Hearing Aid Automatic Pairing via Spatial Admission Rules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing assistance systems require user input for pairing and managing wireless local acoustic area networks (LAANs), leading to inconvenience and potential network congestion, while also risking transmission of irrelevant audio signals.
Innovation Solution
The system automatically pairs devices using admission rules based on estimated angular direction and viewing angle, ensuring only relevant audio signals are transmitted, minimizing power consumption and network congestion by implementing automatic transmission enable modes that consider signal quality, distance, and RF link quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If automatic pairing and network management is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic device pairing, network formation, and audio stream selection without requiring user intervention. Devices autonomously discover each other, establish connections, and configure network parameters based on pre-defined admission rules and spatial relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts transmission parameters including audio stream selection, transmission power levels, and network admission decisions based on real-time spatial position data, angular direction estimates, and signal quality metrics to optimize network performance.
2Loss of information
If admission rules based on angular direction are applied, then loss of information is reduced, but measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system estimates the angular direction of transmitting devices relative to the viewing direction of receiving devices, adding a spatial angular dimension to the admission decision process. This allows the system to filter audio streams based on whether the transmitting device lies within the receiver's field of view or attention cone.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces spatial position data and angular direction estimates as intermediary parameters that mediate between raw audio signals and final transmission decisions. These spatial metrics serve as filtering criteria to determine which audio streams should be admitted to the network.
3Loss of energy
If automatic transmission enable mode is implemented, then loss of energy is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically enables or disables audio transmission based on real-time evaluation of spatial relationships, signal quality metrics, and network conditions. Transmission is activated only when spatial and quality criteria are satisfied, rather than operating continuously or requiring manual control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors spatial position data, angular direction estimates, and audio signal quality metrics, using this feedback to automatically adjust transmission enablement decisions. This closed-loop control ensures transmission occurs only under optimal conditions.
4Ease of operation
If spatial proximity pairing is used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes pairing relationships based on spatial proximity detection, creating a pool of candidate devices before actual audio transmission begins. This preliminary pairing is then refined by subsequent angular direction and signal quality checks to ensure reliable connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static proximity-based pairing to dynamic connection management where actual transmission occurs only when additional spatial and quality criteria are met. This multi-stage approach maintains ease of initial pairing while ensuring transmission reliability through progressive filtering.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing hearing assistance to a at least one user wearing at least one receiver hearing assistance device from at least one audio transmission device worn by a another user, involving: automatically pairing and connecting the audio transmission device with the receiver hearing assistance device to form an ad-hoc network for exchanging network and/or control information, estimating at least one of an angular direction of the audio transmission device with regard to a viewing direction of the user of the receiver hearing assistance device and an angular direction of the receiver hearing assistance device with regard to a viewing direction of the user of the audio transmission device, admitting the audio transmission device to a wireless local acoustic area network for exchanging audio signals only if, as a predefined admission rule, the transmission device is within a field of view of one of the users.