Helical Battery Antenna Module for Compact Ear-Worn RF Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing antennas for small hearing devices poses a challenge due to severe space limitations, leading to poor impedance matching, narrow bandwidth, and low radiation efficiency, as conventional antennas struggle to provide both wide bandwidth and high efficiency within the restricted housing space.
Innovation Solution
An integrated battery/antenna module is implemented, where the battery is embedded within the antenna, forming a helical structure with a ground plane and electrically insulating material, allowing for a compact, space-efficient design that enhances radiation efficiency and bandwidth, and is self-resonant, eliminating the need for a matching network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional antennas are used in small hearing devices, then the device can be compact, but the antenna achieves poor impedance matching, narrow bandwidth, and low radiation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the battery and antenna into a single integrated module, where the battery serves dual purposes: as the power source and as the antenna structure itself. This merging eliminates the need for separate antenna components, achieving compact device size while maintaining acceptable antenna performance through the unique configuration where the battery terminals and housing form the antenna elements
Solution Approach 2:
The battery is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical power to the device while also serving as the antenna structure for wireless communication. The battery housing and terminals are configured to function as antenna elements, allowing a single component to fulfill both power supply and wireless communication roles, thereby reducing overall device complexity and size
2Reliability
If antenna size is increased to improve bandwidth and radiation efficiency, then antenna performance improves, but the device housing space is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna structure is nested within the battery housing, utilizing the existing battery structure as the antenna framework. The battery terminals and housing walls are configured to form the antenna elements, effectively nesting the antenna function within the power supply component without requiring additional space outside the battery volume
3Volume of moving object
If conventional small antennas are used, then device size is reduced, but impedance matching becomes difficult requiring additional matching networks
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna and battery are merged into a single integrated module, eliminating the need for separate matching networks. The battery terminals and housing are directly configured to provide the necessary impedance characteristics, combining the power supply and antenna functions in a way that naturally achieves impedance matching without additional components
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated battery/antenna module achieves a significant improvement in radiation efficiency, providing a wide bandwidth that covers the Bluetooth frequency range, with a prototype demonstrating a 4 dB improvement over conventional patch antennas and comparable total radiated power to tuned patch antennas.
Implementation Method 1
The integrated battery/antenna module achieves a significant improvement in radiation efficiency, providing a wide bandwidth that covers the Bluetooth frequency range
Implementation Method 2
electrically insulating material disposed between the helical antenna and the battery
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
An ear-worn electronic device is configured to be worn by a wearer and comprises a housing configured to be supported at, by, in or on the wearer's ear. A processor is disposed in the housing, and a speaker or a receiver is operably coupled to the processor. A radio frequency transceiver is disposed in the housing and operably coupled to the processor. A battery/antenna module is disposed in the housing and comprises a battery, a helical antenna wrapped around the battery, and electrically insulating material disposed between the helical antenna and the battery. The helical antenna is operably coupled to the transceiver.