Ear-wearable device control system and method

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of communication engineering, and discloses an ear-wearing device control system and method, which comprises a charging device and at least one ear-wearing device; the charging device comprises a charging module, a user input module and a sound wave emitting module; the ear-wearing device comprises a sound pickup module; the ear-wearing device and the charging device can be paired through close-range wireless communication, and the ear-wearing device stores the pairing information of the charging device after the pairing is completed; the charging device is configured to drive the sound wave emitting module to emit a sound wave signal carrying the identification information and the control instruction of the charging device in response to the control instruction triggered by the user input module; the ear-wearing device is configured to receive and analyze the sound wave signal through the sound pickup module, compare the analyzed identification information with the locally stored pairing information, and execute the operation corresponding to the control instruction when the two match. The application can provide a safe, reliable and easy-to-use control scheme for small ear-wearing devices without relying on external devices such as mobile phones.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication engineering technology, and in particular to a control system and method for an ear-worn device. Background Technology

[0002] CIC hearing aids (Completely-in-the-Canal) are small, fully in-ear devices. Due to their small size and discreet nature, they typically cannot have physical buttons for users to directly adjust volume or perform other control operations. Therefore, they mostly use wireless communication to achieve remote control.

[0003] While Bluetooth wireless communication technology is relatively mature, its application in CIC hearing aids, where the Bluetooth chip and antenna are built into the in-ear device, makes them susceptible to shielding by human tissue. This leads to antenna performance degradation, resulting in unstable connections, signal delays, or dropped calls. Furthermore, to maintain Bluetooth monitoring, the device needs to continuously activate the radio frequency module, significantly increasing power consumption and making it difficult to meet the daily usage needs of hearing aid users for extended periods. To circumvent Bluetooth's shortcomings, some solutions attempt to use sound wave control. However, existing sound wave control solutions generally lack authentication or secure pairing mechanisms. Any sound wave of similar frequency (such as ambient noise or sound waves emitted by other unpaired devices) may be mistaken for a control command, leading to false triggering or unauthorized operations. In addition, both of these solutions require a mobile phone or a separately purchased dedicated remote control device, increasing user complexity and cost.

[0004] In conclusion, how to achieve safe and reliable control of small ear-worn devices without relying on external devices such as mobile phones has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a control system and method for ear-worn devices, aiming to provide a safe, reliable and easy-to-use control solution for small ear-worn devices.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an ear-worn device control system, including a charging device and at least one ear-worn device; The charging device includes a charging module, a user input module, and a sound wave transmitting module; the ear-worn device includes a sound pickup module; the ear-worn device and the charging device can be paired via short-range wireless communication, and after pairing, the ear-worn device stores the pairing information of the charging device; The charging device is configured to drive the acoustic wave emitting module to emit an acoustic wave signal carrying the identification information of the charging device and the control command in response to a control command triggered by the user input module. The ear-worn device is configured to receive and analyze sound wave signals through a pickup module, compare the analyzed identification information with locally stored pairing information, and execute the operation corresponding to the control command when the two match.

[0007] Furthermore, the pairing information is a unique device identifier of the charging device or a derived value generated based on that unique device identifier. The pairing information is transmitted from the charging device to the ear-worn device via near-field communication or Bluetooth communication.

[0008] Furthermore, the frequency range of the acoustic signal is from 14 kHz to 21 kHz.

[0009] Furthermore, when the ear-worn device pairs with the new charging device via near-field wireless communication, it automatically overwrites the original pairing information stored locally.

[0010] Furthermore, when there are two ear-worn devices, the two ear-worn devices can achieve bidirectional synchronization via Bluetooth Low Energy connection; and the ear-worn devices are configured such that: when at least one of the two ear-worn devices correctly resolves the sound wave signal, if there is an ear-worn device that does not resolve it correctly, the ear-worn device that has resolved it correctly will send the resolved control command to the ear-worn device that has not resolved it correctly via Bluetooth Low Energy connection, so as to achieve binaural synchronous response.

[0011] Furthermore, the acoustic signal is encoded using a preset frame structure, which includes: a start identifier, a control command code, an identifier code, and integrity verification information.

[0012] Furthermore, the control commands are used to cause the ear-worn device to perform at least one of the following operations: volume adjustment, digital signal processing program switching, answering or hanging up a call.

[0013] Furthermore, the charging device is also configured to: in response to a preset user input operation, clear the current pairing state, and re-establish a pairing relationship with the ear-worn device in subsequent near-field wireless communication pairings, so as to generate and store new pairing information.

[0014] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a method for controlling an ear-worn device, applied to a system including a charging device and at least one ear-worn device. The charging device includes a charging module, a user input module, and a sound wave emitting module. The ear-worn device includes a sound pickup module. The method includes: The ear-worn device and the charging device are paired via near-field wireless communication, and the ear-worn device stores the pairing information of the charging device. In response to the user's operation on the user input module on the charging device, the charging device generates control commands and transmits sound wave signals carrying the identification information of the charging device and the control commands through the sound wave emission module. The ear-worn device receives and analyzes sound wave signals through a pickup module, compares the analyzed identification information with the locally stored pairing information, and executes the operation corresponding to the control command when the two match.

[0015] Furthermore, when the system includes two ear-worn devices, if at least one of the two ear-worn devices correctly resolves the sound wave signal, and there is an ear-worn device that does not resolve it correctly, the ear-worn device that has resolved it correctly will send the resolved control command to the ear-worn device that has not resolved it correctly via Bluetooth Low Energy connection to achieve binaural synchronous response.

[0016] In summary, compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the technical solution provided in this application include at least the following: This application provides a control system for an ear-worn device. By establishing a pairing relationship between a charging device and the ear-worn device based on short-range wireless communication, and by enabling sound wave commands to carry identification information bound to the pairing, a lightweight security control mechanism is constructed. Specifically, the ear-worn device automatically completes pairing and locally stores pairing information without requiring an additional communication module during charging. When the charging device emits a sound wave signal containing control commands and identification information, the ear-worn device only performs an operation if the received identification information matches the locally stored content. Thus, any unpaired device emitting a sound wave of the same frequency is rejected due to identification mismatch, fundamentally solving the problem of false triggering and unauthorized operation caused by the lack of authentication in open voice control schemes. Simultaneously, the sound wave adopts a unidirectional, instantaneous transmission mode, eliminating the need for sustained radio frequency monitoring and significantly reducing power consumption. The entire pairing process is integrated into the user's daily charging behavior, without the need for a mobile phone or the purchase of a dedicated remote control device. This solution leverages the existing sound pickup capabilities of ear-worn devices and the integrated control functions of charging devices. Without requiring structural modifications to the ear-worn devices, it effectively overcomes the dilemma of "high-power secure connection" and "low-power unauthenticated control" in existing technologies, providing a safe, reliable, and easy-to-use control solution for small ear-worn devices. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a control system for an ear-worn device provided as an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a charging box for an ultrasonically controlled hearing aid, which is another exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 3 A flowchart of an instruction encoding provided for an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 4 A flowchart of an instruction decoding method is provided as an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of this application provides a method for controlling an ear-worn device. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0023] Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] In the field of small-sized ear-worn devices, especially in the application of CIC hearing aids, the industry's long-term focus of technological evolution and optimization has generally been on improving microphone sensitivity, optimizing digital signal processing algorithms to enhance speech clarity, or achieving remote interaction with smart terminals through the integration of low-power Bluetooth modules. Faced with the control challenges arising from the inability of users to directly operate the device, the industry typically attributes this to physical space limitations and seeks solutions along the lines of relying on external terminals or simplifying command sets. This mindset has led to a common perception that remote control of hearing aids requires a compromise between high-power continuous connectivity and unsecured open voice control.

[0025] However, while high-power, continuous Bluetooth connectivity enables stable and private command transmission, it contradicts the core design goals of CIC hearing aids, which prioritize miniaturization and long battery life. Limited by the device's size and battery capacity, the power consumption of continuous Bluetooth monitoring significantly shortens effective wearing time. Frequent charging not only impacts all-day usability but also limits the device's usability in scenarios without charging. While switching to a connectionless, open voice control solution avoids the power consumption and physical space issues, it sacrifices control accuracy and user privacy: ambient noise, multi-person conversations, and long-distance voice transmission can easily lead to misrecognition and accidental triggering of voice commands. Furthermore, plaintext voice control commands lack identity verification, potentially exposing users' hearing conditions, usage habits, and other private information, and are not user-friendly for those with unclear pronunciation or speech impairments.

[0026] Through in-depth analysis, the inventors of this application discovered that the aforementioned common understanding may have obscured the true root of the problem. The inventors observed that whether relying on Bluetooth control via a mobile app or using fixed-frequency sound wave commands, the core flaw points to the same deep-seated mechanism problem: existing solutions treat identity authentication and control command transmission as two separate processes, failing to establish a one-time, verifiable, and unique pairing relationship between the charging device and the ear-worn device. In the Bluetooth solution, relying on a mobile app as a third-party intermediary for identity verification and command forwarding comes at the cost of a lengthy control link, significant response delays, and high dependence on the online status of the mobile terminal and the stability of the Bluetooth connection, making it impossible to achieve direct and reliable interaction between the charging device and the ear-worn device; simultaneously, the multiple Bluetooth handshakes and cumbersome identity verification process cannot establish a strong, unique, and reliable relationship within the short time it takes to place or remove the device; in the sound wave solution, commands are broadcast in plaintext, lacking identity binding and resulting in a lack of security. In reality, users' key control operations on the hearing aid, such as volume adjustment and program switching, are highly concentrated after the device is placed in the charging case or immediately after being removed from it, meaning that the charging case naturally possesses the foundation to serve as a reliable control source.

[0027] However, the insidious nature of this problem lies in the fact that it is not a simple function transfer issue, but rather a hidden problem of the lack of a lightweight device identity binding mechanism in the hearing aid human-computer interaction scenario. Specifically, near-field wireless communication (such as NFC and Bluetooth Low Energy) has been used to generate and exchange unique device identifiers during the wireless charging or pairing phase of hearing aids, but using this identifier as the basis for verifying the legitimacy of subsequent sound wave commands has long lacked a feasible path. On the one hand, such communication is often regarded as a charging aid or connection establishment tool, and the generated identifier has not been given the meaning of control permission binding; on the other hand, sound wave control is generally assumed to be a simple triggering method without state or authentication, lacking an association design with pairing information. It is this inertia that has prevented the fundamental solution of establishing a unique pairing relationship through near-field wireless communication and embedding the corresponding identifier in the sound wave frame for local verification by the ear-worn device from being perceived and attempted by those skilled in the art for a long time.

[0028] In view of this, the embodiments of this application aim to provide a control system and method for ear-worn devices, which solves the problem of how to achieve safe and reliable control of ear-worn devices without relying on external devices such as mobile phones.

[0029] Please see Figure 1 This application provides an ear-worn device control system, including a charging device and at least one ear-worn device; The charging device includes a charging module, a user input module, and a sound wave transmitting module; the ear-worn device includes a sound pickup module; the ear-worn device and the charging device can be paired via short-range wireless communication, and after pairing, the ear-worn device stores the pairing information of the charging device.

[0030] The charging device is configured as an integrated power supply and user control device. The charging module provides power to the ear-worn device, while the user input module and sound wave transmitting module are located on the charging device. This allows users to initiate control commands directly through the charging device after the ear-worn device is charging, without needing to carry a separate remote control. It should be noted that the ear-worn device (such as a hearing aid or wireless headphones) has a built-in microphone module that can receive sound wave signals emitted by the charging device, eliminating the need for an additional communication module. This design, which integrates trusted pairing, power supply, and control modules, ensures the uniqueness of the control command source and ease of operation.

[0031] The user input module can be implemented in various ways, including but not limited to mechanical physical buttons, capacitive touch sensors, accelerometer-based tap detection units, sliding electrode strips, or voice control modules integrating microphones and voice recognition units. These implementations can detect the user's operational intentions and generate corresponding control commands.

[0032] The short-range wireless communication can include Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth, or other wireless communication technologies suitable for short-range device pairing. Through this communication method, the charging device can send pairing information to the ear-worn device, which then stores the information in its local memory for subsequent verification. By employing short-range wireless communication methods such as NFC or Bluetooth, the charging device and the ear-worn device can achieve fast and stable automatic pairing, greatly improving the convenience and reliability of device interaction.

[0033] The charging device is configured to drive the acoustic wave emitting module to emit an acoustic wave signal carrying the identification information of the charging device and the control command in response to a control command triggered by the user input module.

[0034] The acoustic signal employs a specific encoding format, and its waveform or spectral characteristics are designed to carry digital information, thereby distinguishing it from environmental noise or speech signals and enabling it to be recognized and parsed by the ear-worn device to extract valid instructions.

[0035] The ear-worn device is configured to receive and parse sound wave signals through a pickup module, compare the parsed identification information with locally stored pairing information, and execute an operation corresponding to the control command when the two match.

[0036] The matching process may include ensuring that the identification information is completely consistent with the locally stored pairing information, or that it meets specific matching rules (such as hash value verification). Those skilled in the art can flexibly set the matching strategy according to system design needs and implementation complexity. This mechanism ensures that only acoustic commands from paired charging devices are received, effectively preventing unauthorized devices or environmental noise from triggering erroneous operations, while also supporting flexible identity binding strategies to balance security and implementation efficiency.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the short-range device pairing occurs when the user places the ear-worn device (e.g., a CIC hearing aid) into the charging device for charging. At this time, the ear-worn device and the charging device are physically close enough to meet the communication distance requirements for NFC or Bluetooth pairing, and the system automatically completes secure pairing without any additional user intervention. This design integrates the pairing process into daily charging behavior, significantly improving the user experience. Furthermore, the charging device is constructed as a portable charging case, with the user input module (such as a physical button, touch area, or tap sensor) integrated on its outer shell. After removing the ear-worn device from the charging case, the user can hold the charging case and use the user input module to send control commands such as volume adjustment and program switching to the worn ear-worn device. Since the pairing relationship is established during charging and the sound wave commands carry identification information, the ear-worn device can safely and reliably respond to commands from the charging case while ignoring other unauthenticated sound sources.

[0038] This embodiment integrates the user input module and the sound wave emission module into the charging device, enabling wireless remote control of the ear-worn device. This optimizes the human-computer interaction experience and enhances the device's usability and personalized responsiveness. When the user triggers a control command via physical buttons, touch, or voice, the charging device immediately drives the sound wave emission module to emit a sound wave signal carrying identification information and control commands. The ear-worn device receives and analyzes the signal through its built-in microphone module and then executes the corresponding operation. This eliminates the need for network connections or complex pairing processes, resulting in rapid response and intuitive operation. Furthermore, this embodiment configures the ear-worn device with an identification information-based verification mechanism, achieving accurate identification and secure response to control commands, significantly improving the device's exclusivity and reliability. When the microphone module receives the sound wave signal, the ear-worn device first verifies the identification information in the signal against preset conditions and the locally stored pairing information. Only after successful verification is the corresponding control command executed. This process effectively prevents interference signals from unauthorized charging devices or other sound sources from causing malfunctions in the ear-worn device, ensuring the accuracy and security of control. The introduction of a verification mechanism allows users to confidently use the charging device in multi-device environments without worrying about accidental triggering or hijacking of commands, enhancing the system's anti-interference capabilities and user privacy protection. Simultaneously, this solution fully leverages the established pairing relationship between the ear-worn device and the charging device, achieving exclusive binding of control permissions and further strengthening the collaborative experience of the two as an integrated solution, providing users with a safer and more seamless operating experience. The overall solution integrates user input, sound wave transmission, and pairing management functions into the charging device, reusing the ear-worn device's existing microphone module to receive and interpret sound wave commands. Without requiring structural modifications to the ear-worn device, it provides a safe, reliable, and easy-to-use control solution for small ear-worn devices.

[0039] In some embodiments, the pairing information is a unique device identifier of the charging device or a derived value generated based on the unique device identifier, and the pairing information is transmitted from the charging device to the ear-worn device via near-field communication or Bluetooth communication.

[0040] The unique device identifier can include hardware-level identifiers such as the chip ID of the integrated circuit chip and the device MAC address. The derived value can be calculated by applying an encryption function, hash algorithm, or pseudo-random number generation algorithm to the unique device identifier. The unique device identifier or its derived value serves as pairing information, which is sent by the charging device to the ear-worn device via Near Field Communication (NFC) or Bluetooth during the pairing process and stored locally by the ear-worn device. During pairing, the charging device can input the unique device identifier as a seed into the algorithm to generate a fixed-length random number sequence as pairing information, which is then sent to the ear-worn device for storage. Since the same seed outputs the same result under the same algorithm, the ear-worn device can recalculate the expected pairing information based on the locally stored unique device identifier during subsequent acoustic verification, or directly compare the received pairing information, thereby achieving identity verification without directly exposing the original identifier and improving privacy and security.

[0041] The pairing information can be pre-programmed into the charging device and the ear-worn device during the production stage, so that the two have consistent pairing information when they leave the factory and can be used right out of the box; or it can be dynamically generated and exchanged during the first pairing process when the user puts the ear-worn device into the charging device for the first time, so as to support re-binding after the device is replaced individually.

[0042] By using a unique device identifier or its derived value as pairing information, each charging device possesses a distinguishable identity credential, ensuring that the ear-worn device can accurately identify the legitimate control source. This effectively avoids command confusion or erroneous responses when multiple charging devices of the same model coexist, guaranteeing the uniqueness and identifiability of the control source. Simultaneously, the introduction of derived values ​​can reduce data transmission volume or hide sensitive hardware information while ensuring security. Furthermore, pairing information can be generated in real-time during the pairing process or pre-programmed during production. This flexible configuration method reduces the coupling between product manufacturing and usage, adapting to the needs of different production processes and user scenarios.

[0043] Please see Figure 2 In one feasible implementation, this application provides a charging case for a sound-wave controlled hearing aid. The charging case includes a microcontroller (MCU) and an NFC communication module, which work together to generate and exchange pairing information.

[0044] The MCU is pre-installed with a globally unique 96-bit Chip ID. During pairing, the MCU can read the lower 32 bits of this Chip ID as a seed and generate a pairing code using a software-implemented pseudo-random number generation algorithm (such as Mason swivel or linear congruence generator); alternatively, it can directly use the complete 96-bit Chip ID as the pairing information. Using the lower 32 bits to generate the pairing code significantly reduces storage and transmission overhead while ensuring an extremely low probability of collisions, making it suitable for resource-constrained miniature ear-worn devices. The complete Chip ID solution, on the other hand, is suitable for scenarios with extremely high uniqueness requirements and ample storage resources.

[0045] Preferably, the pairing code consists of four hexadecimal characters, i.e., the pairing code length is 2 bytes. This pairing code is transmitted to the ear-worn device via a high-frequency (13.56 MHz) NFC communication link through the NFC communication module and stored in its non-volatile memory. The pairing code can also be cleared in response to preset operations (such as specific key combinations) from the user input module and regenerated based on the current Chip ID to support device replacement or secure reset scenarios. Because the system can choose to use derived values ​​instead of the original hardware identifier in acoustic command interaction, it reduces the amount of data transmitted in acoustic commands and avoids the exposure of sensitive chip information, thereby improving the system's anti-counterfeiting capabilities and privacy protection level.

[0046] It should be noted that, Figure 2 The "NFC wireless charging TX chip" shown refers to the NFC transmitting unit located on the charging device side, used to send pairing codes to the ear-worn device; the "NFC wireless charging RX chip" refers to the NFC receiving unit located on the ear-worn device side, used to receive and parse data from the charging device. Together, they form a 13.56 MHz NFC near-field communication link, enabling secure and low-power pairing information exchange.

[0047] In one possible implementation, please refer to Figure 2The charging device, serving as a power supply for the ear-worn device, may include a charging case MCU, wireless charging coil 1, NFC wireless charging TX chip 1, wireless charging coil 2, and NFC wireless charging TX chip 2. The charging case MCU acts as the core control unit, coordinating all operations. Wireless charging coil 1 is electrically connected to NFC wireless charging TX chip 1, and wireless charging coil 2 is electrically connected to NFC wireless charging TX chip 2, both of which are also electrically connected to the charging case MCU, forming two independent wireless charging and NFC transmitting units. The ear-worn device may include a hearing aid MCU1, NFC wireless charging RX chip 1, wireless charging coil 1, hearing aid MCU2, NFC wireless charging RX chip 2, and wireless charging coil 2. Hearing aid MCU1 and MCU2 work collaboratively as dual core control units. Wireless charging coil 1 of the ear-worn device is electrically connected to NFC wireless charging RX chip 1, and wireless charging coil 2 is electrically connected to NFC wireless charging RX chip 2, both of which are also electrically connected to hearing aid MCU1 and MCU2, forming two corresponding receiving units. Through this structure, the charging device can achieve bidirectional NFC communication with the ear-worn device, completing functions such as charging, power supply, and data interaction.

[0048] In some embodiments, when the ear-worn device is paired with a new charging device via near-field wireless communication, the original pairing information stored locally is automatically overwritten.

[0049] When an ear-worn device pairs with a new charging device via short-range wireless communication, the existing pairing information is automatically overwritten. This mechanism ensures that the ear-worn device's control permissions are always bound to the currently physically paired charging device. For example, when a user replaces the charging case (e.g., if the original charging case is damaged or lost), the ear-worn device only needs to be placed in the new charging device to complete the pairing once. The ear-worn device then updates its trust credentials and subsequently only responds to sound wave commands from the new charging device, no longer responding to commands from the original charging device. By automatically overwriting old pairing information, the system avoids command conflicts or security risks caused by multiple charging devices simultaneously having control permissions, ensuring the timeliness and uniqueness of pairing relationships, and preventing information conflicts or connection disorder caused by multiple devices being used interchangeably.

[0050] In a typical implementation, when the ear-worn device is placed in the charging slot of the charging device for charging, the MCU of the charging device sends pairing information to the ear-worn device via short-range wireless communication methods such as NFC. The MCU of the ear-worn device saves the pairing information, thus completing the pairing with the charging device. After pairing, the charging device can only control the paired ear-worn device. Each time the device is placed in the charging slot, the pairing code is reconfirmed. If the ear-worn device is replaced with a different charging device, it will only be controlled by the new charging device.

[0051] In some embodiments, the frequency range of the acoustic signal is 14 kHz to 21 kHz.

[0052] The selection of this frequency band is based on the following technical considerations: audio below 14 kHz is easily overlapped with human voice and environmental noise, leading to misrecognition of commands; while ultrasound above 21 kHz (especially above 20 kHz) is completely inaudible to the human ear, but the sensitivity of mainstream MEMS microphones drops sharply in this frequency band, and the frequency response characteristics between devices are highly discrete, making it difficult to ensure the consistency of reception in mass production, which affects the reliability of control.

[0053] To balance the imperceptibility of sound waves to the human ear, microphone reception sensitivity, and resistance to environmental interference, this embodiment limits the sound wave signal to the range of 14-21 kHz. This was determined through multiple rounds of testing under simulated typical usage scenarios (the user places the charging device on the left, middle, or right side of their abdomen and emits sound waves in three directions: left, front, and right, respectively). The tests primarily used the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and command parsing success rate received by the hearing aid's pickup module as indicators. The aforementioned frequency range exhibited stable reception performance under different spatial locations and environmental noise levels, significantly outperforming other frequency band solutions. By setting the sound wave signal frequency within the range of 14 kHz to 21 kHz, this embodiment avoids auditory interference to the user while transmitting commands, improving comfort and privacy during use.

[0054] Furthermore, the 14kHz-21kHz frequency band of this application precisely avoids the ultra-high frequency range where microphone sensitivity rapidly declines, ensuring that the microphone maintains stable and reliable receiving sensitivity. Simultaneously, it significantly reduces the frequency response differences between different microphone devices, solving the industry problem of poor signal reception in mass production from a hardware perspective, ensuring that all batches of products can stably receive sound wave commands and guaranteeing control reliability. Moreover, this application has undergone multiple rounds of testing simulating typical scenarios with different locations, multiple transmission directions, and various environmental noise levels, with the signal-to-noise ratio of the hearing aid pickup module and the command parsing success rate as core indicators for verification. The overall receiving stability and parsing success rate of the 14kHz-21kHz frequency band are significantly better than most conventional frequency band solutions.

[0055] Specifically, through actual testing, in typical usage scenarios (where the user places the charging device on the left, middle, or right side of their abdomen and emits sound waves in the left, front, and right directions respectively), considering the receiving sensitivity of the hearing aid microphone, environmental noise interference, and the total duration of a single control operation, the following parameter combination was determined: 16.5 kHz, 17 kHz, 17.5 kHz, and 18 kHz as center frequencies, a signal bandwidth of 250 Hz, and a sweep duration of 30 ms per frequency band. This combination can meet the user experience response speed requirements while ensuring the command recognition rate.

[0056] The charging device triggers command generation via its user input module (such as physical buttons). The internal MCU constructs a corresponding sound wave command frame based on the button type and drives the ultrasonic speaker to emit the signal. In an office noise environment of 75 dB, the effective control distance is approximately 1 meter; in quiet environments, the distance can be further extended.

[0057] In some embodiments, the acoustic signal is encoded using a preset frame structure, which includes: a start identifier, a control command code, an identifier code, and integrity verification information.

[0058] The start identifier is used to identify the starting position of a data frame. It can be a preset fixed value (e.g., 0x55) to ensure that the ear-worn device's pickup module can accurately identify and extract valid command segments in the continuous audio stream. The control command code is used to indicate the specific type of control operation issued by the user through the charging device, such as volume adjustment, program switching, or call control. The identifier code carries the identity information of the charging device (such as a unique device identifier or its derived value), which is used by the ear-worn device to compare with the locally stored pairing information to verify the legitimacy of the command source. The integrity check information is generated by performing a bitwise cyclic XOR operation on the start identifier, control command code, and identifier code (e.g., CRC check code). It is used to detect whether the sound wave signal has bit errors due to environmental noise or attenuation during transmission. If the check fails, the frame is discarded to avoid executing erroneous commands.

[0059] It should be understood that the control command code and identification code in the above frame structure are the minimum information units necessary to realize the core functions of the embodiments of this application. The former is used to convey the control commands input by the user, and the latter is used to verify the legality of the command source. In one feasible implementation, the acoustic signal only contains these two fields. The ear-worn device can directly parse the received acoustic signal through a preset fixed length or time window and perform corresponding operations. Although this method is somewhat lacking in anti-interference capability or synchronization accuracy, it can still achieve secure control based on pairing relationships and is suitable for cost- or power-power-sensitive scenarios.

[0060] The start identifier and integrity check information are optional enhancements: the start identifier helps to quickly locate the start of a valid data frame in continuous or noisy sound environments, improving the robustness of parsing; the integrity check information can be used to detect errors during transmission, preventing incorrect command execution due to environmental noise. When higher requirements are placed on reliability, security, or user experience, these two frame structures can be added to build a more stable and reliable acoustic communication mechanism.

[0061] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 4In one feasible implementation, each field in the frame structure is represented by a frequency sweep sequence, that is, a linear frequency scan is performed within a set frequency range to form a high-frequency sound band with a specific frequency change trajectory. Specifically, the start identifier, control command code, identifier code, and integrity verification information correspond to different frequency sweep combinations, with a sweep center frequency of 16.5 kHz, 17 kHz, 17.5 kHz, or 18 kHz, a signal bandwidth of approximately 250 Hz, and a duration of approximately 30 ms for each segment.

[0062] Preferably, the microcontroller (MCU) of the charging device has a built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that generates a corresponding digital signal sequence based on the aforementioned frame structure. This sequence is calculated in real time at a sampling rate of 48 kHz and pre-filled into the playback buffer. When the user triggers a button event, the DAC inside the MCU reads the instruction, uses the CPU to calculate the data of each frame in real time, pre-fills the buffer to be played before playback, and after amplification by the power amplifier chip, drives the sound wave transmitting module (such as an ultrasonic speaker) to emit the corresponding swept frequency sound wave signal.

[0063] The acoustic command consists of four parts: a start identifier, a control command code, an identifier code, and integrity verification information. Each field is represented by a different frequency sweep sequence, that is, a linear scan is performed within a set frequency range to form a high-frequency acoustic band with a specific trajectory.

[0064] When the user presses the button on the charging case, the MCU reads the corresponding instruction type, constructs a complete instruction frame, and generates a digital signal sequence at a 48 kHz sampling rate using the built-in DAC, which is then pre-filled into the playback buffer. During the signal synthesis stage, a window function can be applied to the spliced ​​sweep sequence for fade-in and fade-out processing to reduce spectral leakage and playback transient noise. Subsequently, the signal is amplified by the power amplifier chip, driving the ultrasonic speaker to emit the corresponding sweep sound wave.

[0065] Accordingly, after receiving the sound wave signal, the ear-worn device's pickup module first performs an A / D conversion at a sampling rate of 48 kHz, and then uses a digital signal processor (DSP) to separate the audio stream into low-frequency (less than 12 kHz) and high-frequency (greater than 12 kHz) components. The low-frequency signal is used for conventional hearing aid audio processing, while the high-frequency signal is used for instruction parsing.

[0066] The decoding process employs a layered processing mechanism: first, the sweep frequency peak sequence corresponding to the starting identifier is detected to achieve synchronization; then, the sweep frequency characteristics of the control command code, identifier code, and verification information are extracted sequentially; finally, through local verification and pairing verification, a valid command is output for execution by the main control unit (such as an ARM architecture processor). Low-frequency audio signals below 12 kHz undergo independent sound effect optimization processing and are played through the receiver to ensure that the user's normal listening is not interfered with by the control signal.

[0067] In one feasible implementation, the ear-worn device uses a digital signal processor (DSP) to perform spectral analysis (e.g., Fast Fourier Transform) on the high-frequency audio signal to detect energy peaks within a specific frequency range. The system first performs frame synchronization detection based on preset start code features (e.g., specific frequency combinations); then, it filters the peaks in each channel, removing interference peaks below a threshold or with insufficient continuity; finally, based on the number, intensity, and time sequence of the peaks, it determines whether there is a command segment that conforms to a preset frequency sweep trajectory and converts it into a corresponding control command. The peak detection process can involve a 40 ms sliding scan, extracting the highest 7 peaks within each window, arranging them in descending order of amplitude. If the largest peak is greater than a multiple threshold of the second largest peak, it is determined to be a valid start code; subsequent fields are identified through frequency sequence comparison.

[0068] Preferably, the system performs a sliding window scan of the 14 kHz to 21 kHz frequency band with a bandwidth of 250 Hz and a sampling rate of 48 kHz to detect whether there are signal segments that conform to the preset frequency sweep trajectory. When four valid frequency sweep signals are detected consecutively, they are determined to be the start identifier, control command code, identifier code, and integrity verification information according to their order of appearance.

[0069] Subsequently, the ear-worn device performs the same cyclic XOR operation on the first three fields to generate a local checksum, which is then compared with the received integrity check information. If they match, the received pairing code is further matched and verified against the locally stored pairing information; only when both verification and authentication pass will the corresponding control command be executed.

[0070] By adopting the above frame structure design and frequency sweeping coding mechanism, the system effectively enhances the anti-interference capability and resolution accuracy of signal transmission, ensuring that the ear-worn device control system can accurately distinguish between valid commands and interference signals in noisy environments, and significantly improves the robustness and anti-false triggering capability of the acoustic control link.

[0071] In some embodiments, the control instructions are used to cause the ear-worn device to perform at least one of the following operations: volume adjustment, digital signal processing program switching, answering or hanging up a call.

[0072] When the charging device generates an acoustic signal containing the aforementioned control commands in response to user input, the ear-worn device receives and parses the signal through the pickup module. Provided that the identification code in the acoustic signal and the locally stored pairing information meet preset verification conditions, the ear-worn device executes the corresponding control operation. The control commands are applicable to various implementations of the ear-worn device control system described in this application, regardless of the short-range wireless communication pairing mechanism, acoustic frequency parameters, or pairing information management strategy employed. Common control commands include volume adjustment, digital signal processing program switching, answering or hanging up calls, etc., to meet the user's needs in different scenarios. For example, upon receiving a "volume+" command, the audio amplification gain is adjusted; upon receiving a "program switch" command, the device switches to a preset noise reduction mode or voice enhancement mode; upon receiving a "call answer" or "hang up" command, the response state transition of the internal communication module is triggered.

[0073] The instruction types in this application cover the most common interaction requirements of ear-worn devices in daily use. Combined with the security verification mechanism of this system, it can ensure that critical operations are instructed under legal authorization. At the same time, users do not need to directly touch the ear-worn device. They can complete common operations through the user input module of the charging device. This is especially suitable for scenarios such as sports, driving, or when hands are inconvenient, which significantly improves the intelligence level of the product and the user experience.

[0074] In some embodiments, when there are two ear-worn devices, the two ear-worn devices can be synchronized bidirectionally via Bluetooth Low Energy connection; Furthermore, the ear-worn devices are configured such that when at least one of the two ear-worn devices correctly resolves the sound wave signal, if there is an ear-worn device that fails to resolve it correctly, the ear-worn device that has resolved the signal correctly will send the resolved control command to the ear-worn device that has failed to resolve the signal correctly via Bluetooth Low Energy connection, so as to achieve synchronous response of both ears.

[0075] In one feasible implementation, each of the two ear-worn devices independently receives and interprets the acoustic wave signal from the charging device. When only one ear-worn device successfully and correctly interprets the external acoustic wave signal, that device sends the interpreted control command to the other device via Bluetooth Low Energy connection, and the latter directly executes the command to achieve binaural synchronization.

[0076] If both ear-worn devices complete the parsing and processing of external sound wave signals, but the parsing results are inconsistent (e.g., due to decoding differences caused by local interference), the system can determine the source of the valid command based on a preset strategy. In one specific implementation, a preset master device (e.g., the right ear) is used as a reference. When the parsing results from both sides conflict, the parsing result of the master device takes precedence, and it synchronizes the command to the slave devices. This method avoids execution discrepancies caused by transient channel anomalies, ensuring consistent binaural responses.

[0077] If both ear-worn devices successfully and correctly resolve external sound wave signals, and the control commands obtained from the two resolutions are consistent, the two ear-worn devices will independently execute response operations based on their respective resolved control commands, and timing calibration can be performed through Bluetooth Low Energy connection to ensure the synchronization of the binaural response.

[0078] Understandably, the binaural synchronization function in this embodiment relies on two ear-worn devices being paired with the same charging device. If the user pairs the left and right ears with different charging devices and binds independent pairing information to each, the sound wave control commands will only act on the corresponding device, and the binaural synchronization mechanism will temporarily fail. In one embodiment, if the devices detect inconsistencies in pairing information via Bluetooth Low Energy connection, a prompt can be generated to guide the user to place both ear-worn devices into the same charging device.

[0079] Through the above-mentioned synchronization mechanism, the system can ensure that both ears respond synchronously based on the same legitimate control command in complex environments such as single-sided reception failure or dual-sided decoding conflict. This effectively avoids the problem of single-sided device reception failure or dual-sided decoding conflict caused by wearing position, head obstruction, environmental noise or channel fading, enhances the system's anti-interference ability and fault tolerance performance in complex environments, and improves the reliability and robustness of sound wave control.

[0080] In some embodiments, the charging device is further configured to: clear the current pairing state in response to a preset user input operation, and re-establish a pairing relationship with the ear-worn device in subsequent near-field wireless communication pairing, so as to generate and store new pairing information.

[0081] The preset user input operation can be a combination of pressing and holding the mechanical physical button for 5 seconds, double-clicking the lid and sliding, etc., for the user input module of the charging device to recognize and reset the operation. Those skilled in the art can set different reset operation steps according to the product form and the requirements for preventing accidental touch.

[0082] This function allows users to actively unpair the charging device from the original ear-worn device. For example, when the device is donated or replaced after a sale, the user performs the preset operation, and the charging device clears the original pairing relationship. When the new ear-worn device establishes a pairing relationship with the charging device for the first time via short-range wireless communication, the two devices regenerate and store new pairing information, thereby achieving a dedicated control channel. It should be noted that the above reset mechanism can work in conjunction with any embodiment of this application. Regardless of the pairing method, sound wave frequency parameters, or pairing information management strategy used, the user can trigger the update of the pairing relationship through preset input operations.

[0083] Because the ear-worn device still retains the old pairing information, while the charging device has already used the new pairing information to transmit sound wave commands, the two identifiers do not match, and the original ear-worn device will refuse to execute the command; at the same time, the new ear-worn device, having already completed pairing, can respond normally. This embodiment of the application, by clearing the old pairing information, ensures that the charging device will only interact with the newly paired ear-worn device subsequently, avoiding the problem of the original device responding incorrectly because it still holds valid pairing information. This improves pairing flexibility, control accuracy, and system reliability in device replacement scenarios.

[0084] Please see Figure 5 Another embodiment of this application provides a method for controlling an ear-worn device, applied to a system including a charging device and at least one ear-worn device, wherein the charging device includes a charging module, a user input module, and a sound wave emitting module, and the ear-worn device includes a sound pickup module; the method includes: In step S1, the ear-worn device and the charging device complete pairing via near-field wireless communication, and the ear-worn device stores the pairing information of the charging device.

[0085] In step S2, in response to the user's operation on the user input module on the charging device, the charging device generates a control command and transmits an acoustic signal carrying the identification information of the charging device and the control command through the acoustic wave transmitting module.

[0086] In step S3, the ear-worn device receives and analyzes the sound wave signal through the sound pickup module, compares the analyzed identification information with the locally stored pairing information, and executes the operation corresponding to the control command when the two match.

[0087] In this embodiment, the method relies on the effective coordination of the charging device and the ear-worn device's respective functional modules: the charging device not only provides power but also serves as a user interaction interface and a sound wave transmitter; while the ear-worn device's built-in microphone module naturally possesses the basic ability to receive and analyze sound wave signals. Based on this, the pairing process in step S1, based on near-field wireless communication, provides authentication for subsequent command transmission in the sound wave signal. Therefore, even if the sound wave signal is received by other devices in the environment, only the ear-worn device that has completed pairing and has the corresponding pairing information stored locally will perform the relevant operations. This method is suitable for resource-constrained miniaturized ear-worn devices. While avoiding the introduction of independent remote controls or complex wireless protocols, it utilizes the existing microphone hardware of the ear-worn device and the multi-functional integration of the charging device to achieve safe, convenient, and low-cost control interaction.

[0088] In some embodiments, when the system includes two ear-worn devices, if at least one of the two ear-worn devices correctly resolves the sound wave signal, and there is an ear-worn device that does not resolve it correctly, the ear-worn device that has resolved it correctly will send the resolved control command to the ear-worn device that has not resolved it correctly via Bluetooth Low Energy connection to achieve binaural synchronous response.

[0089] The specific limitations of the ear-worn device control method provided in this embodiment can be found in the embodiment of the ear-worn device control system described above, and will not be repeated here. Each module in the above-described ear-worn device control method can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

[0090] In one feasible implementation, regardless of whether a single or dual ear-worn device is in the out-of-cart state, the user can trigger a sound wave control command by operating the user input module of the charging device (such as a physical button on the charging case). When the charging device emits a sound wave command, it can simultaneously activate an indicator light (such as an LED) to provide operational feedback.

[0091] Under typical usage conditions (such as a noisy office environment of 75 dB), the effective range of the acoustic command is approximately 1 meter; this distance can be extended in quiet environments, but shortens accordingly in high-noise scenarios. Since the charging device is usually held by the user, the actual distance between it and the ear-worn device generally does not exceed 1 meter, meeting the requirements for reliable communication.

[0092] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application adopt a one-way communication architecture, and the charging device does not need to receive response signals from the ear-worn device. If the command is not successfully executed, the user can shorten the distance between the two and re-trigger the operation to remotely control again, thereby improving the success rate of reception. In other feasible embodiments, the charging device can be further configured with a pickup module or a low-power wireless receiving unit to receive confirmation signals, status information, or environmental awareness data returned by the ear-worn device. For example, after successfully executing a command, the ear-worn device can transmit the execution result back via reverse acoustic waves, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), or Near Field Communication (NFC); ​​the charging device can then provide visual (such as LED flashing) or tactile feedback to form a closed-loop interaction. Such a two-way communication mechanism can further improve control reliability and user experience without significantly increasing power consumption, which is a reasonable extension of the inventive concept.

[0093] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0094] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control system for an ear-worn device, comprising a charging device and at least one ear-worn device, characterized in that: The charging device includes a charging module, a user input module, and a sound wave emitting module; The ear-worn device includes a sound pickup module; The ear-worn device and the charging device can be paired via short-range wireless communication. After pairing, the ear-worn device stores the pairing information of the charging device. The charging device is configured to: in response to a control command triggered by the user input module, drive the acoustic wave emitting module to emit an acoustic wave signal carrying the identification information of the charging device and the control command; The ear-worn device is configured to receive and parse the sound wave signal through the pickup module, compare the parsed identification information with the locally stored pairing information, and execute the operation corresponding to the control command when the two match.

2. The ear-worn device control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pairing information is a unique device identifier of the charging device or a derived value generated based on the unique device identifier, and the pairing information is transmitted from the charging device to the ear-worn device via near-field communication or Bluetooth communication.

3. The ear-worn device control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frequency range of the acoustic signal is 14 kHz to 21 kHz.

4. The ear-worn device control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the ear-worn device and the new charging device are paired via near-field wireless communication, the original pairing information stored locally is automatically overwritten.

5. The ear-worn device control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When there are two ear-worn devices, the two ear-worn devices can be synchronized bidirectionally via Bluetooth Low Energy connection; Furthermore, the ear-worn device is configured such that when at least one of the two ear-worn devices correctly resolves the sound wave signal, if there is an ear-worn device that fails to resolve the signal correctly, the ear-worn device that has resolved the signal correctly will send the resolved control command to the ear-worn device that has failed to resolve the signal correctly via Bluetooth Low Energy connection, so as to achieve synchronous response of both ears.

6. The ear-worn device control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The acoustic signal is encoded using a preset frame structure, which includes: a start identifier, a control command code, an identifier code, and integrity verification information.

7. The ear-worn device control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The control commands are used to cause the ear-worn device to perform at least one of the following operations: volume adjustment, digital signal processing program switching, answering or hanging up a call.

8. The ear-worn device control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The charging device is also configured to: in response to a preset user input operation, clear the current pairing state, and re-establish a pairing relationship with the ear-worn device in subsequent near-field wireless communication pairing, so as to generate and store new pairing information.

9. A method for controlling an ear-worn device, applied to a system including a charging device and at least one ear-worn device, characterized in that, The charging device includes a charging module, a user input module, and a sound wave emitting module; the ear-worn device includes a sound pickup module; and the method includes: The ear-worn device and the charging device are paired via near-field wireless communication, and the ear-worn device stores the pairing information of the charging device. In response to the user's operation on the user input module on the charging device, the charging device generates a control command and transmits an acoustic signal carrying the identification information of the charging device and the control command through the acoustic wave transmitting module. The ear-worn device receives and analyzes the sound wave signal through the sound pickup module, compares the analyzed identification information with the locally stored pairing information, and executes the operation corresponding to the control command when the two match.

10. The ear-worn device control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the system includes two ear-worn devices, if at least one of the two ear-worn devices correctly resolves the sound wave signal, and there is an ear-worn device that does not resolve it correctly, the ear-worn device that has resolved it correctly will send the resolved control command to the ear-worn device that has not resolved it correctly via Bluetooth Low Energy connection to achieve binaural synchronous response.

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