Hearing Aid Wireless Link Interference Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing assistance systems with wireless links between hearing devices are prone to interference from radio frequency signals, such as those from mobile phones, which can cause link breakdowns due to periodic transmission patterns.
Innovation Solution
The system operates in an interference mode where signal transmission is synchronized with the low power regimes of interfering radio frequency signals, preventing high power bursts from disrupting the link, and signals are transmitted in packets not exceeding half the length of idle times, ensuring complete reception without synchronization with the power scheme.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If signal transmission is performed continuously via wireless link, then bandwidth utilization is maximized, but link reliability deteriorates due to periodic high power bursts from interfering radio frequency signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by synchronizing signal transmission with the periodic low power regimes of interfering radio frequency signals. The transmission is performed only during idle time periods when interference power is low, avoiding continuous transmission. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining link reliability through periodic transmission while accepting reduced bandwidth utilization during high power bursts.
2Reliability
If transmission is synchronized to interfering signal power scheme, then link reliability is maintained, but transmission flexibility and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a power scheme analysis of interfering radio frequency signals before actual signal transmission. The system detects and analyzes the periodic power pattern of interfering signals in advance, identifies low power regimes and idle time periods, and stores this information for guiding subsequent transmission. This preliminary analysis simplifies the transmission control complexity by pre-characterizing the interference environment.
3Reliability
If signal packets are transmitted during low power regimes only, then interference from high power bursts is avoided, but transmission time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the transmission timing adaptive to the detected power scheme of interfering signals. Rather than using fixed transmission slots, the system dynamically adjusts transmission timing to match the variable idle time periods of interfering signals. This allows the system to utilize any available low power regime for transmission, optimizing the use of available time windows and reducing overall transmission time while maintaining signal reception quality.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method of operating a hearing assistance system comprising a hearing device (10, 110, 210), which comprises means (24) for stimulating a user's hearing and which is worn at one of the user's ears, and a remote device (12, 30, 40) spaced apart from the hearing device. The method comprises: establishing a wireless link (26) between the hearing device and the remote device for transmitting signals from the remote device to the hearing device, and operating the system in a base mode; detecting whether a source (28) of radio frequency signals interfering with the wireless link and having a transmission power changing according to a predictable scheme between low power regimes and high power regimes is present in the vicinity of the hearing device; and operating the system in an interference mode as long as the presence of such source of periodic signals interfering with the wireless link is detected, in which interference mode the transmission of the signals from the remote device to the hearing device is synchronized to the detected power scheme of the interfering signals in such a manner that the signals are transmitted only during the low power regimes.