Personalized Voice Activity Detection

• US 20080255842A1
• Filed: 07/18/2006
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shaul Simhi
• Original Assignee: Shaul Simhi
• Inventors: Simhi, Shaul
• Granted Patent: US 8,175,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/246
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10

Abstract

A method of transferring a real-time audio signal transmission, including: registering voice patterns (or other characteristics) of on more users to be used to identify the voices of the users, accepting an audio signal as it is created as a sequence of segments, analyzing each segment of the accepted audio signal to determine if it contains voice activity (314), determining a probability level that the voice activity of the segment is of a registered user (320 & 322); and selectively transferring the contents, of a segment responsive to the determined probability level (324).

Claims

1. A method of transferring a real-time audio signal transmission, comprising:

registering user characteristics of one or more users to be used to identify the voices of the users;

receiving an audio signal as a sequence of segments;

analyzing each segment of the accepted audio signal to determine if it contains voice activity;

determining a probability level that the voice activity of the segment is of a registered user; and

selectively transferring the content of a segment responsive to the determined probability level.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said segments are selected to comprise a single syllable.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said segments are selected to comprise an interval of the audio signal smaller than 0.1 seconds.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selectively transferring comprises adjusting the quality level of the audio segment according to the determined probability level.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein adjusting the quality level comprises raising or lowering the volume of the audio signal in the segment.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selectively transferring comprises transferring previously blocked segments responsive to the determination for a consecutive segment.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said previously blocked segments are transferred at a higher rate than the standard transfer rate of segments.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said probability level of a segment is affected by the selective transfer of segments prior to the current segment.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising filtering out noise from each segment before analyzing the segment.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising filtering out noise from each segment after analyzing the segment.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising performing source separation to the signal in a segment creating multiple segments before analyzing the segment and analyzing the multiple segments independently.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising analyzing the strongest signal in a segment with multiple audio signals, while taking into account prior segments.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising inserting an audio signal into a segment to indicate amendments to the segment.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transferring is through a communication system.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise voice patterns of the user.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise general information about the user.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selectively transferring allows voice activity of any user.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selectively transferring allows voice activity of a group of users with a common characteristic.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selectively transferring reduces bandwidth of transmissions through a communication network.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein said probability level becomes more accurate as the audio signal is processed.

21. A system for transferring a real time audio transmission, comprising:

a processor to process data of the real time audio transmission and control the system;

a memory to serve as a work area for said central processing unit;

a channel interface to provide an audio signal for processing and transfer the processed audio signal to a receiver;

wherein said system is adapted to;

register characteristics of one or more users to be used to identify the voice of the users;

receiving an audio signal from the channel interface as a sequence of segments;

analyzing with the central processing unit each segment of the accepted audio signal to determine if it contains voice activity;

determine a probability level that the voice activity of the segment is of a registered user; and

selectively transfer the contents of a segment responsive to the determined probability level.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein said system provides an indication at a user communication device if it is activated.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said indication gives indication if the user is recognized as a registered speaker.

24. A system according to claim 21, wherein the user can toggle the system on and off.

25. A system according to claim 21 further comprising a database memory to store data provided to the system for processing by said central processing unit.

26. A system according to claim 21 further comprising a user interface to communicate with the user;