System, device and method for detecting speech
A mobile communication system comprises a mobile communication device provided with a touch screen; and a speech activity analyzer suitable to receive from said touch screen data indicative of pressure applied to an area of said touch screen, and of changes thereto with time.
1. A mobile communication system comprising: a mobile communication device provided with a touch screen; and a speech activity analyzer suitable to (a) receive from said touch screen data representative of clusters of grid points created from a contact between said touch screen and a user's cheek; (b) analyze dynamics of parameters of said clusters over time; and (c) determine, from said analysis, information regarding a speech of the user; wherein the information regarding the speech of the user is indicative of a speed of talking by the user.
2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said speech activity analyzer comprises: a cluster processor for identifying clusters; a feature extractor for extracting parameters from clusters identified by said cluster processor; a feature analyzer to analyze said parameters to provide a feature analysis result; and a speech activity decision maker element suitable to process said feature analysis result to determine whether the user is speaking.
3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the speech activity analyzer is integral with the mobile communication device.
4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the speech activity analyzer is located remotely from the mobile communication device and is in communication therewith.
5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the speech activity analyzer is suitable to receive from said touch screen data indicative of pressure applied by a cheek of the user to an area of said touch screen.
6. A system according to claim 3 , wherein the mobile communication device is a cellular phone.
7. A system according to claim 3 , wherein the mobile communication device is a cordless phone.
8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the feature extractor is for extracting parameters indicative of lengths of perimeters of the clusters identified by said cluster processor.
9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the feature extractor is for extracting parameters indicative of orientations of the clusters identified by said cluster processor.
10. A method for determining whether the user of a mobile communication device equipped with a touch screen is speaking into said mobile communication device, comprising: obtaining from the touch screen signals representing clusters of grid points created from a contact between said touch screen and a user's cheek; analyzing dynamics of parameters of said clusters over time; and determining, from said analysis, information regarding a speech of the user; wherein the information regarding the speech of the user is indicative of a speed of talking by the user.
11. A method according to claim 10 , where said clusters comprise pixels or groups of pixels differentiable by their coordinates on said touch screen.
12. A method according to claim 10 , wherein said parameters are selected from the center of gravity, perimeter, area and orientation, or a combination of two or more of said parameters.
13. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising obtaining from sensors provided in the mobile communication device an indication of whether the device has been brought into the vicinity of a user's ear.
14. The method according to claim 10 wherein the parameters of said clusters are indicative of lengths of perimeters of the clusters.
15. The method according to claim 10 wherein the parameters of said clusters are indicative of orientations of the clusters.
16. The method according to claim 10 wherein the parameters of said clusters are pressure-related parameters of said clusters
17. The method according to claim 10 wherein the analyzing comprises (a) monitoring, for each cluster of the clusters identified by the cluster processor, for changes over time related to the cluster, wherein the changes over time related to the cluster include changes over time of an area of the cluster, changes over time of a center of gravity of the cluster and changes over time of an orientation of the cluster and (b) assigning, for the cluster, a score that is responsive to the changes over time related to the cluster
18. A mobile communication system comprising: a mobile communication device provided with a touch screen; and a speech activity analyzer suitable to (a) receive from said touch screen data representative of clusters of grid points created from a contact between said touch screen and a user's cheek; (b) analyze dynamics of parameters of said clusters over time; and (c) determine, from said analysis, information regarding a speech of the user;
wherein the feature analyzer is for monitoring, for each cluster of the clusters identified by the cluster processor, for changes over time related to the cluster, wherein the changes over time related to the cluster include changes over time of an area of the cluster, changes over time of a center of gravity of the cluster and changes over time of an orientation of the cluster and for assigning, for the cluster, a score that is responsive to the changes over time related to the cluster.