Multiparty call of portable devices with party positioning identification

• US 7,697,675 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Swerup, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/571,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202.01, 379/355.09, 370/267, 370/328, 455/404.1, 455/414.1, 455/446, 455/456.1, 455/556.1, 704/270, 348/14.01, 348/14.08
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• 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 7/0042 where the data service is a text-based messaging service H04M7/0054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A portable communication device engages in voice communication with a plurality of parties by establishing connections between the portable communication device and at least two other parties, positioning the other connected parties at different positions in space in relation to the portable communication device, and providing information in relation to the position of one of the other connected parties when this connected party provides audio information over the connection so that the user of the device can identify which party is active.

Claims

1. A method for engaging a portable communication device in voice communication with a plurality of parties, comprising:

establishing connections between the portable communication device and at least two other parties;

detecting selection of a position of one of the other parties through input made by a user of the portable communication device;

positioning the other connected parties at different positions in space in relation to the portable communication device; and

providing information in relation to the position of one of the other connected parties, when this connected party provides audio information over said connection so that the user of the device can identify which party is active;

wherein positioning comprises positioning in audio space; and

wherein providing information comprises providing audio information from said one of the other connected parties processed, based on input made by a user, such that the processed audio information is perceived as being positioned in space at said other party when presented by an information presentation unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein positioning the other connected parties at different positions in space comprises positioning the other connected parties at different positions in visual space.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing information comprises providing visual information on a screen.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing information comprises providing a representation that can be associated with said one of the other connected parties, when said one of the other connected parties provides audio information over said connection.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein providing information in visual space comprises providing text and/or image information.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein providing information comprises providing information for actuating the provided representation.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein providing information comprises providing information for actuating the provided text and/or image information.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein positioning comprises determining control information to be used when providing processing audio information.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing audio information in space comprises processing said audio information of one of the other parties, such that the processed audio information is perceived as being positioned in space at the position of said other party when presented by the information presentation unit.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein providing audio information and processing of audio information comprises weighting of two audio streams of said audio information, such that the processed audio information is perceived as being positioned in space at the position of said other party when presented by the information presentation unit.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

providing audio information from the portable communication device to at least one of the other parties; and

processing said audio information including equal weighting of two audio streams of said audio information.

12. A portable communication device configured to engage in voice communication with a number of parties, comprising:

a communication unit for engaging at least two other parties in voice communication;

a user input unit configured to receive user input;

a control unit configured to enable positioning of other connected parties at different positions in space based on input from a user received via the user input unit and configured to detect selection, via the user input unit, of a position of one of the other connected parties,

at least one information presentation unit for which the control unit is further configured to provide information in relation to the position of one of the other connected parties when said one of the other connected parties is providing audio information over a connection so that the user of the device can identify which party is active;

wherein the control unit, when positioning the other connected parties, is configured to determine control information enabling positioning in audio space, for provision of audio information to be perceived as being positioned at the position of said one of the other connected parties, in space.

13. A portable communication device according to claim 12, further comprising:

an audio processing unit configured to process the audio information from said one of the other connected parties, based on the control information, and forward the processed audio information to at least one information presentation unit, such that the audio information is perceived as being positioned at the position in space of said one of the other connected parties, when presented by the at least one information presentation unit.

14. A portable communication device according to claim 13, wherein the audio processing unit when configured to process the audio information, processes the information so that two differently processed audio streams of said audio information is provided.

15. A portable communication device according to claim 12, wherein the communication unit is further configured to forward said control information to an external processing unit for processing audio information from said one of the other connected parties, said communication unit being configured to receive the processed audio information and forward said processed audio information to an information presentation unit in a format allowing the audio information to be perceived as being positioned at the position in space of said one of the other parties when presented by the at least one information presentation unit.

16. A portable communication device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one information presentation unit comprises at least two speakers, wherein the perceived position in space, of said one of the other connected parties, is related to positions of the speakers.

17. A portable communication device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit, when locating the other connected parties, is configured to determine control information enabling positioning in visual space, for provision of visual information perceived to be at the position in space of said one of the other connected parties.

18. A portable communication device according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine control information for presenting a representation of said one of the other connected parties, by using said at least one information presentation unit.

19. A portable communication device according to claim 18, wherein the control information comprises information for actuating the representation of said one of the other connected parties by using said at least one information presentation unit.

20. A portable communication device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one information presentation unit comprises a screen.

21. A portable communication device according to claim 12, wherein the user input unit comprises a screen that allows the user to input information in the form of “

drag and drop.”

22. A communication connection device configured to assist voice communications between at least one portable communication device and at least two other parties, wherein said portable communication device receives user inputs, establishes connections between the portable communication device and said other parties, detects selections of positions of the other parties, and determines control information based on the detected selection of position of the other parties from a user, enabling positioning in audio space, said communication connection device comprising:

a transceiving unit configured to receive the control information;

an audio processing unit configured to process, based on the control information received by the transceiving unit from the portable communication device, the audio information of one of the other connected parties when said party is providing audio information, said transceiving unit, being further configured to send such processed audio information to the portable communication device in a format allowing the audio information to be presented such that it is perceived as being positioned at the position in space of said one of the other parties.

23. A communication system, comprising:

at least one portable communication device;

at least two other communication parties;

at least one communication connection device;

wherein the at least one portable communication device is configured to engage in voice communication with at least the two other communication parties of the system, said at least one portable communication device comprising;

a communication unit for engaging the at least two other communication parties in voice communication in said system;

a user input unit configured to receive user input;

a control unit configured to determine control information enabling positioning of the other connected parties of the system at different positions in space based on input from a user of the user input unit; and

at least one information presentation unit for which the control unit is configured to provide processed audio information in relation to the position of one of the other connected parties when said one of the other connected parties is providing audio information over a connection;

wherein said at least one communication connection comprises;

a transceiving unit configured to receive the control information;

an audio processing unit configured to process the audio information of one of the other connected parties when said party is providing audio information based on the control information received by the transceiving unit from the portable communication device;

wherein said transceiving unit is further configured to send such processed audio information to the portable communication device in a format allowing the audio information to be presented such that it is perceived as being positioned at the position in space of said one of the other parties.