Conference calls

A user device comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user device at least to:
• receive, at the user device, audio data from one or more microphones of the user device for a current time frame;
• classify, at the user device, the audio data into one of a plurality of predetermined sound types comprising at least a silence or background noise sound type, a coughing sound type, an emotive sound type, a singing sound type, and an interjection sound type;
• generate, at the user device, associated classification data indicative of the predetermined sound type for the current time frame;
• and
• transmit, from the user device to a remote apparatus, the audio data and the associated classification data to enable the remote apparatus to prevent or allow transmission of the audio data to other devices as part of a conference call based at least on the associated classification data.

A method comprising:

• providing audio data based on associated classification data received from a plurality of user devices as part of a conference call, the plurality of user devices including at least a first user device and a second user device, the associated classification data indicative of one of a plurality of predetermined sound types represented by the audio data in a current time frame, the plurality of predetermined sound types comprising at least a silence or background noise sound type, a coughing sound type, an emotive sound type, a singing sound type, and an interjection sound type;
• determining that the audio data provided by the first user device is associated with a dominant speaker;
• and
• controlling transmission of the audio data as part of the conference call by preventing transmission of audio data associated with at least the second user device based on (i) its associated classification data being indicative of a restricted sound type and (ii) the first user device being associated with a dominant speaker.