Antenna system for a hearing aid
A hearing aid includes a hearing aid assembly having an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field, a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna, and a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user, whereby the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna propagates along a surface of a head of the user with its electrical field substantially orthogonal to the surface of the head of the user.
1. A hearing aid, comprising:
an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;
a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and
a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna is inside the housing;
wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and
wherein the antenna is a passively excited antenna.
2. A hearing aid, comprising:
an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;
a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and
a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna is inside the housing;
wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and
wherein the antenna further comprises a parasitic antenna element.
3. The hearing aid according to claim 2 , wherein the first section of the antenna is actively excited.
4. The hearing aid according to claim 2 , wherein the hearing aid further comprises a primary antenna element.
5. The hearing aid according to claim 4 , wherein the primary antenna element and the parasitic antenna element are positioned on opposite sides of the hearing aid.
6. The hearing aid according to claim 4 , wherein the first section forms a ground potential plane for the primary antenna and the parasitic antenna element.
7. The hearing aid according to claim 4 , wherein an excitation point for the parasitic antenna element is opposite to an excitation point for the primary antenna element.
8. The hearing aid according to claim 4 , wherein the primary antenna element and the parasitic antenna element have a same length.
9. The hearing aid according to claim 2 , wherein the antenna has a total length that is at least a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field, or longer.
10. The hearing aid according to claim 2 , wherein the parasitic antenna element comprises a patch geometry, a rod geometry, a monopole geometry, a meander line geometry, or any combination thereof.
11. The hearing aid of claim 2 , wherein the antenna is completely surrounded by the housing.
12. A hearing aid, comprising:
an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;
a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and
a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna is inside the housing;
wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and
wherein the current of the antenna has its maximum amplitude in the first section during emission of the electromagnetic field.
13. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is at least 1 GHz.
14. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is between 1.5 GHz and 3 GHz.
15. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is 2.4 GHz.
16. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein an electrical field associated with an operation of the hearing aid is substantially orthogonal to a surface of a head of the user when the hearing aid is at an intended operational position with respect to the user.
17. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the first section extends in a direction that forms an angle with the ear-to-ear axis of the user when the hearing aid is at an intended operational position with respect to the user, the angle being anywhere between −18° and 18°.
18. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the antenna has a total length that is more than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field.
19. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the antenna has a total length that is less than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field.
20. The hearing aid of claim 12 , wherein the antenna is fixedly coupled to the transceiver.
21. The hearing aid of claim 12 , wherein the antenna is completely surrounded by the housing.
22. A hearing aid, comprising:
an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;
a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and
a housing for accommodation of the antenna;
wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and
wherein the antenna further comprises a parasitic antenna element, and the parasitic antenna element comprises an antenna shortening component.
23. The hearing aid according to claim 22 , wherein the antenna shortening component comprises a serial inductor.
24. A hearing aid, comprising:
an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field;
a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna; and
a housing for accommodation of the antenna, wherein the antenna is inside the housing;
wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction that corresponds with an ear-to-ear axis of a user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user; and
wherein the antenna comprises a second section, wherein a magnitude of the current in the first section is larger than a magnitude of a current in the second section.
25. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the first section is a first linear section that is positioned with a longitudinal direction substantially in parallel with the ear-to-ear axis of the user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user.
26. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the first section is accommodated in the housing with its longitudinal direction along a width of the housing.
27. A binaural hearing aid system comprising at least one hearing aid according to claim 24 .
28. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is at least 1 GHz.
29. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is between 1.5 GHz and 3 GHz.
30. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency that is 2.4 GHz.
31. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the antenna comprises a monopole antenna.
32. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the electromagnetic field has an associated electrical field that is substantially orthogonal to a surface of a head of the user.
33. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the first section extends in a direction that forms an angle with the ear-to-ear axis of the user when the housing is worn in its operational position by the user, the angle being anywhere between −18° and 18°.
34. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna propagates along a surface of a head of the user.
35. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the antenna has a total length that is more than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field.
36. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein the antenna has a total length that is less than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field.
37. The hearing aid according to claim 24 , wherein at least a majority of the antenna is inside the housing.
38. The hearing aid of claim 24 , wherein the antenna is fixedly coupled to the transceiver.
39. A device configured to be worn at a head of a user, comprising:
a structure to be worn at the head of the user, the structure comprising a hearing aid housing of a hearing aid;
an antenna for emission of an electromagnetic field, the antenna located underneath an exterior wall of the hearing aid housing; and
a transceiver for wireless data communication, the transceiver interconnected with the antenna and located inside the hearing aid housing;
wherein the antenna comprises a first section having a length being between at least one sixteenth wavelength and a full wavelength of the electromagnetic field, the antenna being positioned so that current flows in the first section in a direction substantially orthogonal to a body of a user when the antenna system is worn in its operational position by the user; and
wherein the antenna comprises a second section, wherein a magnitude of the current in the first section is larger than a magnitude of a current in the second section.
40. The device according to claim 39 , wherein the antenna comprises a monopole antenna.
41. The device according to claim 39 , wherein the electromagnetic field has an associated electrical field that is substantially orthogonal to a surface of a head of the user when the hearing aid is at an intended operational position with respect to the user.
42. The device according to claim 39 , wherein the antenna has a total length that is at least a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic field, or longer.
43. The device according to claim 39 , wherein the electromagnetic field emitted by the antenna propagates along a surface of a head of the user.