Antennas for hearing aids
View Patent ↗An antenna configured in a hybrid circuit provides a compact design for a hearing aid to communicate wirelessly with a system external to the hearing aid. In an embodiment, an antenna includes metallic traces in a hybrid circuit that is configured for use in a hearing aid. The antenna includes contacts in the hybrid circuit to couple the metallic traces to electronic devices in the hybrid circuit. In an embodiment, the metallic traces form a planar coil design having a number of turns of the coil in a substrate in the hybrid circuit. In another embodiment, the metallic traces are included in a flex circuit on a substrate in the hybrid circuit. An antenna configured in a hybrid circuit allows for use in a completely-in-the-canal hearing aid.
1. A hearing aid, comprising:
a microphone;
a signal processing unit configured to process sound received by the microphone to compensate for hearing impairment of a wearer of the hearing aid;
a memory configured to store instructions for the signal processing unit;
a hybrid circuit including at least a portion of the signal processing unit or the memory;
a first substrate on a first side of the hybrid circuit;
a second substrate on a second side of the hybrid circuit, the second side opposite the first side; and
an antenna including a first number of turns of metallic trace on the first substrate and a second number of turns of metallic trace on the second substrate.
2. The hearing aid of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is configured with approximately the same size as the hybrid circuit.
3. The hearing aid of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the antenna is configured with a spiral shape.
4. The hearing aid of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is displaced from the hybrid circuit to reduce proximity effects.
5. The hearing aid of claim 4 , wherein the antenna is displaced from the hybrid circuit by approximately 15 mils.
6. The hearing aid of claim 1 , wherein the antenna has two turns on the first substrate.
7. The hearing aid of claim 1 , wherein the antenna has two turns on the second substrate.
8. The hearing aid of claim 1 , further comprising a conductive line aligned along a portion of the antenna, the conductive line configured to measure power in the antenna.
9. The hearing aid of claim 8 , wherein the conductive line and the antenna are configured as inductively coupled loops.
10. The hearing aid of claim 1 , further comprising a capacitance network coupled to the antenna, the capacitance network configured to selectively couple a capacitance in parallel with the antenna.
11. The hearing aid of claim 1 , further comprising a capacitance network coupled to the antenna, the capacitance network configured to selectively couple a capacitance in series with the antenna.
12. The hearing aid of claim 1 , wherein the hearing aid is a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid.
13. The hearing aid of claim 1 , wherein the hearing aid is a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid.
14. The hearing aid of claim 1 , wherein the hearing aid is an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.
15. A method, comprising:
constructing a hybrid circuit including hearing aid electronics, the hearing aid electronics including a signal processing unit configured to process sound received by the microphone to compensate for hearing impairment of a hearing aid wearer and a memory configured to store instructions for the signal processing unit;
constructing an antenna including a first number of turns of metallic trace on a first substrate on a first side of the hybrid circuit, and a second number of turns of metallic trace on a second substrate on a second side of the hybrid circuit;
connecting the antenna to at least a portion of the hybrid circuit; and
placing the hybrid circuit in a hearing aid housing.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second side is opposite the first side.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising transmitting signals using the antenna.
18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising receiving signals using the antenna.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of placing the hybrid circuit in a hearing aid housing includes placing the hybrid circuit in a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid housing.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of placing the hybrid circuit in a hearing aid housing includes placing the hybrid circuit in an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid housing.
21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of placing the hybrid circuit in a hearing aid housing includes placing the hybrid circuit in a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid housing.