COMPUTER AND A METHOD OF OPERATING A COMPUTER

• US 20010037382A1
• Filed: 04/17/1998
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: ANTTILA, ISMO
• Granted Patent: US 6,584,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

A method of operating a computer having an audio device driver (ADD) for driving a soundcard (1), and an application manager (AM) for interfacing the ADD with an audio compression manager (ACM) to facilitate the transfer of uncompressed audio data between the ADD and ACM and for interfacing the ACM with an external data transfer channel (10) to facilitate the transfer of compressed audio data between the ACM and the external data transfer channel (10). The method comprises providing a data transfer manager (DTM) in place of the ACM, the DTM facilitating the transfer of compressed audio data between an external mobile phone (11) and the external data transmission channel (10) via the AM whilst generating dummy control and uncompressed audio data for use by the AM in interfacing with the ADD.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer having an audio device driver (ADD) for driving sound control hardware, and an application manager (AM) for interfacing the ADD with an audio compression manager (ACM) to facilitate the transfer of uncompressed audio data between the ADD and ACM and for interfacing the ACM with an external data transfer channel to facilitate the transfer of compressed audio data between the ACM and the external data transfer channel, the method comprising

providing a data transfer manager (DTM) in place of the ACM, the DTM facilitating the transfer of audio data between an external mobile communication device and the external data transmission channel via the AM whilst generating data for use by the AM in interfacing with the ADD.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the data generated for use in interfacing with the ADD comprises null audio data for playing through a loudspeaker of the sound control hardware.

3. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the data generated for use in interfacing with the ADD comprises decoded audio data for playing through a loudspeaker of the sound control hardware, wherein outgoing audio data is input from the external mobile communication device and incoming audio data is output through said loudspeaker to provide a hands-free communication mode.

4. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the DTM receives uncompressed audio data from the sound control hardware via the AM and subsequently discards this audio data.

5. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the DTM is coupled to the external mobile communication device via a custom phone driver.

6. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the DTM facilitates the transfer of compressed audio data between the external mobile communication device and the external data transmission channel.

7. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the DTM performs transcoding on compressed audio data to convert the data between a first data transfer channel format and a second phone format.

8. A computer having an audio device driver (ADD) for driving sound control hardware, and an application manager (AM) for interfacing the ADD with an audio compression manager (ACM) to facilitate the transfer of uncompressed audio data between the ADD and ACM and for interfacing the ACM with an external data transfer channel to facilitate the transfer of compressed audio data between the ACM and the external data transfer channel, the computer comprising a data transfer manager (DTM) in place of the ACM, the DTM facilitating the transfer of audio data between an external mobile communication device and the external data transmission channel via the AM whilst generating data for use by the AM in interfacing with the ADD.

9. A communication system comprising a computer according to

claim 8

, a mobile communication device coupled to the computer, and an external data transfer channel also coupled to the computer, wherein coded audio data is transferred between the computer and the communication device and between the computer and the data transfer channel.

10. A storage medium containing thereon a computer program for operating a computer, the computer having an audio device driver (ADD) for driving sound control hardware, and an application manager (AM) for interfacing the ADD with an audio compression manager (ACM) to facilitate the transfer of uncompressed audio data between the ADD and ACM and for interfacing the ACM with an external data transfer channel to facilitate the transfer of compressed audio data between the ACM and the external data transfer channel, said computer program

providing a data transfer manager (DTM) for replacing the ACM, the DTM facilitating the transfer of audio data between an external mobile communication device and the external data transmission channel via the AM whilst generating data for use by the AM in interfacing with the ADD.