IP Library Granted Patent US 8,705,455
Granted Patent B2
US 8,705,455 · App. 13/782,491 · Granted Apr 22, 2014

System and method for improved use of voice activity detection

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,705,455
App. No.
13/782,491
Granted
Apr 22, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for packetizing actual noise signals, typically background noise, received by an access gateway from a speaking party and transmitting these packetized noise signals via a network to an egress gateway. The egress gateway converts the packetized noise signal into noise signals suitable for output and transmits the output noise signals to a listening party. When the access gateway detects that no voice signal is being received and only a noise signal is being received for a predetermined period of time, the access gateway instructs the egress network to continually transmit output noise signals to the listening party and ceases to transmit packetized noise signals to the egress gateway.

Claims (37)

1. A method comprising:

receiving an input signal comprising a packetized voice communication and packetized noise;

converting the packetized voice communication into an output voice signal;

converting the packetized noise into an output noise signal;

outputting the output voice signal and the output noise signal; and

when the input signal no longer contains the packetized voice communication, continuing to output the output noise signal while ceasing to output the output voice signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the input signal no longer contains the packetized voice communication, the input signal also no longer contains the packetized noise.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input signal is received from a first party and the output voice signal is output to a second party.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first party and the second party are distinct individuals.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input signal is received using one of voice over internet protocol, voice over frame, and voice over asynchronous transfer mode.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output noise signal is output continuously until the input signal contains another packetized voice communication.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed at an egress network.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, result in the processor performing operations comprising:

receiving an input signal comprising a packetized voice communication and packetized noise;

converting the packetized voice communication into an output voice signal;

converting the packetized noise into an output noise signal;

outputting the output voice signal and the output noise signal; and

when the input signal no longer contains the packetized voice communication, continuing to output the output noise signal while ceasing to output the output voice signal.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein when the input signal no longer contains the packetized voice communication, the input signal also no longer contains the packetized noise.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the input signal is received from a first party and the output voice signal is output to a second party.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first party and the second party are distinct individuals.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the input signal is received using one of voice over internet protocol, voice over frame, and voice over asynchronous transfer mode.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the output noise signal is output continuously until the input signal contains another packetized voice communication.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the method is performed at an egress network.

15. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving an input signal comprising a packetized voice communication and packetized noise;

converting the packetized voice communication into an output voice signal;

converting the packetized noise into an output noise signal;

outputting the output voice signal and the output noise signal; and

when the input signal no longer contains the packetized voice communication, continuing to output the output noise signal while ceasing to output the output voice signal.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein when the input signal no longer contains the packetized voice communication, the input signal also no longer contains the packetized noise.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the input signal is received from a first party and the output voice signal is output to a second party.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein the first party and the second party are distinct individuals.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the input signal is received using one of voice over internet protocol, voice over frame, and voice over asynchronous transfer mode.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the output noise signal is output continuously until the input signal contains another packetized voice communication.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE (REEL 052935 / FRAME 0584) Recorded Jan 2, 2025
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 069797/0818 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE THE CONVEYANCE DOCUMENT WITH THE NEW ASSIGNMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 050836 FRAME: 0191. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 19, 2022
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 059804/0186 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 15, 2020
From: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 052935/0584 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2020
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 052927/0335 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 7, 2019
From: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 050953/0133 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 050836 FRAME: 0191. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 29, 2019
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 050871/0001 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 23, 2019
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: CERENCE INC.
Reel/Frame 050836/0191 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2017
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II, L.P.
To: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041512/0608 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2016
From: AT&T CORP.
To: AT&T PROPERTIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 038961/0317 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2016
From: AT&T PROPERTIES, LLC
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II, L.P.
Reel/Frame 038961/0431 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2013
From: JAMES, JAMES H.; ROSENBLUTH, JOSHUA HAL
To: AT&T CORP.
Reel/Frame 031212/0832 →