Voice direction recognition in a digital telephone station

• US 5,048,082 A
• Filed: 02/15/1990
• Issued: 09/10/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Krafft, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shehata, M.
• Application Number:
  US07/480,234
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 379/389, 379/399, 379/400, 379/390, 379/409, 379/406, 379/347, 370/32, 455/78, 455/79
• US Class Current: 379/406.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/10 with switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency

Abstract

A method for controlling a voice-controlled voice direction recognition unit for a digital telephone station, which can be connected to termination units having different hybrid attenuations. The method prevents self-interruption in the transmission side due to an excessively low hybrid attenuation. This is achieved by providing a counter unit that identifies the switching occurrences of the voice direction recognition per time unit and, when a predetermined number is exceeded, that causes the voice direction recognition unit to connect an auxiliary attenuation element into every voice channel. The method can be utilized in digital telephone stations whose termination units are located in an appertaining switching system.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a voice-controlled voice direction recognition unit in a digital telephone station, the voice direction recognition unit controlling a variable attenuation element in a transmission channel and a variable attenuation element in a reception channel of the digital telephone station in an inversely proportional attenuation ratio, a termination unit in an appertaining switching system connecting the telephone station to another digital telephone station, to an analog telephone station or to a forwarding system, and control voltages for the voice direction recognition unit respectively taken from a measuring point in the transmission channel and from a measuring point in the reception channel, comprising the steps of:

reporting from the voice direction recognition unit every switching occurrence of voice direction to a counter unit;

calculating in the counter unit the switching occurrences per time unit; and

outputting from the counter unit a control signal to the voice direction recognition unit for an upward transgression of a predetermined number of switching occurrences per time unit, said control signal causing at least the value of attenuation in the reception channel to be increased.

2. A method for controlling a voice-controlled voice direction recognition unit in a digital telephone station, the telephone station having a transmission channel with a first attenuation element and a reception channel with a second attenuation element, the voice direction recognition unit controlling the variable attenuation element in the transmission channel and the variable attenuation element in the reception channel in an inversely proportional attenuation ratio, a termination unit in an appertaining switching system being connected to the telephone station, comprising the steps of:

providing first and second control voltages for the voice direction recognition unit from a first measuring point in the transmission channel and from a second measuring point in the reception channel, respectively;

reporting by means of the voice direction recognition unit every switching occurrence of voice direction in the telephone station to a counter unit, the switching occurrence being determined from the first and second control voltages;

calculating in the counter unit the number of switching occurrences per time unit;

outputting a control signal from the counter unit to the voice direction recognition unit when the number of switching occurrences exceeds a predetermined number of switching occurrences per time unit, said control signal causing the voice direction recognition unit to at least increase the value of attenuation of the variable attenuation element in the reception channel.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the voice direction recognition unit, in response to the control signal, also causes the value of attenuation of the variable attenuation element in the transmission channel to decrease according to the inversely proportional attenuation ratio and the value of attenuation of the variable attenuation in the reception channel.