Abstract:
A conference call arrangement, conferencing device, conference unit and a method of managing conference calls. The conferencing device may be a speakerphone with a speak up indicator. Whenever a conference call attendee does not speak loudly enough for remote participants, the conference unit sends a speak up indication to a corresponding conferencing device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to telephones and more particularly to telephones having a hands-free mode of operation. 
     2. Background Description 
     Typical state-of-the-art telephones often have a hands-free or speakerphone mode of operation, hereinafter generically “speakerphone.” Such a telephone may be located at a convenient location and placed in hands-free mode. Thereafter, speakers, e.g., teleconference participants, may remain stationary or move about within range of the speakerphone as desired. The speakerphone microphone picks up all surrounding sound including background noise. This sound is transmitted to a listener at the other end of the call. 
     The typical speakerphone is voice switched, either sending (voice) or receiving and “on speaker.” Unless someone, e.g. a meeting attendee in the vicinity of the speakerphone, is speaking or making some noise, the speakerphone is in receive mode, playing what someone on a phone or, a conference call attendee on another speakerphone, is saying at the other end. When someone speaks or makes a noise in the vicinity of the speakerphone, the speakerphone switches to send mode, sending whatever initiated the switch to the other end. 
     Occasionally, a call participant may speak loud enough to switch speakerphone mode but, not loud enough to be heard or, the speaker may wander too far from the speakerphone or just be too far away. Since the speakerphone is switched to send mode, the speaker hears nothing said by anyone at the other end, i.e., at any other conference call station. Until the speaker finishes no one can contact him/her. There is nothing that anyone at the other end can do to inform the speaker that he/she is not being heard. This can be a frustrating experience both for the speaker (e.g., being asked to “repeat everything after. . . ”) and for those at the other end, sitting on their hands, waiting for a pause to ask the speaker to “repeat everything after. . . ” or, even, “everything that was just said.” 
     Thus there is a need for a way to inform conference call speakers when they are not speaking loudly enough for speakerphone broadcast. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a purpose of the invention to improve the quality of conference calls; 
     It is another purpose of the invention to automatically notify conference call participants when they are not speaking loudly enough to be clearly heard by remote participants; 
     It is yet another purpose of the invention to automatically provide a speak up indication to a conference call participant not speaking loudly enough to be clearly heard by remote participants. 
     The present invention relates to a conference call arrangement, conferencing device, conference unit and a method of managing conference calls. The conferencing device may be a speakerphone with a speak up indicator. Whenever a conference call attendee does not speak loudly enough for remote participants, the conference unit sends a speak up indication to a corresponding conferencing device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an example of preferred embodiment endpoint devices or speakerphones with a hands-free mode of operation in a conference call; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic example of the arrangement of  FIG. 1 , showing the conference unit  130  receiving voice input from endpoint locations; 
         FIG. 3  shows a flow diagram example  150  of how a preferred embodiment system automatically provides speakers with a speak up indication. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the drawings and, more particularly,  FIG. 1  shows an example of preferred embodiment conference call arrangement with conferencing devices or speakerphones  100  having a hands-free or conference call mode. Each of the speakerphones  100  includes a speak up indicator  102 , a microphone  104  and a speaker  106 . In this example, each of the speakerphones  100  is located at endpoint locations  108 ,  110 ,  112  that are remote to each other, e.g., conference rooms on opposite ends of a building, on different floors, in different cites, in different countries and etc. The speakerphones  100  may be connected through a communications server, e.g., a private branch exchange (PBX)  114 , to a public network  116 , e.g., a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a data network such as the Internet. 
     During a conference call, attendees are at two or more endpoint locations  108 ,  110 ,  112 . Whenever a participant speaks at one of the locations, e.g.,  108 , the local speakerphone  100  switches to send mode. A conference unit, e.g. in PBX  114 , in the communications network  116  or, in the speakerphones  100 , monitors voice signals from the originating endpoint,  108  in this example. As long as the speakers speak loud enough or are close enough to the speakerphone  100  to be heard at the other end(s) ( 110  and/or  112  in this example), the conference call progresses normally. When the conference unit determines from the voice signal that the speaker is not speaking loudly enough to be heard at the other endpoints  110  and/or  112 , the conference unit sends a speak up signal to the speakerphone  100 . The speakerphone  100  warns the speaker by flashing speak up indicator  102  and/or audibly. Optionally, the speakerphone may provide only an audible speak up indication through the speaker  106 , obviating the necessity of a separate speak up indicator  102 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic example of the arrangement of  FIG. 1 , showing the conference unit  130  receiving voice input from endpoint locations  108 ,  110 ,  112 . The conference unit  130  includes measuring points  132 ,  134 ,  136  measuring incoming voice signals. Incoming voice signals are combined, e.g., in an Adder  138 , and the result is returned to listening stations. A signal to noise measurement is made of the incoming signal, e.g., the current speaker&#39;s voice to background noise, in SNR comparison circuit  140 . The SNR comparison circuit  140  compares the measurement results against a selected acceptable reference value. The reference value may be selected by design or by user input. If the SNR results indicate that a current speaker is not speaking loudly enough, the compare results provide a speak up signal that is passed back on a speak up signal line  142  to the originating location ( 108  in this example), e.g., to the speak up indicator  102  on the speakerphone  100 . Preferably, the conference unit  130  is local to a particular endpoint  108 ,  110 ,  112 , with a conference unit  130  at each, serving the particular endpoint  108 ,  110 ,  112 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a flow diagram example  150  of how a preferred embodiment system automatically provides speakers with a speak up indication with reference to the schematic of  FIG. 2 . In step  152  a participant at one endpoint, e.g.,  110 , begins to speak. The local speakerphone ( 100 ) switches to send mode. In step  154  the conference unit  130  detects which endpoint  110  is currently sending voice. In step  156  the conference unit  130  measures the speaking volume, e.g., in measuring point  136 . In step  158  the conference unit  130  determines whether the voice quality output is acceptable, e.g., by measuring the voice in measurement point  132  and comparing the voice measurement to background noise ratio (the signal to noise ratio) in SNR comparison circuit  140 . The conference unit  130  may measure background noise at any point when no one is speaking. If the signal is sufficient, the conference unit  130  returns to step  156  continuing to monitor and measure. If, however, in step  158  the SNR comparison indicates that the voice quality is unacceptable (not loud enough) and, in step  160  the speaker has not finished speaking; then, in step  162  the conference unit  130  sends a “Speak Up” signal on signal line  142  to the originating endpoint  110 . Upon receipt of the Speak Up signal, the speakerphone  100  passes the indication to the speaker. As noted hereinabove, the indication may be visual (e.g., a flashing light emitting diode (LED) in indicator  102 ) or audio (e.g. a beeping sound or a prerecorded message). 
     Thus, a conference call speaker is automatically prompted to speak up, whenever the speaker is not speaking loudly enough or, moves too far away from the speakerphone to be heard clearly by remote participants. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.