third side of the assembly that forms an angle with respect to the first side of the assembly.

9. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the second direction of the first portion of the second branch is parallel to the first direction of the at least a part of the first branch.

10. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the at least a part of the first branch and the first portion of the second branch are out of alignment with respect to each other.

11. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the first branch and the second branch are configured to provide a bandwidth for the antenna that is greater than a bandwidth attributable to either the first branch or the second branch.

12. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein |(d1−

d2)/d2|<

0.1.

13. A hearing aid comprising:

a signal processor;

a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and

an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point;

wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point;

wherein at least a part of the first branch extends in a first direction that corresponds with a longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the second branch has a first portion extending in a second direction that corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid, and a second portion forming an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the first branch of the antenna has a first antenna end, and the second branch of the antenna has a second antenna end;

wherein the first branch has a first length d1 measured along a profile of the first branch from the excitation point to the first antenna end;

wherein the second branch has a second length d2 measured along a profile of the second branch from the excitation point to the second antenna end; and

wherein d1 and d2 satisfy the below criteria;

d2>

d1, and 0<

|(d1−

d2)/d2|<

0.25; and

wherein the second antenna end has a zero current during an operation of the antenna.

14. A hearing aid comprising:

a signal processor;

a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and

an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point;

wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point;

wherein at least a part of the first branch extends in a first direction that corresponds with a longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the second branch has a first portion extending in a second direction that corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid, and a second portion forming an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the first branch of the antenna has a first antenna end, and the second branch of the antenna has a second antenna end;

wherein the first branch has a first length d1 measured along a profile of the first branch from the excitation point to the first antenna end;

wherein the second branch has a second length d2 measured along a profile of the second branch from the excitation point to the second antenna end; and

wherein d1 and d2 satisfy the below criteria;

d2>

d1, and 0<

|(d1−

d2)/d2|<

0.25; and

wherein the first antenna end has infinite impedance.

15. A hearing aid comprising:

a signal processor;

a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and

an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point;

wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point;

wherein at least a part of the first branch extends in a first direction that corresponds with a longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the second branch has a first portion extending in a second direction that corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid, and a second portion forming an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the first branch of the antenna has a first antenna end, and the second branch of the antenna has a second antenna end;

wherein the first branch has a first length d1 measured along a profile of the first branch from the excitation point to the first antenna end;

wherein the second branch has a second length d2 measured along a profile of the second branch from the excitation point to the second antenna end; and

wherein d1 and d2 satisfy the below criteria;

d2>

d1, and 0<

|(d1−

d2)/d2|<

0.25; and

wherein the second antenna end has infinite impedance.

16. A hearing aid comprising:

a signal processor;

a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and

an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point;

wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point;

wherein at least a part of the first branch extends in a first direction that corresponds with a longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the second branch has a first portion extending in a second direction that corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid, and a second portion forming an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the first branch of the antenna has a first antenna end, and the second branch of the antenna has a second antenna end;

wherein the first branch has a first length d1 measured along a profile of the first branch from the excitation point to the first antenna end;

wherein the second branch has a second length d2 measured along a profile of the second branch from the excitation point to the second antenna end; and

wherein d1 and d2 satisfy the below criteria;

d2>

d1, and 0<

|(d1−

d2)/d2|<

0.25; and

wherein the first antenna end is electrically isolated.

17. A hearing aid comprising:

a signal processor;

a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and

an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point;

wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point;

wherein at least a part of the first branch extends in a first direction that corresponds with a longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the second branch has a first portion extending in a second direction that corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid, and a second portion forming an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the first branch of the antenna has a first antenna end, and the second branch of the antenna has a second antenna end;

wherein the first branch has a first length d1 measured along a profile of the first branch from the excitation point to the first antenna end;

wherein the second branch has a second length d2 measured along a profile of the second branch from the excitation point to the second antenna end; and

wherein d1 and d2 satisfy the below criteria;

d2>

d1, and 0<

|(d1−

d2)/d2|<

0.25; and

wherein the second antenna end is electrically isolated.

18. A hearing aid comprising:

a signal processor;

a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and

an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point;

wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point;

wherein at least a part of the first branch extends in a first direction that corresponds with a longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the second branch has a first portion extending in a second direction that corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid, and a second portion forming an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the first branch of the antenna has a first antenna end, and the second branch of the antenna has a second antenna end; and

wherein the first antenna end has a zero current during an operation of the antenna.

19. The hearing aid according to claim 18, wherein the first branch has a first length d1 measured along a profile of the first branch from the excitation point to the first antenna end;

wherein the second branch has a second length d2 measured along a profile of the second branch from the excitation point to the second antenna end; and

wherein d1 and d2 satisfy the below criteria;

d2>

d1, and

0<

|(d1−

d2)/d2|<

0.25.

20. A hearing aid comprising:

a signal processor;

a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and

an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point;

wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point;

wherein at least a part of the first branch extends in a first direction that corresponds with a longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the second branch has a first portion extending in a second direction that corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid, and a second portion forming an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the first branch of the antenna has a first antenna end, and the second branch of the antenna has a second antenna end; and

wherein the first antenna end has infinite impedance.

21. A hearing aid comprising:

a signal processor;

a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and

an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna being connected to the wireless communications unit, the antenna having an excitation point;

wherein a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point;

wherein at least a part of the first branch extends in a first direction that corresponds with a longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the second branch has a first portion extending in a second direction that corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid, and a second portion forming an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid;

wherein the first branch of the antenna has a first antenna end, and the second branch of the antenna has a second antenna end; and

wherein the first antenna end is electrically isolated.