Method and apparatus for signal reception using dynamically selectable modes
AssigneeStarkey Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsBeau Jay Polinske, Jeffrey Paul Solum, Stephen Paul Flood
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Abstract
A communication system reduces power consumption of a radio receiver and/or ensures quality of signal transmission by using various modes of receiver operation. In one embodiment, the communication system is part of a hearing assistance system with a hearing aid including the radio receiver. In one embodiment, a mode of reception is selected during signal transmission based on a detected parameter indicative of quality of the signal transmission. In one embodiment, a hearing aid includes a radio receiver using independent sidebands to receive signals transmitted using each of an upper-sideband and a lower-sideband.
Claims20
A hearing aid, comprising:
- a plurality of demodulators configured to demodulate a signal transmitted to the hearing aid using one or both of an upper sideband (USB) and a lower sideband (LSB), the plurality of demodulators including:
- a double-sideband (DSB) demodulator configured to demodulate the signal transmitted using DSB;
- and
- a single-sideband (SSB) demodulator configured to demodulate the signal transmitted using SSB;
- and
- a performance analyzer configured to detect a performance parameter being a measure of quality of the signal transmission, wherein the performance analyzer comprises a comparator configured to compare the detected performance parameter to one or more specified performance thresholds;
- and
- a mode switch configured to select a demodulator from the plurality of demodulators using an outcome of the comparison and a power consumption associated with each demodulator of the plurality of demodulators.
A method for signal transmission to a hearing assistance device, the method comprising:
- providing a hearing aid with a radio receiver capable of receiving a signal transmitted using one or both of an upper sideband (USB) and a lower sideband (LSB), the radio receiver configured to operate in a reception mode selected from a plurality of reception modes including a double-sideband (DSB) mode to receive the signal transmitted using both the USB and the LSB and a single-sideband (SSB) mode to receive the signal transmitted using the USB or the LSB;
- detecting a performance parameter being a measure of quality of the signal transmission;
- comparing the detected performance parameter to one or more specified performance thresholds;
- and selecting the reception mode from the plurality of reception modes using an outcome of the comparison and a power consumption associated with each reception mode of the plurality of reception modes.
A hearing assistance system, comprising:
- a hearing aid including:
- a plurality of demodulators configured to demodulate a signal transmitted to the hearing aid using one or both of an upper sideband (USB) and a lower sideband (LSB), the plurality of demodulators including:
- a double-sideband (DSB) demodulator configured to demodulate the signal transmitted using DSB;
- and
- a single-sideband (SSB) demodulator configured to demodulate the signal transmitted using SSB;
- and
- a performance analyzer configured to detect a performance parameter being a measure of quality of the signal transmission, wherein the performance analyzer comprises a comparator configured to compare the detected performance parameter to one or more specified performance thresholds;
- and
- a mode switch configured to select a demodulator from the plurality of demodulators using an outcome of the comparison and a power consumption associated with each demodulator of the plurality of demodulators;
- and
- a hearing aid host device configured to transmit the signal to the hearing aid using the one or both of the USB and LSB based on the selected demodulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.