Speaker identification and representation for a phone

• US 8,315,366 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ShoreTel Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ShoreTel Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Basart, Edwin J., Rucinski, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/177,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20100020951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.05, 379/88.11, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.19, 379/88.21, 379/142.01, 379/142.06, 379/142.1, 379/142.17, 379/202.01, 379/205.01, 704/246, 704/250, 704/270, 704/275, 704/276, 704/248
• US Class Current: 379/142.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony

Abstract

A system and method for determining a speaker'"'"'s position and a generating a display showing the position of the speaker. In one embodiment, the system comprises a first speakerphone system and a second speakerphone system communicatively coupled to send and receive data. The speakerphone system comprises a display, an input device, a microphone array, a speaker, and a position processing module. The position processing module is coupled to receive acoustic signals from the microphone array. The position processing module uses these acoustic signals to determine a position of the speaker. The position information is then sent to other speakerphone system for presentation on the display. In one embodiment, the position processing module comprises an auto-detection module, a position analysis module, a tracking module and an identity matching module for the detection of sound, the determination of position and transmission of position information over the network. The position processing module comprises a position display module and a position translation module for receiving position information from the network and generating a user interface for display. The present invention also includes a method for determining speaker position and presenting position information.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a call between a first location at a first site and a second location at a second site, the method comprising:

receiving acoustic signals with a microphone array at the first location;

determining a position of a first speaker based on the received acoustic signals; and

transmitting, on a control channel separate from a data channel, a set of data including (1) control data describing call control for the call and (2) position data describing the determined position of the first speaker, the set of data transmitted to the second site.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the position of the first speaker comprises determining a distance and a direction from which the acoustic signals received by the microphone array originated.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising identifying the first speaker by associating the determined position of the first speaker with speaker identification information.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein identifying the first speaker comprises:

determining one from a group of an IP address associated with the first site, a phone extension associated with the first site, a voice profile based on the received acoustic signals; and

associating the determined IP address, the phone extension or the voice profile and the determined position with the speaker identification information.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the determined position of the first speaker at the second site; and

presenting the determined position on a display at the second site.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

tracking motion of the first speaker;

updating the display at the second site to reflect the motion of the first speaker.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

sending the speaker identification information to the second site;

receiving the speaker identification information at the second site; and

presenting the speaker identification information on a display at the second site.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the speaker identification information is presented in a call management interface.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the call management interface comprises a list of identities, the identities ranked based on a likelihood that they correspond to the first speaker.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the call management interface includes a live or stored image corresponding to the identity of the first speaker.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein presenting the determined position on the display at the second site comprises presenting a position indicator icon, an on-screen position of the position indicator icon corresponding to the determined position of the first speaker at the first site.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

fluctuating on the display at the second site a brightness or a color of the position indicator icon to indicate that the first speaker is actively speaking.

13. The method of claim 5 wherein presenting the determined position on the display at the second site further comprises presenting an icon, an image or a textual element which identifies the first speaker.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein presenting the determined position on the display at the second site further comprises presenting angle and azimuth information related to the position of the first speaker.

15. The method of claim 5 wherein presenting the determined position on the display at the second site comprises:

presenting a circular graphic element divided into a plurality of partitions wherein each partition corresponds to a position at the first site; and

varying a brightness or a color of the partition corresponding to the determined position of the first speaker at the first site.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising presenting on the display at the second site an icon, an image or a textual element which identifies the first speaker.

17. The method of claim 5 wherein presenting the determined position at the second site comprises:

presenting on the display at the second site a first stored or live image corresponding to the first speaker, the first stored or live image presented as it would appear from a vantage point of the microphone array at the first site.

18. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving speaker identification information for a third site; and

presenting the speaker identification information on the display at the second site.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a distance from the determined position;

generating an audio signal from the received acoustic signals; and

using the determined distance to modify an audio level of the audio signal presenting the determined position on a display at the second site.

20. A system for facilitating speaker identification on a call, the system comprising:

a first phone system having a microphone array having a plurality of microphones, a position processing module and a transmitter for determining a position of a speaker based on acoustic signals received by the microphone array and outputting the determined position, the position processing module coupled to the microphone array, the transmitter transmitting, on a control channel separate from a data channel, a set of data including (1) control data describing call control for the call and (2) position data describing the determined position of the speaker; and

a second phone system having a display, a position display module and a receiver for receiving the determined position from the first phone system and presenting a user interface showing a representation of the determined position on the display, the receiver of the second phone system adapted for communication with the first phone system, the position display module adapted for communication with the receiver and the display.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the microphone array comprises six microphones.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the first phone system is coupled by a network to the second phone system.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the position processing module is configured to determine a distance and a direction from which the acoustic signals were received by the microphone array.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the position processing module includes an auto-detection module for determining how many participants are sharing the first phone system and automatically adjusting operation of the first phone system to produce position data for each participant.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the position processing module includes a position analysis module for determining a physical position of an active speaker, the position analysis module coupled to the microphone array.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the position processing module includes a tracking module for tracking a movement of an active speaker and generating updated position information, the tracking module coupled to the microphone array.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the position processing module includes an identity matching module for associating a speaker identifier with the determined position, the identity matching module coupled to receive the determined position, the identity matching module coupled to retrieve identifying information.

28. A method for producing presence and physical location information for a telephony system, the method comprising:

receiving acoustic signals with a microphone array at a first location;

determining presence and physical location information based on the received acoustic signals; and

transmitting, on a control channel separate from a data channel, a set of data including (1) control data and (2) the presence information to the telephony system at a second location.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the receiving and determining are performed by a speakerphone system that is not on a call.

30. An apparatus for providing speaker identification information on a call, the apparatus comprising:

a microphone array having a plurality of microphones for receiving acoustic signals;

a position processing module configured to determine a first position of a first speaker based on acoustic signals received by the microphone array, the position processing module coupled to the microphone array; and

a transceiver module configured to transmit, on a control channel separate from a data channel, a set of data including (1) control data describing call control for the call and (2) position data describing the first determined position, the transceiver module coupled to the position processing module.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the microphone array comprises six microphones.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the position processing module determines a distance and a direction from which the acoustic signals are received by the microphone array.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the position processing module includes an auto-detection module for determining how many participants are sharing a first phone system and automatically adjusting operation of the first phone system to produce position data for each participant.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the position processing module includes a position analysis module for determining a physical position of an active speaker, the position analysis module coupled to the microphone array.

35. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the position processing module includes a tracking module for tracking a movement of an active speaker and generating updated position information, the tracking module coupled to the microphone array.

36. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the position processing module includes an identity matching module for associating a speaker identifier with the first determined position, the identity matching module coupled to receive the first determined position, the identity matching module coupled to retrieve identifying information.

37. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the transceiver is further configured for receiving a second determined position from a remote system and further comprising:

a position display module for generating a user interface having a representation of the second determined position, the position display module coupled to receive the second determined position from the transceiver; and

a display for presenting the user interface, the display coupled to the position display module.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the user interface includes identification information corresponding to a second speaker of the remote system.

39. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the user interface includes a call management interface.

40. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the user interface includes a position indicator icon, a display position of the position indicator icon corresponding to the second determined position.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the position display module fluctuates a brightness or color of the position indicator icon to indicate that the first a second speaker of the remote system is actively speaking.

42. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the position display module is further configured to present on the display angle and azimuth information related to the second determined position.

43. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the user interface includes a circular graphic element, the circular graphic element divided into a plurality of partitions wherein each partition corresponds to a position at a remote site;

and brightness or color of a partition corresponding to the second determined position is visually distinct from the other partitions.

44. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the user interface includes a stored or live image corresponding to a second speaker of the remote system.