Hearing aid antenna for high-frequency data communication
AssigneeStarkey Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsEzdeen Elghannai, Karl Hilde, Zhenchao Yang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Hearing aids having example antennas tuned to transmit and receive signals having a frequency greater than or equal to 2.4 GHz are described. The antenna includes a first segment and a second segment. The first segment is configured to fit inside a housing of the hearing aid and to be within the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into an ear of a wearer. The second segment is configured to be within the housing and disposed near a side of the housing facing toward an outside of the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into the ear of the wearer.
Claims18
A hearing aid comprising:
- a housing configured to fit inside an ear canal;
- an antenna within the housing, the antenna comprising:
- a first segment configured to fit inside the housing and to be within the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into an ear of a wearer;
- and
- a second segment configured to be within the housing and disposed near a side of the housing facing toward an outside of the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into the ear of the wearer,
- wherein the first segment and the second segment are in different environments having different dielectric constants when the hearing aid is inserted in the ear of the wearer, and
- wherein the antenna is tuned to transmit and receive signals having a frequency equal to or greater than 2.4 GHz;
- and
- circuitry, within the housing, coupled to the antenna and configured to transmit the signals to the antenna and receive the signals from the antenna.
A method of manufacturing a hearing aid, the method comprising:
- forming a first segment of an antenna of the hearing aid to fit inside a housing of the hearing aid and to be within an ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into an ear of a wearer;
- forming a second segment of the antenna of the hearing aid to be within the housing and disposed near a side of the housing facing toward an outside of the ear canal when the hearing aid is inserted into the ear of the wearer,
- wherein the first segment and the second segment are in different environments having different dielectric constants when the hearing aid is inserted in the ear of the wearer, and
- wherein the antenna is tuned to transmit and receive signals having a frequency equal to or greater than 2.4 GHz;
- and
- coupling the antenna to circuitry within the housing that is configured to transmit the signals to the antenna and receive the signals from the antenna.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.