Process for digital communication and system communicating digitally

• US 7,058,133 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Menzl, Stefan Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): PUENTE, EVA YI ZHENG
• Application Number:
  US09/903,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 375/259, 375/219, 375/256, 381/58, 381/23, 381/316, 381/313, 381/314, 710/57, 709/230
• US Class Current: 375/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0008 Synchronisation information channels, e.g. clock distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/556 External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules H04R25/607 takes precedence

Abstract

According to the present invention, a three-line bus is used for communication between a first digital unit (1) and two other digital units (3). The three-line bus includes a system clock line (SCL) as well as a data transmission line (SD) through which data is sent from the two other units (3), i.e. transmitting units, to the first unit (1), i.e. receiving unit. The system uses an authorization line (WS) for determining which of the two transmitting units (3) is capable of writing data on the data transmission line (SD) and when it can do so. The communication from the first unit (1), now operating as a transmitter, to the two other units (3), now operating as receivers, is made possible by the fact that data signals are also injected in the authorization line (WS) and transmitted through the line together with the authorization control signals.

Claims

1. A method of digital communicating via a three-wire link among

a first unit having at least one serial data input and a write select command output;

at least two second units, each having a serial data output and a write select command input;

a one-wire serial data communication line interconnecting second unit serial data outputs and said serial data input;

a one-wire write select command line interconnecting said write select command output and said second unit write select command inputs;

a clock wire line interconnecting said first and said at least two second units;

comprising the steps of;

establishing communication from said second units to said first unit by generating from said write select command output a write select command signal to said write select command inputs, thereby establishing which of said second units is allowed to write data on said serial data communication line;

establishing communication from said first unit to said second units by encoding at said first unit upon said write select command signal on said write select command line further data, and decoding said further data from said write select command line at said second units.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said aerial data communication line interconnects two of said at least two second units, both of said two second units being removable, further comprising detecting at at least one of said two second units whether the other of said second units is not removed.

3. The method of claim 2, said detecting comprising generating on each of said two second units which is not removed a random digital signal on said serial data communication line.

4. The method of claim 3, said random digital signal being generated by means of an analogue to digital converter.

5. The method of claim 3, said detecting further comprising comparing at each of said two second units not removed said random signal respectively generated with the random signal prevailing on said serial data communication line.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing the occurrence of a predetermined comparison result at a respective one of said two second units.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising assigning, as a function of a result of said comparing, time frames of said write select signal as write allowing cycles to one of said two second units and further time frames of said write select signal as write allowing cycles to the other of said two second units.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating said random digital signal on said serial data communication line via a “

wired AND”

function.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising at each of said two second units and during a predetermined amount of time monitoring whether a predetermined result of said comparing occurs or not, further monitoring at a respective one of said second units, whereat said predetermined result did not occur during said predetermined amount of time, whether there is a digital random signal on said serial data communication line when said respective one second unit is inhibited to write by said write select signal and defining said respective one of said, second units as the sole second unit not removed if said further monitoring reveals that no digital random signal is present.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising applying a predetermined electric potential on said, serial data communication line by said sole second unit not removed as defined, during time spans when said sole second unit is inhibited to write by said write select signal.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising initiating said detecting upon powering said first and second units.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing more than two of said second units, providing for each pair and remaining single one of said second units one of said serial data communication lines and a respective further one of said serial data inputs at said first unit.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising generating at least at a part of said at least two second units addresses by means of random digital signals.

14. The method of claim 3, comprising generating at least at a part of said at least two second units addresses by means of said random digital signals.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising collecting said addresses at said first unit and initiating by said first unit and via said write select line a further generating of addresses if at least two of said addresses coincide.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising said further data being communicated via said write select line only during predetermined cycle times of said write select signal.

17. The method of one of claims 1 to 14, wherein said first unit is a digital signal processing unit of a hearing device, said second units being units of said hearing device.

18. The method of claim 17, said second units being selected from the group of acoustical/electrical converters, electric actuators, T-coils, interface units, adjusting members, thereby potentiometers, switches.

19. The method of claim 18, said second units acting via an analogue to digital conversion on said serial data communication line.

20. The method of claim 19, said conversion being performed in said second units.

21. A system for digital communication, comprising:

a digital processing unit having at least one input for serial digital data and an output for a write select signal;

at least two removable further units, each with an output for serial digital data and an input for a write select signal;

removable further unit outputs being connected by a first single-wire line to said input of said digital processing unit;

said output of said digital processing unit being connected to said removable further unit inputs by a second single-wire line;

said digital processing unit and said further units being interconnected by a third single wire line for a clock signal;

said digital processing unit having an encoder operationally connected to said output for said write select signal to encode upon a second line further signals;

said two removable further units having each a decoder operationally connected to said removable further unit inputs for said write select signal to decode said further signals.

22. The system of claim 21, a random digital signal generator being provided at each of said two further units, having an output operationally connected to said first single-wire line.

23. The system of claim 22, said output of said random digital signal generator and said first single-wire line being operationally connected to inputs of a comparator unit at said further units.

24. The system of claim 23, said generator comprising a analogue to digital converter.

25. The system of claim 23, said digital processing unit generating at said output for said write select signal signal cycles with a selecting function for one of said further units to write and to be inhibited, the other to write and further cycles with an inverse function, an output of said comparator unit controlling cycle to function assignment.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein said random digital signal generator is operationally connected to said first single-wire line via a “

wired AND”

function.

27. The system of claim 21, said further units having a controllable switching arrangement being operationally connected with said output for serial digital data and having a control input operationally connected to said input for said write select signal, thereby controllably switching said output for serial digital data on a defined electrical potential.

28. The system of claim 22, said random digital signal generator being started by applying power to the respective further unit.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein more than two further units are provided and each pair or single further unit is linked to said digital processing unit via one of said first single-wire lines.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein each of said further units has a controllable random digital signal generator, the output thereof being operationally connectable to said output for serial digital data controlled by a predetermined signal applied to said second single-wire line, whereby a sequence of said random digital signals is stored in a storage in said digital processing unit as well as in respective further storages in said further units.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said sequence and a signal cycle value of said write select signal which selects a respective further unit to write is stored at said respective further unit in an address storage unit as well as in a further storage in said digital processing unit, the addresses stored in said digital processing unit being led to a comparator unit, the output of which initiating via said second single-wire line generating a further sequence to be generated.

32. The system of claim 21, wherein said encoder at said digital processing unit is operationally connected to a time control unit which controls generating of said further signal upon said second line only in predetermined time spans of a cycle of said write select signal.

33. The system of claim 21, wherein said digital processing unit is a digital processing unit of a hearing device, said further units being units of said hearing device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said further units are selected from the group including acoustical/electrical converters, electrical actuators, T-coils, interface units, adjusting members, thereby potentiometers or switching units.