US 5,724,416 A · Normalization of calling party sound levels on a conference bridge

Abstract

A conference call sound level balancing method and system for selectively muting a conferee whose sound environment is loud enough to dominate other conferees of a conference call. The method is operable on a system that includes a network-based conference bridge and a sound equalization platform that is coupled to each telephone of a conference call. If one telephone connected to the conference call has a higher noise level than the other branches of the call, thus making it so the other branches cannot obtain speaking privileges, a predetermined touchtone key is entered at the noisy telephone. The sound equalization platform responds by automatically measuring the ambient sound levels of the respective branches of the conference call and balancing the speaking privileges for the respective call branches of the conference call.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of balancing sound levels of a conference call formed on a network-based conference bridge, the conference call being formed from a plurality of telephone calls, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a predetermined signal in one telephone call of the conference call;
measuring a sound level of the one telephone call;
and
adjusting the sound level of the one telephone call relative to respective sound levels of other telephone calls of the conference call.

1 more element

A network-based conference call system comprising:

a telecommunications network containing a plurality of calls;
a network-based conference bridge connected to the telecommunications network, the conference bridge connecting a selected number of telephone calls together to form a conference call;
a plurality of noise adapters, each noise adapter coupled to each respective telephone call of the conference call;
and
a controller coupled to each of the noise adapters, the controller responsive to a predetermined signal contained within one of the telephone calls forming the conference call by adjusting the sound level of the one telephone call relative to respective sound levels of other telephone calls of the conference call.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Normalization of calling party sound levels on a conference bridge

Life of this patent

Normalization of calling party sound levels on a conference bridge

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20