EP3588980B1 - Dispositif auditif ite - Google Patents

Dispositif auditif ite Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3588980B1
EP3588980B1 EP18194325.9A EP18194325A EP3588980B1 EP 3588980 B1 EP3588980 B1 EP 3588980B1 EP 18194325 A EP18194325 A EP 18194325A EP 3588980 B1 EP3588980 B1 EP 3588980B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
hearing device
loudspeaker
antenna
main pcb
pcb
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
EP18194325.9A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP3588980A1 (fr
Inventor
Yves Oesch
André Ochsenbein
Gabriel PEREZ DE LA SOTA
Antonio PERRI
Christoph Leist
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.)
Sonova Holding AG
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Sonova AG
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Publication date
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Publication of EP3588980A1 publication Critical patent/EP3588980A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3588980B1 publication Critical patent/EP3588980B1/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
    • H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles

Definitions

  • the disclosure relates to an ITE (In-The-Ear) hearing device.
  • ITE hearing devices Due to placement in the ear channel, space is very limited in ITE hearing devices. Such space limitation may be particularly critical in case that the ITE hearing device includes an antenna for wireless communication, which may result in electromagnetic interference issues of the antenna with other electronic components. While fitting of the ITE hearing device within the ear channel may be optimized by using a customized shell which is specifically shaped according to the individual shape of the ear channel, such individual shaping introduces some uncertainty concerning the final shape of the shell in the manufacturing process of the hearing device.
  • US 6,324,907 B1 relates to a hearing aid microphone on a flexible PCB (Printed Circuit Board) including EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) decoupling features, so that the PCB may act as an EMI shield against interfering signals, such as DECT or GSM signals.
  • PCB printed Circuit Board
  • EMI Electromagnetic Interference
  • US 6,845,167 B1 relates to a microphone capsule for use in a mobile phone or dictation device, which is carried by a flex print and includes a preamplifier, wherein the flex print connects the microphone capsule to a another PCB carrying a post amplifier.
  • US 7,961,899 B2 relates to a detachable hearing aid microphone; it is mentioned that a hearing aid loudspeaker may be detachable in a similar manner.
  • US 9,401,575 B2 relates to a hearing aid loudspeaker which is connected to a flex print via specific solder bumps.
  • US 2009/0262970 A1 relates to a headset having ferrite beads on an ear jack PCB for improving performance of an antenna provided within a cable of the headset.
  • EP 2 393 308 A1 relates to hearing device according to the preamble of claim 1, which is designed as CIC hearing aid.
  • WO 02/03399 A1 relates to an ITE hearing aid comprising a preassembled electronic module mounted within a flexible housing including a receiver, wherein the electronic module and the receiver are connected by a cable which includes litz wires and a strain relieve fiber.
  • this objective is achieved by an ITE hearing device as defined in claim 1.
  • a flexible main PCB is provided for electrically connecting the at least one microphone, the signal processing unit and the battery, wherein the loudspeaker is connected to the flexible main PCB by litz wires soldered to loudspeaker pads of the PCB and having a length from 2 mm to 15 mm.
  • the flexibility with regard to the final spatial positioning of the loudspeaker relative to the faceplate and the other electronic components is increased, so as to optimize positioning of the loudspeaker.
  • the latter is particularly helpful in cases in which the shell is a customized shell; in such cases, the optimal relative position of the loudspeaker may be different from user to user due to the individual (customized) shape of the shell.
  • the relatively short length of the litz wires connecting the loudspeaker to the loudspeaker pads on the PCB helps to reduce the influence of the litz wires on electromagnetic interference.
  • the use of litz wires for connecting the loudspeaker to the PCB also helps to reduce acoustic feedback problems, compared to, e.g., placement of the loudspeaker on the PCB.
  • the antenna may be designed to operate in the 2.4 GHz ISM band, with the antenna being a magnetic loop antenna integrated within the faceplate.
  • at least one ferrite bead is provided on the main PCB in each of the traces connecting the loudspeaker pads and the signal processing unit, so as to further reduce electromagnetic interferences.
  • the hearing aid 10 comprises a housing 12 including a shell (not shown in the Figs.) and a faceplate 16 for covering an outwardly facing opening of the shell, a plurality of electronic components and a flexible main PCB 20 for electrically connecting at least part of the electronic components.
  • the electronic components comprise a microphone unit 22 comprising at least one microphone for capturing audio signals from ambient sound (in the example illustrated in Fig. 2 , the microphone unit 22 comprises two spaced-apart microphones 22A, 22B), a signal processing unit 24, a loudspeaker 26 ("loudspeaker” herein is used in the sense of "loudspeaker unit", so that it actually may include more than one loudspeaker), a battery 28, a magnetic loop antenna 30, ferrite beads 32, a telephone coil (“T-coil”) 34 and a volume control 36.
  • a microphone unit 22 comprising at least one microphone for capturing audio signals from ambient sound (in the example illustrated in Fig. 2 , the microphone unit 22 comprises two spaced-apart microphones 22A, 22B), a signal processing unit 24, a loudspeaker 26 ("loudspeaker” herein is used in the sense of "loudspeaker unit", so that it actually may include more than one loudspeaker), a battery 28, a magnetic loop antenna 30,
  • the main PCB carries the microphone unit 22, the signal processing unit 24, the ferrite beads 32, the T-coil 34, and battery contacts 38, with these components being soldered to the main PCB 20; also the volume control 36 may be soldered to and carried by the main PCB 20.
  • the T-coil 34 may be implemented as an SMD (surface mounted device) component.
  • the main PCB 20 is fixed at the faceplate 16.
  • the magnetic loop antenna 30 is formed on a flexible antenna PCB 40 which is electrically and mechanically connected to the signal processing unit 24, with the antenna loop being integrated within a groove of the faceplate 16. Thereby the antenna 30 is fixed with regard to the main PCB 20 and the electronic components carried by the main PCB 20.
  • the antenna 30 is provided for operation in the 2.4 GHz ISM band (which is from 2.4 to 2.5 GHz).
  • the signal processing unit 24 is a hybrid which includes a transmitter, or, more generally, a transceiver for the antenna 30.
  • the main PCB 20 comprises loudspeaker pads 42 to which litz wires 44 are soldered, so as to electrically connect the loudspeaker pads 42 - and thus the main PCB 20 - to the loudspeaker 26.
  • the litz wires 44 have a length of from 2 mm to 15 mm, or from 5 mm to 15 mm, or from 8 mm to 12 mm, so as to keep the impact of the litz wires 44 on electromagnetic interference low while allowing for some mechanical adjustment. According to some implementations, the length of the litz wires may be about 10 mm.
  • the signal processing unit 24 not only includes a transceiver but also is provided for processing of the audio signals captured by the microphone unit 22 and for processing of audio signals received by the antenna 30 and/or by the T-coil 34, with the processed audio signals being supplied to the loudspeaker 26.
  • the shell is a customized shell shaped according to the individual shape of the ear channel of the user, as it is known in the art.
  • the individual shape of the ear channel may be determined by taking an impression of the ear channel, with the impression then being laser scanned, or by direct laser scanning of the ear channel, and the shell then may be manufactured by a 3D-printing process from a digital model of the individual ear channel obtained from the laser scanning data.
  • an ITE hearing aid it is one of the last steps to verify that the acoustic feedback between the loudspeaker 26 and the microphone unit 22 is as low as possible, so as to avoid acoustic oscillations.
  • the operator manufacturing the ITE device may rotate the loudspeaker 26 around its axis to find the orientation of the loudspeaker 26 providing for the least feedback.
  • the litz wires 44 are configured to provide for a an electrical connection between the loudspeaker 26 and the main PCB 20 which allows such movements required for optimizing the loudspeaker orientation with regard to acoustic feedback.
  • the litz wires 44 provide for a relatively soft coupling between the loudspeaker 26 and the microphone unit 22 (as compared to a relatively hard coupling if the loudspeaker 26 were mounted directly on the main PCB 20), thereby reducing acoustic feedback.
  • the litz wires 44 connecting the loudspeaker 26 to the main PCB 20 By keeping the litz wires 44 connecting the loudspeaker 26 to the main PCB 20 relatively short, the influence of the litz wires on antenna performance and noise / electromagnetic interference can be minimized.
  • the geometrical environment near the loop antenna 30 can be kept relatively stable, so that antenna performance is accordingly maintained.
  • the geometrical location of those signals within the ITE hearing aid is well defined. This keeps the radiation pattern of the loop antenna under control.
  • any metallic wire or trace in the proximity of the loop antenna 26 has to be taken into account for antenna design, so that a well-defined and stable location of these components permits a proper antenna design.
  • the loudspeaker signals generate noise in the 2.4 GHz band due to the pulse width modulation (PWM) of the loudspeaker signals.
  • PWM signals are rectangular pulses of variable width, having flanks, which results in a spectral content which extends largely beyond the audio frequencies into the radio frequency region.
  • the conductors carrying PWM signals should be kept away from the antenna 30 as far as possible or at least in a position where the coupling to the antenna 30 can be controlled.
  • providing the conductors as traces on a PCB is superior over litz wires conductors, so that the use of litz wires is reduced as far as possible (e.g., by providing only the last 10 mm of the conductor to the loudspeaker 26 as a litz wire).
  • serial ferrite beads 32 in the conductors towards the loudspeaker 26 (alternatively, or in addition, parallel capacitors could be added in the conductors leading to the loudspeaker 26.
  • Such ferrite beads act as a "lossy inductive" load at high frequencies, such as in the 2.4 GHz band, while having only a small resistance at audio frequencies.
  • the ferrite beads 32 are provided as SMD components on the main PCB 20 in each of the traces connecting the loudspeaker pads 42 to the signal processing unit 24. Ideally, the ferrite beads 32 should be placed near the pads provided for connecting to the signal processing unit 24.
  • the wavelength is 12 cm, so that a quarter of a wave has a length of 3 cm.
  • the connections between the transceiver and the loudspeaker 26 may approach a length that is comparable to that, so that the loudspeaker connection could start to interfere with the antenna resonance. Placing the ferrite beads 32 in the middle of the connection length would prevent such parasitic resonance.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)

Claims (15)

  1. Dispositif auditif comprenant :
    un boîtier comprenant une coque et une plaque frontale (16) ;
    des composants électroniques situés dans le boîtier et comprenant au moins un microphone (20), une unité de traitement du signal (24), un haut-parleur (26), une antenne (30) et une batterie (28) ; et
    une carte de circuit imprimée PCB principale flexible (20) pour connecter électriquement au moins l'au moins un microphone, l'unité de traitement de signal et la batterie, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif auditif est un dispositif auditif ITE et le haut-parleur est connecté à la PCB principale flexible par des fils de litz (44) soudés aux plots de haut-parleur (42) de la PCB et ayant une longueur de 2 mm à 15 mm.
  2. Dispositif auditif selon la revendication 1, la longueur des fils de litz (44) étant de 5 mm à 15 mm, de préférence de 8 mm à 12 mm.
  3. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, au moins une perle de ferrite (32) étant prévue sur la PCB (20) dans chacune des traces reliant les plots de haut-parleur (42) et l'unité de traitement du signal (24), les perles de ferrite étant de préférence des composants SMD (32).
  4. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, au moins un condensateur parallèle étant prévu sur la PCB principale (20) pour chacune des traces reliant les plots de haut-parleur (42) et l'unité de traitement du signal, les condensateurs étant de préférence des composants SMD.
  5. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, la PCB (20) étant fixée à la plaque frontale (16).
  6. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, l'unité de traitement du signal (24) étant soudée à et portée par la PCB principale (20).
  7. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, la PCB (20) comprenant des contacts de batterie (38).
  8. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, l'au moins un microphone (22) étant soudé à et porté par la PCB (20).
  9. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, l'antenne (30) étant fixe par rapport à la PCB principale (20).
  10. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, l'antenne (30) étant une antenne à boucle magnétique intégrée à l'intérieur de la plaque frontale (16) .
  11. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, l'unité de traitement du signal (24) comprenant un émetteur (24) connecté à l'antenne (30), l'émetteur étant configuré pour fonctionner dans la bande ISM 2,4 GHz.
  12. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, l'antenne (30) étant formée sur une PCB d'antenne flexible (40) connectée électriquement et mécaniquement à l'émetteur (24).
  13. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, le dispositif auditif ITE (10) comprenant une bobine en T (34) qui est mise en œuvre en tant que composant SMD soudé à et porté par la PCB principale (20) .
  14. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, le dispositif auditif ITE (10) comprenant un contrôle de volume manuel (36) soudé à et porté par la PCB principale (20).
  15. Dispositif auditif selon l'une des revendications précédentes, la coque étant une coque personnalisée formée selon la forme individuelle du conduit auditif de l'utilisateur du dispositif auditif ITE (10).
EP18194325.9A 2018-06-25 2018-09-13 Dispositif auditif ite Active EP3588980B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP2018066952 2018-06-25

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3588980A1 EP3588980A1 (fr) 2020-01-01
EP3588980B1 true EP3588980B1 (fr) 2021-06-02

Family

ID=63579225

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP18194325.9A Active EP3588980B1 (fr) 2018-06-25 2018-09-13 Dispositif auditif ite

Country Status (1)

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EP (1) EP3588980B1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3860152B1 (fr) * 2020-02-03 2022-04-27 Sonova AG Plaque de recouvrement pour embout auriculaire, embout auriculaire et son procédé de fabrication
CN213906847U (zh) * 2020-12-18 2021-08-06 瑞声光电科技(常州)有限公司 扬声器箱

Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002003399A1 (fr) 2000-06-30 2002-01-10 Beltone Electronics Corporation Systeme de connexion de prothese auditive
WO2005020549A1 (fr) 2003-08-26 2005-03-03 Oticon A/S Dispositif de communication numerique
US20070047750A1 (en) 2005-08-26 2007-03-01 Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh In-the-ear hearing aid having an electronics module
US20090060242A1 (en) 2007-08-27 2009-03-05 Siemens Hearing Instruments Inc. Assembly Procedure for CIC With Floating Components
EP2101512A1 (fr) 2008-03-12 2009-09-16 AKG Acoustics GmbH Ecouteur oreillette avec des transducteurs multiples
EP2393308A1 (fr) 2010-06-07 2011-12-07 Oticon A/S Appareil auditif comportant un substrat plié
US20120087526A1 (en) 2010-10-08 2012-04-12 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Housing for a standard fit hearing assistance device
EP2615854A1 (fr) 2012-06-14 2013-07-17 Oticon A/s Boîtier pour prothèse auditive
WO2015127973A1 (fr) 2014-02-27 2015-09-03 Sonova Ag Instrument auditif comprenant une antenne rf
US20160381470A1 (en) 2015-06-24 2016-12-29 Oticon A/S Hearing device including antenna unit

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6324907B1 (en) 1999-11-29 2001-12-04 Microtronic A/S Flexible substrate transducer assembly
AT410742B (de) 2002-02-26 2003-07-25 Akg Acoustics Gmbh Kontaktierung für elektrostatische mikrofonwandler
EP1626612A3 (fr) 2004-08-11 2009-05-06 Sonion Nederland B.V. Structure de montage d'un microphone dans une prothèse auditive et procédé de montage correspondent
KR100999856B1 (ko) 2008-04-22 2010-12-13 삼성전자주식회사 페라이트 비드를 이용하여 안테나 성능을 향상시킨 헤드셋
US9401575B2 (en) 2013-05-29 2016-07-26 Sonion Nederland Bv Method of assembling a transducer assembly

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002003399A1 (fr) 2000-06-30 2002-01-10 Beltone Electronics Corporation Systeme de connexion de prothese auditive
WO2005020549A1 (fr) 2003-08-26 2005-03-03 Oticon A/S Dispositif de communication numerique
US20070047750A1 (en) 2005-08-26 2007-03-01 Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh In-the-ear hearing aid having an electronics module
US20090060242A1 (en) 2007-08-27 2009-03-05 Siemens Hearing Instruments Inc. Assembly Procedure for CIC With Floating Components
EP2101512A1 (fr) 2008-03-12 2009-09-16 AKG Acoustics GmbH Ecouteur oreillette avec des transducteurs multiples
EP2393308A1 (fr) 2010-06-07 2011-12-07 Oticon A/S Appareil auditif comportant un substrat plié
US20120087526A1 (en) 2010-10-08 2012-04-12 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Housing for a standard fit hearing assistance device
EP2615854A1 (fr) 2012-06-14 2013-07-17 Oticon A/s Boîtier pour prothèse auditive
WO2015127973A1 (fr) 2014-02-27 2015-09-03 Sonova Ag Instrument auditif comprenant une antenne rf
US20160381470A1 (en) 2015-06-24 2016-12-29 Oticon A/S Hearing device including antenna unit

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
JEREMY AGNEW: "Acoustic Feedback and Other Audible Artifacts in Hearing Aids", TRENDS AMPLIF, vol. 1, no. 2, June 1996 (1996-06-01), pages 45 - 82, XP055903182, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172233>
RUARO, ANDREA: "EMC, RF, and Antenna Systems in Miniature Electronic Devices", THESIS, January 2016 (2016-01-01), XP055903180, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/portaifiies/portal/122353682/thesis_ar.pdf>

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