TIME DIVISION MULTIPLEXED ACCESS METHOD OF OPERATING A NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND A NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION SYSTEM OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20120140761A1
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Aerts, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,357,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/00 Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A TDMA method of operating a near-field communication system, in which the same synchronous slot is allocated to more than one, non-interfering, transmitters, is disclosed. The power level may be adjusted to minimise interference from unwanted transmitted signals at respective receivers. A near-field communication system operating such a method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a near-field communication system comprising a first transmitter, a second transmitter and a binaural hearing aid system comprising a left receiver and a right receiver, according to a time division multiplexed access arrangement wherein a time division multiplexed access frame comprises at least a first synchronous channel slot, the method comprising

transmitting a left signal from the first transmitter during the first synchronous channel slot,

transmitting a right signal from the second transmitter during the first synchronous channel slot,

receiving the left signal by the left receiver, and

receiving the right signal by the right receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the time division multiplexed access frame further comprises a random channel slot, the method further comprising transmitting a control signal from a one of the first and second transmitters during the random channel slot.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the control signal is transmitted at a higher power level than at least one of the left signal and the right signal.

4. A near field communication system comprising a first transmitter, a second transmitter and a binaural hearing aid system comprising a left receiver and a right receiver and configured to operate according to a time division multiplexed access arrangement wherein a time division multiplexed access frame comprises at least a first synchronous channel slot,

the first transmitter being configured to transmit a first data signal during the first synchronous channel slot, and

the second transmitter being configured to transmit a second data signal during the first synchronous channel slot.

5. A near field communication system according to claim 4, wherein the time division multiplexed access frame further comprises a random channel slot, and a one of the first and second transmitters is configured to transmit a control signal during the random channel slot.

6. A near field communication system according to claim 5, wherein the control signal is transmitted at a higher power level than at least one of the first data signals and the second data signals.

7. A near field communication system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second transmitters each either comprise a part of or are mounted on a pair of glasses.