EP2871861B1 - Aide auditive avec antenne - Google Patents

Aide auditive avec antenne Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2871861B1
EP2871861B1 EP13192317.9A EP13192317A EP2871861B1 EP 2871861 B1 EP2871861 B1 EP 2871861B1 EP 13192317 A EP13192317 A EP 13192317A EP 2871861 B1 EP2871861 B1 EP 2871861B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
antenna
hearing aid
section
length
aid according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP13192317.9A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP2871861A1 (fr
Inventor
Alexandre Pinto
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GN Hearing AS
Original Assignee
GN Hearing AS
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Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=49551560&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP2871861(B1) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by GN Hearing AS filed Critical GN Hearing AS
Priority to DK18170270.5T priority Critical patent/DK3404934T3/da
Priority to EP13192317.9A priority patent/EP2871861B1/fr
Priority to EP18170270.5A priority patent/EP3404934B1/fr
Priority to DK13192317.9T priority patent/DK2871861T3/en
Priority to US14/199,511 priority patent/US9237405B2/en
Priority to JP2014228336A priority patent/JP5795421B2/ja
Priority to CN201410645344.8A priority patent/CN104640044B/zh
Publication of EP2871861A1 publication Critical patent/EP2871861A1/fr
Publication of EP2871861B1 publication Critical patent/EP2871861B1/fr
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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/55—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired
    • H04R25/554—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/27—Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies
    • H01Q1/273—Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q7/00—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
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q9/00—Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
    • H01Q9/04—Resonant antennas
    • H01Q9/16—Resonant antennas with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole
    • H01Q9/26—Resonant antennas with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/51—Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids

Definitions

  • 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.
  • EP 2 200 120 A2 shows a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid having an antenna made up by two loop antennas connected close to the feeding points, the loops being arranged on the left and right housing sides of a BTE hearing aid.
  • BTE behind-the-ear
  • the hearing aid with a hearing aid assembly comprises a housing for accommodating the hearing aid assembly, a microphone for reception of sound and conversion of the received sound into a corresponding first audio signal, and a signal processor for processing the first audio signal into a second audio signal compensating a hearing loss of a user of the hearing aid.
  • the hearing aid comprises a wireless communication unit configured for wireless data communication, and an antenna for emission or reception of an electromagnetic field.
  • the antenna is interconnected with the wireless communication unit, and the antenna may have a total length between three quarters of a wavelength and five quarters of a wavelength. At least a part of the antenna extends from a first side of the hearing aid to a second side of the hearing aid, and the antenna may have a midpoint at said part of the antenna or a distance between the antenna midpoint and said part may be less than a quarter of a wavelength.
  • the wireless communications unit is configured for wireless data communication, and in this respect interconnected with the antenna for emission and reception of an electromagnetic field.
  • the wireless communications unit may comprise a transmitter, a receiver, a transmitter-receiver pair, such as a transceiver, a radio unit, etc.
  • the wireless communications unit may be configured for communication using any protocol as known for a person skilled in the art, including Bluetooth, WLAN standards, manufacture specific protocols, such as tailored proximity antenna protocols, such as proprietary protocols, such as low-power wireless communication protocols, etc.
  • the current flowing in the antenna may form standing waves along the length of the antenna, and for proper operation, the antenna may be operated at, or approximately at, a frequency at which the length of the antenna is between three quarters of a wavelength of the emitted electromagnetic field and five quarters of a wavelength of the emitted electromagnetic field.
  • the antenna may comprise several sections interconnected in order to obtain a combined length of the antenna appropriate for emission of the desired wavelength of the electromagnetic field.
  • the antenna having a total length between 3 ⁇ 4 of a wavelength and 5/4 of a wavelength and having a midpoint at or near the at least part of the antenna extending from a first side of the hearing aid to a second side of the hearing aid being structured so that the current has a maximum in or proximate the said part.
  • the antenna may be structured so that the combined length of the antenna elements has the desired length for effective emission of the desired electromagnetic field.
  • the desired distance between the antenna midpoint and said part may preferably be a quarter wavelength or less than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation.
  • the path of current flowing in the antenna exhibits a number of bends due to the different orientations of the sections provided in such a way that the antenna fits inside the hearing aid housing while simultaneously being configured for a maximum being reached in the desired section of the antenna at the desired electromagnetic frequency.
  • the exact location of the maximum amplitude of the current may depend on the magnitude of the current at the antenna excitation points and the length of the antenna.
  • a current running through the antenna has a maximum amplitude in the part of the antenna extending from a first side to a second side of the hearing aid during emission of the electromagnetic field.
  • a maximum amplitude in the said part of the antenna may provide an optimal transmission that supports the circumvention of the obstacle presented by the head.
  • the part of the antenna extending from a first side of the hearing aid to a second side of the hearing aid may be a linear section, e.g. such as a rod-shaped section, and may be positioned so that the longitudinal direction of the said part is parallel to an ear to ear axis when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user, or in other words perpendicular to, or substantially perpendicular to, the surface of the head or any other body part proximate the operational position of the said part.
  • having a maximum amplitude in or proximate the part of the antenna extending from a first side of the hearing aid to a second side of the hearing aid may make the antenna suitable for wireless communication between devices located in opposite ears or proximate opposite ears due to advantageous features of the emitted electromagnetic field as further explained below.
  • the housing of the hearing aid may be a behind-the-ear housing configured to be positioned behind the ear of the user during use.
  • the first side of the housing may e.g. be a first longitudinal side of the hearing aid, and the second side of the housing may be e.g. a second longitudinal side of the hearing aid.
  • the antenna may be accommodated in the housing with a longitudinal direction of the antenna extending along the length of the housing.
  • the antenna may be accommodated within the hearing aid housing, preferably so that the antenna is positioned inside the hearing aid housing without protruding out of the housing.
  • the antenna may form a loop.
  • the antenna may comprise several sections interconnected so as to form a loop.
  • the loop antenna may form an open loop, with a space between two antenna ends.
  • the antenna may have a first end and a second end, and the total length of the antenna may be a total length of the antenna between the first end and the second end. A distance along and/or a length of the antenna may be measured along the antenna structure.
  • an absolute relative difference between the total length of the antenna and the wavelength may be less than a threshold.
  • a relative difference between a length of the antenna from the first end to the midpoint and a length from the second end to the midpoint may be less than a threshold.
  • the length of the antenna as measured from the first end to the midpoint may be substantially equal to the length of the antenna as measured from the second end to the midpoint.
  • the midpoint may be an absolute geometric midpoint, or the midpoint may be an approximate midpoint provided within an interval, such as within an interval of +/-5%, +/- 10%, +/-15%, etc.
  • the antenna may have a first antenna section extending along a first side of the hearing aid assembly, the first antenna section having a first end and a second end.
  • the antenna may have a second antenna section extending along a second side of the hearing aid assembly, the second antenna section having a first end and a second end.
  • the antenna may have a third antenna section, the third antenna section being connected with the second end of the first antenna section and with the second end of the second antenna section.
  • the antenna may have an excitation point for the antenna being provided at or near the first end of the first and/or second antenna section.
  • the first and/or the second section of the antenna may be connected to the wireless communication unit and configured so that the third section conducts current of large amplitude at the desired transmission frequency of the electromagnetic field.
  • the midpoint of the antenna may be located at the third section.
  • a major part of the power of the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna and propagating from the antenna at one ear around the head to either an opposite ear of the user or to an external device, such as an accessory, is contributed by the third section of the antenna.
  • the current in the antenna has a maximum current amplitude at the third section.
  • the second side of the hearing aid may be opposite the first side.
  • the first antenna section has a first length
  • the second antenna section has a second length
  • the third antenna section has a third length.
  • a sum of the first length, the second length and the third length may then be a total length of the antenna.
  • the first section of the antenna may be a first linear section, e.g. such as a rod-shaped section, that is positioned so that the longitudinal direction of the first section is perpendicular to the ear to ear axis when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user, or in other words parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the surface of the head or any other body part proximate the operational position of the first section.
  • the second section of the antenna may be a second linear section, e.g. such as a rod-shaped section, that is positioned parallel to the first section.
  • a distance from a first end of the first or second antenna section to the third antenna section may be between a quarter of a wavelength and half a wavelength.
  • a midpoint of the antenna may be positioned at the third section.
  • the third section may extend from proximate the first side to proximate the second side of the hearing aid assembly.
  • the third section may be a linear section, e.g. such as a rod-shaped section, that is positioned so that the longitudinal direction of the third section is parallel to the ear to ear axis when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user, or in other words perpendicular to, or substantially perpendicular to, the surface of the head or any other body part proximate the operational position of the third section.
  • the configuration of the third section which is positioned so that current flows with a maximum amplitude in the third section in a direction in parallel to, or substantially in parallel to, an ear to ear axis of the user makes the antenna suitable for wireless communication around the head of a user between devices located in opposite ears or proximate opposite ears due to advantageous features of the emitted electromagnetic field.
  • 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 such that at a total length of the antenna is between three quarters of a wavelength and five quarters of a wavelength, and the antenna has midpoint at a part of the antenna extending from a first side of the hearing aid to a second side of the hearing aid (or a distance between the antenna midpoint and said part extending from a first side of the hearing aid to a second side of the hearing aid is less than a quarter wavelength).
  • any attenuation experienced by the surface wave travelling around the head may be reduced.
  • the third section of the antenna contributes to an electromagnetic field that travels around the head of the user thereby providing a wireless data communication that is robust and has low loss.
  • the surface wave of the electromagnetic field may be more efficiently excited.
  • an ear-to-ear path gain may be improved, such as by 10-15 dB, such as by 10-30 dB.
  • the antenna may be a balanced antenna, thus an antenna which may be more robust to noise.
  • one end of the antenna may be grounded.
  • One end may be connected to a ground plane.
  • the ground plane may be any ground plane provided in the hearing aid, typically such as for example a printed circuit board.
  • the ground plane may be e.g. a ground potential, such as a zero potential or a relative ground potential.
  • An antenna excitation point may be provided at or near the first and/or the second end of the antenna.
  • An excitation point is electrically connected to a source, such as the wireless communication unit, 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 current induced in the antenna may have an absolute maximum proximate the antenna midpoint, preferably at a part extending from the first side of the hearing aid to the second side of the hearing aid.
  • the antenna may comprise two excitation points, a first excitation point at a first end of the antenna and a second excitation point at another end of the antenna.
  • the antenna may be a dipole antenna comprising two excitation points, a first excitation point at a first end of the antenna and a second excitation point at another end of the antenna.
  • a shape of the first section may be symmetrical to a shape of the second section.
  • the hearing aid disclosed herein may be configured for operation in ISM frequency band.
  • 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.
  • 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 radio chip, a receiver or a transmitter.
  • Fig. 1 is a phantom head model of a user seen from the front.
  • the human head can be approximated by a rounded enclosure with sensory organs, such as the nose, ears, mouth and eyes attached thereto.
  • a rounded enclosure 3 is illustrated in Fig. 1 .
  • the phantom head model is shown from the front together with an ordinary rectangular three dimensional coordinate system with an x, y and z axis for defining orientations with relation to the head.
  • Every point of the surface of the head has a normal and tangential vector.
  • the normal vector is orthogonal to the surface of the head while the tangential vector is parallel to the surface of the head.
  • An element extending along the surface of the head is said to be parallel to the surface of the head, likewise a plane extending along the surface of the head is said to be parallel to the surface of the head, while an object or a plane extending from a point on the surface of the head and radially outward from the head into the surrounding space is said to be orthogonal to the head.
  • the point with reference numeral 2 in Fig. 1 furthest to the left on the surface of the head in Fig. 1 has tangential vectors parallel to the yz-plane of the coordinate system, and a normal vector parallel to the x-axis.
  • the y-axis and z-axis are parallel to the surface of the head at the point 2 and the x-axis is orthogonal to the surface of the head at the point 2.
  • the user modelled with the phantom head of Fig. 1 is standing erect on the ground (not shown in the figure), and the ground plane is parallel to xy-plane.
  • the torso axis from top to toe of the user is thus parallel to the z-axis, whereas the nose of the user is pointing out of the paper along the y-axis.
  • the axis going through the right ear canal and the left ear canal is parallel to the x-axis in the figure.
  • This ear to ear axis (ear axis) is thus orthogonal to the surface of the head at the points where it leaves the surface of the head.
  • the ear to ear axis as well as the surface of the head will in the following be used as reference when describing specific configurations of the elements of the present invention.
  • the auricle of the ear is primarily located in the plane parallel to the surface of the head on most test persons, it is often described that the ear to ear axis also functions as the normal to the ear. Even though there will be variations from person to person as to how the plane of the auricle is oriented.
  • the in the ear canal type of hearing aid will have an elongated housing shaped to fit in the ear canal.
  • the longitudinal axis of this type of hearing aid is then parallel to the ear axis, whereas the face plate of the in the ear type of hearing aid will typically be in a plane orthogonal to the ear axis.
  • the behind the ear type of hearing aid will typically also have an elongated housing most often shaped as a banana to rest on top of the auricle of the ear.
  • the housing of this type of hearing aid will thus have a longitudinal axis parallel to the surface of the head of the user.
  • Fig. 2 shows a block-diagram of a hearing aid.
  • the hearing aid 20 comprises a microphone 21 for receiving incoming sound and converting it into an audio signal, i.e. a first audio signal.
  • the first audio signal is provided to a signal processor 22 for processing the first audio signal into a second audio signal compensating a hearing loss of a user of the hearing aid.
  • a receiver is connected to an output of the signal processor 22 for converting the second audio signal into an output sound signal, e.g. a signal modified to compensate for a users hearing impairment, and provides the output sound to a speaker 23.
  • the hearing instrument signal processor 22 may comprise elements such as amplifiers, compressors and noise reduction systems, etc.
  • the hearing aid may further have a feedback loop for optimizing the output signal.
  • the hearing aid furthermore has a wireless communication unit 24 (e.g. a transceiver) for wireless data communication interconnected with an antenna 25 for emission and reception of an electromagnetic field.
  • the wireless communication unit 24 may connect to the hearing aid signal processor 22 and antenna 25 for communicating with external devices, or with another hearing aid, located at another ear, in a binaural hearing aid system.
  • the antenna does not, or substantially does not, emit an electromagnetic field in the direction of the ear to ear axis of the user when the hearing aid housing is positioned in its operational position at the ear of the user; rather, the antenna 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 at least along the side of the head at which the antenna is positioned during operation.
  • 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.
  • Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of a hearing aid comprising an antenna 25, a wireless communication unit 35 and a ground plane 38.
  • Antenna 25 comprises a first antenna section 31, a second antenna section 34, and a third antenna section 33.
  • the antenna has a first end 32, and a second end 36.
  • the first antenna section 31 extends along a first side of the hearing aid assembly.
  • the first antenna section 31 has a first end 32 and a second end 39.
  • the second antenna section 34 extends along a second side of the hearing aid assembly.
  • the second antenna section 34 has a first end 36 and a second end 39'.
  • the third antenna section 33 is connected with the second end 39 of the first antenna section and with the second end 39' of the second antenna section.
  • the second ends 39, 39' are provided as edge points; however, the second ends may be defined as positions at which the antenna starts to extend from a first side to a second side of the hearing aid.
  • An excitation point for the antenna 25 is provided at the first end 32, 36 of the first and/or second antenna sections 31, 34.
  • a shape of the first section 31 is symmetrical to a shape of the second section 34.
  • the first antenna section 31 and the second antenna section 34 may form identical antenna structures.
  • both the first antenna section 31 and the second antenna section 34 may form a structure having a same form and same dimensions.
  • the structure of antenna 25 may be symmetrical with respect to a partition plane 37, resulting in a structure of the first antenna section 31 being symmetrical to the structure of the second antenna section 34 with respect to partition plane 37.
  • the partition plane 37 may be a symmetry plane 37 for the antenna 25 so that the first section 31 of the antenna is symmetric with the second section 34 of the antenna with respect to the symmetry plane 37.
  • the partition plane 37 may extend exactly mid through the hearing aid, or the partition plane may extend anywhere between a first side of the hearing aid and a second side of the hearing aid.
  • the first antenna section 31 has a first length
  • the second antenna section 34 has a second length
  • the third antenna section 33 has a third length
  • a sum of the first length, the second length and the third length is a total length of the antenna 25.
  • a distance along and/or a length of the antenna is measured along the antenna structure.
  • L1 denotes the full length of the antenna 25
  • L2 denotes the distance between the first end 32 of the first antenna section 31 and a midpoint 30 of the third antenna section 33
  • L3 denotes the distance between the first end 36 of the second antenna section 34 and a midpoint 30 of the third antenna section 33.
  • the distances L2, L3 from the ends 32, 36, to the intersection 30 with the partition plane 37, respectively may be measured along the current path as shown in Fig. 3 , or the distances L2, L3 may be measured along the shortest distance from the ends 32, 36, to the intersection with the partition plane 37.
  • an absolute relative difference between the total length of the antenna and the wavelength is less than a threshold, such as 10% or 25%.
  • the antenna dimensions which are the length of the antenna 25, L1, and distances L2, L3, may thus be defined according to the following: wherein ⁇ is the wavelength.
  • the absolute relative difference between the total length L1 of the antenna 25 and the wavelength ⁇ is thus less than a threshold, T1, such as less than 25%.
  • the absolute relative difference between the distance L3 and the distance L2 is less than a threshold, T2, such as less than 25%.
  • the distance between the two ends 32, 36 corresponds to the width of the hearing aid assembly.
  • a distance from a first end of the first or second antenna section to the third antenna section may be between 1 ⁇ 4 ⁇ and 1/2 ⁇ .
  • the first length or the second length may be between 1 ⁇ 4 ⁇ and 1/2 ⁇ .
  • the midpoint of the antenna may be positioned at the third section.
  • the antenna has a first end 32 and a second end 36 and a relative difference between a length of the antenna from the first end 32 to the midpoint 30 and from the second end 36 to the midpoint 30 is less than a threshold, such as less than 10% or 25%.
  • Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a hearing aid comprising an antenna 40, a wireless communication unit 45, a ground plane 48, an antenna part 43 extending from one side to the other and two ends 42, 46.
  • the antenna 40 has a midpoint 41 (or a centre) which is located on the antenna part 43 or located in such a way that a distance from the midpoint 41 to the antenna part 43 is not longer than ⁇ / 4.
  • the distance from the midpoint 41 of antenna 40 and the antenna part 43 is denoted L4 in Fig. 4 .
  • the structure of antenna 40 may be designed in such a way that the following holds:
  • the absolute relative difference between the distance L4 and the quarter of a wavelength ⁇ /4 is less than a threshold, T3, such as less than 10% or 25%.
  • the antenna may form a loop.
  • the antenna comprising a first antenna section 31, a second antenna section 34, a third antenna section 33 may be structured in such a way that the first, second, and third sections are arranged to form a loop, such as an open loop.
  • an antenna excitation point is provided at the first and/or the second end of the antenna.
  • the excitation point may be provided at ends 32, 42 and/or at ends 36, 46.
  • Fig.5 shows an embodiment of a hearing aid comprising an antenna 50, a wireless communication unit 55, a ground plane 58, and an end 52 of the antenna 50 and another end 56 of the antenna 50.
  • the end 52 is connected via transmission line 59 to the wireless communication unit 55 and plays thus the role of an excitation point.
  • End 52 is configured so that the antenna conducts current of large amplitude at the desired transmission frequency of the electromagnetic field.
  • a major part of the power of the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna 50 and propagating from the antenna 50 at one ear to either an opposite ear of the user or to an external device is contributed by a midpoint of the antenna 50.
  • the antenna 50 is dimensioned so that the current has a maximum current amplitude at a proximity of the midpoint of the antenna, preferably located proximate a part of the antenna extending from one side of the hearing aid to another side of the hearing aid.
  • the current induced in the antenna may have a first local maximum proximate the end point 52 and a second maximum proximate the midpoint of the antenna 50, depending on the excitation of the antenna 50.
  • one end of the antenna is grounded.
  • the end 56 is connected to a point 54 of the ground plane 58 via transmission line 53.
  • the ground plane 58 may be a printed circuit board.
  • the ground plane may be formed in any material capable of conducting a current upon excitation of the antenna.
  • the ground plane may also be formed as a single conducting path of e.g. copper, for guiding the current.
  • the ground plane may be a ground potential, such as a zero potential or a relative ground potential.
  • the antenna is a dipole antenna, the dipole antenna comprising two excitation points, a first excitation point at a first end of the antenna and a second excitation point at another end of the antenna.
  • FIG. 6 shows schematically an exemplary implementation of the antenna with two excitation points according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • an embodiment of a hearing aid comprises an antenna 60, a wireless communication unit 65, a ground plane 68, and an end 62 of the antenna 60 and another end 66 of the antenna 60.
  • End 62 at a first end of the antenna 60 is connected via transmission line 69 to the wireless communication unit 65 and plays thus the role of a first excitation point.
  • end 66 such as end 66, at a second end of the antenna 60 is connected via transmission line 63 to the wireless communication unit 65 and plays thus the role of a second excitation point.
  • the antenna 60 is thus in the present example a dipole antenna.
  • the first excitation point and the second excitation point are configured so as to obtain a desired current distribution.
  • the first excitation point and the second excitation point may be adjacent each other, or may be positioned relatively close to each other.
  • Fig. 7 is a diagram of the amplitude of the current as a function of a length of the antenna according to the present disclosure.
  • Fig. 7 shows that a current running through the antenna oscillates periodically with a period equal to the wavelength ⁇ .
  • Fig. 7 also shows that a maximum amplitude of the current running through the antenna is reached at a length corresponding to half a wavelength ⁇ /2.
  • Fig.7 supports a technical feature of the antenna disclosed herein, namely that the antenna disclosed herein is constructed in such a way as a maximum amplitude of the current running through the antenna is obtained proximate a midpoint of the antenna that is located in (or proximate) a part of the antenna extending from one side to another side of the hearing aid.
  • Fig. 8 shows an exemplary hearing aid having an antenna according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the hearing aid 80 comprises a battery 81, a signal processor 82, a sound tube 83 connecting to the inner ear, a radio or transceiver 84, transmission lines 85, 86 for feeding the antenna 87.
  • the hearing aid has a first side 88 and a second side 89.
  • the antenna proximate the first side of the hearing aid i.e. a first section 871 extends along or proximate the first side 88 of the hearing aid
  • the antenna proximate the second side of the hearing aid i.e. a second section 872 extends along or proximate a second side 89 of the hearing aid 80.
  • the first section 871 is fed via transmission line 85 to feed point 851 and is thus an actively fed section 871.
  • the second section 872 is fed via transmission line 86 to feed point 861 and thus forms a second actively fed part 872.
  • the feed system for the antenna may thus comprise the first and second transmission lines 85, 86 and first and second feed points 851, 861 for feeding antenna 87.
  • a third section 873 of the antenna 87 extends from proximate the first side 88 to proximate the second side 89 of the hearing aid assembly.
  • the antenna 87 is constructed this way so as to achieve a maximum amplitude of the current running through the antenna 87 obtained at a midpoint of the antenna that is located in (or proximate) section 873 of the antenna extending from the first side 88 to the second side 89 of the hearing aid 80.
  • the housing is a behind-the-ear housing configured to be positioned behind the ear of the user during use and the first side is a first longitudinal side of the hearing aid, and the second side is a second longitudinal side of the hearing aid.
  • Fig. 9 shows a hearing aid positioned on the right ear of a user's head with the hearing aid comprising an antenna disclosed herein.
  • the hearing aid 90 of Fig.9 comprises a behind-the-ear housing configured to be positioned behind the ear of the user during use.
  • the hearing aid 90 comprises an antenna 91 as disclosed herein.
  • the described antenna structure may be equally applied in all other types of hearing aids, including in-the-ear hearing aids, as long as the antenna is configured to provide a maximum current in a section extending from the first side of the hearing aid to the second side of the hearing aid as herein described.
  • the first side may be positioned parallel with the surface of the head of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user.
  • this disclosure relates to a binaural hearing aid system comprising at least one hearing aid disclosed herein.
  • Fig. 10 is a schematic view of the current distribution across a prior-art antenna with a small loop having a length smaller than ⁇ /4.
  • Fig.10 shows schematically a prior art antenna having a total length smaller than ⁇ /4.
  • hearing aids are very small in size 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 antennas in hearing aids are usually smaller than ⁇ /4. This leads to a current distribution that is relatively uniform across the antenna structure.
  • Fig. 11 is a schematic view of the current distribution across an antenna according an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • Fig.10 shows schematically an antenna 110 as disclosed herein and a current distribution across the antenna 110. Due to the length and the structure of the antenna 110, the current distribution provides local maxima at the antenna ends as well as at the part 113 of the antenna that extends from one side to the other side of the hearing aid.
  • the current running through antenna parts 111 and 112 has much lower amplitude. This results in the electric field being radiated in the desired direction for the surface wave to efficiently travel around the head of the user. An advantage of this is a more robust ear-to-ear wireless communication.
  • the obstacle is a head with a hearing aid comprising an antenna 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.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Support Of Aerials (AREA)

Claims (16)

  1. Prothèse auditive (20, 80, 90) avec
    - un ensemble de prothèse auditive comprenant:
    - un boîtier pour recevoir l'ensemble de prothèse auditive,
    - un microphone pour la réception du son et la conversion du son reçu en un premier signal audio correspondant,
    - un processeur de signal pour traiter le premier signal audio en un deuxième signal audio en compensation d'une perte auditive d'un utilisateur de la prothèse auditive,
    - une unité de communication sans fil (35, 45, 55, 65, 84) configurée pour une communication de données sans fil,
    - une antenne (25, 40, 50, 60, 87) pour l'émission ou la réception d'un champ électromagnétique ayant une longueur d'onde, l'antenne étant interconnectée avec l'unité de communication sans fil, l'antenne étant une antenne de boucle et ayant une longueur totale entre les trois quarts d'une longueur d'onde et cinq quarts de la longueur d'onde,
    au moins une partie (33, 43, 873) de l'antenne s'étendant d'un premier côté (88) de la prothèse auditive à un deuxième côté (89) de la prothèse auditive, l'antenne ayant un point médian à ladite partie (33, 43, 873) de l'antenne, et l'antenne étant conçue si bien qu'un courant s'étendant à travers l'antenne ayant une amplitude maximale dans, ou proche de, la partie (33, 43, 873) de l'antenne s'étendant depuis un premier côté de la prothèse auditive, lors de l'émission du champ électromagnétique.
  2. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle une différence relative absolue entre la longueur totale de l'antenne et la longueur d'onde est inférieure à un seuil.
  3. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle le deuxième côté est opposé au premier côté.
  4. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle le boîtier est un boîtier en arrière de l'oreille configuré pour être positionné derrière l'oreille de l'utilisateur pendant l'utilisation, et dans laquelle le premier côté est un premier côté longitudinal de la prothèse auditive, et le deuxième côté est un deuxième côté longitudinal de la prothèse auditive
  5. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, dans lequel l'une extrémité de l'antenne est mise à la terre.
  6. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle l'antenne présente une première extrémité et une deuxième extrémité, et une différence relative entre une longueur de l'antenne à partir de la première extrémité au point médian et une longueur allant du deuxième point d'extrémité au point médian est inférieure à un seuil.
  7. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle un point d'excitation d'antenne est prévu à la première et/ou à la deuxième extrémité de l'antenne.
  8. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle
    - une première section d'antenne s'étendant le long d'un premier côté de l'ensemble de prothèse auditive, la première section d'antenne ayant une première extrémité et une deuxième extrémité,
    - une deuxième section d'antenne s'étendant le long d'un deuxième côté de l'ensemble de prothèse auditive, la deuxième section d'antenne ayant une première extrémité et une deuxième extrémité,
    - une troisième section d'antenne, la troisième section d'antenne étant connectée à la deuxième extrémité de la première section d'antenne et à la deuxième extrémité de la deuxième section d'antenne,
    - un point d'excitation pour l'antenne étant prévu à la première extrémité de la première et/ou deuxième section d'antenne.
  9. Prothèse auditive selon la revendication 8, dans laquelle la première section d'antenne présente une première longueur, la deuxième section d'antenne présente une deuxième longueur, et la troisième section d'antenne présente une troisième longueur, et dans laquelle une somme de la première longueur, de la deuxième longueur et de la troisième longueur est une longueur totale de l'antenne.
  10. Prothèse auditive selon la revendication 8 ou 9, dans laquelle une distance entre une première extrémité de la première ou deuxième section d'antenne et la troisième section d'antenne est comprise entre un quart de longueur d'onde et une demi-longueur d'onde.
  11. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications 8 à 10, dans laquelle un point médian de l'antenne est positionné à la troisième section.
  12. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications 8 à 11, dans laquelle la troisième section s'étend depuis le premier côté pour approcher le deuxième côté de l'ensemble de prothèse auditive.
  13. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications 8 à 12, dans laquelle une forme de la première section est symétrique par rapport à une forme de la deuxième section.
  14. Prothèse auditive selon la revendication 10, dans laquelle la distance est mesurée le long de la plus courte distance depuis la première extrémité de la première ou deuxième section d'antenne jusqu'à la troisième section.
  15. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle au moins une partie de l'antenne s'étend le long d'une périphérie du premier côté ou du deuxième côté de la prothèse auditive.
  16. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications 8 à 15, dans laquelle au moins une partie de la première section d'antenne s'étend le long d'une périphérie du premier côté de l'ensemble de prothèse auditive, et/ou dans laquelle au moins une partie de la deuxième section d'antenne s'étend le long d'une périphérie du deuxième côté de l'ensemble de prothèse auditive.
EP13192317.9A 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Aide auditive avec antenne Active EP2871861B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK18170270.5T DK3404934T3 (da) 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Høreapparat med en antenne
EP13192317.9A EP2871861B1 (fr) 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Aide auditive avec antenne
EP18170270.5A EP3404934B1 (fr) 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Aide auditive comportant une antenne
DK13192317.9T DK2871861T3 (en) 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Hearing aid with an antenna
US14/199,511 US9237405B2 (en) 2013-11-11 2014-03-06 Hearing aid with an antenna
JP2014228336A JP5795421B2 (ja) 2013-11-11 2014-11-10 アンテナを有する補聴器
CN201410645344.8A CN104640044B (zh) 2013-11-11 2014-11-11 具有天线的助听器

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP13192317.9A EP2871861B1 (fr) 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Aide auditive avec antenne

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP18170270.5A Division EP3404934B1 (fr) 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Aide auditive comportant une antenne

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2871861A1 EP2871861A1 (fr) 2015-05-13
EP2871861B1 true EP2871861B1 (fr) 2018-05-02

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EP13192317.9A Active EP2871861B1 (fr) 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Aide auditive avec antenne
EP18170270.5A Revoked EP3404934B1 (fr) 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Aide auditive comportant une antenne

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP18170270.5A Revoked EP3404934B1 (fr) 2013-11-11 2013-11-11 Aide auditive comportant une antenne

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DK (2) DK2871861T3 (fr)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10804599B2 (en) * 2016-12-20 2020-10-13 Sonova Ag BTE hearing instrument comprising a loop antenna
EP3451701A1 (fr) * 2017-08-30 2019-03-06 GN Hearing A/S Aide auditive comportant une antenne
DK3499913T3 (da) 2017-12-14 2021-02-01 Gn Hearing As Multiarmdipolantenne til høreinstrument
EP3813386A1 (fr) * 2019-10-25 2021-04-28 GN Hearing A/S Dispositif auditif avec commutation d'antenne active
US11627420B2 (en) * 2021-05-14 2023-04-11 Bose Corporation Loop antenna for hearing aid

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EP2723101A2 (fr) * 2012-07-06 2014-04-23 GN Resound A/S Prothèse auditive BTE possédant une antenne équilibrée

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US7593538B2 (en) 2005-03-28 2009-09-22 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Antennas for hearing aids
US8699733B2 (en) 2008-12-19 2014-04-15 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Parallel antennas for standard fit hearing assistance devices
CA2766182C (fr) 2009-06-30 2015-01-27 Nokia Corporation Appareil pour communications sans fil comprenant une antenne de type boucle
DK2302737T3 (da) 2009-09-21 2014-11-10 Sennheiser Comm As En bærbar kommunikationsanordning, der omfatter en antenne
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK3404934T3 (da) 2021-12-13
EP3404934A1 (fr) 2018-11-21
EP3404934B1 (fr) 2021-09-29
DK2871861T3 (en) 2018-08-06
EP2871861A1 (fr) 2015-05-13

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