Patent ID: 9571617
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: G10L,H04M

Claim:
1. A method for controlling a mute function in a telephone device, the method comprising: while the mute function is active, voice recognition software in the telephone device processing sound detected by a microphone in the telephone device; ascertaining whether a magnitude of an analog signal representing the detected sound exceeds a predetermined threshold; if said ascertaining ascertains that the magnitude does not exceed the predetermined threshold, then identifying the detected sound as being noise and not permitting an alarm in the telephone device to be activated; and if said ascertaining ascertains that the magnitude exceeds the predetermined threshold, then determining whether one or more specific words have been spoken by a specific person and not by the another person, and if so then said telephone device activating the alarm, and if not then not permitting the alarm to be activated.