Intercom system

• US 6,539,084 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Long, Timothy Merrick
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US09/667,325
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/69, 379/159, 379/160, 379/165, 379/167.04
• US Class Current: 379/159
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/001 Two-way communication systems between a limited number of parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A method of establishing a private audio communication channel on an intercom system (100) having a plurality of intercom units (101-1 to 101-n), is diclosed. The intercom system 100 is activated by spoken request data input via at least one of the intercom units (101-1 to 101-n). Audio data is transmitted to substantially each of the plurality of intercom units (101-1 to 101-n) in response to the spoken request data. A private audio communication channel is established between at least two of the plurality of intercom units (101-1 to 101-n) in response to spoken reply data input via any one of the plurality of intercom units (101-1 to 101-n).

Claims

1. A method of establishing a private audio communication channel on an intercom system having a plurality of intercom units, said method comprising the steps of:

activating said intercom system by spoken request data input via a first one of said intercom units;

transmitting audio data to substantially each of said plurality of intercom units in response to said spoken request data; and

establishing a private audio communication channel between said first intercom unit and at least one other of said plurality of intercom units in response to spoken reply data input via any one of said plurality of intercom units, wherein said at least one other of said plurality of intercom units is selected for said private audio communication channel on the basis of a magnitude comparison of audio signals transmitted by said plurality of intercom units upon said spoken reply data being input.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said spoken request data includes the name of a person being called.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein upon broadcasting said audio data substantially each of said plurality of intercom units listens for said spoken reply data.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one other of said plurality of intercom units having the audio signal of the greatest magnitude is selected for said private audio communication channel.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said private audio communication channel is closed upon receiving a signal from either of said selected at least one other of said plurality of intercom units or said first intercom unit which initially received said spoken request data.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing a video connection between said first intercom unit and said at least one other of said plurality of intercom units.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said audio data is matched to said is spoken request data using voice recognition.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of intercom units are hands free-type intercom units.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said selected at least one other of said plurality of intercom units transmits an audio signal of greatest magnitude upon said spoken reply data being input.

10. An intercom system comprising:

a plurality of intercom units each including at least an input means for inputting spoken data; and

processor means interconnected with said plurality of intercom units via a communication link, wherein said processor means outputs audio data in response to spoken request data received from a first one of said plurality of intercom units via said communication link, and wherein said processor means establishes a private audio communication channel between said first intercom unit and at least one other of said plurality of intercom units in response to spoken reply data received from at least one of said plurality of intercom units via said communication link, wherein said at least one other of said plurality of intercom units is selected for said private audio communication channel on the basis of a magnitude comparison of audio signals transmitted by said plurality of intercom units upon said spoken reply data being input.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said processor means comprises voice recognition means for recognizing the spoken request data and outputting data including a recognition result as audio data.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said processor means is located within one of said plurality of intercom units.

13. The system according to claim 10, further including a computer comprising said processor means.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein said communication link is a USB wire connection.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein said communication link is a wireless communication system.

16. The system according to claim 10, further including an audio interface means.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of intercom units include an audio output means.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said audio data is broadcast by said audio output means upon being received by substantially each of said plurality of intercom units.

19. The system according to claim 10, wherein said audio data contains the name of a person being paged.

20. The system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein upon broadcasting said audio data substantially each of said plurality of intercom units listen for said spoken reply data.

21. The system according to claim 10, wherein said processor means selects one of said plurality of intercom units with the audio signal of greatest magnitude.

22. The system according to claim 10, wherein said private audio communication channel is closed by said processor means upon receiving a signal from either of said selected at least one other of said plurality of intercom units or said first intercom unit which initially received said spoken request data.

23. The system according to claim 10, wherein a video link is automatically established between said first intercom unit and said at least one other of said plurality of intercom units.

24. The system according to claim 11, wherein said voice recognition means includes a memory storing a voice recognition program.

25. The system according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of intercom units are hands free-type intercom units.

26. The system according to claim 10, wherein said selected at least one other of said plurality of intercom units transmits an audio signal of greatest magnitude upon said spoken reply data being input.

27. A computer readable medium, having a program recorded thereon, where the program is configured to make a computer execute a procedure to establish a private audio communication channel on an intercom system having a plurality of intercom units, said program comprising:

code for activating said intercom system by spoken request data input via a first one of said intercom units;

code for transmitting audio data to substantially each of said plurality of intercom units in response to said spoken request data; and

code for establishing a private audio communication channel between said first intercom unit and at least one other of said plurality of intercom units in response to spoken reply data input via any one of said plurality of intercom units, wherein said at least one other of said plurality of intercom units is selected for said private audio communication channel on the basis of a magnitude comparison of audio signals transmitted by said plurality of intercom units upon said spoken reply data being input.

28. The computer readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said spoken request includes the name of a person being called.

29. The computer readable medium according to claim 27, wherein upon broadcasting said audio data substantially each of said plurality of intercom units listens for said spoken reply data.

30. The computer readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said private audio communication channel is closed upon receiving a signal from either of said selected at least one other of said plurality of intercom units or said first intercom unit which initially received said spoken request data.

31. The computer readable medium according to claim 27, said program further comprising code for establishing a video connection between said first intercom unit and said at least one other of said plurality of intercom units.

32. The computer readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said audio data is matched to said spoken request data using voice recognition.

33. The computer readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of intercom units are hands-free type intercom units.

34. The computer readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said selected at least one other of said plurality of intercom units transmits an audio signal of greatest magnitude upon said spoken reply data being input.