Systems, methods, and devices for processing audio signals

• US 20060034300A1
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chanyu Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Hill, Thomas W., Mollica, Scott J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/24 Variable rate codecs, e.g. for generating different qualities using a scalable representation such as hierarchical encoding or layered encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method comprising a plurality of activities, comprising: initiating a communications connection between an audio device and a CPE gateway coupled to the audio device, the CPE gateway coupleable to a network; and negotiating between the audio device and the CPE gateway for a parameter associated with processing an audio signal to be transmitted across the network, the audio signal corresponding to a selected audio bandwidth from a plurality of audio bandwidths.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an audio device coupleable to a CPE gateway that is coupleable to a network, the audio device adapted to negotiate with the CPE gateway regarding a parameter associated with processing an audio signal to be transmitted across the network, the transmitted audio signal corresponding to a selected audio bandwidth from a plurality of audio bandwidths, the selected audio bandwidth associated with the parameter, the plurality of audio bandwidths comprising a first audio bandwidth of approximately 3.1 kHz and a second audio bandwidth of at least approximately 6 kHz.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio device comprises an audio codec.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio device comprises a plurality of audio codecs.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio device is adapted to select an audio codec for processing the audio signal according to the negotiated parameter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio device comprises a telephone.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio device comprises a microphone.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio device comprises a speaker.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio device comprises an acoustic transducer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio device comprises an audio player.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio device comprises an audio recorder.

11. A method comprising a plurality of activities, comprising:

initiating a communications connection between an audio device and a CPE gateway coupled to the audio device, the CPE gateway coupleable to a network; and

negotiating between the audio device and the CPE gateway for a parameter associated with processing an audio signal to be transmitted across the network, the transmitted audio signal corresponding to a selected audio bandwidth from a plurality of audio bandwidths, the selected audio bandwidth associated with the parameter, the plurality of audio bandwidths comprising a first audio bandwidth of approximately 3.1 kHz and a second audio bandwidth of at least approximately 6 kHz.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting an audio codec for processing the audio signal according to the negotiated parameter.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising sampling the audio signal according to the parameter.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising digitizing the audio signal according to the parameter.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising formatting the audio signal according to the parameter.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising compressing the audio signal according to the parameter.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing digitized the audio signal to the network according to the parameter.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving digitized the audio signal from the network according to the parameter.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising decompressing the audio signal according to the parameter.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising converting the audio signal according to the parameter.

21. A machine readable medium storing instructions for activities comprising:

initiating a communications connection between an audio device and a CPE gateway coupled to the audio device, the CPE gateway coupleable to a network; and

negotiating between the audio device and the CPE gateway for a parameter associated with processing an audio signal to be transmitted across the network, the transmitted audio signal corresponding to a selected audio bandwidth from a plurality of audio bandwidths, the selected audio bandwidth associated with the parameter, the plurality of audio bandwidths comprising a first audio bandwidth of approximately 3.1 kHz and a second audio bandwidth of at least approximately 6 kHz.

22. A method comprising a plurality of activities, comprising:

initiating a communications connection between an audio device and a CPE gateway coupled to the audio device, the CPE gateway coupleable to a network; and

negotiating between the audio device and the CPE gateway for a parameter associated with processing an audio signal to be transmitted across the network, the transmitted audio signal corresponding to a selected audio bandwidth from a plurality of audio bandwidths, the selected audio bandwidth associated with the parameter and not larger than an audio bandwidth of the audio device.