Telephone set which can be adjusted in response to ambient noise

• US 5,912,965 A
• Filed: 11/15/1996
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Boyer, Jean-Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S.
• Application Number:
  US08/749,446
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 379/387, 379/388, 379/390, 379/391, 379/392, 379/406, 379/409, 379/410, 379/411, 381/101, 381/102, 381/104, 381/105, 381/106, 381/107, 381/108
• US Class Current: 379/390.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit

Abstract

A telephone set includes transmitting parts (M, 131, 132) which enable a speaker to send a voice message to a correspondent, receiving parts (E, 132, 133) which enable the speaker to receive a return voice message coming from the correspondent and circuitry (11, 12, 16) which permit the sound volume of the return voice message supplied to the speaker via the receiving means to be adapted as a function of a sound volume of ambient noise locally surrounding the speaker. The adaptation circuitry includes a fuzzy logic section (14, 15) which receives measurements of a breathing noise caused by the speaker and measurements of the speech signal and of the ambient noise, and produces a control signal (COM) for monitoring the sound volume of the return voice message sent to the speaker.

Claims

1. A telephone set comprising:

transmitting means which enable a speaker to send a voice message to a correspondent,

receiving means which enable the speaker to receive a return voice message coming from the correspondent, and

control means for forming a first measure of a breathing sound produced by the speaker, a second measure of the appearance or interruption of the speaker'"'"'s voice, and a third measure of noise level, and for adapting the sound volume of the return voice message supplied to the speaker via the receiving means as a function of the formed first, second, and third measures.

3. The telephone set as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means comprises measuring means for forming said first, second, and third measures, and fuzzy logic means for forming a sound volume control signal as a function of the formed first, second, and third measures.

4. The telephone set as claimed in claim 3, wherein said fuzzy logic means comprises a first section for forming in response to the first, second, and third measures, a logic state indicating whether or not a speech signal is coming from the speaker, and a second section for forming said sound volume control signal in response to said first and second measures and said logic state.

2. A telephone set comprising transmitting means which enable a speaker to send a voice message to a correspondent, receiving means which enable the speaker to receive a return voice message coming from the correspondent, and means for adapting the sound volume of the return voice message supplied to the speaker via the receiving means as a function of an ambient noise sound volume locally perceived by the speaker, said means for adapting the sound volume comprising:

a first section for producing a first signal which is a measure of a breathing sound produced by the speaker while expressing himself in the transmission means,

a second section for producing, on the one hand, a second signal which is a measure of a noise level surrounding the speaker and, on the other hand, a third signal which is a measure of an appearance or interruption of the speaker'"'"'s voice message, and

a fuzzy logic third section for receiving the first, second and third signals, and for delivering a control signal applied to the receiving means to adapt, during the interruptions of the speaker'"'"'s voice message, the correspondent'"'"'s voice message returned to the speaker, as a function of the ambient noise sound volume locally perceived by the speaker.