Bluetooth Hearing Aid Transmission with Inductive Relay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless audio transmission systems for hearing devices require high development costs and inefficiently use bandwidth and power, with recoding leading to reduced audio quality and increased delay times.
Innovation Solution
A transmission facility using a Bluetooth signal with an integrated coder for compressing audio data and a relay station for converting the signal to inductive transmission, operating at a lower sampling rate than standard A2DP, allowing for standardized Bluetooth components and minimizing recoding, thereby reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If recoding is performed in the relay station to adapt data transmission rates, then compatibility between high-frequency and inductive transmission sections is achieved, but development costs increase and audio quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sampling rate parameter from the standard A2DP 44.1 kHz to a lower rate (e.g., 16 kHz) that is compatible with both Bluetooth and inductive transmission requirements. This parameter adjustment eliminates the need for recoding in the relay station while maintaining compatibility across transmission sections, thereby reducing development costs and preserving audio quality.
2Productivity
If recoding is performed in the relay station, then data transmission rate adaptation is achieved, but audio quality is reduced due to redundant encoding
Solution Approach 1:
The encoding is performed in advance at the source device using a lower sampling rate that is compatible with both Bluetooth A2DP and inductive transmission requirements. This preliminary encoding action eliminates the need for subsequent recoding in the relay station, preventing audio quality degradation from redundant encoding while maintaining proper data transmission rate adaptation.
3Reliability
If standard A2DP coding is used, then compatibility with Bluetooth protocol is ensured, but power consumption increases and delay time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sampling rate parameter from the standard A2DP 44.1 kHz to a lower rate (e.g., 16 kHz). This parameter reduction decreases the data transmission rate, which in turn reduces power consumption in both the transmission device and relay station. The lower sampling rate maintains sufficient audio quality for hearing devices while significantly reducing energy usage and processing delay.
4Reliability
If standard A2DP coding is used, then Bluetooth protocol compatibility is ensured, but delay time increases affecting synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the sampling rate from standard A2DP 44.1 kHz to a lower rate (e.g., 16 kHz), which decreases the amount of data that needs to be transmitted and processed. This parameter change reduces the processing load and transmission time, thereby minimizing delay time and improving audio-video synchronization while maintaining Bluetooth protocol compatibility through the A2DP framework.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces development costs, conserves power, enhances audio quality by eliminating redundant encoding, and minimizes delay times, ensuring synchronized audio and image transmission.
Implementation Method 1
a relay station (16) for converting the Bluetooth signal from the transmission device (13, 14) into a signal for inductive transmission to the hearing device (2)
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless audio transmission, for example from a television to a hearing device, is to be achieved simply and with a low signal delay. For this purpose are proposed a transmission facility with a transmission device for transmitting audio data in a signal conforming to a Bluetooth® communications protocol, a hearing-aid-specific coder which is integrated into the transmission device for the purpose of compressing the audio data before its transmission, and a relay station for converting the Bluetooth® signal from the transmission device into a signal for inductive transmission to the hearing device. In the relay station, no recoding is performed during the conversion. The transmission device transmits in accordance with the Bluetooth® A2DP protocol. The hearing-aid-specific coder has a lower sampling rate than the standard Bluetooth® coder SBC. Encoding delays and processing delays in the relay station can be minimized by this system.