IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,122,157
Granted Patent B2
US 11,122,157 · App. 16/116,204 · Granted Sep 14, 2021

Telecommunication device, telecommunication system, method for operating a telecommunication device, and computer program

Inventors: Jens Ekkehart Appell (Brake, DE); Jan Rennies-Hochmuth (Oldenburg, DE)
Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
H04M1/68G10L15/08G10L15/20G10L2015/088
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,122,157
App. No.
16/116,204
Granted
Sep 14, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A telecommunication device includes an audio signal transmission unit configured to receive an audio signal and to transmit the same to a further telecommunication device. The telecommunication device further includes a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties. A further telecommunication device includes an audio signal receive unit configured to receive an audio signal from a further telecommunication device and to output the same acoustically, and a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the output audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance. The telecommunication devices may be interconnected in a system. Also described are corresponding methods for operation and a computer program.

Claims (81)

1. A telecommunication device, comprising:

an audio signal transmission unit configured to receive an audio signal and to transmit the same to a further telecommunication device; and

a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending thereon;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider a reverberation time in determining or calculating the speech understandability.

2. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate whether there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device and who differs from a user of the telecommunication device, and to output the signaling depending thereon.

3. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the signaling unit is configured to acquire information as to whether there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the further telecommunication device and who differs from a user of the further telecommunication device, and to output the signaling depending thereon.

4. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate whether there is a concern that the audio signal is understandable for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, but who is at a larger than specified distance to the telecommunication device.

5. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the signaling unit is configured to evaluate the received audio signal in order to determine or estimate whether there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device and who differs from a user of the telecommunication device, and/or wherein the signaling unit is configured to evaluate a signal from a separate sound transducer in order to determine or estimate whether there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device and who differs from a user of the telecommunication device.

6. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the telecommunication device is configured to receive from the further telecommunication device a signal indicating whether there is a concern that the audio signal, after being output by a sound transducer of the further telecommunication device, is acoustically understandable for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the further telecommunication device and who differs from a user of the further telecommunication device.

7. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending on a speech level of a user of the telecommunication device.

8. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending on an acoustic volume of the audio signal at a location of the telecommunication device and/or depending on an electric or digitalized signal level of the received audio signal.

9. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine and output information about a size of an area in which there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties.

10. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine and output a measurement for a disturbance of third parties by the audio signal.

11. The telecommunication device according to claim 10 , wherein the telecommunication device is configured to detect acoustic characteristics of the surrounding area of the telecommunication device and/or usage guidelines in the surrounding area of the telecommunication device and to determine the measurement for the disturbance of third parties depending thereon.

12. The telecommunication device according to claim 1 , wherein the telecommunication device is configured to receive a disturbance signaling from a third-party device that differs from the further telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to trigger an evaluation as to whether there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties depending on the disturbance signaling, or to consider the disturbance signaling in the evaluation.

13. A method for operating a telecommunication device, comprising:

receiving an audio signal;

transmitting the audio signal to a further telecommunication device; and

outputting a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device is determined or estimated for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling is output depending thereon;

wherein an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device is considered in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein a disturbing noise frequency content and/or a disturbing noise modulation and/or a disturbing noise noisiness and/or a reverberation time is considered in determining or calculating the speech understandability; and

wherein the disturbing noise noisiness describes whether the disturbing noise is more noise-like or more tonal.

14. A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method for operating a telecommunication device, comprising:

receiving an audio signal;

transmitting the audio signal to a further telecommunication device; and

outputting a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device is determined or estimated for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling is output depending thereon;

wherein an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device is considered in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein a disturbing noise frequency content and/or a disturbing noise modulation and/or a disturbing noise noisiness and/or a reverberation time is considered in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the disturbing noise noisiness describes whether the disturbing noise is more noise-like or more tonal,

when said computer program is run by a computer.

15. A telecommunication device, comprising:

an audio signal transmission unit configured to receive an audio signal and to transmit the same to a further telecommunication device; and

a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending thereon;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider a disturbing noise frequency content in determining or calculating the speech understandability.

16. A telecommunication device, comprising:

an audio signal transmission unit configured to receive an audio signal and to transmit the same to a further telecommunication device; and

a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending thereon;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider a disturbing noise modulation in determining or calculating the speech understandability.

17. A telecommunication device, comprising:

an audio signal transmission unit configured to receive an audio signal and to transmit the same to a further telecommunication device; and

a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending thereon;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider a disturbing noise noisiness in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the disturbing noise noisiness describes whether the disturbing noise is more noise-like or more tonal.

18. A telecommunication device, comprising:

an audio signal transmission unit configured to receive an audio signal and to transmit the same to a further telecommunication device; and

a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending thereon;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider a disturbing noise frequency content and/or a disturbing noise modulation and/or a disturbing noise noisiness and/or a reverberation time in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate whether there is a concern that the audio signal is understandable for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, but who is at a larger than specified distance to the telecommunication device.

19. A telecommunication device, comprising:

an audio signal transmission unit configured to receive an audio signal and to transmit the same to a further telecommunication device; and

a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending thereon;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider a disturbing noise frequency content and/or a disturbing noise modulation and/or a disturbing noise noisiness and/or a reverberation time in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the telecommunication device is configured to receive from the further telecommunication device a signal indicating whether there is a concern that the audio signal, after being output by a sound transducer of the further telecommunication device, is acoustically understandable for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the further telecommunication device and who differs from a user of the further telecommunication device.

20. A telecommunication device, comprising:

an audio signal transmission unit configured to receive an audio signal and to transmit the same to a further telecommunication device; and

a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending thereon;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider a disturbing noise frequency content and/or a disturbing noise modulation and/or a disturbing noise noisiness and/or a reverberation time in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine and output information about a size of an area in which there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties.

21. A telecommunication device, comprising:

an audio signal transmission unit configured to receive an audio signal and to transmit the same to a further telecommunication device; and

a signaling unit configured to output a signaling when there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to determine or estimate a speech understandability of a speech signal generated by a user of the telecommunication device for a third party who is located in a surrounding area of the telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to output the signaling depending thereon;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider an acoustic environment of the telecommunication device in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the signaling unit is configured to consider a disturbing noise frequency content and/or a disturbing noise modulation and/or a disturbing noise noisiness and/or a reverberation time in determining or calculating the speech understandability;

wherein the telecommunication device is configured to receive a disturbance signaling from a third-party device that differs from the further telecommunication device, and wherein the signaling unit is configured to trigger an evaluation as to whether there is a concern that the audio signal is acoustically understandable for third parties or represents a disturbance for third parties depending on the disturbance signaling, or to consider the disturbance signaling in the evaluation.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2018
From: APPELL, JENS EKKEHART; RENNIES-HOCHMUTH, JAN
To: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
Reel/Frame 047440/0427 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2016 203 235.6 · Feb 29, 2016 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2017054651 · Feb 28, 2017
Related Publication 20180367657A1 · Dec 20, 2018