IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,531,061
Granted Patent B2
US 12,531,061 · App. 18/194,924 · Granted Jan 20, 2026

Methods and systems for enhanced conferencing

Inventors: Maria Battle-Miller (Philadelphia, PA); Christopher Day (Philadelphia, PA); Rima Shah (Philadelphia, PA)
Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
G10L15/22G10L15/01G10L15/05G10L15/26G10L25/78
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,531,061
App. No.
18/194,924
Filed
Apr 3, 2023
Granted
Jan 20, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2658
USPC
704/235
Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus are described herein for enhanced conferencing. A computing device monitor user participation. One or more conference features may be activated or deactivated based on speech patterns of conference participants.

Claims (45)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving first audio data associated with a first audio source;

based on receiving the first audio data, activating one or more teleconference features;

determining, based on the first audio source, a speech pattern;

determining, based on the first audio data and the speech pattern, a speech end event; and

deactivating, based on the speech end event, the one or more teleconference features.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first audio data comprises a first voice input.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the speech pattern comprises a stored idiolect associated with a user.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the speech end event comprises continuously analyzing the first audio data to determine a user associated with the first audio source has finished speaking.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, based on the first audio source, a pause pattern; and

based on determining the pause pattern, outputting one or more indications configured to indicate a user associated with the first audio source has paused speaking.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more teleconference features comprises one or more of: a mute feature, a highlight feature, a record feature, a message feature, or a camera feature.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving second audio data associated with a second audio source;

determining, based on the second audio data, a speech to context conversion error, an interruption event; and

activating, based on the interruption event, the one or more teleconference features.

8 . A method comprising:

receiving first audio data associated with a first source and second audio data associated with a second source;

converting the first audio data and second audio data to text; and

based on the text comprising an interruption event, activating one or more teleconference features.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first audio data comprises a first voice input and wherein the second audio data comprises a second voice input.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein converting the first audio data and the second audio data to text comprises performing a speech-to-text conversion.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more teleconference features comprises one or more of: a mute feature, a highlight feature, a record feature, a message feature, an indicator feature, or a camera feature.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the interruption event comprises determining one or more of: determining a likelihood a first speaker is not done speaking, or determining a speech-to-text conversion failure.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein activating the one or more teleconference features comprises activating a mute feature configured to prevent output of audio, activating a highlight feature configured to highlight one or more interface elements associated with a teleconference, activating a messaging teleconference feature configured to receive and/or output one or more messages, activating an icon feature configured to cause output of one or more icons.

14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining the second audio data comprises an affirmative interjection; and

deactivating the one or more teleconference features.

15 . A method comprising:

receiving a first voice input and a second voice input;

determining, based on the first voice input and the second voice input, a speech collision;

determining, based on the speech collision, that the second voice input comprises an affirmative interjection; and

deactivating one or more teleconference features.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first voice input is received from a first source and the second voice input is received from a second source and wherein the one or more teleconference features comprises one or more of: a mute feature, a highlight feature, a record feature, a message feature, an indicator feature, or a camera feature.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the speech collision comprises one or more of: determining the first voice input is associated with a first speaker and the second voice input is associated with a second speaker or determining a speech-to-text conversion failure.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein deactivating the one or more teleconference features comprises turning off the one or more teleconference features that were previously activated.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining first timing data associated with the first voice input and second timing data associated with the second voice input.

20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining, based on the first voice input, the speech collision comprises an interruption event;

determining the interruption event comprises a pause event; and

activating, based on the pause event, the one or more teleconference features.

21 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

converting the first voice input and the second voice input to text; and

determining, based on the text conversion, an interruption event.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 19, 2023
From: BATTLE-MILLER, MARIA; DAY, CHRISTOPHER; SHAH, RIMA
To: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063377/0131 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240331690A1 · Oct 3, 2024
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