COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION METHOD THEREOF

• US 20070218959A1
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Sang Oh
• Granted Patent: US 8,102,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication device and a telephone communication method thereof. The present invention includes two or more microphones mounted at different positioned in a predetermined space, e.g., in a vehicle. Further, a detector compares selectively the signal-to-noise ratios, sound quality states, volume intensities or the like of signals input through the microphones, and detects the most optimal signal as a telephone communication signal in the signals. Echo and/or howling contained in the input signal when one talks over the telephone with a communication counterpart is removed through an echo remover in accordance with the control operation of a controller. Furthermore, if signals are input to the others of the microphones while the telephone communication is performed, the telephone communication is continuously performed by comparing the input signals with the signal input to the microphone through which the telephone communication has been performed and selecting a microphone with the most optimal telephone communication signal. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that occupants except a driver can conveniently talk over the telephone using any one of two or more microphones installed in a vehicle, and the telephone communication can be performed with an optimal telephone communication signal although a talker is changed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing voice signals in a vehicle, comprising:

a first microphone installed in the vehicle;

a first detector configured to detect a first signal generated by the first microphone based on input received by the first microphone;

a second microphone installed in the vehicle;

a second detector configured to detect a second signal generated by the second microphone based on input received by the second microphone;

a selector configured to select at least one signal from among the first and second signals; and

a controller configured to enable communications based at least in part upon the at least one selected signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selector is configured to determine a signal-to-noise ratio for each of the first and second signals, to compare the signal-to-noise ratio determined for each of the first and second signals, and to select the at least one signal from among the first and second signals based on the comparison of the determined signal-to-noise ratios.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selector is configured to determine an intensity of at least one voice characteristic within each of the first and second signals, to compare the intensity determined for each of the first and second signals, and to select at least one signal from among the first and second signals based on the comparison of the determined intensities.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selector is configured to determine a sound quality of audible information within the first and second signals, to compare the sound quality determined for each of the first and second signals, and to select at least one voice signal based on the comparison of the determined sound qualities.

5. A communication device for a vehicle, comprising:

a first microphone installed in the vehicle and configured to receive a first input signal;

a second microphone installed in the vehicle and configured to receive a second input signal;

a detector configured to compare the first and second input signals and to generate a third signal; and

a controller configured to control a communication to be performed using the third signal.

6. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the detector comprises a sound quality comparator configured to determine a sound quality of audible information within the first and second input signals, to compare the sound quality determined for each of the first and second input signals, and to generate the third signal based on the comparison of the determined sound qualities of the first and second input signals.

7. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the detector comprises a volume comparator configured to determine an intensity of at least one voice characteristic within each of the first and second input signals, to compare the intensity determined for each of the first and second input signals, and to generate the third signal based on the comparison of the determined intensities of the first and second input signals.

8. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the detector comprises a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) comparator configured to determine a signal-to-noise ratio for each of the first and second input signals, to compare the signal-to-noise ratio determined for each of the first and second input signals, and to generate the third signal based on the comparison of the determined signal-to-noise ratios of the first and second input signals.

9. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an echo remover.

10. A communication device for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of microphones installed in the vehicle;

a selector configured to select at least one of the plurality of microphones; and

a controller configured to control communication to be performed using the at least one microphone selected by the selector.

11. The communication device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the selector comprises a plurality of switching elements respectively connected to the plurality of microphones, the switching elements being configured to enable or disable microphones to which they are connected.

12. The communication device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an echo remover.

13. A communication method comprising:

detecting a first signal generated by a first microphone based on input received by the first microphone, the first microphone being installed in a vehicle;

detecting a second signal generated by a second microphone based on input received by the second microphone, the second microphone being installed in the vehicle;

selecting at least one signal from among the first and second signals; and

performing communications based at least in part upon the at least one selected signal.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein selecting the at least one signal comprises determining a signal-to-noise ratio for each of the first and second signals, comparing the signal-to-noise ratio determined for each of the first and second signals, and selecting the at least one signal from among the first and second signals based on the comparison of the determined signal-to-noise ratios of the first and second signals.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein selecting the at least one signal comprises determining an intensity of at least one voice characteristic within each of the first and second signals, comparing the intensity determined for each of the first and second signals, and selecting the at least one signal from among the first and second signals based on the comparison of the determined intensities of the first and second signals.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein selecting the at least one input signal comprises determining a sound quality of audible information within the first and second signals, comparing the sound quality determined for each of the first and second signals, and selecting at least one voice signal based on the comparison of the determined sound qualities of the first and second signals.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the step of removing echo or howling of the voice signal.

18. A method of processing voice signals in a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a first signal at a first microphone installed in the vehicle;

receiving a second signal at a second microphone installed in the vehicle;

generating a third signal based on the first and second signals ; and

performing a communication using the third signal.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein generating the third signal comprises determining a signal-to-noise ratio for each of the first and second signals, comparing the signal-to-noise ratio determined for each of the first and second signals, and generating the third signal based on the comparison of the determined signal-to-noise ratios of the first and second signals.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein generating the third signal comprises determining an intensity of at least one voice characteristic within each of the first and second signals, comparing the intensity determined for each of the first and second signals, and generating the third signal based on the comparison of the determined intensities of the first and second signals.

21. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein generating the third signal comprises determining a sound quality of audible information within the first and second signals, comparing the sound quality determined for each of the first and second signals, and generating the third signal based on the comparison of the determined sound qualities of the first and second signals.

22. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of removing echo or howling of the voice signal.