Ear-worn electronic device incorporating directional magnetic antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10511920-B2
Application number	US-201815952438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2018
Priority date	Apr 13, 2018
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

An ear-worn electronic device includes a housing comprising a first end and an opposing second end, a first side and an opposing second side, and the first and second sides extending between the first and second ends. The first side is configured to contact the wearer's head. A battery is disposed within the housing proximate the first end. An acoustic receiver or an acoustic receiver connector is disposed within the housing proximate the second end. Electronics including a near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) radio are disposed in the housing. A directional magnetic antenna is situated in or on the housing and coupled to the NFMI radio. The antenna comprises a core having a complex shape and a coil wound around a portion of the core. The core comprises a closed end oriented toward a source of magnetic noise and an open end oriented away from the source of magnetic noise.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ear-worn electronic device configured to be worn by a wearer, comprising:
a housing comprising a first end and an opposing second end, a first side and an opposing second side, and the first and second sides extending between the first and second ends, the first side configured to contact the wearer's head;
a battery disposed within the housing proximate the first end;
an acoustic receiver or an acoustic receiver connector disposed within the housing proximate the second end;
electronics including a near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) radio disposed in the housing; and
a directional magnetic antenna situated in or on the housing and coupled to the NFMI radio, the antenna comprising a core having a complex shape and a coil wound around a portion of the core, the core comprising a closed end oriented toward a source of magnetic noise and an open end oriented away from the source of magnetic noise.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is oriented within the housing to reduce induced voltages from noisy magnetic fields while not attenuating induced voltages from desired magnetic fields.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the closed end of the core is oriented towards the second side of the housing; and
the open end of the core is oriented towards the first side of the housing.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the closed end of the core is oriented towards the electronics; and
the open end of the core is oriented towards the first end of the housing.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the coil-wound portion of the core is situated between the battery and the first end of the housing.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the coil-wound portion of the core is situated between the electronics and the first end of the housing.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis comprising a first portion and at least a second portion that is non-parallel with respect to the first portion.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a curved longitudinal axis.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the core has a C-shape, a U-shape, a horseshoe shape or an L-shape.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the battery comprises a first surface facing the first side of the housing, a second surface facing the second side of the housing, and a peripheral surface between and connecting with the first and second surfaces; and
the core comprises:
a first portion extending from the coil-wound portion along the first surface of the battery; and
a second portion extending from the coil-wound portion along the second surface of the battery.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein:
the coil-wound portion comprises a ferrite rod; and
each of first and second portions of the core comprises a ferrite-loaded elastomer, ferromagnetic material or mu-metal.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein:
the first portion of the core comprises a first electrical contact configured to electrically connect with the first surface of the battery; and
the second portion of the core comprises a second electrical contact configured to electrically connect with the second surface of the battery.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
at least some of the electronics or the acoustic receiver is disposed in an enclosure comprising high permeability material;
the coil-wound portion is situated adjacent the battery; and
the core comprises a strap comprising high permeability material extending from the coil-wound portion, along the second side of the housing, and connecting to the enclosure.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the battery comprises a first surface facing the first side of the housing, a second surface facing the second side of the housing, and a peripheral surface between and connecting with the first and second surfaces;
the coil-wound portion is situated adjacent a first section of the peripheral surface of the battery; and
the core comprises:
a first portion extending from the coil-wound portion along the second surface of the battery; and
a second portion extending from the first portion and along a second section of the peripheral surface of the battery opposing the first section.

15. An ear-worn electronic device configured to be worn by a wearer, comprising:
a housing comprising a first end and an opposing second end, a first side and an opposing second side, and the first and second sides extending between the first and second ends, the first side configured to contact the wearer's head;
a battery disposed within the housing proximate the first end;
an acoustic receiver or an acoustic receiver connector disposed within the housing proximate the second end;
electronics including a near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) radio disposed in the housing;
a magnetic antenna situated in or on the housing and coupled to the NFMI radio, the antenna comprising a core and a coil wound around a portion of the core; and
a magnetic shield positioned between the antenna and a region of the second side of the housing, the magnetic shield configured as a low reluctance path to a source of magnetic noise impinging on the second side of the housing.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the magnetic shield is positioned to redirect the magnetic noise away from a coil aperture of the antenna.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the antenna comprises a core having a complex shape, the core comprising a closed end oriented toward the second side of the housing and an open end oriented toward the first side of the housing.

18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the antenna comprises a core having a complex shape, the core comprising a closed end oriented towards the electronics and an open end oriented towards the first end of the housing.

19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis comprising a first portion and at least a second portion that is non-parallel with respect to the first portion.

20. The device of claim 15 , wherein the core has a C-shape, a U-shape, a horseshoe shape or an L-shape.

Assignees

• Starkey Labs Inc

Inventors

• Haubrich Greg
• Nilakantan Nikhil

Classifications

• H01Q1/273

  Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals · CPC title

• H04R2225/025

  In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids · CPC title

• H04R2225/51

  Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids · CPC title

• H01Q7/08

  Ferrite rod or like elongated core · CPC title

• H04R25/554 Primary

  using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils · CPC title