Wireless communications protocol

• US 7,738,913 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Hilpisch, Robert E., Hansen, Peter Soren Kirk, Seel, Mark, Duchscher, Rob
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Danh C
• Application Number:
  US12/415,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 381/315
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to wirelessly communicate with a wireless communication protocol. One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a method performed by a hearing instrument for a user. According to various embodiments, local sound is converted into a processed acoustic signal for the user of the hearing instrument, and wireless communications within a wireless network that includes the hearing instrument is controlled using a wireless communications protocol. The wireless communications protocol includes a transmission protocol module, a link protocol module, an extended protocol module, a data protocol module, and an audio protocol module. The transmission protocol module is adapted to control transceiver operations to provide half duplex communication over a single wireless communication channel, and the link protocol module is adapted to implement a packet transmission process to account for frame collisions on the channel. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Claims

1. A hearing instrument, comprising:

a transceiver to wirelessly transmit data and wirelessly receive data over a single wireless communication channel;

a processor and a memory capable of communicating with each other, the memory including instructions to be operated on by the processor; and

circuitry connecting the processor to the transceiver,

wherein the instructions to be operated on by the processor include a layered wireless communication protocol for use to communicate with at least one other node on a wireless network, the layered wireless communication protocol including;

a transmission protocol module operating at a first layer of the wireless communication protocol to control and monitor transceiver operation, wherein the transmission protocol module is adapted to control transceiver operations to provide half duplex communication over the single wireless communication channel;

a link protocol module operating at a second layer of the wireless communication protocol to define data transmitting and receiving procedures, and present data suitable for transmission, wherein the link protocol module is adapted to implement a packet transmission process to account for frame collisions;

an extended protocol module, a data protocol module, and an audio protocol module, each of the extended protocol module, the data protocol module, and the audio protocol module operating at a third layer of the wireless communication protocol, the extended protocol module to provide access to network service protocols, the data protocol module to communicate data regarding control and configuration information for hearing instruments, and the audio protocol module to communicate digital audio, wherein the audio protocol module is adapted to stream digital audio one way over the single wireless communication channel.

2. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the single wireless communication channel has a carrier frequency of approximately 3.84 MHz.

3. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is adapted to wirelessly transmit and receive data over transmission distances up to approximately 1 meter.

4. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the transmission protocol module is adapted to modulate data signals using amplitude shift keying (ASK).

5. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the transmission protocol module is adapted to transmit and receive data signals at a net data rate of approximately 50 Kbits per second.

6. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the packet transmission process includes:

in response to a transmission request, determining if a channel is free, and transmitting a packet if the channel is free;

if the channel is not free, determining if a counter is exceeded;

if the counter is exceeded, abandoning a packet transmission attempt;

if the counter is not exceeded, sniffing until the channel is free; and

upon determining that the channel is free, waiting for a random timer event, and then proceeding to determine if the channel is free.

7. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the wireless network includes a number of hearing instruments from a number of vendors, the link protocol module providing a protocol data unit including a destination address, each address including a vendor identifier field and a device identifier field such that every hearing instrument is capable of communicating with any other hearing instrument on the wireless network.

8. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the protocol data unit further includes a source address.

9. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the link protocol module is adapted to provide a long address with the vendor identifier field and the device identifier field to uniquely identify a network node, and to dynamically provide an application-specific short address to identify the network node after it is uniquely identified using the long address.

10. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the hearing instrument includes a hearing aid capable of wirelessly communicating with another instrument, the hearing aid including the transceiver, the processor, the memory, and the circuitry connecting the processor to the receiver.

11. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the extended protocol module, the data protocol module, and the audio protocol module in the third layer are adapted to communicate with the link protocol module in the second layer, and the link protocol module in the second layer is adapted to communicate with the transmission protocol module in the first layer.

12. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the transmission protocol module is configured to:

provide read data services, write data services, and carrier sense services;

encode a protocol data unit (PDU) to promote proper receiver operation and receiver phase locked loop (PLL) clock derivation; and

serialize data for the single wireless communication channel.

13. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the link protocol module is configured to define unicast, multicast and broadcast communication transmissions.

14. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the link protocol module is configured to provide a protocol data unit, including a frame start flag field, a size field, a frame descriptor field, an address field, an extended protocol field, a payload field, a frame check sequence field, and a frame end flag field.

15. The hearing instrument of claim 14, wherein the extended protocol field is adapted to hold an indicator for a selected network service.

16. The hearing instrument of claim 15, wherein the indicator for a selected network service includes an indicator for a baseband control network service.

17. The hearing instrument of claim 15, wherein the indicator for a selected network service includes an indicator for a device information network service.

18. The hearing instrument of claim 15, wherein the indicator for a selected network service includes an indicator for an audio control network service.

19. The hearing instrument of claim 15, wherein the indicator for a selected network service includes an indicator for a hearing aid network service.

20. The hearing instrument of claim 15, wherein the indicator for a selected network service includes an indicator for a remote control network service.

21. The hearing instrument of claim 15, wherein the indicator for a selected network service includes an indicator for a binaural communication network service.

22. The hearing instrument of claim 15, wherein the indicator for a selected network service includes an indicator for an FM control network service.

23. A hearing instrument, comprising:

a transceiver to wirelessly transmit data and wirelessly receive data over a single wireless communication channel;

a processor and a memory capable of communicating with each other, the memory including instructions to be operated on by the processor; and

circuitry connecting the processor to the transceiver,

wherein the instructions to be operated on by the processor include a layered wireless communication protocol for use to communicate with at least one other node on a wireless network, the layered wireless communication protocol including;

a transmission protocol module operating at a first layer of the wireless communication protocol to control and monitor transceiver operation, wherein the transmission protocol module is adapted to control transceiver operations to provide half duplex communication over the single wireless communication channel;

a link protocol module operating at a second layer of the wireless communication protocol to define data transmitting and receiving procedures, and present data suitable for transmission, wherein the link protocol module is adapted to implement a packet transmission process to account for frame collisions;

an extended protocol module, a data protocol module, and an audio protocol module, each of the extended protocol module, the data protocol module, and the audio protocol module operating at a third layer of the wireless communication protocol, the extended protocol module to provide access to network service protocols, the data protocol module to communicate data regarding control and configuration information for hearing instruments, and the audio protocol module to communicate digital audio, wherein the audio protocol module is adapted to stream digital audio one way over the single wireless communication channel;

wherein the packet transmission process includes;

in response to a transmission request, determining if a channel is free, and transmitting a packet if the channel is free;

if the channel is not free, determining if a counter is exceeded;

if the counter is exceeded, abandoning a packet transmission attempt;

if the counter is not exceeded, sniffing until the channel is free; and

upon determining that the channel is free, waiting for a random timer event, and then proceeding to determine if the channel is free, and

wherein the wireless network includes a number of hearing instruments from a number of vendors, the link protocol module providing a protocol data unit including a destination address, each address including a vendor identifier field and a device identifier field such that every hearing instrument is capable of communicating with any other hearing instrument on the wireless network.

24. The hearing instrument of claim 23, wherein the link protocol module is adapted to provide a long address with the vendor identifier field and the device identifier field to uniquely identify a network node, and to dynamically provide an application-specific short address to identify the network node after it is uniquely identified using the long address.

25. A hearing instrument, comprising:

a transceiver to wirelessly transmit data and wirelessly receive data over a single wireless communication channel;

a processor and a memory capable of communicating with each other, the memory including instructions to be operated on by the processor; and

circuitry connecting the processor to the transceiver,

wherein the instructions to be operated on by the processor include a layered wireless communication protocol for use to communicate with at least one other node on a wireless network, the layered wireless communication protocol including;

a transmission protocol module operating at a first layer of the wireless communication protocol to control and monitor transceiver operation, wherein the transmission protocol module is adapted to control transceiver operations to provide half duplex communication over the single wireless communication channel;

a link protocol module operating at a second layer of the wireless communication protocol to define data transmitting and receiving procedures, and present data suitable for transmission, wherein the link protocol module is adapted to implement a packet transmission process to account for frame collisions;

an extended protocol module, a data protocol module, and an audio protocol module, each of the extended protocol module, the data protocol module, and the audio protocol module operating at a third layer of the wireless communication protocol, the extended protocol module to provide access to network service protocols, the data protocol module to communicate data regarding control and configuration information for hearing instruments, and the audio protocol module to communicate digital audio, wherein the audio protocol module is adapted to stream digital audio one way over the single wireless communication channel,

wherein the transmission protocol module is configured to provide read data services, write data services, and carrier sense services, encode a protocol data unit (PDU) to promote proper receiver operation and receiver phase locked loop (PLL) clock derivation, and serialize data for the single wireless communication channel, and

wherein the link protocol module is configured to define unicast, multicast and broadcast communication transmissions.

26. The hearing instrument of claim 25, wherein the link protocol module is configured to provide a protocol data unit, including a frame start flag field, a size field, a frame descriptor field, an address field, an extended protocol field, a payload field, a frame check sequence field, and a frame end flag field.