Automatic volume adjustment of voice transmitted over a communication device

A method of protecting a first party to a telephone call from a high level of voice volume of a second party to the telephone call, the method comprising:

• (a) periodically detecting an ambient noise level in an environment in which the second party to the telephone call is located;
• (b) detecting, with substantially the same periodicity, a voice volume level of the second party;
• (c) determining whether the sampled voice volume is greater than a predetermined value relative to the sampled ambient noise level to determine whether the voice volume is adequate relative to the ambient noise level, wherein a data table stores predetermined values of voice volume relative to ambient noise levels and wherein the determining comprises consulting the data table for the sampled voice volume and the sampled ambient noise level;
• and
• (d) adjusting the voice volume of the second party when it is determined that the voice volume is not adequate relative to the sampled ambient noise level.

A system for automatically adjusting the volume of a caller's voice, comprising:

• (a) means for sampling an ambient noise level in an environment in which a communications device is operating to detect a sample ambient noise level via at least a primary microphone;
• (b) means for sampling a volume of a caller's voice in the same environment and at substantially the same time as ambient noise level sampling to detect a sample voice volume via a secondary microphone;
• (c) means for analyzing the sample ambient noise level and the sample voice volume to determine whether the voice volume is adequate relative to the ambient noise level, wherein the means for analyzing comprises a data table that stores predetermined values of voice volume relative to ambient noise levels and wherein the means for analyzing consults the data table for the sampled voice volume and the sampled ambient noise level;
• and
• (d) means for adjusting the volume of the caller's voice based on a result of analyzing the samples when the result indicates that the voice volume is not adequate relative to the ambient noise level.

A system for automatically adjusting the volume of a caller's voice, comprising:

• (a) a primary microphone for sampling an ambient noise level in an environment in which a communications device is operating to detect a sample ambient noise level;
• (b) a secondary microphone for sampling a volume of a caller's voice in the same environment and at substantially the same time as ambient noise level sampling to detect a sample voice volume:
• and
• (c) means for analyzing the sample ambient noise level and the sample voice volume to determine whether the voice volume is adequate relative to the ambient noise level and for generating a control signal in accordance with a relationship between the sample ambient noise level and the sample voice volume, wherein the means for analyzing comprises a data table that stores predetermined values of voice volume relative to ambient noise levels and wherein the means for analyzing consults the data table for the sampled voice volume and the sampled ambient noise level, and
• wherein the control signal is employed to adjust the volume of the caller's voice to cause the voice volume to become adequate relative to the ambient noise level.