Call method, call apparatus and call system

• US 7,389,093 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hattori, Tadayuki, Kawahata, Satoshi, Hokimoto, Akihiro, Kunito, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peaches; Randy
• Application Number:
  US10/897,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20050055202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 375/295, 375/146
• US Class Current: 455/232.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/60 including speech amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/40 Applications of speech amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A call apparatus, a call method and a call system, are disclosed, in which the problem otherwise caused by fixed setting of the sound volume level of the BGM or the effect sound with respect to the call voice may be overcome. A decoded output of a decoder 17 (PCM data) is multiplied in a gain adjustment unit 18 with a gain coefficient k2, as the SE sound volume level as set by a user. A multiplication output of the gain adjustment unit 18 is sent to an adder 13. The decoded output of a decoder 20 is multiplied in a gain adjustment unit 21 with a gain coefficient k3, as the BGM sound volume level, as set by the user. A multiplication output of the gain adjustment unit 21 is sent to an adder 13. The adder 13 sums the multiplication outputs of the gain adjustment units 12, 18 and 21 and sends a sum output to an encoder 22.

Claims

1. A call apparatus for bidirectional communication for dialog by voice over a network, said call apparatus comprising, as a transmitting system,

first gain adjustment means for multiplying voice signals from voice transducing means with a variable gain coefficient to adjust the gain, said voice transducing means transducing the voice, as picked up, into electrical signals;

sound data storage means having stored therein sound data in terms of a file as a unit;

decoding means for decoding file-based sound data read out from said sound data storage means;

second gain adjustment means for multiplying a decoded output from said decoding means with a variable gain coefficient to adjust the gain independent of the first gain adjustment means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing a first output from said first gain adjustment means and a second output from said second gain adjustment means;

encoding means for encoding a synthesized output of said synthesizing means; and

transmitting means for transmitting an encoded output from said encoding means over said network;

said call apparatus also comprising, as a receiving system,

receiving means for receiving an encoded output, transmitted from transmitting means of another call apparatus over said network;

decoding means for decoding encoded data received by said receiving means;

third gain adjustment means for multiplying a decoded output from said decoding means with a variable gain coefficient to adjust the gain; and

sound outputting means for transducing an output from said third gain adjustment means into sound to output the sound.

2. The call apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sound data storage means has stored therein data of music as the sound sustained for several minutes as a time unit and data of the effect sound sustained for several seconds as a time unit.

3. The call apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said sound data storage means has stored therein a file of said music or the effect sound, downloaded from a server connected to the Internet.

4. The call apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said file of said music or the effect sound states the information on the default sound volume and the sound volume width.

5. The call apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bidirectional communication is carried out over the Internet.

6. The call apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said bidirectional communication, carried out over the Internet, is the communication in keeping with the Realtime Transport Protocol.

7. The call apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said transmitting system includes packetizing means for packetizing an encoded output from said encoding means to deliver the packetized encoded output to said transmitting means and wherein said receiving means includes depacketizing means for depacketizing a packet received by said receiving means.

8. The call apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, if, during a call with said other call apparatus, employing a synthesized output from said synthesizing means, a holding button is actuated on the transmitting side of said call apparatus or said other call apparatus, said second gain adjustment means substitutes a preset value, provided in advance, for the gain coefficient adapted to be multiplied with music data which is the sound sustained for several minutes as a unit, and which has been stored in said sound data storage means.

9. The call apparatus according to claim 8 wherein, when the holding button is actuated on the transmitting side, said first gain adjustment means multiplies voice signals from voice transducing means with 0 gain coefficient to turn the voice off.

10. The call apparatus according to claim 8 wherein, when the holding button is actuated on the transmitting side, said voice transducing means is turned off.

11. A call method for bidirectional communication for dialog by voice over a network, said call method comprising, on a transmitting side,

a first gain adjustment step of multiplying voice signals from voice transducing means with a variable gain coefficient to adjust the gain, said voice transducing means transducing the voice, as picked up, into electrical signals;

a decoding step of decoding file-based sound data read out from sound data storage means, having sound data stored therein on the file basis;

a second gain adjustment step of multiplying a decoded output from said decoding step with a variable gain coefficient to adjust the gain independent of the first gain adjustment;

a synthesizing step of synthesizing a first output from said first gain adjustment step and a second output from said second gain adjustment step;

an encoding step of encoding a synthesized output of said synthesizing step; and

a transmitting step of transmitting an encoded output from said encoding step over said network;

said call method also comprising, on a receiving side,

a receiving step of receiving an encoded output, transmitted from said transmitting step performed by another call apparatus over said network;

a decoding step of decoding encoded data received by said receiving step;

a third gain adjustment step of multiplying a decoded output from said decoding step with a variable gain coefficient to adjust the gain; and

a sound outputting step of transducing an output from said third gain adjustment step into sound to output the sound.

12. The call method according to claim 11 wherein said sound data storage means has stored therein data of music as the sound sustained for several minutes as a time unit and data of the effect sound sustained for several seconds as a time unit.

13. The call method according to claim 11 wherein said bidirectional communication is carried out over the Internet.

14. The call method according to claim 11 wherein said bidirectional communication, carried out over the Internet, is the communication which is in keeping with the Realtime Transport Protocol.

15. The call method according to claim 14 wherein said transmitting side includes a packetizing step of packetizing an encoded output from said encoding step to deliver the packetized encoded output to said transmitting step and wherein said receiving step includes a depacketizing step of depacketizing a packet received by said receiving step.

16. The call method according to claim 11 wherein, if, during a call with said other call apparatus, employing a synthesized output from said synthesizing step, a holding button is actuated on the transmitting side of said call apparatus or said other call apparatus, said second gain adjustment step substitutes a preset value, provided in advance, for the gain coefficient adapted to be multiplied with music data, which is the sound sustained for several minutes as a unit, and which has been stored in said sound data storage means.

17. The call method according to claim 16 wherein, when the holding button is actuated on the transmitting side, said first gain adjustment step multiplies voice signals from the voice transducing means with 0 gain coefficient to turn the voice off.

18. The call method according to claim 16 wherein, when the holding button is actuated on the transmitting side, said voice transducing step is turned off.

19. A call system for bidirectional communication for dialog by voice, using a plurality of call apparatus connected to the Internet;

each of said call apparatus including, as a transmitting system,

first gain adjustment means for multiplying voice signals from voice transducing means with a variable gain coefficient to adjust the gain, said voice transducing means transducing the voice, as picked up, into electrical signals;

sound data storage means having stored therein sound data in terms of a file as a unit;

decoding means for decoding file-based sound data read out from said sound data storage means;

second gain adjustment means for multiplying a decoded output from said decoding means with a variable gain coefficient to adjust the gain independent of the first gain adjustment means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing a first output from said first gain adjustment means and a second output from said second gain adjustment means;

encoding means for encoding a synthesized output of said synthesizing means; and

transmitting means for transmitting an encoded output from said encoding means over said network;

said call apparatus also comprising, as a receiving system,

receiving means for receiving an encoded output, transmitted from transmitting means of another call apparatus over said network;

decoding means for decoding encoded data received by said receiving means;

third gain adjustment means for multiplying a decoded output from said decoding means with a variable gain coefficient to adjust the gain; and

sound outputting means for transducing an output from said third gain adjustment means into sound to output the sound.