Granted Patent B2

US 8,885,804 · App. 12/309,719 · Granted Nov 11, 2014

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A method for carrying out an audio conference, comprising:

an audio conference device receiving a plurality of audio data flows from communication devices of conference participants;

the audio conference device evaluating classification information for a first time segment provided in the audio data flows;

the audio conference device determining a number of groups to which the audio data flows are to be assigned based on the received audio data flows, the groups comprising at least a first group of the audio data flows received from the communication devices, a second group of the audio data flows received from the communication devices, and a third group of the audio data flows received from the communication devices;

for each of the audio data flows, the audio conference device determining which of the groups that the audio data flow is to be assigned for the first time segment such that the audio data flows assigned to the first group have a homogenous result from the evaluation of the classification information of the first time segment of the audio data flows and the audio data flows assigned to the second group have a homogenous result from the evaluation of the classification information of the first time segment of the audio data flows and the audio data flows assigned to the third group have a homogenous result from the evaluation of the classification information of the first time segment of the audio data flows;

the audio conference device processing the first time segment of the received audio data flows with group specific attenuation such that the audio data flows assigned to the first group are attenuated differently than the audio data flows assigned to the second group for the first time segment and the audio data flows assigned to the second group are attenuated differently than the audio data flows assigned to the third group for the first time segment and the audio data flows assigned to the third group are attenuated differently than the audio data flows assigned to the first group for the first time segment;

the audio conference device mixing or superimposing the processed received audio data flows to form audio conference data flows;

the audio conference device sending the formed audio conference data flows to the communication terminals; and

wherein the processing of the audio data flows assigned to the first group, second group, and third group occurs such that a volume of the audio data flows of the first group is higher than a volume of the audio data flows assigned to the second group and the volume of the audio data flows assigned to the second group is higher than a volume of the audio data flows assigned to the third group; and

wherein the determining of the number of groups and the determining of which of the groups that the audio data flows are to be assigned for the first time segment is performed by a classification device of the audio conference device and wherein the processing of the first time segment of the received audio data flows is performed by an amplification device of the audio conference device; and

for each group, the amplification device attenuating the audio data flows with group specific attenuation based on a number of total audio data flows within the group.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processing of the audio data flows assigned to the second group occurs such that these audio data flows are attenuated or amplified such that the volume of the audio data flows assigned to the second group is less than the volume of the audio data flows assigned to the first group.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the evaluation of the classification information includes an assessment of a predeterminable group preselection identifier individually assigned to one of the audio data flows so that an assignment to a preselected group is forced depending on the group preselection identifier.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the evaluation of the classification information includes an assessment of the number of audio data flows to be assigned to a group, and by this number being exceeded in relation to a maximum threshold value of audio data flows assigned to a group, an assignment into an alternate group is forced.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

the classification device sending group information to a grouping unit of the audio conference device, the grouping unit impressing the first time segment of the audio data flows with grouping information based upon the group information received from the classification device; and

the classification device sending amplification information to the amplification device such that the amplification device processes the first time segment of the audio data flows based upon the grouping information impressed by the grouping unit, the amplification device applying a first amplification factor for the audio data flows assigned to the first group identified via the amplification information and a second amplification factor for the audio data flows assigned to the second group identified via the amplification information, the first amplification factor differing from the second amplification factor.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

the classification device sending group information and amplification information to the amplification device such that the amplification device processes the first time segment of the audio data flows based upon the grouping information and the amplification information, the amplification device applying a first amplification factor for the audio data flows assigned to the first group identified via the amplification information and grouping information and a second amplification factor for the audio data flows assigned to the second group identified via the amplification information and grouping information, the first amplification factor differing from the second amplification factor.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the groups are also comprised of a fourth group of audio data flows and a fifth group of audio data flows, the audio data flows assigned to the fifth group being muted.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the audio data flows of the first group, the second group, and the third group are each attenuated to define a transition between the first group and the second group and to define a transition between the second group and the third group.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

the audio conference device evaluating classification information for a second time segment provided in the audio data flows;

for each of the audio data flows, the audio conference device determining which of the groups that the audio data flow is to be assigned for the second time segment such that the audio data flows assigned to the first group have a homogenous result from the evaluation of the classification information of the second time segment of the audio data flows and the audio data flows assigned to the second group have a homogenous result from the evaluation of the classification information of the second time segment of the audio data flows and the audio data flows assigned to the third group have a homogenous result from the evaluation of the classification information of the second time segment of the audio data flows; and

the audio conference device processing the second time segment of the received audio data flows such that the audio data flows assigned to the first group for the second time segment are processed differently than the audio data flows assigned to the second group for the second time segment and the audio data flows assigned to the second group are processed differently than the audio data flows assigned to the third group for the second time segment and the audio data flows assigned to the third group are processed differently than the audio data flows assigned to the first group for the second time segment.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein one of the audio data flows assigned to the third group for the first time segment is assigned to the first group or the second group for the second time segment based upon an evaluation of a filtered signal energy of that audio data flow.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the evaluation of the classification information of the audio data flows for the second time segment is carried out with an inclusion of the evaluation of the classification information of the audio data flows from the first time segment.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein one of the audio data flows assigned to the third group in the first time segment is assigned to the second group or the first group in the second time segment and upon a detection of a changing of group assignment for that audio data flow, an individual attenuation to that audio data flow is provided starting from an attenuation provided for the third group that is changed in accordance with a monotonous function constantly or is changed in accordance with the monotonous function in discrete steps until that audio data flow is attenuated at a second attenuation of the first group or second group.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein one of the audio data flows assigned to the third group in the first time segment is assigned to the second group or the first group in the second time segment and wherein a detection of the changed assignment for that audio data flow occurs only after a plurality of time intervals pass in which that audio data flow is assigned to the second group or the first group.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the classification information is comprised of signal loudness level of the audio data flows.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first group is associated with active participants of a conference call, the second group is associated with inactive participants of the conference call, and the third group is associated with muted participants of the conference call.

Assignments (8)