Patent ID: 6011853
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
A method for improving the quality and intelligibility of sound reproduced by a telephone apparatus in which the reproduced sound is handled in a digital form and equalized according to a certain frequency response, wherein there is generated control information describing operating conditions of said telephone apparatus and the frequency response of said equalization is changed on the basis of said control information to optimize the quality and intelligibility of the sound reproduced in a given situation, wherein the telephone apparatus comprises an outgoing channel with a microphone for transmitting an outgoing signal to a distant location and an incoming channel for receiving an incoming signal, the method further comprising steps of:generating the control information by sensing sound by said microphone at an input to the outgoing channel;applying said equalization to said incoming signal;adjusting said equalization in response to the control information obtained by the sensing of the sound at the input to the outgoing channel;by said microphone, recording the sound to be transmitted via said outgoing channel, measuring noise recorded through said microphone, and employing data representing noise measured by said measuring step for generation of said control information by said generating step; andby use of voice activity detection means, determining whether or not a user is speaking on the telephone during a call, and conducting said noise measuring step only during those moments when the user is not speaking according to information from said voice activity detection means.