JP2004289579A - Wireless communication terminal and wireless communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mobile communication terminal capable of particularly confirming a communication state with an opposite party during a speech and to provide a mobile communication system. <P>SOLUTION: The mobile communication terminal 10 is provided with: a wireless section 12 that is connected to another wireless communication terminal via a base station 20 and a wireless communication channel, transmits a voice received by a speech transmission section through the wireless communication channel, converts a wireless signal from the base station into a voice signal and outputs the voice signal to a speech reception section; a silence detection means 19 for judging a voice level received by the transmission section to detect a decrease in an input level to the speech transmission section; and a signal generating means 15 for detecting a prescribed silence identification signal when the silence detection means 19 detects silence, and the wireless section 12 transmits the silence identification signal to the wireless communication terminal of the communication opposite party. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wireless communication terminal and a wireless communication system, and more particularly to a mobile communication terminal and a wireless communication system capable of knowing a voice input state of a partner during a call.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a communication system in which a plurality of mobile communication terminals communicate via a wireless communication line set up with a base station. Here, a VOX (Voice Operated Relay) technique for controlling transmission of a radio signal from a terminal on the transmitting side during a call between mobile communication terminals is known.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-152472
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional wireless communication system, when the mobile communication terminals are talking with each other, if the voice of the other party is interrupted, the voice may be interrupted due to the unstable wireless communication line, or the other party may be silent. Therefore, it was difficult for the receiver to determine whether the voice was interrupted.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a mobile communication terminal and a mobile communication system that can determine whether a silent state during a call is due to a poor communication path or due to silence of a partner. The purpose is to do.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is connected to a base station and another wireless communication terminal via a wireless communication line, transmits voice input to a transmitting section by a wireless communication line, and converts a wireless signal from the base station into a voice signal. And a wireless unit that outputs a signal to a receiving unit by determining a voice level input to the transmitting unit and detecting a decrease in the input level to the transmitting unit. Signal generation means for generating a predetermined silence identification signal when silence is detected by the detection means, wherein the wireless unit transmits the silence identification signal to a wireless communication terminal of a communication partner. I do.
[0007]
Further, it is preferable that, when the silence detecting means detects the continuation of the silence state, the signal generating means generates a silence identification signal at a predetermined timing.
[0008]
Also, the present invention is connected to another radio communication terminal via a base station and a radio communication line, transmits voice input to a transmitting section by a radio communication line, and converts a radio signal from the base station into a voice signal. And a wireless unit for converting and outputting to the receiving unit, the wireless communication terminal having received the silence identification signal indicating the detection of the decrease in the voice level input to the transmitting unit of the wireless communication terminal of the communication partner. In this case, there is provided a silent notification unit for notifying that the mobile communication terminal of the communication partner is in a silent state.
[0009]
Further, it is preferable that a filter for attenuating the silence identification signal be provided, and a signal in which the silence identification signal is attenuated be output to the receiver.
[0010]
Further, when the silence identification signal has not been transmitted for a predetermined time, it is preferable that the filter be in a non-operation state.
[0011]
In addition, the present invention relates to a base station, which is connected to a base station via a wireless communication line, transmits voice input to a transmitting section by a wireless communication line, converts a radio signal from the base station into a voice signal, and And a wireless communication terminal comprising: a wireless communication terminal comprising: a wireless communication terminal comprising: a wireless communication terminal that determines a voice level input to a transmission unit; A silence detecting means for detecting the drop, a signal generating means for generating a predetermined silence identification signal when silence is detected by the silence detecting means, and a wireless communication terminal of a communication partner when a silence identification signal is received. And a silence informing means for informing that the apparatus is in a silence state, wherein the wireless unit transmits a silence identification signal to a wireless communication terminal of a communication partner.
[0012]
Further, it is preferable that, when the silence detecting unit detects the continuation of the silence state, the signal generating unit generates the silence identification signal at a predetermined timing.
[0013]
Further, it is preferable that a filter for attenuating the silent identification signal be provided, and a signal in which the silent identification signal is attenuated be output to the receiver.
[0014]
When the silence identification signal has not been transmitted for a predetermined period of time, it is preferable that the filter be in a non-operation state.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0017]
Mobile communication terminals 10A and 10B are connected to base station 20 by a wireless communication line. The base station 20 is connected to another base station 20 (not shown), an exchange, and a mobile communication control station (not shown) via a public line network or a dedicated line, and the mobile communication terminals 10A and 10B are connected to one of the base stations 20 and the wireless communication line. Connected by The mobile communication terminal 10 includes an antenna 11, a radio unit 12, a control unit 13, a storage unit 14, a signal unit 15, an operation unit 16, a display unit 17, a voice unit 18, a silence detection unit 19, and the like.
[0018]
The wireless unit 12 is a wireless communication unit that includes a transmission / reception unit, an RF control unit, and the like, receives radio waves from the base station 20, and transmits the radio waves to the base station 20. The transmission / reception unit includes a transmission unit and a reception unit. The transmission unit generates a high-frequency signal transmitted from the antenna 11, and the reception unit amplifies the high-frequency signal received by the antenna 11, performs frequency conversion, and the like, and generates a baseband signal. Output to RF control unit. The RF control unit includes a baseband unit and a radio control unit, and the baseband unit demodulates the baseband signal into an audio signal using a codec unit in the baseband unit. The codec modulates the audio signal to generate a baseband signal. Further, the wireless control unit controls the frequency transmitted and received by the transmitting and receiving unit, the transmission and reception timing, and the output of the radio wave to be transmitted.
[0019]
The control unit 13 is mainly configured by a CPU, and based on data stored in a storage unit (RAM and ROM) 14, a radio unit 12, a signal unit 15, an operation unit 16, a display unit 17, a sound unit 18 , And the various parts of the mobile phone such as the silence detecting unit 19 are controlled.
[0020]
The signal unit 15 generates a silence identification signal according to an instruction from the control unit 13 and sends the signal to the wireless unit 12. The silence identification signal is constituted by a signal of a predetermined frequency (or a combination of predetermined frequencies), and the value of the predetermined frequency is stored in the storage unit 14 or the like in advance.
[0021]
The operation unit 16 receives input of characters and numbers from the user and instructions for operation to the mobile phone. The display unit 17 includes an LCD or the like. The operation state (radio wave intensity, remaining battery level, time) of the mobile phone is displayed.
[0022]
The audio unit 18 includes a transmitting unit that converts an acoustic signal into an electric signal and a receiving unit that converts an electric signal into an acoustic signal. That is, the audio unit 18 constitutes an audio unit. Further, the transmitting section is constituted by a speaker or the like, and the receiving section is constituted by a microphone or the like.
[0023]
The silence detecting unit 19 detects whether or not the level of the audio signal from the receiving unit of the audio unit 18 (the volume input to the receiving unit) is lower than a predetermined threshold. That is, the silence detecting unit 19 functions as a silence detecting unit that determines a silence state based on a result of comparing the input voice level with the predetermined threshold.
[0024]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the audio unit 18.
[0025]
The audio signal converted by the codec unit of the wireless unit 12 is sent to the audio unit 18 via the silence detection unit 19. In the audio unit 18, the audio signal is sent to the receiver 183 via the switch 181, and the receiver 183 reproduces the audio signal as audio. The switch 181 has the other fixed contact connected to the filter 182, and switches the switch 181 to send an audio signal directly to the receiver 183, or to send the audio signal to the receiver 183 via the filter 182. You can choose. The filter 182 includes a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, or the like, and can cut a signal in a specific frequency band. That is, the filter 182 forms a selection unit. Note that the filter 182 is configured by an optimal filter that can cut a frequency included in the silence identification signal generated by the signal unit 15. Further, the transmission section 184 converts the voice from the user into a voice signal, and sends the voice signal to the wireless section 12 via the silence detection section 19.
[0026]
Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described.
[0027]
FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram of a process during a call between the mobile communication terminal 10A and the mobile communication terminal 10B in the communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0028]
The mobile communication terminal 10A and the mobile communication terminal 10B are making a voice call via a wireless communication line. At this time, the silence detection unit 19 of the mobile communication terminal 10A monitors the level of the audio signal input from the audio unit 18 and determines that there is no audio when the input audio level is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold. The silence determination process (described later with reference to FIG. 4) is started, and when a predetermined time has elapsed after the silence determination, the signal unit 15 generates a silence identification signal.
[0029]
When a silence identification signal is sent from the mobile communication terminal 10A by silence processing, the mobile communication terminal 10B determines that the silence identification signal has been sent, turns on the filter 182 of the audio unit 18, and sends a message to the user. On the other hand, a silent notification process (FIG. 5) for giving a silent notification is performed.
[0030]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the silence determination processing.
[0031]
The silence detecting section 19 monitors the level of the audio signal input from the transmitting section 184 of the audio section 18 (step 101), and compares and determines the level of the audio signal with a predetermined threshold. When the sound level falls below a predetermined threshold (for example, 5 dBm), it is determined that there is no sound (step 102). When it is determined that the state is the silent state, the silent detection section 19 measures the time from when the silent state is reached, and compares and determines the silent duration time with a predetermined time. That is, when the silent duration exceeds a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds), it is determined that the silent state continues (step 103). If it is determined that the silence time has continued beyond the predetermined time, the signal unit 15 sends a silence identification signal to the wireless unit 12 at a predetermined timing (step 104). That is, the signal section 15 constitutes signal means. For example, it is preferable to transmit a DTMF (Dual Tone Multiple Frequency) signal at regular time intervals.
[0032]
The wireless unit 12 converts the silence identification signal sent from the signal unit 15 into a high-frequency signal and transmits the high-frequency signal to the mobile communication terminal 10B via the base station 20.
[0033]
By the above-described silence determination processing, the mobile communication terminal 10A sends a silence identification signal to the mobile communication terminal 10B with which a call is made when the silence state continues for a predetermined time, and notifies the mobile communication terminal 10A of the silence state. I do.
[0034]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the silent notification processing.
[0035]
First, the silence detection unit 19 determines whether or not the speech signal converted by the wireless unit 12 includes a silence identification signal (step 201). When it is determined that the soundless identification signal is included, the switch 181 provided in the audio unit 18 is switched to the filter 182 to operate the filter 182 (step 202). This is for the purpose of attenuating the transmitted silence identification signal by the filter 182 so that the signal is not output from the receiver 183. Then, a display indicating silence is displayed on the display unit 17 (for example, an image for animating the character on the LCD screen, blinking of an LED in a predetermined color, etc.) is performed (step 203). Configure means. Then, in step 203, a timer for measuring the filter operation time is reset.
[0036]
Then, the operation of the timer is started (step 204). This timer is set so that the operation is terminated when a predetermined time has elapsed. When the operation of the timer is finished (step 205), the switch 181 is switched to make the filter 182 inactive (step 206), and the display indicating that there is no sound started in step 203 is finished (step 207).
[0037]
By the silent notification processing of FIG. 5 described above, the fact that the user of the mobile communication terminal 10A of the other party is silent is displayed on the mobile communication terminal 10B based on the silent identification signal transmitted when the user is silent. Therefore, the user of the mobile communication terminal 10B can recognize that the other party is silent. At this time, since the silence identification signal is attenuated by the filter 182, it is not output from the receiver 183 as an acoustic signal. Furthermore, if the sound is interrupted due to a communication path or the like, the silence identification signal does not arrive, and the above-mentioned silence is not displayed. Therefore, the user of the mobile communication terminal 10B may deteriorate the quality of the communication path (for example, , Degradation of the radio wave condition).
[0038]
If the timer is set to 3 seconds and the silence identification signal is sent at intervals of 2 seconds, the operation of the timer will not end if the silence identification signal is sent at intervals of 2 seconds. 181 continues to be switched to the filter 182 side, and the audio signal is sent to the receiver 183 via the filter 182. As a result, the silence identification signal is attenuated by the filter 182 and is not output from the receiver 183 as an acoustic signal. Since the operation time of the timer is longer than the interval at which the silence identification signal is sent, if the silence identification signal is not sent until the operation of the timer ends, the silent state does not continue at the mobile communication terminal 10A on the transmitting side. Therefore, the switch 181 is switched to a side that does not pass through the filter 182, and the audio signal is directly sent to the receiver 183.
[0039]
In the sequence of FIG. 3 described above, depending on the switching speed of the switch 181, when the delay when the audio signal from the wireless unit 12 passes through the silence detection unit 19 is small, the mobile communication terminals 10A to 10B The first silence discrimination signal to be sent may reach the receiver 183 without passing through the filter 182. However, the silence discrimination signal is not DTMF, but the frequency of the silence discrimination signal is set to the reproducible frequency range of the receiver 183. By setting the demodulation range of the codec section or the frequency range near the upper end or lower end of the human audible frequency range, even if the audio signal is output from the receiver 183 without passing through the filter 182, Seldom notices that the silence identification signal has been reproduced and does not disturb the conversation.
[0040]
Further, in the above-described silent notification processing, the audio unit 18 transmits the audio signal to the receiver 183 via the filter 182 when the silent identification signal is received, but the audio signal is received by switching the switch 181. It may be configured not to be sent to the unit 183 (the acoustic signal corresponding to the silence identification signal is not output from the receiver 183).
[0041]
Further, when the silence identification signal is a signal represented by a code that can be specified in the codec unit (for example, a signal corresponding to a specific code in the codebook), the codec unit removes the specific code. The silence identification signal can be removed so that the silence identification signal is not output from the receiver 183.
[0042]
In the communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, in one set of mobile communication terminals 10 connected via a wireless communication line and performing a voice call, the audio unit of mobile communication terminal 10A When a case where the level of the voice signal input to 18 is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value continues for a predetermined time, a silence identification signal is transmitted at predetermined intervals to the mobile communication terminal 10B of the other party on the call. When receiving the silence identification signal, the mobile communication terminal 10B displays that the mobile communication terminal 10A of the other party performing the call is in a silence state. The user can discriminate whether it is due to a route (radio wave condition, malfunction of communication equipment, etc.) or to silence of the other party.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, in a wireless communication terminal that is performing a call, if the sound from the wireless communication terminal that is the communication partner becomes silent, whether the sound is interrupted due to an unstable communication path, You can know if there is silence due to silence, you can communicate smoothly without interrupting conversation, and there is no extra talk time by checking the communication path, which saves communication costs .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating details of an audio unit of the mobile communication terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an operation flow of the communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of a silent process.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of a silent notification process.
[Explanation of symbols]
10A, 10B Mobile communication terminal 11 Antenna 12 Radio unit 13 Control unit 14 Storage unit 15 Signal unit 16 Operation unit 17 Display unit 18 Audio unit 19 Silence detection unit 181 Switch 182 Filter 183 Transmission unit 184 Receiver unit 20 Base station

Claims (9)

Connected to another wireless communication terminal via a base station and a wireless communication line,
A wireless unit that transmits the voice input to the transmitting unit by a wireless communication line, converts a wireless signal from the base station to a voice signal, and outputs the voice signal to a receiving unit,
Silence detection means for determining a voice level input to the transmission section and detecting a decrease in the input level to the transmission section,
When silence is detected by the silence detection means, signal generation means for generating a predetermined silence identification signal,
The wireless communication terminal, wherein the wireless unit transmits the silence identification signal to a wireless communication terminal of a communication partner. 2. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the silence detection unit detects continuation of a silence state, the signal generation unit generates the silence identification signal at a predetermined timing. 3. Connected to another wireless communication terminal via a base station and a wireless communication line,
A wireless unit that transmits the voice input to the transmitting unit by a wireless communication line, converts a wireless signal from the base station to a voice signal, and outputs the voice signal to a receiving unit,
When receiving a silent identification signal indicating the detection of a drop in the audio level of the wireless communication terminal of the communication partner, which is input to the transmitting unit, a silent unit that notifies that the mobile communication terminal of the communication partner is in a silent state. A wireless communication terminal comprising a notifying unit. A filter for attenuating the silence identification signal,
The wireless communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein a signal obtained by attenuating the silence identification signal is output to the receiver. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein when the silence identification signal has not been transmitted for a predetermined time, the filter is set to a non-operation state. A base station,
A wireless unit connected via the wireless communication line, transmitting a voice input to a transmitting unit by a wireless communication line, converting a wireless signal from the base station into a voice signal, and outputting the voice signal to a receiving unit; Equipped wireless communication terminal,
In a wireless communication system comprising
The wireless communication terminal,
Silence detection means for determining a voice level input to the transmission section and detecting a decrease in the input level to the transmission section,
When silence is detected by the silence detection means, signal generation means for generating a predetermined silence identification signal,
When receiving the silent identification signal, the wireless communication terminal of the communication partner is provided with a silent notification unit that notifies that the wireless communication terminal is in a silent state,
The wireless communication system, wherein the wireless unit transmits the silent identification signal to a wireless communication terminal of a communication partner. 7. The wireless communication system according to claim 6, wherein when the silence detecting unit detects the continuation of the silence state, the signal generating unit generates the silence identification signal at a predetermined timing. 8. A filter for attenuating the silence identification signal,
The wireless communication system according to claim 6, wherein a signal obtained by attenuating the silence identification signal is output to the receiver. 9. The wireless communication system according to claim 8, wherein when the silence identification signal has not been transmitted for a predetermined time, the filter is set to a non-operation state.

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