Patent Grant
9686621
This application claims priority to and the benefit of Danish Patent Application No. PA 2013 70666 filed on Nov. 11, 2013, pending, and European Patent Application No. 13192322.9 filed on Nov. 11, 2013, pending. The entire disclosures of both of the above applications are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present disclosure relates to the field of hearing aids having antennas, especially adapted for wireless communication, such as for wireless communication with accessory and/or other hearing aids.
Hearing aids are very small and delicate devices and comprise many electronic and metallic components contained in a housing small enough to fit in the ear canal of a human or behind the outer ear. The many electronic and metallic components in combination with the small size of the hearing aid housing impose high design constraints on radio frequency antennas to be used in hearing aids with wireless communication capabilities.
Moreover, the antenna in the hearing aid has to be designed to achieve a satisfactory ear-to-ear performance despite the limitation and other high design constraints imposed by the size of the hearing aid.
It is an object to overcome at least some of the disadvantages as mentioned above, and it is a further object to provide a hearing aid. The hearing aid comprises a hearing aid assembly having a first side and a second side, a signal processor, and a wireless communications unit. The wireless communications unit is connected to the signal processor. The hearing aid comprises a monopole antenna for emission and reception of an electromagnetic field. The antenna is connected to the wireless communications unit. The antenna has an excitation point and a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point along the first side of the hearing aid assembly. The first branch has a first end, the first end being free or being interconnected with the excitation point via a third branch. The antenna further has a second branch of the antenna which extends from the excitation point. At least a part of the second branch extends from the first side to the second side.
Typically, the antenna is configured so that current flowing in the antenna forms standing waves along the length of the antenna. The length of an antenna may for example be tailored so that the length of the antenna equals a quarter wavelength of the desired electromagnetic field, or any multiple, or any odd multiple, thereof. In one or more embodiments, an absolute relative difference between the total length of the antenna and the wavelength may be less than a threshold, such as less than 10%, 25%, etc. In some embodiments a total length of the antenna is between three quarters of a wavelength and five quarters of a wavelength.
In some embodiments, a current in the antenna may have a maximum in the second branch, such as for example in the part of the second branch which extends from the first side to the second side.
The first end may be free, so that the first end may be a free end or an open end. If the first end is free, the current at the end of the first branch may be near zero. Alternatively, the first end may be interconnected with the excitation point via a third branch. The third branch may be different from the first branch. The current in the third branch may have a local maximum near the excitation point, such as a further local maximum. The third branch may extend primarily along a first side of the hearing aid assembly.
Likewise, the second end may be free, so that the second end may be a free end or an open end. If the second end is free, the current at the end of the second branch may be near zero. Alternatively, the second end may be interconnected with the excitation point via at least a fourth branch. The fourth branch may be different from the second branch. In some embodiments, the fourth branch extends primarily along the second side of the hearing aid assembly.
In one or more embodiments, the first and/or second branch may form a loop. The loop formed by the first and/or the second branch may return to the excitation point. An advantage of a loop formed by the first and/or the second branch is that it may provide a relatively long total length of the antenna and therefore may improve the ear-to-ear performance of the hearing aid. In some embodiments, the first and/or second branch may be a plate or a dish of conductive material.
In some embodiments, the first antenna branch may form a loop along the first side and/or the second antenna branch may form a loop along the second side.
At least a part of the second branch extends from the first side to the second side. The part of the second antenna branch may thus extend from proximate the first side of the hearing aid assembly to proximate the second side of the hearing aid assembly, such as from adjacent the first side to adjacent the second side, or the at least part of the second branch may extend from a point or position at or along the first side to a point or position at or along the second side.
In some embodiments at least another part of the second branch extends on the second side.
At least a part of the first branch may extend along the first side, and/or at least a part of the second branch may extend along the second side. The first side may be a longitudinal side of the hearing aid assembly and the second side may be another longitudinal side of the hearing aid assembly. The first side may be opposite the second side. The second branch may be partly parallel to the first branch. In some embodiments, the part of the first branch extending along the first side of the hearing aid, and the part, i.e. the other part, of the second branch extending along the second side of the hearing aid may be symmetric parts, i.e. so that the said parts form symmetric antenna structures about a plane through the antenna, and/or so that the said parts may have an, at least substantially, same shape.
In general, various sections of the antenna may be formed having different geometries, the sections may be wires or patches, bend or straight, long or short as long as they obey the above relative configuration with respect to each other as disclosed herein.
The hearing aid may be a behind-the-ear hearing aid configured to be positioned behind the ear of the user during use, and the first side may be a first longitudinal side of the hearing aid and the second side may be a second longitudinal side of the hearing aid. The antenna may be accommodated in the housing with its longitudinal direction along the length of the housing. Preferably, the antenna is accommodated within the hearing aid housing, preferably so that the antenna is positioned inside the hearing aid housing without protruding out of the housing.
Typically, an excitation point is electrically connected to a source, such as the wireless communication unit, such as a radio chip, such as a transceiver, a receiver, a transmitter, etc. The antenna may be excited using any conventional means, using a direct or an indirect or coupled feed, and for example be fed using a feed line, such as a transmission line. The current induced in the antenna may have a first local maximum at a proximate excitation point of the antenna.
The first branch of the antenna may extend from the excitation point to a first end of the antenna, and the second branch of the antenna may extend from the excitation point to a second end of the antenna. The antenna may be structured with two branches extending from the same excitation point.
A first distance from the excitation point to the first end may be smaller than a second distance from the excitation point to the second end. In some embodiments, the relative difference between the first distance and the second distance may be less than 25%, such as less than 10%. The distance may be measured along the first branch and along the second branch, respectively.
In some embodiments, the excitation point may be provided at an edge part of the hearing aid assembly. The excitation point may be interconnected with the wireless communications unit for example via transmission lines.
The antenna may be configured with a length and a structure so that a current in the antenna may have a magnitude of zero at a point on the first branch and/or at a point on the second branch.
In some embodiments, the first antenna branch has a first length and the second antenna branch has a second length, and wherein the sum of the first length and the second length may correspond to at least 90% of a total length of the antenna.
The length of the first branch and/or the length of the second branch may be at least λ/4, such as substantially λ/4, such as at least λ/4+/−10%.
The first length may correspond to the second length, so that the first and second branches have a same length, or the first length of the first branch may be different from the length of the second branch.
The first branch may have a first length and the second branch may have a second length. The first length may be different from the second length, and in one or more embodiments, the second length may be longer than the first length. The length of the first or the second branch may be equal to, such as substantially equal to λ/4, where λ corresponds to the frequency of the wireless communications unit. The first length and/or the second length may be at least λ/4.
The hearing aid disclosed herein may be configured for operation in ISM frequency band. Preferably, the antennas are configured for operation at a frequency of at least 1 GHz, such as at a frequency between 1.5 GHz and 3 GHz such as at a frequency of 2.4 GHz.
A hearing aid with an assembly, the assembly includes: a first side; a second side; a signal processor; a wireless communications unit, the wireless communications unit being connected to the signal processor; and a monopole 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 at least a part of a first branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point along the first side of the assembly, the first branch having a first end, the first end being free or being coupled with the excitation point via a third branch; and wherein a second branch of the antenna extends from the excitation point, at least a part of the second branch extending in a space located between the first side of the assembly and the second side of the assembly.
Optionally, a current in the antenna has a maximum in the second branch.
Optionally, the excitation point is at an edge part of the assembly.
Optionally, the first branch has a first length and the second branch has a second length, and wherein a sum of the first length and the second length is at least 90% of a total length of the antenna.
Optionally, the length of the first branch corresponds to the length of the second branch.
Optionally, the first branch forms a loop along the first side of the assembly.
Optionally, the at least a part of the second branch extends from proximate the first side of the assembly to proximate the second side of the assembly, or from the first side of the assembly to the second side of the assembly.
Optionally, a length of the first branch is at least λ/4, and/or a length of the second branch is at least λ/4.
Optionally, a current in the antenna has a magnitude of zero at a point on the first branch and/or at a point on the second branch.
Optionally, the second branch has a second end, and wherein the second end is free.
Optionally, the second branch has a second end, and wherein the second end is coupled with the excitation point via a forth branch, the forth branch being different from the second branch.
Optionally, the second branch forms a loop along the second side.
Optionally, a part of the second branch extends on the second side.
Optionally, the first side is opposite the second side, and wherein the first side of the assembly corresponds with a first longitudinal side of the hearing aid, and the second side of the assembly corresponds with a second longitudinal side of the hearing aid.
Optionally, a part of the second branch extends along the second side, and wherein the at least a part of the first branch extending along the first side and the part of the second branch extending along the second side are symmetric.
Other aspects and features will be evident from reading the following detailed description.
Various embodiments are described hereinafter with reference to the figures, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. The claimed invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Like elements will, thus, not be described in detail with respect to the description of each figure. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the claimed invention or as a limitation on the scope of the claimed invention. In addition, an illustrated embodiment needs not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment and can be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated, or if not so explicitly described.
In the following, the embodiments are described primarily with reference to a hearing aid, such as a binaural hearing aid. It is however envisaged that the disclosed features and embodiments may be used in combination with any aspect described herein.
As used herein, the term “antenna” refers to an electrical device which converts electric power into radio waves. An antenna, such as an electric antenna, may comprise an electrically conductive material connected to e.g. a wireless communications unit, such as a radio chip, a receiver or a transmitter.
The specific wavelength, and thus the frequency of the emitted electromagnetic field, is of importance when considering communication involving an obstacle. In one or more embodiments, the obstacle is a head and the hearing aid comprising an antenna is located closed to the surface of the head. If the wavelength is too long such as a frequency of 1 GHz and down to lower frequencies greater parts of the head will be located in the near field region. This results in a different diffraction making it more difficult for the electromagnetic field to travel around the head. If on the other hand the wavelength is too short, the head will appear as being too large an obstacle which also makes it difficult for electromagnetic waves to travel around the head. An optimum between long and short wavelengths is therefore preferred. In general the ear to ear communication is to be done in the band for industry, science and medical with a desired frequency centred around 2.4 GHz.
In general, various branches of the antenna may be formed with different geometries, they may be wires or patches, bend or straight, long or short as long as they obey the above relative configuration with respect to each other such that the antenna comprises an excitation point, a first branch of the antenna extending from the excitation point and a second branch of the antenna extending from the excitation point and such that the first branch has a first end, the first end being free or being interconnected with the excitation point via a third branch and such that at least a part of the second branch extends from the first side to the second side.
The relative difference between the first distance d1 and the second distance d2 may be less than a threshold T1. The threshold T1 may be e.g. 25%, or 10%. The antenna 55 may be formed so that the distances d1 and d2 fulfil the following:
wherein λ is the wavelength. In one or more embodiments, the first length and/or the second length is at least λ/4.
The length of the first and/or second branches 51, 52 is at least λ/4 (where λ is the resonance wavelength for the wireless communications unit).
The antenna 155 comprises a first branch 151 and a second branch 152. The first branch 151 of the antenna is on the side of the hearing aid 150 facing away from the head of the user.
In
The antenna 155 emits an electromagnetic field that propagates in a direction parallel to the surface of the head of the user when the hearing aid housing is positioned in its operational position during use, whereby the electric field of the emitted electromagnetic field has a direction that is orthogonal to, or substantially orthogonal to, the surface of the head during operation. In this way, propagation loss in the tissue of the head is reduced as compared to propagation loss of an electromagnetic field with an electric field component that is parallel to the surface of the head. Diffraction around the head makes the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna propagate from one ear and around the head to the opposite ear.
Although particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the claimed inventions to the preferred embodiments, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without department from the spirit and scope of the claimed inventions. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. The claimed inventions are intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.
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| 13192322 | Nov 2013 | EP | regional |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150131831 A1 | May 2015 | US |
