Wireless charging system for hearing instruments

• US 9,161,141 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Martius, Sebastian, Sewiolo, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Julie X
• Application Number:
  US14/187,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20140241557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 381/323, 381/24, 381/314, 381/312, 381/60, 381/174, 381/315, 381/23.1, 381/22, 381/320, 455/572, 455/573
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries

Abstract

A facility is provided for the wireless resonant charging of rechargeable hearing instruments. The hearing instrument is freely positionable in a charging device for charging purposes. The charging device for the wireless charging has a transmit antenna arrangement, a transmit amplifier for actuating the transmit antenna arrangement and a charging space. The transmit antenna arrangement has two feeding points, which are spatially arranged in relation to the charging space such that a circularly polarized electromagnetic field can thus be generated in the charging space. The transmit amplifier actuates the antennas accordingly to generate a circularly polarized electromagnetic field in the charging space. In the process a coil arrangement generates a circularly polarized HF field. A good resonant coupling, even with a tilted hearing instrument, is possible, in other words with an undetermined and unpredictable orientation and position of the receive coil of the hearing instrument.

Claims

1. A charging device for wireless charging of a hearing instrument, the charging device comprising:

a transmit antenna configuration;

a transmit amplifier for actuating said transmit antenna configuration;

a housing defining a charging space disposed within the charging device;

said transmit antenna configuration having at least two feeding points, said transmit antenna configuration and said feeding points disposed spatially in relation to said charging space such that a circularly polarized electromagnetic field can be generated in said charging space; and

said transmit amplifier connected to individually control each one of said at least two feeding points in order to generate the circularly polarized electromagnetic field.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein said housing defining said charging space has a wall with electromagnetic shielding.

3. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein said transmit antenna configuration includes plurality of antennas.

4. The charging device according to claim 3, wherein said antennas are coils.

8. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein said transmit amplifier is connected to individually control each one of said at least two feeding points in order to generate the circularly polarized electromagnetic field during the wireless charging of the hearing instrument.

9. The charging device according to claim 1, further comprising a cover, said cover and said housing being electromagnetically shielded, said housing and said cover defining therebetween the charging space disposed within the charging device.

5. A charging system, comprising:

a charging device for wireless charging of a hearing instrument, the charging device including;

a transmit antenna configuration;

a transmit amplifier for actuating said transmit antenna configuration; and

a housing defining a charging space disposed within the charging device;

said transmit antenna configuration having at least two feeding points, said transmit antenna configuration and said feeding points disposed spatially in relation to said charging space such that a circularly polarized electromagnetic field can be generated in said charging space; and

said transmit amplifier connected to individually control each one of said at least two feeding points in order to generate the circularly polarized electromagnetic field; and

a wirelessly chargeable hearing instrument including;

a rechargeable battery;

a receive antenna configuration embodied for a resonant receipt of power;

a charging facility embodied to transform a signal received by said receive antenna configuration into a charging signal, to charge said rechargeable battery by supplying the charging signal and to control a charging process, said charging facility having a detection facility embodied to detect a charging parameter value; and

a transmit facility sending the charging parameter value in dependence on the resonant receipt of power to a charging device;

said charging device further having a regulation facility for receiving the charging parameter value from said transmit facility, and said transmit amplifier actuating said transmit antenna configuration in dependence on the charging parameter value.

6. The charging system according to claim 5, wherein said transmit amplifier actuates said transmit antenna configuration at a frequency regulated in dependence on the charging parameter value.

7. The charging system according to claim 5, wherein:

said transmit antenna configuration includes a plurality of antennas; and

said transmit amplifier actuates said antennas individually with a transmit power regulated in dependence on the charging parameter value.