Low power intermittent messaging for hearing assistance devices

• US 10,212,682 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Solum, Jeffrey Paul, Kroenke, Randall A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ojo, Oyesola C
• Application Number:
  US15/236,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20170041896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0008 Synchronisation information channels, e.g. clock distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0035 detecting errors in frequency or phase
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present subject matter includes a system for communications between a transmitter and a receiver. In various embodiments, the system uses a sleep interval to allow the receiver to go to sleep between wake up times to “sniff” for transmissions from the transmitter. The system adjusts the length of the preamble of the transmitted signal or a repetition of packets to allow the receiver to detect a transmitted signal based on drift in the clocks of the system. In various embodiments, a receive channel is changed if a signal is not received at a prior channel selection. In various embodiments, the transmission is determined by detection of an event. In various embodiments, the event is an ear-to-ear event. In various embodiments, the receiver and transmitter are in opposite hearing aids adapted to be worn by one wearer.

Claims

1. A method for communications between a transmitter having a first clock and a receiver having a second clock, the method comprising:

synchronizing the first clock and the second clock at a synchronization time;

determining a time interval between the synchronization time and a transmission time of a transmission;

calculating a drift window using a potential drift amount between the first clock and the second clock over the time interval, including using a calculation of a number of sleep window intervals between transmissions;

transmitting the transmission with the transmitter, the transmission including a repetition of packets having a duration based on the drift window; and

receiving with the receiver at a plurality of predetermined sleep intervals by activating the receiver for a duration of time of at least the drift window at each sleep interval to determine if a signal is present.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first clock or the second clock or both clocks are adjusted to compensate for any measured difference in rate between the first clock and the second clock.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration is at least the length of a clock accuracy multiplied by the time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver is adapted to change channel of reception when signals are received but a packet is not detected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the repetition of packets is approximately continuous.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

if a signal is present and not recognized in a predetermined time, then changing to a new receive channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmission includes a repetition of packets that is approximately continuous.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

if a signal is present, then receiving packets with the receiver until no packets are received for a predetermined time.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first clock and the second clock are synchronized upon a successful receipt of the transmission.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first clock and the second clock are synchronized upon reaching time or data settings.

9. A method for communications between a transmitter having a first clock and a receiver having a second clock, the method comprising:

synchronizing the first clock and the second clock at a synchronization time;

determining a time interval between the synchronization time and a transmission time of a transmission;

calculating a drift window using a potential drift amount between the first clock and the second clock over the time interval, including using a calculation of a number of sleep window intervals between transmissions;

transmitting the transmission with the transmitter, the transmission including a repetition of packets having a duration based on the drift window; and

receiving with the receiver using a reception window that is adjustable based on the drift window, wherein the transmitter sends the repetition of packets upon detection of an event, the repetition of packets including a duration related to the drift window.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the event is an ear-to-ear event.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the packet is sent until it is acknowledged.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the repletion of packets are approximately continuous.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiver is disposed within a hearing assistance device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is disposed within a hearing assistance device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is disposed within a first hearing aid and the receiver is disposed within a second hearing aid, the first and second hearing aids adapted to be worn by one wearer.

18. A system, comprising:

a receiver including a first clock having a first frequency drift, the receiver adapted to receive on sleep intervals using the first clock as a timer; and

a transmitter including a second clock, having a second frequency drift, the transmitter adapted to transmit at a time which is a multiple of the sleep interval using the second clock as a timer,

wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit a repetition of packets having a length that increases with a time between transmissions based on one or more of the first and second frequency drifts and based on a calculation of a number of sleep window intervals between transmissions, the length selected to ensure detection of the packets by the receiver regardless of drift of the first and second clocks, and wherein the receiver is configured to use a reception window that is adjustable based on the first and second frequency drifts, wherein the receiver is adapted to change channel of reception when signals are received but a packet is not detected.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiver is adapted to be activated for a duration of time of at least the drift window at each sleep interval to determine if a signal is present.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiver is disposed in a housing of a first hearing aid and the transmitter is disposed in a housing of a second hearing aid.