Proximity filtering of multiparty VoIP communications

• US 20070282989A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Milstein, David, Criddle, Linda, Forbes, Scott C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/568 audio processing specific to telephonic conferencing, e.g. spatial distribution, mixing of participants echo suppression in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/02; sound field processing per se H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network

Abstract

A method for adjusting sound data that is transmitted between a first client and a second client is disclosed. The sound data may adjusted or an adjustment indicator that indicates how to adjust the sound data may accompany the sound data. The method comprises determining a proximity between the clients; adjusting the sound data based on the determined proximity; and transmitting the adjusted sound data. The determined proximity may be the physical proximity between the clients or a virtual proximity between virtual representations of the clients. Rules for adjusting sound data based on proximity indicate how to adjust sound characteristics, such as, but not limited to volume and frequency. The rules may also take into account environmental factors such as atmospheric and aquatic environmental factors.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting sound data transmitted between a first client and a second client, the method comprising:

(a) determining a proximity between the first client and the second client;

(b) adjusting the sound data based on the determined proximity; and

(c) transmitting the adjusted sound data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting sound characteristics to be adjusted based on the determined proximity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first client selects the sound characteristics to be adjusted.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first client and the second client select the sound characteristics to be adjusted.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the sound data includes providing an adjustment indicator for use in adjusting the sound data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined proximity is the physical proximity between the first client and the second client.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined proximity is a virtual proximity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual proximity is a distance between virtual representations of the first client and the second client.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that when executed cause a computing device to:

(a) transmit sound characteristic adjustment rules for determining the adjustment to be provided based on the proximity between a first client and a second client;

(b) determine a proximity between the first client and the second client;

(c) adjust sound data transmitted between the first client and the second client based on transmitted sound characteristic adjustment rules; and

(d) transmit the adjusted sound data.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first client selects the sound characteristic adjustment rules.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first client and the second client select the sound characteristic adjustment rules.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the sound characteristic adjustment rules adjust volume.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the sound characteristic adjustment rules adjust frequency.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the sound characteristic adjustment rules comprise rules to adjust volume and frequency based on environmental factors.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the environmental factors are atmospheric environmental factors.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the environmental factors are aquatic environmental factors.

17. A system for adjusting sound data transmitted between clients, the system comprising:

(a) a component that determines a proximity between clients;

(b) a component that adjusts the sound data based on the determined proximity; and

(c) a component that transmits the adjusted sound data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is implemented by a service provider.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is implemented on the clients.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is implemented on the server and on the clients.