IPC분류정보
| 국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
| 국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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| 출원번호 |
US-0523147
(2006-09-19)
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| 등록번호 |
US-8289990
(2012-10-16)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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| 출원인 / 주소 |
- Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
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| 대리인 / 주소 |
Gardner, Linn, Burkhart & Flory, LLP
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| 인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
84 |
초록
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A reconfigurable processing unit for a digital hearing instrument includes an IS processor module, a plurality of processing units and a crosspoint switch matrix. The IS processor module receives a hearing instrument configuration. Each of the processing modules are configured to process audio signa
A reconfigurable processing unit for a digital hearing instrument includes an IS processor module, a plurality of processing units and a crosspoint switch matrix. The IS processor module receives a hearing instrument configuration. Each of the processing modules are configured to process audio signals received by the digital hearing instrument. The crosspoint switch matrix is coupled to the IS processor module and each of the processing modules, and includes at least one crosspoint switch that is configured to route audio signals between processing modules and to combine at least two audio signals. In addition, the IS processor module uses the hearing instrument configuration to program the configuration of the crosspoint switch and thereby control how the crosspoint switch matrix routes and combines audio signals.
대표청구항
▼
1. A hearing instrument reconfigurable processing unit for a digital hearing instrument, comprising: an instruction set (IS) processor module that receives a hearing instrument configuration based at least in part on hearing characteristics of a specific user;processing modules, wherein each of the
1. A hearing instrument reconfigurable processing unit for a digital hearing instrument, comprising: an instruction set (IS) processor module that receives a hearing instrument configuration based at least in part on hearing characteristics of a specific user;processing modules, wherein each of the processing modules is configured to process audio signals received by the digital hearing instrument upon receipt of a sample enable signal; anda crosspoint switch matrix coupled to the IS processor module and each of the processing modules, wherein the crosspoint switch matrix includes a crosspoint switch that is configured to route said audio signals and sample enable signals between the processing modules;wherein the IS processor module uses the hearing instrument configuration to program a configuration of the crosspoint switch and thereby control how the crosspoint switch matrix routes said audio signals and said sample enable signals; andwherein said crosspoint switch matrix outputs a first sample enable signal with a first one of said audio signals to a first one of said processing modules, said first one of said processing modules outputting a second sample enable signal back to said crosspoint switch matrix after processing said first one of said audio signals and wherein said crosspoint switch matrix outputs said second sample enable signal to a second one of said processing modules, wherein said processing modules process said audio signals based on receipt of said sample enable signals and are not tied to a universal sampling clock. 2. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein the crosspoint switch matrix is configured to sum at least two of said audio signals, and wherein the IS processor module uses the hearing instrument configuration to program the configuration of the crosspoint switch and thereby control how the crosspoint switch matrix routes and sums said audio signals. 3. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the processing modules generates a feedback signal, and wherein the IS processor module monitors the feedback signal to determine if the hearing instrument configuration is optimal, wherein if the IS processor module determines that the hearing instrument configuration is not optimal, then the IS processor module receives an alternate hearing aid configuration and reprograms the configuration of the crosspoint switch matrix using the alternate hearing aid configuration. 4. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein the processing modules are coarse-grained processing modules that are each configured to perform an independent processing function. 5. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the processing modules is a biquad filter. 6. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the processing modules is a finite impulse response (FIR) filter. 7. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the processing modules is a compression module. 8. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the processing modules is a digital signal processor (DSP). 9. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the processing modules is a field programmable gate array (FPGA). 10. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the processing modules is a filter bank. 11. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein the IS processor module is coupled to the processing modules and uses the hearing instrument configuration to program the processing modules. 12. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, further comprising: an input/output (I/O) interface that couples the crosspoint switch matrix to a microphone and a speaker in the hearing instrument. 13. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 12, wherein the I/O interface is coupled to an analog-to-digital conversion device that converts analog audio signals received by the microphone into digital audio signals input to the I/O interface. 14. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 12, wherein the I/O interface is coupled to a coder/decoder (CODEC) that processes analog audio signals received by the microphone. 15. The reconfigurable processing device of claim 12, wherein the I/O interface is coupled to a digital-to-analog conversion device that converts digital audio signals generated by at least one of the processing modules into analog audio signals for transmission by the speaker. 16. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 12, wherein the I/O interface is coupled to a coder/decoder (CODEC) that processes digital audio signals generated by at least one of the processing modules. 17. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 12, wherein the I/O interface couples the IS processor module to a nonvolatile memory device that stores the hearing instrument configuration, and wherein the IS processor module receives the hearing instrument configuration from the nonvolatile memory device via the I/O interface. 18. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 17, wherein the nonvolatile memory device is a EEPROM. 19. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein the crosspoint switch matrix is a multi-tiered hierarchical matrix. 20. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 19, wherein the crosspoint switch matrix is a two-tiered heirarchicalhierarchical matrix. 21. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 20, wherein the two-tiered hierarchical matrix comprises: a second-level crosspoint switch; and a plurality of first-level crosspoint switches that are each coupled to the second-level crosspoint switch and at least two of the processing modules;wherein the second-level crosspoint switch is configured to route audio signals between the first-level crosspoint switches, andwherein the first-level crosspoint switches are configured to route audio signals between the processing modules and between the processing modules and the second-level crosspoint switch. 22. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 21, wherein the second-level crosspoint switch is configured to combine at least two of said audio signals. 23. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 1, wherein the crosspoint switch comprises: a configuration register that stores a configuration received from the IS processor module; anda switching circuit coupled to the processing modules and the configuration register, wherein the switching circuit is configured to route the audio signals between the processing modules;wherein the configuration register uses the configuration to control how the switching circuit routes the audio signals. 24. The reconfigurable processing unit of claim 23, wherein the crosspoint switch further comprises: a summer coupled to the processing modules, the switching circuit and the configuration register, wherein the summer is configured to combine at least two of the audio signals to generate a combined output signal;wherein the switching circuit is configured to route the audio signals and the combined output signal between the processing modules, andwherein the configuration register uses the configuration to control which of the audio signals are combined by the summer and to control how the switching circuit routes the audio signals and the combined output signal. 25. A hearing instrument reconfigurable processing unit for a digital hearing instrument, comprising: an instruction set (IS) processor module that receives a hearing instrument configuration based at least in part on hearing characteristics of a specific user;processing modules, wherein each of the processing modules is configured to process audio signals received by the digital hearing instrument; anda crosspoint switch matrix coupled to the IS processor module and each of the processing modules, wherein the crosspoint switch matrix includes a crosspoint switch that is configured to route the audio signals between the processing modules;wherein the IS processor module uses the hearing instrument configuration to program a configuration of the crosspoint switch and thereby control how the crosspoint switch matrix routes the audio signals; andwherein the crosspoint switch matrix is configured to sum at least two audio signals that are input to said crosspoint switch matrix, and the IS processor module uses the hearing instrument configuration to program the configuration of the crosspoint switch and thereby control how the crosspoint switch matrix routes and sums said at least two audio signals wherein said at least two audio signals are summed without using the processing modules. 26. The digital hearing instrument of claim 25, wherein the processing modules are coarse-grained processing modules that are each configured to perform an independent processing function. 27. The digital hearing instrument of claim 25, wherein the processing modules are self-timed. 28. A hearing instrument reconfigurable processing unit for a digital hearing instrument, comprising: an instruction set (IS) processor module that receives a hearing instrument configuration based at least in part on hearing characteristics of a specific user;processing modules, wherein each of the processing modules is configured to process audio signals received by the digital hearing instrument;a crosspoint switch matrix coupled to the IS processor module and each of the processing modules, wherein the crosspoint switch matrix includes a crosspoint switch that is configured to route the audio signals and sample enable signals between the processing modules, said sample enable signals generated by said processing modules upon completion of a processing operation;wherein the IS processor module uses the hearing instrument configuration to program a configuration of the crosspoint switch and thereby control how the crosspoint switch matrix routes the audio signals; andwherein the processing modules are self-timed based on said sample enable signals and processing times of each processing module are independent of each other;wherein the crosspoint switch matrix is a two-tiered hierarchical matrix, wherein the two-tiered hierarchical matrix comprises: a second-level crosspoint switch;a plurality of first-level crosspoint switches that are each coupled to the second-level crosspoint switch and at least two of the processing modules;wherein the second-level crosspoint switch is configured to route the audio signals between the first-level crosspoint switches, andwherein the first-level crosspoint switches are configured to route the audio signals between the processing modules and between the processing modules and the second-level crosspoint switch.
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