Patent US947537A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5058153A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5058153A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Noise mitigation and mode switching in communications terminals such as telephones

Assignee: Nortel Networks Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-12-27
•
Granted: 1991-10-15
•
Expires: 2009-12-27
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A circuit to improve noise mitigation and mode switching in telephony, wherein the noise-floor level is continuously estimated by comparing its stored current value to the signal level value and substituting the latter for the former if it is less than the former.

Inventors

  • 👤 Edward C. Carew
  • 👤 Roland T. Lockhart
  • 👤 Sean G. Brophy

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 09:52
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M9/00; H04M9/08; H04M9/085

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 144 words
A circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal between three states: a transmit state, a receive state, and a quiescent state, wherein voice signals are transmitted and received to and from a remote terminal, comprising; an acousto-electric transducer providing signals for transmission to said remote terminal through a transmit variolosser; an electro-acoustic transducer providing audible signals received from said remote terminal through a receive variolosser; first envelope detection means for detecting the signals from said acousto-electric transducer for providing a microphone signal value; second envelope detection means at the output of said transmit variolosser; storage means registering a current noise signal value; and means for substituting said microphone signal value into said storage means in response to a comparison indicating said microphone signal value being less than said current noise signal value, whereby said microphone signal value becomes a new, lower, current noise signal value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 144 words
A circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal between three states: a transmit state, a receive state, and a quiescent state, wherein voice signals are transmitted and received to and from a remote terminal, comprising; an acousto-electric transducer providing signals for transmission to said remote terminal through a transmit variolosser; an electro-acoustic transducer providing audible signals received from said remote terminal through a receive variolosser; first envelope detection means for detecting the signals from said acousto-electric transducer for providing a microphone signal value; second envelope detection means at the output of said transmit variolosser; storage means registering a current noise signal value; and means for substituting said microphone signal value into said storage means in response to a comparison indicating said microphone signal value being less than said current noise signal value, whereby said microphone signal value becomes a new, lower, current noise signal value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
The circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal as defined in claim 1, further comprising third envelope detection means at the input of a receive variolosser for varying path gain of received voice signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal as defined in claim 2, further comprising microprocessor means for controlling said transmit and receive variolossers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 41 words
The circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal as defined in claim 3, further comprising program means in said microprocessor for comparing said microphone signal value to said current noise signal value to decide if the former is less than the latter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
The circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal as defined in claim 4, further comprising program means in said microprocessor for periodically incrementing said current noise signal value by a predetermined amount.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 33 words
The circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal as defined in claim 5, wherein the periodical incrementing of the current noise signal value occurs every few seconds by an amount of a few decibels.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal as defined in claim 6, wherein said few seconds is less than ten seconds.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
The circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal as defined in claim 6, wherein said few decibels is less than five decibels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 30 words
The circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal as defined in claim 6, wherein said few seconds is less than ten seconds, and said few decibels is less than five decibels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 30 words
The circuit for controlling a telecommunications terminal as defined in claim 9, wherein said few seconds is one to six seconds, and said few decibels is one-half to two decibels.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3751602A Cited
US3952166A Cited
US3894187A Cited
US3925618A Cited
US4513177A Cited
US4571461A Cited
US4796287A Cited
US4715063A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-10-14 1995-04-15 1995-10-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-10-14 1999-04-15 1999-10-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-10-14 2003-04-15 2003-10-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag