Mobile station with audio signal adaptation to hearing characteristics of the user

• US 6,813,490 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lang, Heikki, Vuori, Petri, Kaikuranta, Terho, Aaltoncn, Olli, Karjalainen, Scppo, Jaaskclaincn, Satu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Pablo N.
• Application Number:
  US09/466,713
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569, 455/575, 455/550, 455/450, 455/414, 455/512, 455/522, 455/552, 455/553, 455/38.3, 455/403, 455/525.1, 455/90.1, 379/52, 379/310, 379/343, 379/347, 379/406, 379/411, 379/457, 381/56, 381/66, 381/23.1, 381/68.2, 381/68.4, 381/94, 381/101-103, 704/221-222, 704/271
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus for increasing the intelligibility of speech signals received by mobile stations via adapting some of the acoustic parameters of speech in the frequency domain. The mobile station may have the capability to modify speech signal parameters to conform the speech signal to a listener'"'"'s hearing profile. In an alternative embodiment, mobile station processing and battery power are conserved by the communication network having the capability to modify speech signal parameters to conform the speech signal to a listener'"'"'s hearing profile. To conserve mobile station memory, the user'"'"'s hearing profile may be stored on the network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile communications system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a voice signal at a communication network element, said voice signal destined for a mobile station;

retrieving a plurality of user hearing profiles associated with said mobile station, wherein at least one of said user profiles is different than that of a user with normal hearing;

presenting the user with a menu of the plurality of user profiles,

permitting the user to select a profile from the plurality of profiles;

modifying said voice signal in accordance with said the selected user hearing profile comprising the steps of;

shifting said voice signal to a frequency range that can be more easily understood by said user, as indicated in said selected hearing profile;

maintaining a relative frequency separation between a plurality of formats after said shifting step; and

transmitting, in response to said modifying step, said voice signal to said mobile station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network element is a mobile switching center.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network element is a base station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user hearing profiles are stored in a network element.

5. A mobile station comprising:

an antenna having an output;

a speaker having an input;

a memory for storing a plurality of user-adjustable hearing profiles different than that of a user with normal hearing;

a display for displaying a menu of hearing profiles from which the user may select;

a controller coupled between said output of said antenna and said input of said speaker, said controller configured to perform the steps of;

receiving a voice signal; and

shifting said voice signal by a predetermined frequency while maintaining the relative frequency separation between a plurality of voice-signal formants based on a selected user-adjustable hearing profile.

6. The mobile station of claim 5, wherein said adapting step comprises the steps of determining background noise frequency spectrum and shifting frequency of said voice signal in response to said determining background noise frequency spectrum step.

7. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein said determining background noise frequency spectrum step comprises the step of sampling background noise during periods of speech inactivity in said voice signal.

8. A mobile station for communicating with a communications network, said mobile station comprising:

an antenna having an output;

a speaking having an input;

a keypad;

a microphone;

a memory for storing a plurality of user-adjustable hearing profile profiles different than that of a user with normal hearing;

display for displaying a menu of hearing profiles from which the user may select;

a controller coupled between said output of said antenna and said input of said speaker, said controller configured to perform the steps of shifting a voice signal by a predetermined frequency while maintaining a relative frequency separation between a plurality of voice-signal formants based on a selected user-adjustable hearing profile.

9. The mobile station of claim 8, further comprising the step of determining a hearing profile of a user of said mobile station.

10. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein said determining step comprises the step of administering a hearing test to said user using said mobile station.

11. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein said determining step comprises the step of receiving, via the mobile station'"'"'s user interface, data defining said hearing profile.

12. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein said determining step comprises the step of downloading said hearing profile over the communication network.

13. A communications systems, comprising:

a mobile station; and

a communications network, said network comprising at least a base station and a mobile switching center;

wherein said communications network is configured to perform the steps of;

receiving a voice signal, said voice signal destined for a mobile station;

retrieving a plurality of user hearing profiles different than that of a user with normal hearing, the user being associated with said mobile station;

allowing the user to select one on the plurality of hearing profiles;

modifying said voice signal in accordance with the selected user hearing profile by shifting said voice signal by a predetermined frequency and maintaining, in response to said shifting step, a relative frequency separation between a plurality of formants in said voice signal; and

transmitting said voice signal to said mobile station.

14. The communications system of claim 13, wherein said communications network is configured to perform the step of determining a hearing profile of said user.

15. The communications system of claim 14, wherein said determining step further comprises the step of administering a hearing test to said user via said mobile station.

16. The communications system of claim 14, wherein said determining step further comprises the step of receiving, via the mobile station'"'"'s user interface, data defining said hearing profile.

17. The communications system of claim 14, wherein said determining step further comprises the step of downloading said hearing profile over the communications network.

18. The communications system of claim 13, wherein said communications network is configured to perform the step of storing in memory a hearing profile of said user.

19. A method of operating a mobile station, comprising the steps of:

maintaining in said mobile station a plurality of user-changeable user profiles different than that of a user with normal hearing;

permitting the user to select a profile from a menu of profiles;

receiving a voice signal at a mobile station;

shifting said voice signal, based on the selected user profile to a frequency range that can be heard by said user; and

maintaining, in response to said shifting step, the relative frequency separation between a plurality of formats in said voice signal.