Antennas for hearing aids

• US 9,451,371 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Polinske, Beau Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Phan
• Application Number:
  US14/024,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20140016806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/322, 381/323, 381/324
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/08 Helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• 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: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] 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

An antenna configured in a hybrid circuit provides a compact design for a hearing aid to communicate wirelessly with a system external to the hearing aid. In an embodiment, an antenna includes metallic traces in a hybrid circuit that is configured for use in a hearing aid. The antenna includes contacts in the hybrid circuit to couple the metallic traces to electronic devices in the hybrid circuit. In an embodiment, the metallic traces form a planar coil design having a number of turns of the coil in a substrate in the hybrid circuit. In another embodiment, the metallic traces are included in a flex circuit on a substrate in the hybrid circuit. An antenna configured in a hybrid circuit allows for use in a completely-in-the-canal hearing aid.

Claims

1. A hearing aid, comprising:

a microphone;

a signal processing unit configured to process sound received by the microphone to compensate for hearing impairment of a wearer of the hearing aid;

a memory configured to store instructions for the signal processing unit;

a hybrid circuit including at least a portion of the signal processing unit or the memory;

a first substrate on a first side of the hybrid circuit;

a second substrate on a second side of the hybrid circuit, the second side opposite the first side; and

an antenna including a first number of turns of metallic trace on the first substrate and a second number of turns of metallic trace on the second substrate.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured with approximately the same size as the hybrid circuit.

3. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the antenna is configured with a spiral shape.

4. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the antenna is displaced from the hybrid circuit to reduce proximity effects.

5. The hearing aid of claim 4, wherein the antenna is displaced from the hybrid circuit by approximately 15 mils.

6. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the antenna has two turns on the first substrate.

7. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the antenna has two turns on the second substrate.

8. The hearing aid of claim 1, further comprising a conductive line aligned along a portion of the antenna, the conductive line configured to measure power in the antenna.

9. The hearing aid of claim 8, wherein the conductive line and the antenna are configured as inductively coupled loops.

10. The hearing aid of claim 1, further comprising a capacitance network coupled to the antenna, the capacitance network configured to selectively couple a capacitance in parallel with the antenna.

11. The hearing aid of claim 1, further comprising a capacitance network coupled to the antenna, the capacitance network configured to selectively couple a capacitance in series with the antenna.

12. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid is a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid.

13. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid is a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid.

14. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid is an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.

15. A method, comprising:

constructing a hybrid circuit including hearing aid electronics, the hearing aid electronics including a signal processing unit configured to process sound received by the microphone to compensate for hearing impairment of a hearing aid wearer and a memory configured to store instructions for the signal processing unit;

constructing an antenna including a first number of turns of metallic trace on a first substrate on a first side of the hybrid circuit, and a second number of turns of metallic trace on a second substrate on a second side of the hybrid circuit;

connecting the antenna to at least a portion of the hybrid circuit; and

placing the hybrid circuit in a hearing aid housing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second side is opposite the first side.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting signals using the antenna.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving signals using the antenna.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of placing the hybrid circuit in a hearing aid housing includes placing the hybrid circuit in a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid housing.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of placing the hybrid circuit in a hearing aid housing includes placing the hybrid circuit in an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid housing.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of placing the hybrid circuit in a hearing aid housing includes placing the hybrid circuit in a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid housing.