Hearing device and a method of compensating a frequency difference between a transmitter and receiver

• US 9,571,942 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Pedersen, Brian Dam, Jrgensen, Karsten Fils
• Primary Examiner(s): Etesam, Amir
• Application Number:
  US13/879,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20130301858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 381/315
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/02 Speed or phase control by the received code signals, the signals containing no special synchronisation information H04L7/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A hearing device includes: a processing unit; a filter; and a wireless receiver; wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a time difference between a start of the wireless receiver and a reception of a corresponding data packet from a transmitter; wherein the filter is configured to determine a time period as a function of a plurality of time differences that include the time difference determined by the processing unit; and wherein the processing unit is further configured to control the wireless receiver such that the wireless receiver is started in the time period before reception of a subsequent data packet from the transmitter.

Claims

1. A hearing device comprising:

a processing unit;

a filter; and

a wireless receiver;

wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a time difference between a start of the wireless receiver and a reception of a corresponding data packet from a transmitter;

wherein the filter is configured to determine a time period as a function of a plurality of time differences that include the time difference determined by the processing unit;

wherein the processing unit is further configured to control the wireless receiver such that the wireless receiver is started in the time period before reception of a subsequent data packet from the transmitter;

wherein the filter comprises a plurality of taps configured to receive the plurality of time differences; and

wherein the function is associated with the determined time difference and a number of lost data packages since a last successful data packet reception.

2. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the taps of the filter are configured to perform cyclically.

3. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the filter is implemented in the processing unit, in a memory device, or in both.

4. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the function comprises an average over the plurality of time differences.

5. The hearing device according to claim 4, wherein the average comprises an arithmetic mean, a geometric mean, a harmonic mean, or a quadratic mean.

6. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the time period is for a first number of receptions, and the filter is configured to provide a second time period for a second number of receptions.

7. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the filter is configured to determine the time period based on an average operation.

8. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the filter is configured to determine an additional time period when the filter has received a new time difference.

9. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the time period comprises an average over the plurality of the time differences, and the processing unit is configured to determine the average each time the plurality of taps have received the respective time differences.

10. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to compensate a start of reception utilizing a last calculated time period for which a data packet was received.

11. The hearing device according to claim 6, wherein the processing unit is configured to start the wireless receiver a fixed time period before the transmitter transmits data to the hearing device in a first number of transmissions.

12. A method of compensating a frequency difference between a wireless receiver and a transmitter, the method comprising:

determining a time difference between a start of the wireless receiver and a reception of a corresponding data packet from the transmitter;

receiving a plurality of time differences by a plurality of taps, respectively, wherein the taps are parts of a filter, and wherein the plurality of time differences includes the determined time difference;

determining a time period based on a function that is associated with the determined time difference and a number of lost data packages since a last successful data packet reception; and

starting the wireless receiver in the time period before reception of a subsequent data packet from the transmitter.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the function comprises an average over the plurality of time differences.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the time period is determined for a first number of receptions, and the method further comprises determining a second time period for a second number of receptions.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the time period is determined based on an average operation.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the time period is determined using the filter, and the method further comprises determining an additional time period when filter has received a new time difference.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the time period comprises an average over the plurality of the time differences, and wherein the average is determined each time a new time difference is received by one of the taps of the filter.