US5991385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Enhanced audio teleconferencing with sound field effect
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-07-16
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Granted: 1999-11-23
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Expires: 2017-07-16
Abstract
Abstract An audio teleconferencing apparatus and method provide an audio sound field among a plurality of teleconferencees creating a sense of a virtual conference table having a spatial location for each conferencee at the virtual table. Each conferencee has a speakerphone including a programmable Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for receiving a conference audio signal. In one form, the speakerphones are coupled to a conference bridge through individual ports, the bridge linking together all conferencees for purposes of the multiparty teleconference and transmitting port identifying signals denoting at discrete instants of time which remote port has a currently speaking conferences. The port identity signals are transmitted in-band or out-of-band to the speakerphones in conjunction with the conference audio signal. Each speakerphone uses the programmed DSP and the port identity signal/audio signals to cause sound reproduced at the speakerphone to appear to emanate from positions around the virtual conference table according to the port identity signals. In another form, a conference speakerphone exchanges its ID with other conference phones on the call and creates an "outgoing image" of participants at a speakerphone. Using the Id information, each DSP maps a virtual conference table for the conferencees and the relative spatial positions of the speakers within a group.
Inventors
- 👤 James M. Dunn
- 👤 Alan G. Ganek
- 👤 Edith H. Stern
- 👤 Barry E. Willner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:19
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/56; H04M3/568
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
An audio teleconferencing apparatus with a sound field effect among participants comprising: a) telephone apparatus including at least one digital signal processor and generating a first signal in response to an audio input; b) means for linking the telephone apparatus in a teleconference with other telephone apparatus at other physical locations using a first signal path; c) means for generating a second signal in a second signal path identifying the telephone apparatus being used by a speaker in the teleconference; and d) means included in the digital signal processor using the first and second signals for creating the sound field effect of speaker locations about a virtual conference table.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
An audio teleconferencing apparatus with a sound field effect among participants comprising: a) telephone apparatus including at least one digital signal processor and generating a first signal in response to an audio input; b) means for linking the telephone apparatus in a teleconference with other telephone apparatus at other physical locations using a first signal path; c) means for generating a second signal in a second signal path identifying the telephone apparatus being used by a speaker in the teleconference; and d) means included in the digital signal processor using the first and second signals for creating the sound field effect of speaker locations about a virtual conference table.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for generating the second signal is a telephone conference bridge and the telephone apparatus is standard telephone, except for a sole speakerphone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for generating an outgoing image of speaker spatial positions using the telephone apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a conference bridge for generating the identification of telephone apparatus being used by a speaker in the teleconference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for transmitting the first signal in the first signal path and the second signal is a data stream in the second signal path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising means for denoting at discrete instants of time in the data stream which telephone apparatus has a currently talking speaker.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the data stream is transmitted in an out-of-band signal path with respect to the first signal path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the data stream is transmitted in an in-band signal path with respect to the first signal path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the telephone apparatus is a conference speakerphone and includes means for exchanging its identification with other conference speakerphones on the teleconference call using the second signal path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means using the digital signal processor for mapping a virtual conference table for the conference speakerphones in response to the first and second signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the telephone apparatus is a computer with a sound card and further comprises means for inputting to the computer an audio signal and an identification of the computers in the teleconference.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising means for preparing an automatic log of the teleconference using the computer in conjunction with the audio and identification signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 9 further including speech recognition means in the computer and maintaining an audio log of the teleconference.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 10 further including a text data base and log of the teleconference.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
104 words
In an audio teleconferencing system including telephone apparatus including a digital signal processor, the apparatus being linked together in a teleconference, a method for creating a sound field effect for the teleconference, comprising the steps of: a) generating a first signal from the telephone apparatus in a first signal path in response to an audio input; b) generating in a second signal path an identification signal of the telephone apparatus being used by a speaker in the teleconference; and c) processing the first and identification signals in the telephone apparatus and creating the sound field effect of speaker locations about a virtual conference table.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
104 words
In an audio teleconferencing system including telephone apparatus including a digital signal processor, the apparatus being linked together in a teleconference, a method for creating a sound field effect for the teleconference, comprising the steps of: a) generating a first signal from the telephone apparatus in a first signal path in response to an audio input; b) generating in a second signal path an identification signal of the telephone apparatus being used by a speaker in the teleconference; and c) processing the first and identification signals in the telephone apparatus and creating the sound field effect of speaker locations about a virtual conference table.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of: a) generating an outgoing image of speaker spatial positions using the telephone apparatus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
140 words
An article of manufacturing, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for creating a sound field effect for an audio teleconference in an audio teleconferencing system including telephone apparatus including a digital signal processor, the apparatus being linked together in a teleconference, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacturing, comprising: a) program code means for generating a first signal from the telephone apparatus in a first signal path in response to an audio input; b) program code means for generating in a second signal path an identification signal of the telephone apparatus being used by a speaker in the teleconference; and c) program code means for processing the first and identification signals in the telephone apparatus and creating the sound field effect of speaker locations about a virtual conference table.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
140 words
An article of manufacturing, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for creating a sound field effect for an audio teleconference in an audio teleconferencing system including telephone apparatus including a digital signal processor, the apparatus being linked together in a teleconference, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacturing, comprising: a) program code means for generating a first signal from the telephone apparatus in a first signal path in response to an audio input; b) program code means for generating in a second signal path an identification signal of the telephone apparatus being used by a speaker in the teleconference; and c) program code means for processing the first and identification signals in the telephone apparatus and creating the sound field effect of speaker locations about a virtual conference table.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-11-22 | 2003-05-24 | 2003-11-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-22 | 2007-05-24 | 2007-11-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-22 | 2011-05-24 | 2011-11-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |