Removal of local duplication voice on conference calls
View Patent ↗The present invention provides mechanisms for removing duplicate signals during a communication session. More particularly an over-air signal is received at a given endpoint and a stream of electronic data is monitored at the same endpoint for a duplicate to the over-air signal. If a duplicate is detected in the electronic data stream, it is removed so that only one occurrence of the signal is received at the endpoint.
1. A method of processing a voice signal, comprising:
(a) detecting, at a microphone of a second communication endpoint, a first over-air signal from a user of a first communication endpoint, the first over-air signal having a first set of characteristics, wherein the second communication endpoint and the first communication endpoint are in physical proximity;
(b) monitoring a call on the second communication endpoint for a second electrical signal received at a network interface of the second communication endpoint, the second electrical signal having a second set of characteristics substantially similar to the first set of characteristics;
(c) detecting, at the second communication endpoint, the second electrical signal; and
(d) in response to step (c), performing at least one of the following, for a user at the second communication endpoint:
(i) canceling out substantially the detected second electrical signal from the call;
(ii) increasing a volume of the call to render the detected first over-air signal substantially inaudible in comparison to the detected second electrical signal; and
(iii) substantially muting the call to render the detected second electrical signal substantially inaudible in comparison to the detected first over-air signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of characteristics comprise at least one of frequency, pitch, tone, amplitude, words, overall waveform, and speaker identity in common with the second set of characteristics.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein substep (i) is performed and wherein canceling comprises adding a signal to the call that when added to the electrical signal renders the second electrical signal inaudible.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a difference between the volume of the call to a volume of the first over-air signal;
comparing the difference to a predetermined threshold;
determining that the difference fails to one of meet and exceed the threshold; and
thereafter, performing step (d).
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing a volume of the first over-air signal to a predetermined threshold;
when the volume of the first over-air signal one of meets and exceeds the threshold, performing step (d); and
when the volume of the first over-air signal fails to one of meet and exceed the threshold, skipping step (d).
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first over-air signal is received by a recipient user and the second electrical signal is directed to the recipient user.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a source of the first over-air signal and second electrical signal is proximate the recipient user.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the call comprises at least one of a telephone call, a VoIP call, and a cellular call.
9. A computer readable storage medium comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the steps of claim 1 .
10. A telecommunication device, comprising:
an input operable to receive an over-air signal from a user communicating with a second communication device, wherein the telecommunication device and the second communication device are in physical proximity;
a communication interface operable to receive electrical signals transmitted by the second communications endpoint;
a comparator function operable to compare characteristics of over-air signals received at the input to characteristics of electrical signals received at the communication interface; and
a voice cancellation agent operable to determine that a received electrical signal has at least one characteristic in common with a characteristic of a received over-air signal and perform at least one of the following functions for a user of the second communication device:
(i) cancel out at least a portion of the received electrical signal from the call;
(ii) increase a volume of the call to render the received over-air signal substantially inaudible in comparison to the received electrical signal; and
(iii) substantially mute the call to render the received electrical signal substantially inaudible in comparison to the received over-air signal.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the input comprises an acoustic sound wave to electrical signal transducer.
12. The device of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the comparator function and voice cancellation agent comprise processor executable instructions stored in a portion of memory resident on the device.
13. The device of claim 10 , wherein characteristics of the over-air signals and electrical signals comprise at least one of frequency, amplitude, words, overall waveform, and speaker identity.
14. The device of claim 10 , wherein the voice cancellation agent is operable to cancel out at least a portion of the received electrical signal by inverting a matching portion of the received over-air signal and adding the inverted matching portion of the received over-air signal to the call.
15. The device of claim 10 , wherein the comparator function is operable to determine a difference between the volume of the call to a volume of the received over-air signal, compare the difference to a predetermined threshold, and cause the voice cancellation agent to perform one of its functions when the difference fails to one of meet and exceed the threshold.
16. The device of claim 10 , wherein the comparator function is operable to compare a volume of the received over-air signal to a predetermined threshold and cause the voice cancellation agent to perform one of its functions when the volume of the over-air signal one of meets and exceeds the threshold.
17. A telecommunication system, comprising:
means for detecting a first over-air signal at a second communication endpoint, the first over-air signal being created by a user of a first communication endpoint and having a first set of characteristics, wherein the second communication endpoint and the first communication endpoint are in physical proximity;
means for monitoring a call, at the second communication endpoint for a second electrical signal transmitted by the first communication endpoint having a second set of characteristics substantially similar to the first set of characteristics;
means for detecting the second electrical signal; and
means for rendering the second electrical signal inaudible for a user of the second communications endpoint when compared to the first over-air signal.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the second electrical signal is rendered inaudible by one of canceling the electrical signal from the call and muting the call.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the means for detecting a first over-air signal comprises an acoustic sound wave to electrical signal transducer.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the first set of characteristics comprise at least one of frequency, amplitude, words, overall waveform, and speaker identity in common with the second set of characteristics.
21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the means for rendering the second electrical signal inaudible when compared to the first over-air signal is operable to add a signal to the call that when added to the second electrical signal cancels the electrical signal.