Method and apparatus for providing user control of audio quality

An apparatus comprising a telephone which includes:

• a network interface that includes a network coupling portion that can be coupled to a communication network, said network interface being operable to receive through said coupling portion message units that contain audio information in a digital format;
• a user operable input portion;
• and
• circuitry coupled to said network interface and said input portion, said circuitry being operable to generate audible sound that corresponds to said audio information in said received message units, and being operable to facilitate a change in a latency in said audible sound in response to operation of said input portion by sending through said coupling portion a signal to change the amount of said audio information in each of said message units.

An apparatus comprising an audio communication device which includes:

• a processor;
• a transceiver coupled to said processor, said transceiver being operable to receive and send electrical communications of audio information in a plurality of message units;
• an audio input device coupled to said transceiver, said audio input device being operable to receive audible sound and convert it into electrical communications;
• an audio output device coupled to said transceiver, said audio output device being operable to generate audible sound based on said audio information in each of said message units in received electrical communications;
• and
• a user operable input device coupled to said processor, said input device being operable to instruct said processor to facilitate a change in a latency in said audible sound from said audio output device by generating a signal to change the amount of said audio information in each of said message units.

A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program which is operable when executed by a processor in a telephone to:

• receive electrical communications of audio information in a plurality of message units that are in a digital format;
• facilitate the generation of audible sound based on said audio information in each of said message units;
• detect an indication of a user request for a change in a latency in said audible sound;
• and
• respond to detection of said user request by generating a signal to change the amount of said audio information in each of said message units.

An apparatus, comprising a telephone which includes:

• means for receiving electrical communications of audio information in a plurality of message units that are in a digital format;
• means for generating audible sound based on said audio information in each of said message units;
• means for detecting a user request for a change in a latency in said audible sound;
• and
• means for responding to detection of said request by sending through said coupling portion a signal to change the amount of said audio information in each of said message units.

A method, comprising:

• receiving electrical communications of audio information in a plurality of message units that are in a digital format;
• generating audible sound based on the audio information in each of said message units;
• detecting a user request for a change in a latency of the audible sound;
• and
• responding to detection of the request by generating a signal to change the amount of the audio information in each of the message units.

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface that includes a network coupling portion that can be coupled to a communication network, the network interface being operable to receive through the coupling portion message units that contain audio information in a digital format;
• a user operable input portion;
• and
• circuitry coupled to the network interface and the input portion, the circuitry being operable to generate audible sound that corresponds to the audio information in the received message units, and being operable to facilitate a change in a latency of the audible sound by sending through the coupling portion a signal to change the amount of the audio information in each of the message units in response to operation of the input portion.

An audio communication device comprising:

• a processor;
• a transceiver coupled to the processor, the transceiver being operable to receive and send electrical communications of audio information in a plurality of message units;
• an audio input device coupled to the transceiver, the audio input device being operable to receive audible sound and convert it into electrical communications;
• an audio output device coupled to the transceiver, the audio output device being operable to generate audible sound based on the audio information in each of said message units;
• and
• a user operable input device coupled to the processor, the input device being operable to instruct the processor to facilitate a change in a latency of the audible sound from the audio output device by generating a signal to change the amount of the audio information in each of the message units.

A computer program stored on a computer readable medium, the computer program operable to:

• receive electrical communications of audio information in a plurality of message units that are in a digital format;
• facilitate the generation of audible sound based on the audio information in each of said message units;
• detect an indication of a user request for a change in latency of the audible sound;
• and
• respond to detection of the user request by facilitating the requested change in the latency of the audible sound by generating a signal to change the amount of the audio information.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving electrical communications of audio information in each of said message units that are in a digital format;
• means for generating audible sound based on the audio information;
• means for detecting a user request for a change in a latency of the audible sound;
• and
• means for responding to detection of the request by generating a signal to change the amount of the audio information in each of the message units.