Telephone enhancements

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring a speaking volume of a telephone user's voice in relation to a minimum volume that is computed to be sufficient for a remote conversant, with whom the user communicates with the telephone, to audibly perceive the user's speech;

upon detecting that the user's monitored speaking volume exceeds the computed level that suffices to allow the remote conversant to perceive the user's speech, determining whether the user moderates the speaking voice, without being prompted in relation to the excessive speaking volume, to a level that at least approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume;

upon determining that the user moderates the speaking voice, without being prompted, to a level that approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume, providing a positive reinforcement to the user;

recording a result for the monitoring step and the determining step over a plurality of the user's phone calls;

from the recorded result, tracking whether a frequency of the user moderating the speaking volume without being prompted rises over the plurality of the user's phone calls; and

upon the frequency of the user moderating the speaking volume without being prompted rising over the plurality of the user's phone calls, improving a one or more of a quality or a quantity of the positive reinforcement;

wherein the user is trained to self modulate the speaking voice.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

upon determining that the user does not moderate the speaking voice to a level that approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume, prompting the user to moderate the speaking voice.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein one or more of the provision of the positive reinforcement or the prompting step comprises providing a signal that is at least audible to the user with the phone.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein one or more of the prompt signal or the positive reinforcement is stored at the phone.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein one or more of the prompt signal or the positive reinforcement is stored remotely in relation to the user's phone.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein one or more of the prompt signal or the positive reinforcement is stored with a component of a telephone network or system over which the user's phone is communicatively coupled with a phone of the remote conversant.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein one or more of the positive reinforcement or the prompt signal is substantially inaudible to the remote conversant.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the determination whether the user moderates the speaking voice without being prompted comprises determining whether the user moderates the speaking voice without being prompted within a time period.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the time period comprises one or more of a pre-set time span, a threshold time span, a programmable, changeable, controllable or adjustable time span, a variable time span, or a constant time span.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein one or more of the threshold time span, the programmable, changeable, controllable or adjustable time span, or the variable time span is at least one of changeable, controllable, adjustable or variable based, at least in part, on a change in the frequency of the user moderating the speaking volume without being prompted.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the time period changeability, controllability, adjustability or variability relates to the improvement in the quality or a quantity of the positive reinforcement.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the time period changeability, controllability, adjustability or variability correspondingly relates to the improvement in the quality or a quantity of the positive reinforcement.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the time period shortens as the quality or a quantity of the positive reinforcement improves;

wherein the user is further trained to self modulate the speaking voice.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the positive reinforcement comprises one or more of a plurality of sounds.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the one or more sounds are selectable according to a preference of the user.

16. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the one or more sounds are pre-recorded.

17. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the one or more sounds are recordable according to a preference of the user.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the one or more sounds, which are recordable according to a preference of the user, comprises a variety of sounds.

19. A system, comprising:

means for monitoring a speaking volume of a telephone user's voice in relation to a minimum volume that is computed to be sufficient for a remote conversant, with whom the user communicates with the telephone, to audibly perceive the user's speech;

means for determining, upon detecting that the user's monitored speaking volume exceeds the computed level that suffices to allow the remote conversant to perceive the user's speech, whether the user moderates the speaking voice, without being prompted in relation to the excessive speaking volume, to a level that at least approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume;

means for providing a positive reinforcement to the user upon determining that the user moderates the speaking voice, without being prompted, to a level that approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume;

means for recording a result for the monitoring step and the determining step over a plurality of the user's phone calls;

means for tracking, from the recorded result, whether a frequency of the user moderating the speaking volume without being prompted rises over the plurality of the user's phone calls; and

means for improving a one or more of a quality or a quantity of the positive reinforcement upon the frequency of the user moderating the speaking volume without being prompted rising over the plurality of the user's phone calls;

wherein the system means train the user to self modulate the speaking voice.

20. A system, comprising:

a monitor that tracks a speaking volume of a telephone user's voice in relation to a minimum volume that is computed to be sufficient for a remote conversant, with whom the user communicates with the telephone, to audibly perceive the user's speech;

a controller that, upon the monitor detecting that the user's monitored speaking volume exceeds the computed level that suffices to allow the remote conversant to perceive the user's speech, determines whether the user moderates the speaking voice, without being prompted in relation to the excessive speaking volume, to a level that at least approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume; and

a training agent that, upon the controller determining that the user moderates the speaking voice, without being prompted, to a level that approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume, provides a positive reinforcement to the user;

a recorder that records a result for the monitor and the controller over a plurality of the user's phone calls;

a tracker that, from the recorded result, tracks whether a frequency of the user moderating the speaking volume without being prompted rises over the plurality of the user's phone calls; and

an enhancer that, upon the frequency of the user moderating the speaking volume without being prompted rising over the plurality of the user's phone calls, improves one or more of a quality or a quantity of the positive reinforcement, wherein the system provides training to a user, wherein the user is trained to self modulate the speaking voice.

21. The system as recited in claim 20 wherein at least a portion of the system comprises, or is disposed with, a component of the telephone.

22. The system as recited in claim 20 wherein at least a portion of the system comprises, or is disposed with, a component of one or more of a communications medium or a network with which the telephone functions.

23. The system as recited in claim 22 wherein the communications medium comprises a network.

24. The system as recited in claim 23 wherein the network comprises one or more of a telephone system or the Internet.

25. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that are encoded therewith, which when executed with one or more processors, programs, causes or controls the processors to perform, execute or control a method, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a speaking volume of a telephone user's voice in relation to a minimum volume that is computed to be sufficient for a remote conversant, with whom the user communicates with the telephone, to audibly perceive the user's speech;

upon detecting that the user's monitored speaking volume exceeds the computed level that suffices to allow the remote conversant to perceive the user's speech, determining whether the user moderates the speaking voice, without being prompted in relation to the excessive speaking volume, to a level that at least approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume;

upon determining that the user moderates the speaking voice, without being prompted, to a level that approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume, providing a positive reinforcement to the user;

recording a result for the monitoring step and the determining step over a plurality of the user's phone calls;

from the recorded result, tracking whether a frequency of the user moderating the speaking volume without being prompted rises over the plurality of the user's phone calls; and

upon the frequency of the user moderating the speaking volume without being prompted rising over the plurality of the user's phone calls, improving a one or more of a quality or a quantity of the positive reinforcement;

wherein the user is trained to self modulate the speaking voice.

26. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 25 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

upon determining that the user does not moderate the speaking voice to a level that approximates the computed minimum sufficient volume, prompting the user to moderate the speaking voice.