EP0659006A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Audio conferencing system
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1994-11-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-11-09
Abstract
Abstract A computer workstation receives multiple audio input streams over a network in an audio conference. The audio input streams are kept separate by storing them in different queues. Digital samples from each of the queues are transferred to an audio adapter card 28 for output. A digital signal processor 46 on the audio adapter card multiplies each audio stream by its own weighting parameter, before summing the audio streams together for output. Thus the relative volume of each of the audio output streams can be controlled. For each block of audio data, the volume is calculated and displayed to the user, allowing the user to see the volume in each audio input stream independently. The user is also provided with volume control for each audio input stream, which effectively adjusts the weighting parameter, thereby allowing the user to alter the relative volumes of each speaker in the conference.
Inventors
- 👤 Keith Barraclough
- 👤 Peter Richard Cripps
- 👤 Adrian Gay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 09:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/16; H04L12/18; H04L12/1813; H04L65/00; H04L65/10; H04L65/1059; H04L65/1066; H04L65/1083; H04L65/40; H04L65/403; H04L65/60; H04L65/61; H04L65/613; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/56; H04M3/567; H04M3/568; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/14; H04N7/15; H04M3/42136; H04M3/42153; H04M3/42161
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A computer workstation for connecting to a network and receiving multiple audio input streams from the network, each audio stream comprising a sequence of digital audio samples, the workstation including: means for storing the digital audio samples from each audio input stream in a separate queue; means for forming a sequence of sets containing one digital audio sample from each queue; means for producing a weighted sum for each set of digital audio samples, each audio input stream having a weighting parameter associated therewith; means for generating an audio output from the sequence of weighted sums; and characterised by means responsive to user input for adjusting said weighting parameters to control the relative volumes within the audio output of the multiple audio streams.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
32 words
A computer workstation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for providing a visual indication for each of said multiple audio input streams whether or not that stream is currently silent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A computer workstation as claimed in claim 2, wherein said visual indication further indicates for each of said multiple audio input streams the instantaneous sound volume in that audio stream.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A computer workstation as claimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein said visual indication is displayed adjacent a visual representation of the origin of that audio input stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A computer workstation as claimed in claim 3 or 4, further comprising for each of said multiple audio input streams, means for generating a running root-mean-square value from the sequence of digital audio samples therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A computer workstation as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5, wherein incoming audio data arrives in blocks, each containing a predetermined number of digital audio samples, and said visual indication is updated for each new block of audio data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A computer workstation as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for disabling audio output from any of said multiple audio input streams.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A computer workstation as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for providing the user with a visual indication of the values of said weighting parameters, said means being responsive to user mouse operations to adjust said weighting parameters.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of operating a computer workstation, connected to a network for the receipt of multiple audio input streams, each audio stream comprising a sequence of digital audio samples, said method comprising the steps of: storing the digital audio samples from each audio input stream in a separate queue; forming a sequence of sets containing one digital audio sample from each queue; producing a weighted sum for each set of digital audio samples, each audio input stream having a weighting parameter associated therewith; generating an audio output from the sequence of weighted sums; and characterised by adjusting responsive to user input said weighting parameters to control the relative volumes within the audio output of the multiple audio streams.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of operating a computer workstation as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the step of providing a visual indication for each of said multiple audio input streams of the instantaneous sound volume in that audio stream.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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