Electronic audio connection system and methods for providing same

• US 6,754,546 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1998
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interval Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Interval Research Corporation
• Inventors: Hindus, Debby, Aiello, G. Roberto, Rahardja, Krisnawan
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Minsun Oh
• Application Number:
  US09/169,638
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 381/2, 381/91, 381/123, 700/94, 348/14.08, 348/14.05, 348/14.09, 348/14.01
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/00 Stereophonic arrangements stereophonic pick-ups H04R9/16, H04R11/12, H04R17/08, H04R19/10

Abstract

The electronic audio connection system of the present invention provides an experience much like sharing a room with several involved parties, even though the parties are physically separated. Speech enhancement and speech emphasis processing functions ensure parties perceive the speech captured in the audio signals, typically the most important portion of the captured audio signals. To capture audio signals, each space is provided a plurality of microphones arranged in that space so that the sum audio signal captured by the microphones enables the creation of a sharable audio space. Each separate physical space transmits its captured audio signals to a central server via a bi-directional data communications medium. The central server processes the summed audio signals and in turn transmits playable audio signals to each separate physical space. Speakers located in each separate physical space aurally transmit the playable audio signals. This creates an audio space shared by each of the active separate physical spaces.

Claims

1. An electronic audio connection system providing a shared audio space to a plurality of separate physical spaces, the electronic audio connection system comprising:

a server operable to implement audio signal processing functions;

a first physical space including a first plurality of speakers, a first plurality of microphones, and a first base, the first base capable of bi-directional communication with the server, the first plurality of microphones operable to transmit a first set of captured audio signals to the first base, the first base operable to process the first set of captured audio signals and transmit the first set of captured audio signals to the server, the first base further operable to transmit a first set of playable audio signals received from the server to the first plurality of speakers, the first plurality of speakers operable to transmit the first set of playable audio signals, whereby the transmit first set of playable audio signals together with any other aural signals present in the first physical space form a first audio space perceptible to a fist listener in the first physical space;

a second physical space including a second plurality of speakers, a second plurality of microphones, and a second base, the second base capable of bi-directional communications with the server, the second plurality of microphones operable to transmit a second set of captured audio signals to the second base, the second base operable to process the second set of captured audio signals and transmit the second set of captured audio signals to the server, the second base further operable to transmit a second set of playable audio signals received from the server to the second plurality of speakers, the second plurality of speakers operable to transmit the second set of playable audio signals, whereby the transmit second set of playable audio signals together with any other aural signals present in the second physical space form a second audio space perceptible to a second listener in the second physical space;

wherein the first set of captured audio signals may be further processed at the server and transmitted to the second base as the second set of playable audio signals such that when the second plurality of speakers transmits the second set of playable audio signals the second audio space is directly related to the first audio space;

wherein the first physical space further includes a first control panel operable to control the first audio space through control of the first base, the first plurality of speakers, and the first plurality of microphones; and

wherein the first control panel includes a second physical space selector switch, the second physical space selector switch operable to couple and de-couple the first and second audio spaces.

2. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 1 wherein the second physical space selector switch includes a feedback mechanism operable to provide an indication that the second physical space is available for establishment of a correlation between the first and second audio spaces.

3. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 2 wherein the feedback mechanism is a light emitting device.

4. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 2 wherein the feedback mechanism is a sound emitting device.

5. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 1 wherein the second physical space selector switch is operable to request that the second physical space be made available for establishment of a correlation between the first and second audio spaces.

6. An electronic audio connection system providing a shared audio space to a plurality of separate physical spaces, the electronic audio connection system comprising:

a server operable to implement audio signal processing functions;

a first physical space including a first plurality of speakers, a first plurality of microphones, and a first base, the first base capable of bi-directional communication with the server, the first plurality of microphones operable to transmit a first set of captured audio signals to the first base, the first base operable to process the first set of captured audio signals and transmit the first set of captured audio signals to the server, the first base further operable to transmit a first set of playable audio signals received from the server to the first plurality of speakers, the first plurality of speakers operable to transmit the first set of playable audio signals, whereby the transmit first set of playable audio signals together with any other aural signals present in the first physical space form a first audio space perceptible to a fist listener in the first physical space;

a second physical space including a second plurality of speakers, a second plurality of microphones, and a second base, the second base capable of bi-directional communications with the server, the second plurality of microphones operable to transmit a second set of captured audio signals to the second base, the second base operable to process the second set of captured audio signals and transmit the second set of captured audio signals to the server, the second base further operable to transmit a second set of playable audio signals received from the server to the second plurality of speakers, the second plurality of speakers operable to transmit the second set of playable audio signals, whereby the transmit second set of playable audio signals together with any other aural signals present in the second physical space form a second audio space perceptible to a second listener in the second physical space;

wherein the first set of captured audio signals may be further processed at the server and transmitted to the second base as the second set of playable audio signals such that when the second plurality of speakers transmits the second set of playable audio signals the second audio space is directly related to the first audio space;

wherein the first physical space further includes a first control panel operable to control the first audio space through control of the first base, the first plurality of speakers, and the first plurality of microphones; and

wherein the electronic audio connection system is a voice controlled audio connection system and the control panel includes a voice command device.

7. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 6 wherein the voice command device is responsible to the enunciation of a plurality of words, each word being associated with a particular command function.

8. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 7 wherein a particular word is associated with a particular physical space and the voice command device is responsive to the enunciation of the particular word in order to initiate negotiation for the sharing of an audio space with the particular physical space.

9. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 7 wherein a particular word is associated with a particular person and the voice command device is responsive to the enunciation of the particular word in order to initiate negotiation for the sharing of an audio space with a particular physical space associated with the particular person.

10. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 7 wherein a particular word is associated with a particular volume control function and the voice command device is responsible to the enunciation of the particular word in order to control volume.

11. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 9 wherein the particular volume control command is a mute command.

12. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 7 wherein a particular word is associated with power on control of the electronic audio connection system.

13. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 7 wherein a particular word is associated with power off control of the electronic audio connection system.

14. An electronic audio connection system arranged to allow a plurality of separate physical spaces to share a single audio space, the electronic audio connection system comprising:

a central server operable to implement audio signal processing functions;

a data communications medium;

a first physical space including a first plurality of speakers, a first plurality of microphones, and a first base, the first base bi-directionally coupling the first room-like space to the central server through the data communications medium, the first plurality of microphones operable to transmit a first set of captured audio signals to the first base, the first base operable to process the first set of captured audio signals and transmit the first set of captured audio signals to the central server, the first base further operable to transmit a first set of playable audio signals received form the central server to the first plurality of speakers, the first plurality of speakers operable to transmit the first set of playable audio signals, whereby the transmit first set of playable audio signals together with any other aural signals present in the first physical space form a first audio space perceptible to a first listener in the first physical space;

a second physical space including a second plurality of speakers, a second plurality of microphones, and a second base, the second base bi-directionally coupling the second room-like space to the central server through the data communications medium, the second plurality of microphones operable to transmit a second set of captured audio signals to the second base, the second base operable to process the second set of captured audio signals and transmit the second set of captured audio signals to the central server, the second base further operable to transmit a second set of playable audio signals received from the central server to the second plurality of speakers, the second plurality of speakers operable to transmit the second set of playable audio signals, whereby the transmit second set of playable audio signals together with any other aural signals present in the second physical space form a second audio space perceptible to a second listener in the second physical space;

wherein the first set of captured audio signals may be further processed at the central server and transmitted to the second base as the second set of playable audio signals such that when the second plurality of speakers transmits the second set of playable audio signals the second audio space is directly correlated to the first audio space;

wherein the first physical space further includes a first control panel, the first control panel operable to control the first audio space through control of the first base, the first plurality of speakers, and the first plurality of microphones; and

wherein the first control panel includes a second physical space selector switch, the second physical space selector switch operable to couple and de-couple the first and second audio spaces.

15. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 14 wherein the second physical space selector switch includes a feedback mechanism operable to provide an indication that he second physical space is available for establishment of a correlation between the first and second audio spaces.

16. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 15 wherein the feedback mechanism is a light emitting device.

17. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 15 wherein the feedback mechanism is a sound emitting device.

18. An electronic audio connection system as recited in claim 17 wherein the second physical space selector switch is operable to request that the second physical space be made available for establishment of a correlation between the first and second audio spaces.