System and method for adjusting hands-free phone

• US 9,313,310 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2015
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Redman, Brian, Ahmadian-Yazdi, Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Ping
• Application Number:
  US14/817,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20150341479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/085 using digital techniques H04M9/082 takes precedence

Abstract

A communications device having a user configurable speakerphone feature is provided. A user may be provided with a plurality of selectable settings for configuring the operation of a microphone or the processing of speech. For example, a user may select settings to filter ambient noise for a cleaner sound or increase a microphone'"'"'s sensitivity in a conference call environment. In one embodiment, the user may select a setting that changes a microphone level or microphone operating range. When the microphone detects speech, the speech may be processed in accordance with user selected processing settings. For example, a user may select settings to specify a gain control, a frequency response, or an activity threshold. Thus, a user may configure a speakerphone to improve sound quality on the receiving end.

Claims

1. A method for operating a communications device, the communications device having a speakerphone including a microphone, the method comprising:

providing a user with a plurality of options for configuring the speakerphone feature, wherein the plurality of options include an intimate option, a hall option, and at least one additional option that each specify settings by adjusting a sensitivity of the microphone and adjusting settings that specify a frequency response of the microphone that control ambience at a transmit end of the communication device;

receiving a user input that selects one of the plurality of options; and

applying the settings, associated with an option selected by the user input, to the communications device, wherein the applying comprises;

in response to the user input selecting the intimate option, applying intimate settings that configure the communication device to filter noise from an immediate vicinity of the microphone,

in response to the user input selecting the hall option, applying hall settings that configure the communication device to detect speech in a first area beyond the immediate vicinity of the microphone, and

in response to the user input selecting the at least one additional option, applying settings that configure the communication device to detect speech in a second area that is different from the first area and is different from the immediate vicinity of the microphone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting include at least one of a gain control, a frequency response, or an activity threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting speech in accordance with operating range and microphone level settings associated with the option selected by the user input.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising processing the detected speech in accordance with gain control, frequency response, and activity threshold settings associated with the option selected by the user input.

5. A communications device having a configurable speakerphone feature including a microphone, the communications device comprising:

a user interface for providing a user with a plurality of options for configuring the speakerphone feature, wherein the plurality of options includes an intimate option, a hall option, and at least one additional option that each specify settings to adjust the sensitivity of the microphone and settings to specify a frequency response of the microphone;

an input device for receiving a user input that selects one of the plurality of options; and

at least one processor adapted to apply settings to the communications device associated with the option selected by the user input, wherein the intimate option is associated with intimate settings that configure the communication device to filter noise from an immediate vicinity of the microphone,

the hall option associated with hall settings that configure the communication device to detect speech in a first area beyond the immediate vicinity of the microphone, and at least one additional option associated with settings that configure the communication device to detect speech in a second area that is different from the first area and is different from the immediate vicinity of the microphone.

6. The communications device of claim 5, wherein the setting include at least one of a gain control, a frequency response, or an activity threshold.

7. The communications device of claim 5, further comprising a microphone speech detection system that detects speech in accordance with operating range and microphone level settings associated with the option selected by the user input.

8. The communications device of claim 7, further comprising at least one digital signal processor that detects speech in accordance with gain control, frequency response, and an activity threshold settings associated with the option selected by the user input.

9. A communications device comprising:

a microphone;

a microphone circuit that controls the operation of the microphone; and

a user interface that allows a user to select options for the operation of the microphone that are provided to the microphone circuit, the options specifying settings to adjust the sensitivity of the microphone and settings to specify a frequency response of the microphone, wherein the settings control ambience at a transmit end of the communications device, the options include an intimate option, a hall option, and at least one additional option, the intimate option is associated with intimate settings that configure the communication device to filter noise from an immediate vicinity of the microphone, the hall option associated with the hall settings that configure the communication device to detect speech in a first area beyond the immediate vicinity of the microphone, and the at least one additional option is associated with settings that configure the communication device to detect speech in a second area that is different from the first area and is different from the immediate vicinity of the microphone.

10. The communications device of claim 9, wherein the microphone circuit includes a microprocessor that includes software modules for responding to the options selected by the user.

11. The communications device of claim 9, wherein the settings associated with the intimate option, intermediate option, and hall option further include an activity threshold.