Hearing Aid Ear-to-Ear Relay via Smartphone
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing assistance devices face high attenuation in direct ear-to-ear communication due to factors like multi-path interference, human body absorption, and external interference, necessitating improved wireless communication systems and methods.
Innovation Solution
The use of an external wireless communication device, such as a smartphone, to relay communication between hearing assistance devices when the direct link quality falls below a programmable threshold, determined by parameters like packet error rate, bit error rate, and number of retransmissions, to enhance communication quality and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If direct wireless communication is used between hearing assistance devices, then device complexity is reduced, but communication reliability deteriorates due to high attenuation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external wireless communication device as an intermediary to relay communication between hearing assistance devices when direct communication quality falls below a threshold. This mediator device receives signals from one hearing device and transmits them to the other, overcoming the high attenuation problem without requiring complex internal modifications to the hearing devices themselves.
2Reliability
If relay communication using an external device is used, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between direct and relay communication modes based on real-time assessment of communication link quality. The system monitors parameters such as packet error rate and signal strength, and automatically transitions to relay mode through an external device when the direct link deteriorates, then switches back when conditions improve, optimizing reliability without permanently increasing complexity.
3Reliability
If relay communication is used to overcome attenuation, then communication quality is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects between direct and relay communication paths based on real-time link quality assessment. By monitoring parameters such as packet error rate and signal strength, the system activates relay mode only when necessary to maintain communication quality, thereby minimizing additional power consumption while ensuring reliable communication when attenuation problems occur.
4Loss of information
If relay communication is implemented, then loss of information is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external wireless communication device serves as an intermediary that receives, preserves, and retransmits communication data between hearing assistance devices. This mediator ensures data integrity by maintaining the information throughout the relay process, preventing loss that would occur over the attenuated direct path, while keeping the hearing devices themselves relatively simple.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for relaying wireless communication from ear-to-ear for hearing assistance devices using an intermediate device. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a method of using a first hearing assistance device in a first ear of a wearer to communicate with a second hearing assistance device in a second ear of the wearer using wireless communication, and determining whether quality of the communication between the devices has fallen below a programmable threshold such that communication can be improved by relaying the communication using an external intermediary device such as a smart phone. One method of determining the quality is to monitor a number of retransmissions that are used to maintain communication between the left and right devices.