Cross mute for native radio channels

• US 9,655,001 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STA Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Metzger, Larry R., Gonsalves, Mark Conrad
• Primary Examiner(s): REGO, DOMINIC E
• Application Number:
  US14/863,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 455571, 455570, 348611, 381 66
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/02 Speech enhancement, e.g. noise reduction or echo cancellation reducing echo effects in line transmission systems H04B3/20; echo suppression in hands-free telephones H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6491 Echo cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/002 Applications of echo suppressors or cancellers in telephonic connections in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/08, echo suppressors or cancellers per se H04B3/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/08 Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23

Abstract

In one implementation, systems and processes are provide for local cross muting between two or more dispatch consoles in a dispatch center. Sound is received from a microphone of a first console. The first console generates an outgoing media signal from the received sound and a supplementary outgoing data. The supplementary outgoing data may be an identification number for the first console or a duplicate media signal from the first console. The first console sends the outgoing media signal to a forwarding device and sends the supplementary outgoing signal to a second console.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving sound from a microphone of a first console;

generating an outgoing media signal from the received sound;

duplicating the outgoing media signal as an outgoing echo signal to generate a supplementary outgoing signal, wherein a second console is configured to mute a component of an incoming media signal based on the outgoing echo signal, wherein the component of the incoming media signal is associated with the outgoing media signal from the first console;

sending the outgoing media signal to a forwarding device; and

sending the supplementary outgoing signal to the second console.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first console and the second console are located at a same dispatch center.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the outgoing echo signal is configured to be subtracted from the outgoing media signal by the second console.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the supplementary outgoing signal comprises:

generating a control signal including data indicative of an identification number.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the identification number indicates that the first console is part of a dispatch center.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identification number is a first identification number, and the second console is configured to match the first identification number for the first console with a second identification number for the second console.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first console is configured for communication with a plurality of push to talk radios.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first console, an incoming media signal from the forwarding device;

receiving, at the first console, an incoming echo signal from the second console;

subtracting the incoming echo signal from the incoming media signal to generate an output signal; and

providing the output signal to a user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving an external incoming media signal from an external device; and

mixing the external incoming media signal with the output signal.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an encryption key from a key exchange with the second console; and

encrypting the outgoing echo signal and the outgoing media signal using the encryption key.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising one or more instructions executable by the processor to perform;

receiving sound data from a microphone of a first console;

generating an outgoing media signal from the received sound data;

generating a supplementary outgoing signal;

sending the outgoing media signal to a forwarding device; and

sending the supplementary outgoing signal to a second console,

wherein the supplementary outgoing signal comprises a duplication of the outgoing media signal as an outgoing echo signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first console and the second console belong to a dispatch center.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second console mutes a component of an incoming media signal based on the outgoing echo signal, wherein the component is associated with the outgoing media signal from the first console.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the supplementary outgoing signal comprises a control signal including data indicative of an identification number representative of a group including the first console and the second console.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, the instructions executable by the processor to perform:

receiving, at the first console, an incoming media signal from the forwarding device;

receiving, at the first console, an incoming echo signal from the second console;

subtracting the incoming echo signal from the incoming media signal to generate an output signal; and

providing the output signal to a user.

16. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first console, a media signal from a forwarding device, wherein the media signal includes data from a second console mixed with one or more other sources;

receiving, at the first console, an echo signal from the second console;

subtracting the echo signal from the media signal to mute or attenuate the data from the media signal associated with the second console;

generate an output signal as a result of the subtracting; and

providing the output signal to a user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more other sources include one or more mobile radios.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising one or more instructions executable by the processor to perform;

receiving, at a first console, a media signal from a forwarding device, wherein the media signal includes data from a second console mixed with one or more other sources;

receiving, at the first console, an echo signal from a second console;

performing a subtraction of the echo signal from the media signal to mute or attenuate the data from the second console in the media signal;

generate an output signal from the subtraction; and

providing the output signal to a user.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more other sources include one or more mobile radios.