Method for background noise reduction and performance improvement in voice conferencing over packetized networks

• US 7,428,223 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify Patente GmbH & Co. KG (Atos Se)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Nierhaus, Florian Patrick, Vandermersch, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, MAN U
• Application Number:
  US09/965,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20030063572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,554 Days
• Field of Search: 370260-267, 370270-271, 370338-390, 370395-401, 370432-521, 709224-235, 379202-212, 704216-226
• US Class Current: 370/260
• 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: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. Conference server dials participants computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/568 audio processing specific to telephonic conferencing, e.g. spatial distribution, mixing of participants echo suppression in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/02; sound field processing per se H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/569 using the instant speaker's algorithm speech detection per se G10L25/78
• 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

The present invention is directed to a system and method for background noise reduction and performance improvement in conferencing. A method for providing a conferencing session may include receiving inputs from a number of participants in a conferencing session. A number of prominent inputs are determined from the received inputs and the determined prominent inputs are combined into a first output stream. The output stream is suitable for being sent to at least one participant of the number of participants in the conferencing session.

Claims

1. A method for providing a conferencing session over a packetized network, comprising:

receiving inputs from a number of participants in the conferencing session over the packetized network;

determining a number of prominent inputs from the received inputs;

combining the determined prominent inputs into a first output stream suitable for being sent to at least one participant of the number of participants in the conferencing session; and

combining determined prominent inputs into a second output stream for an originating participant of prominent input of the determined number of prominent inputs, the second output stream not including the originating participant'"'"'s input, wherein the second output stream includes a next most prominent received input, the next most prominent received input being determined by a characteristic different than the characteristic utilized to determine the number of prominent inputs from the received inputs.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein inputs are determined as prominent based upon a characteristic including at least one of loudness, signal strength, clarity and prominence history.

3. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising sending the first output stream to participants which did not originate a prominent output and sending the second output stream to the participant originating the prominent input not included in the second output stream.

4. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the number of prominent inputs to be determined is pre-selected.

5. The method as described in claim 1, wherein determining the prominent inputs includes determining if an input corresponds to a desired characteristic threshold.

6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the conferencing session is utilized over a packetized system so that at least one of the received inputs and output stream are configured as packets.

7. A method for providing a conferencing session over a packetized network, comprising:

receiving inputs from a number of participants in the conferencing session over the packetized network;

determining a number of prominent inputs from the received inputs, the inputs being determined as prominent based upon a characteristic including at least one of loudness, signal strength, clarity, and prominence history; and

combining received inputs into an output stream for an originating participant of an input of the received inputs, the output stream not including the originating participant'"'"'s input and including a next most prominent received input, wherein the next most prominent received input is determined by a characteristic different than the characteristic utilized to determine the number of prominent inputs from the received inputs.

8. The method as described in claim 7, wherein the number of prominent inputs to be determined is pre-selected.

9. The method as described in claim 7, wherein determining the prominent inputs includes determining if an input corresponds to a desired characteristic threshold.

10. The method as described in claim 7, wherein the conferencing session is utilized over a packetized system so that at least one of the received inputs and outputs are configured as packetized streams.

11. A conferencing system suitable for providing a conferencing session to a plurality of participants, comprising:

a multipoint conferencing unit communicatively coupled over a packetized connection to a plurality of input/output devices so as to enable the participants of the conferencing session to interact, wherein the multipoint conferencing unit is configured to

receive inputs from the participants in the conferencing session;

determine a number of prominent inputs from the received inputs;

combine the determined prominent inputs into a first output stream suitable for being sent to at least one participant of the conferencing session; and

combine the determined prominent inputs into a second output stream for an originating participant of a prominent input of the determined number of prominent inputs, the second output stream not including the originating participant'"'"'s input, wherein the second output stream includes a next prominent received input, the next prominent received input being determined by a characteristic different than the characteristic utilized to determine the number of prominent inputs from the received inputs.

12. The conferencing system as described in claim 11, wherein inputs are determined as prominent based upon a characteristic including at least one of loudness, signal strength, clarity and prominence history.

13. The conferencing system as described in claim 11, wherein the first output stream is sent to participants which did not originate a prominent output and the second output stream is sent to the participant originating the prominent input not included in the second output stream.

14. The conferencing system as described in claim 11, wherein the number of prominent inputs to be determined is pre-selected.

15. The conferencing system as described in claim 11, wherein determining the prominent inputs includes determining if an input corresponds to a desired characteristic threshold.