Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100158291 | ANTENNAS FOR STANDARD FIT HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - An embodiment of a hearing assistance device comprises a housing, a power source, a radio circuit, an antenna and a transmission line. The radio circuit is within the housing and electrically connected to the power source. The antenna has an aperture, and the radio circuit is at least substantially within the aperture. The transmission line electrically connects to the antenna to the radio circuit. Various antenna embodiments include a flex circuit antenna. | 06-24-2010 |
20100158293 | PARALLEL ANTENNAS FOR STANDARD FIT HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - An embodiment of a hearing assistance device comprises a housing, a power source, a radio circuit, an antenna and a transmission line. The radio circuit is within the housing and electrically connected to the power source. The antenna has an aperture, and the radio circuit is at least substantially within the aperture. The transmission line electrically connects to the antenna to the radio circuit. Various antenna embodiments include a flex circuit antenna. | 06-24-2010 |
20100158295 | ANTENNAS FOR CUSTOM FIT HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - An embodiment of a hearing assistance device comprises an enclosure that includes a faceplate and a shell attached to the faceplate, a power source, a flex antenna, a transmission line connected to the flex antenna, and radio circuit connected to the transmission line and electrically connected to the power source. The flex antenna has a shape of at least a substantially complete loop around the power source, and maintains separation from the power source. | 06-24-2010 |
20140016807 | ANTENNAS FOR STANDARD FIT HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - An embodiment of a hearing assistance device comprises a housing, a power source, a radio circuit, an antenna and a transmission line. The radio circuit is within the housing and electrically connected to the power source. The antenna has an aperture, and the radio circuit is at least substantially within the aperture. The transmission line electrically connects to the antenna to the radio circuit. Various antenna embodiments include a flex circuit antenna. | 01-16-2014 |
20140198937 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING CELLULAR TELEPHONES FOR HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - The present subject matter relates generally to methods and apparatus for detecting cellular telephones using hearing assistance devices. In an embodiment, a hearing assistance device includes a processor and a radio frequency transceiver connected to the processor. A detection circuit is connected to the processor, the detection circuit including a band pass filter and where the detection circuit is adapted to monitor a radio frequency signal to detect a cellular telephone in proximity to the hearing assistance device based on the monitored signal. The hearing assistance device includes an acoustic input, a magnetic input, and a switch for selecting between the acoustic input and the magnetic input. The processor is adapted to actuate the switch from the acoustic input to the magnetic input when a cellular telephone is detected in proximity to the hearing assistance device. | 07-17-2014 |
20140307904 | ANTENNAS FOR CUSTOM FIT HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - An embodiment of a hearing assistance device comprises an enclosure that includes a faceplate and a shell attached to the faceplate, a power source, a flex antenna, a transmission line connected to the flex antenna, and radio circuit connected to the transmission line and electrically connected to the power source. The flex antenna has a shape of at least a substantially complete loop around the power source, and maintains separation from the power source. | 10-16-2014 |
20140321685 | SMALL LOOP ANTENNA WITH SHORTING CONDUCTORS FOR HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for mitigating antenna interference for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a hearing aid for a wearer including hearing aid electronics and an antenna including a loop segment. According to various embodiments, one or more conductors are connected in parallel with a portion of the loop segment. The conductors electrically short the loop segment to change current distribution in the antenna. The conductors reduce unwanted coupling between the hearing aid electronics and the antenna, according to various embodiments. | 10-30-2014 |
20140328507 | INCREASING ANTENNA PERFORMANCE FOR WIRELESS HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for increasing antenna performance for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing assistance device for a wearer including an antenna within a device housing, an audio receiver configured to be worn in an ear canal of a wearer, and a cable assembly configured to connect the audio receiver to the device housing. A circuit component, such as a ferrite bead or an inductor, is connected to the cable assembly and configured to adjust coupling between the cable assembly and the antenna by modifying high frequency current through the wires of the cable assembly. According to various embodiments, the circuit component is configured to enhance radiation from the cable assembly conductors to assist in wireless communications. In other embodiments, the circuit component is configured to limit and make more consistent the radiation from the cable assembly conductors that interfere with antenna transmissions. | 11-06-2014 |
20140355804 | INCREASING ANTENNA PERFORMANCE FOR WIRELESS HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for increasing antenna performance for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing assistance device for a wearer including an antenna within a device housing, an audio receiver configured to be worn in an ear canal of a wearer, and a cable assembly configured to connect the audio receiver to the device housing. A ferrite element or an inductor is connected to the cable assembly and configured to reduce unwanted coupling between the cable assembly and the antenna by reducing high frequency current through the wires of the cable assembly. According to various embodiments, the ferrite element or the inductor is connected in series to the cable assembly adjacent to the device housing. | 12-04-2014 |
20150016646 | PARALLEL ANTENNAS FOR STANDARD FIT HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - An embodiment of a hearing assistance device comprises a housing, a power source, a radio circuit, an antenna and a transmission line. The radio circuit is within the housing and electrically connected to the power source. The antenna has an aperture, and the radio circuit is at least substantially within the aperture. The transmission line electrically connects to the antenna to the radio circuit. Various antenna embodiments include a flex circuit antenna. | 01-15-2015 |
20150030190 | HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICE WITH ANTENNA OPTIMIZED TO REDUCE HEAD LOADING - A hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid, includes an antenna for wireless communication. The antenna has one or more conductor dimensions that are approximately optimized for minimizing effects of head loading, which vary among users. In one embodiment, a conductor dimension of the antenna is identified for substantially affecting an effect of head loading on the antenna when the hearing assistance device is worn by a user. Performance of the wireless communication using the antenna is evaluated based on one or more performance criteria. The conductor dimension is approximately minimized while the performance of the wireless communication satisfies the one or more performance criteria. | 01-29-2015 |
20150036854 | HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICE WITH BALANCED FEED-LINE FOR ANTENNA - A hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid, includes an antenna connected to a communication circuit through a feed-line for wireless communication. The antenna and the feed-line are configured and placed such that capacitance between their conductors is approximately minimized. In one embodiment, the feed-line includes feed-line conductors each including a major portion approximately perpendicular to an antenna conductor. In another embodiment, the feed-line includes a feed-line conductor crossing the antenna conductor, and at least one of the antenna conductor and the feed-line conductor includes a notch in the crossing area to reduce the crossing area. | 02-05-2015 |