Enhancing comprehension in voice communications

• US 9,824,695 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lyle, Ruthie D., O'Sullivan, Patrick Joseph, Sun, Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Guerra-Erazo, Edgar
• Application Number:
  US13/525,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20130339007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• Field of Search: 704 1- 10, 704200-201, 704258-269, 704270-2701, 704271, 704277, 704E17001-E17016, 704E15001-E15004, 704E21001-E2102, 704231, 704235
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/003 Changing voice quality, e.g. pitch or formants
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0364 for improving intelligibility
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/057 for improving intelligibility

Abstract

Embodiments herein include receiving a request to modify an audio characteristic associated with a first user for a voice communication system. One or more suggested modified audio characteristics may be provided for the first user, based on, at least in part, one or more audio preferences established by another user. An input of one or more modified audio characteristics may be received for the first user for the voice communication system. A user-specific audio preference may be associated with the first user for voice communications on the voice communication system, the user-specific audio preference including the one or more modified audio characteristics.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, on a processor, a request to modify an audio characteristic associated with a first user for a voice communication system;

displaying, on a graphical user interface, one or more suggested modified audio characteristics for the first user, wherein the one or more suggested modified audio characteristics for the first user is based upon, at least in part, past user-specific preferences for the first user received by one or more other users;

receiving, from the graphical user interface, a selection of the one or more suggested modified audio characteristics for the first user for the voice communication system from a particular user; and

associating, on the processor, a particular user-specific audio preference with the first user for voice communications on the voice communication system for the particular user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more audio preferences include audio preferences established for the first user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more audio preferences include audio preferences established for a second user having a similar attribute to the first user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the similar attribute includes a geographic location associated with the first user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising modifying an audio characteristic of the first user for a subsequent voice communication based on, at least in part, the particular user-specific audio preference.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising associating the modified audio characteristics with at least a third user based on, at least in part, a similar attribute of the third user to the first user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising propagating the particular user-specific audio preference to one or more additional users.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to modify an audio characteristic associated with a first user for a voice communication system;

displaying on a graphical user interface, one or more suggested modified audio characteristics for the first user, wherein the one or more suggested modified audio characteristics for the first user is based upon, at least in part, past user-specific preferences for the first user received by one or more other users;

receiving from the graphical user interface, a selection of the one or more suggested modified audio characteristics for the first user for the voice communication system from a particular user; and

associating a particular user-specific audio preference with the first user for voice communications on the voice communication system for the particular user.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more audio preferences include audio preferences established for the first user.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more audio preferences include audio preferences established for a second user having a similar attribute to the first user.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the similar attribute includes a geographic location associated with the first user.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for modifying an audio characteristic of the first user for a subsequent voice communication based on, at least in part, the particular user-specific audio preference.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions for associating the modified audio characteristics with at least a third user based on, at least in part, a similar attribute of the third user to the first user.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for propagating the particular user-specific audio preference to one or more additional users.

15. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors configured to;

receive a request to modify an audio characteristic associated with a first user for a voice communication system;

display, on a graphical user interface, one or more suggested modified audio characteristics for the first user, wherein the one or more suggested modified audio characteristics for the first user is based upon, at least in part, past user-specific preferences for the first user received by one or more other users;

receive, from the graphical user interface, a selection of the one or more suggested modified audio characteristics for the first user for the voice communication system from a particular user; and

associate a particular user-specific audio preference with the first user for voice communications on the voice communication system for the particular user.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more audio preferences include audio preferences established for the first user.

17. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more audio preferences include audio preferences established for a second user having a similar attribute to the first user.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the similar attribute includes a geographic location associated with the first user.

19. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to modify an audio characteristic of the first user for a subsequent voice communication based on, at least in part, the particular user-specific audio preference.

20. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to associate the modified audio characteristics with at least a third user based on, at least in part, a similar attribute of the third user to the first user.

21. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to propagate the particular user-specific audio preference to one or more additional users.