Hearing system with joint task scheduling

• US 8,477,975 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Glatt, Raoul, Knaus, Micha
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren, David S.
• Application Number:
  US12/808,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20100266151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• Field of Search: 381/315, 381/312, 718/102, 718/103
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural

Abstract

The hearing system (1) comprises a first processing unit (2A); a second processing unit (2B); and a scheduling unit (3) for jointly scheduling tasks to be executed in said first processing unit (2A) and tasks to be executed in said second processing unit (2B). Preferably, the hearing system (1) comprises a first device (1A) comprising said first processing unit (2A); and a second device (1B) comprising said second processing unit (2B).

The method for operating a hearing system (1) comprising a first (2A) and a second (2B) processing unit, comprises the step of jointly scheduling at least one task to be executed in said first processing unit (2A) and at least one task to be executed in said second processing unit (2B). If, during scheduling of a task to be executed in said first processing unit, tasks to be executed in said second processing unit can be considered, an improved performance of the hearing system (1) can be achieved, e.g, an improved time synchronization or an improved handling of obsolete tasks.

Claims

1. Hearing system, comprising

a first processing unit;

a second processing unit;

a scheduling unit for jointly scheduling tasks to be executed in said first processing unit and tasks to be executed in said second processing unit; and

a storage unit comprising data representative of a task schedule comprising at least one task scheduled for execution in said first processing unit and at least one task scheduled for execution in said second processing unit.

2. The hearing system according to claim 1, comprising

a first device comprising said first processing unit;

a second device comprising said second processing unit.

3. The hearing system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one task scheduled for execution in said first processing unit and said at least one task scheduled for execution in said second processing unit are each provided with a priority indicator.

4. The hearing system according to claim 3, wherein said priority indicator comprises a scheduled time of execution for the corresponding task.

5. The hearing system according to claim 1, wherein said storage unit is comprised in at least one device of said hearing system, and a copy of said data representative of said task schedule is stored in at least one other device of said hearing system.

6. The hearing system according to claim 1, wherein said storage unit is distributed among at least two devices of said hearing system.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein said scheduling unit is distributed among at least two devices of said hearing system.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein said jointly scheduling tasks to be executed in said first processing unit and tasks to be executed in said second processing unit is or comprises scheduling tasks for execution in said first processing unit in dependence of tasks requested for execution in said second processing unit.

9. Method for operating a hearing system comprising a first and a second processing unit, said method comprising the step of jointly scheduling at least one task to be executed in said first processing unit and at least one task to be executed in said second processing unit and the step of generating data representative of a task schedule comprising at least one task scheduled for execution in said first processing unit and at least one task scheduled for execution in said second processing unit.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein said first and said second processing units are each comprised in a different device of said hearing system, said method comprising the step of operationally interconnecting said two different devices in a wireless fashion.

11. Method according to claim 9, comprising the step of providing each of

said at least one task scheduled for execution in said first processing unit;

and

said at least one task scheduled for execution in said second processing unit with a priority indicator.

12. Method according to claims 9, comprising the step of storing said data in a distributed fashion in at least two devices of said hearing system.

13. Method according to claim 9, comprising the step of carrying out said jointly scheduling in a distributed fashion in at least two devices of said hearing system.

14. Method according to claim 9, wherein said step of jointly scheduling at least one task to be executed in said first processing unit and at least one task to be executed in said second processing unit is or comprises scheduling at least one task for execution in said first processing unit in dependence of at least one task requested for execution in said second processing unit.

15. Use of a scheduling unit in a hearing system comprising a first processing unit and a second processing unit, for jointly scheduling tasks to be executed in said first processing unit and tasks to be executed in said second processing unit.