Discontinuous transmission on short-range packet-based radio links

A method, comprising:

• during an isochronous communication session of a communication slave with a far-end system operating as a communication master on a short-range packet-based radio link:
• receiving a first zero-payload packet from the communication master in a first subevent of a first event window of the isochronous communication session;
• receiving an audio stream on an audio line in;
• generating a voice packet based on the audio stream;
• transmitting, in response to the first zero-payload packet, the voice packet to the communication master in the first subevent of the first event window;
• receiving a second zero-payload packet from the communication master in a second subevent of the first event window, the second zero-payload packet acknowledging the voice packet;
• monitoring for voice-based signals in the audio stream;
• based on monitoring the audio stream for the voice-based signals, generating a voice activity estimation signal;
• receiving a third zero-payload packet from the communication master in a first subevent of a second event window of the isochronous communication session;
• and
• in response to determining that the voice activity estimation signal is below a predetermined threshold:
• transmitting, in response to the third zero-payload packet, a fourth zero-payload packet to the communication master in the first subevent of the second event window.

A method, comprising:

• during an isochronous communication session of a communication slave with a far-end system operating as a communication master on a short-range packet-based radio link:
• receiving a first zero-payload packet from the communication master in a first subevent of a first event window of the isochronous communication session;
• receiving an audio stream on an audio line in;
• generating a voice packet based on the audio stream;
• transmitting, in response to the first zero-payload packet, the voice packet to the communication master in the first subevent of the first event window;
• receiving a second zero-payload packet from the communication master in a second subevent of the first event window, the second zero-payload packet acknowledging the voice packet;
• monitoring for voice-based signals in the audio stream;
• based on monitoring the audio stream for the voice-based signals, generating a voice activity estimation signal;
• receiving a second voice packet from the communication master in a first subevent of a second event window of the isochronous communication session;
• in response to determining that the voice activity estimation signal is below a predetermined threshold:
• transmitting, in response to the second voice packet, a third zero-payload packet to the communication master in the first subevent of the second event window.