Hearing Device Concurrent Bluetooth Classic and BLE Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing devices are limited in their ability to concurrently connect with multiple external devices using different wireless communication protocols, leading to missed notifications from other devices while already connected via a primary protocol.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a hearing device with a processor that can receive signaling data from external devices using a secondary wireless communication protocol, such as Bluetooth Low Energy, to facilitate communication and provide notifications even when connected via a primary protocol like Bluetooth Classic, allowing for concurrent connections and reduced power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hearing device maintains a primary wireless connection using Bluetooth Classic protocol, then audio content can be streamed to the hearing device, but the hearing device cannot concurrently connect to other external devices using different protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless communication capability is segmented into separate protocol handlers - a Bluetooth Classic protocol handler for audio streaming and a Bluetooth Low Energy protocol handler for signaling data. This allows independent operation of each protocol stack, enabling concurrent connections without interference between protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The hearing device is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating both Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Low Energy communication capabilities. The processor can simultaneously execute code for both protocols, allowing the device to serve multiple communication purposes - audio streaming via Bluetooth Classic and notification reception via Bluetooth Low Energy
2Reliability
If the hearing device uses a single wireless communication protocol for all connections, then device complexity is reduced, but notifications from other external devices are missed
Solution Approach 1:
Bluetooth Low Energy serves as an intermediary protocol for notification signaling while Bluetooth Classic handles audio streaming. The signaling data received via Bluetooth Low Energy acts as a mediator to alert the user about incoming calls or messages, enabling reliable notification reception without disrupting the primary audio connection
Solution Approach 2:
The hearing device periodically checks for signaling data from external devices using Bluetooth Low Energy while maintaining continuous audio streaming via Bluetooth Classic. This periodic polling mechanism ensures notifications are detected without requiring a permanent active connection for each potential notification source
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary hearing device configured to assist a user in hearing comprises a memory storing instructions and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor may be configured to execute the instructions to receive, by way of a first wireless link established between the hearing device and a first external device using a first wireless communication protocol, audio content transmitted by the first external device, receive signaling data transmitted by a second external device and indicating that the second external device has additional audio content available to be transmitted to the hearing device, the signaling data transmitted to the hearing device using a second wireless communication protocol that is of a different type than the first wireless communication protocol, and perform, in response to receiving the signaling data, an action with respect to the additional audio content.