Ear-worn electronic device incorporating gesture control system using frequency-hopping spread spectrum transmission

1 . A system, comprising:

a first ear-worn electronic device configured to be worn by a wearer;

a second electronic device comprising a second ear-worn electronic device or other electronic device;

at least one of the first ear-worn electronic device and the second electronic device comprising a sensor;

a wireless transceiver operably coupled to an antenna disposed in each of the electronic devices, wherein one or both of the first ear-worn electronic device and the second electronic device is configured to:

transmit signals at a plurality of different frequencies in accordance with a frequency hopping sequence;

collect two-dimensional (2-D) RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) data comprising an RSSI value as a function of frequency and of time in response to transmission of the signals;

detect a particular input gesture of a plurality of input gestures of the wearer using the 2-D RSSI data;

detect or confirm the particular input gesture of the wearer using the sensor; and

implement a predetermined function of at least one of the first ear-worn electronic device and the second electronic device in response to detecting the particular input gesture.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the particular input gesture is a head gesture of the wearer.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the particular input gesture is a hand gesture of the wearer.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises one or more of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and an inertial measurement unit.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is responsive to one or both of a head gesture and a hand gesture of the wearer.

6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is responsive to a tap applied to the at least one of the first ear-worn electronic device and the second electronic device.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a microphone.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the microphone is responsive to a wearer utterance confirming the particular input gesture.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the second electronic device comprises the second ear-worn electronic device;

the 2-D RSSI data comprises ear-to-ear 2-D RSSI data measured by one or both of the first and second ear-worn electronic devices;

the particular input gesture of the wearer is detected by one or both of the first and second ear-worn electronic devices using the ear-to-ear 2-D RSSI data and detected or confirmed using the sensor; and

the predetermined function is implemented by one or both of the first and second ear-worn electronic devices in response to detecting the particular input gesture.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the second electronic device comprises the second ear-worn electronic device which is configured to transmit the signals at the plurality of different frequencies in accordance with the frequency hopping sequence; and

the first ear-worn electronic device is configured to collect the 2-D RSSI data, detect the particular input gesture using the 2-D RSSI data and data produced by the sensor, and implement the predetermined function in response to detecting the particular input gesture.

11 . A method using a first ear-worn electronic device worn by a wearer and wirelessly coupled to at least a second electronic device, each of the electronic devices comprising a wireless transceiver operably coupled to an antenna, the method comprising:

transmitting, from one or both of the first ear-worn electronic device and the second electronic device, signals at a plurality of different frequencies in accordance with a frequency hopping sequence;

collecting, from one or both of the first ear-worn electronic device and the second electronic device, two-dimensional (2-D) RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) data comprising an RSSI value as a function of frequency and of time in response to transmission of the signals;

detecting a particular input gesture of a plurality of input gestures of the wearer using the 2-D RSSI data;

detecting or confirming the particular input gesture of the wearer using a sensor of at least one of the first ear-worn electronic device and the second electronic device; and

implementing a predetermined function of at least one of the first ear-worn electronic device and the second electronic device in response to detecting the particular input gesture.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the particular input gesture is a head gesture of the wearer.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the particular input gesture is a hand gesture of the wearer.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises one or more of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and an inertial measurement unit.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is responsive to one or both of a head gesture and a hand gesture of the wearer.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is responsive to a tap applied to the at least one of the first ear-worn electronic device and the second electronic device.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises a microphone.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the microphone is responsive to a wearer utterance confirming the particular input gesture.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the second electronic device comprises the second ear-worn electronic device;

the 2-D RSSI data comprises ear-to-ear 2-D RSSI data measured by one or both of the first and second ear-worn electronic devices;

the particular input gesture of the wearer is detected by one or both of the first and second ear-worn electronic devices using the ear-to-ear 2-D RSSI data and detected or confirmed using the sensor; and

the predetermined function is implemented by one or both of the first and second ear-worn electronic devices in response to detecting the particular input gesture.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the second electronic device comprises the second ear-worn electronic device which is configured to transmit the signals at the plurality of different frequencies in accordance with the frequency hopping sequence; and

the first ear-worn electronic device is configured to collect the 2-D RSSI data, detect the particular input gesture using the 2-D RSSI data and data produced by the sensor, and implement the predetermined function in response to detecting the particular input gesture.