GB2433380A

GB2433380A - Volume adjustment of received speech according to identification of caller especially in dispatcher networks

Info

Publication number: GB2433380A
Application number: GB0525621A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Benny Christensen
Original assignee: Motorola Inc
Current assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
Priority date: 2005-12-16
Filing date: 2005-12-16
Publication date: 2007-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 2025-12-16
Also published as: GB0525621D0; GB2433380B

Abstract

A first terminal (131) for use in a wireless communication system (100) is operable to receive from a second terminal (101) a signal representing speech of a user of the second terminal and automatically to provide volume adjustment of the signal for delivery to a user of the first terminal. The first terminal is characterised in that it is operable to detect an identity of the second terminal and/or a user of the second terminal and is operable to adjust the volume of the received signal in response to detecting the identity. Also described is a communication system (100) including the first and second terminals and a method of operation in the system.

Description

TITLE: COMMUNICATION TERMINAL, SYSTEM PND METHOD OF

OPERATION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a communication terminal, a system and a method of operation. In particular, the invention relates to a terminal, for use in a mobile communication system, which is able to provide automatic volume control of received speech signals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mobile communication systems, such as cellular or trunked radio systems, are used by professional public safety organisations such as the police or the fire services to provide operational communications. In such organisations it is usual for a person known as a dispatcher located in an operational control centre of the organisation to control the activities and movement of mobile members of the organisation, e.g. to attend incidents that may arise, by giving over the air instructions to such members. The dispatcher normally has a dedicated work station including a fixed radio communication terminal for communication with the mobile members, e.g. police or fire officers. Such members will normally be in possession of a mobile communication terminal or mobile station', e.g. portable or vehicle carried radio, and will be able to make calls from such terminals to the dispatcher (or others having a fixed or 2 CMO786OEC/GBIDJM mobile terminal in the system) as well as receive calls at such terminals from the dispatcher (or others having a fixed or mobile terminal in the system) A dispatcher is often very busy and may send and receive many calls during a typical work period. The calls which are incoming will be delivered to the dispatcher by the dispatcher's communication terminal at a sound volume which depends, amongst other things, on the loudness of the speech of the person making the call. In many cases, the call will be heard by the dispatcher in a normal volume range. The dispatcher's communication terminal is normally equipped with an AGC (automatic gain control) which varies an amount of applied amplification or attenuation depending on a detected signal level to maintain the output signal level in the normal volume range. However, in some situations, for example where the caller is working under cover in a special police operation, the caller may be speaking very quietly. This may cause the incoming signal to be out of range of an equalization window of the AGO and may in consequence require the dispatcher to turn up the volume of the speech output delivered by the dispatcher's communication terminal for that particular call. The dispatcher may thereby miss some of the information communicated at the start of such a call before the volume is turned up. Furthermore, the dispatcher is likely to have to turn the volume down again when a further call comes in, e.g. from a person who is not speaking very quietly, or a call needs to be made by the dispatcher to another person.

3 CMO786OEC/GB/DJM Thus, the dispatcher is required to make volume adjustments to the communication terminal used by the dispatcher and such adjustments can be distracting or can lead to loss of communicated information, which may potentially be very important information, especially during very busy periods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention in a first aspect there is provided a communication terminal as defined in claim 1 of the accompanying claims.

According to the present invention in a second aspect there is provided a communication system as defined in claim 7 of the accompanying claims.

According to the present invention in a third aspect there is provided a method of operation in a system of the second aspect, the method being as defined in claim 9 of the accompanying claims.

Further features of the invention are as defined in the accompanying dependent claims and in the embodiments of the invention to be described.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block schematic diagram showing some components of a mobile communication system adapted to 4 CMO786OEC/GB/DJM operate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block schematic diagram showing in more detail functional components of a dispatcher terminal included in the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is block schematic diagram showing an arrangement of some of the components included in the dispatcher terminal of FIG. 2, including more detail of an audio output included in the dispatcher terminal.

DESCRIPTION OF EODI!.NTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a block schematic diagram showing some components of a mobile communication system 100 adapted to operate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 may for example be a TETRA system, i.e. may employ operating procedures which are in accordance with the TETRA standard as defined by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute), although the invention is not limited to application in TETRA systems. The system 100 includes a plurality of mobile stations, MSs, one of which is shown as indicated by reference numeral 101. The system 100 also includes a plurality of base stations, ESs, two of which, as indicated by reference numerals 103 and 105 respectively, are shown in FIG. 1. The BS 103 includes a processor 109, a memory 111 and a RF transceiver 113.

The BS 105 includes a processor 115, a memory 117 and a RF transceiver 119. Although a single RF transceiver is shown in each of the BSs 103 and 105, each of the BSs 103, 105 may include a plurality of RF transceivers. The CMO786OEC/GB/DJM BSs, including the BSs 103 and 105, define a set of overlapping service regions or cells in each of which MSs are served by the BS defining the region or cell, i.e. at the centre of the region or cell. The processor 109 of the BS 103 provides control, authentication, encryption, routing and other known operational functions of the BS 103. The processor 109 operates in conjunction with the memory 111 which stores data and programs needed in operation by the processor 109. The processor 115 and the memory 117 provide respectively functions similar to those of the processor 109 and the memory 111.

The BS5 103 and 105 have respectively broadband links 125 and 127 to a zone controller 107 which includes a processor 121 and a memory 123. The zone controller 107 provides by the processor 121 operational control of the BS5 in a given zone which is a given set of the overlapping regions or cells. The memory 123 of the zone controller 107 may for example store a database of details relating to mobile stations currently operating in the system 100 and their respective locations as well as data and programs needed in operation by the processor 121.

The BS 103 provides RF communication services to mobile stations currently in a service region or cell within a given distance from the fixed location of the BS 103 at the centre of the service region or cell. In other words, RF communications to and from each MS served by the BS 103 pass through the BS 103. Similarly, the BS 105 provides RF communication services to MSs currently in a service area or cell within a given 6 CMO7S6OEC/GB/DJM distance from the fixed location of the ES 105 at the centre of the service area or cell. Currently, the MS 101 is being served by the BS 103 via a RF link 129. In practice, the RF link 129 may comprise (for RF signals from the MS 101 to the BS 103) an uplink and (for RF signals from the BS 103 to the MS 101) a downlink, wherein the uplink and the downlink are different, e.g. at different frequencies. The MS 101 can also receive signals from other BSs, such as the BS 105 as shown in FIG. 1 by a link 134, so that when the MS 101 moves to a peripheral part of its current service region or cell it can operate a cell re-selection procedure in a known manner to determine whether it needs to undergo handover of service to the cell defined by another BS, such as the BS 105.

The system 100 includes a dispatcher terminal 131.

The dispatcher terminal 131 is a fixed terminal used by a dispatcher in a manner as described earlier. The dispatcher terminal 131 may for example be a fixed terminal in an operational control centre of the organisation in which the dispatcher is working, e.g. a police force or a fire service. The dispatcher terminal 131 has a link 137 to the zone controller 107 and links 133 and 135 respectively to the BS5 103 and 105. Each of the links 137, 133 and 135 may be a wired or wireless link.

FIG. 2 is a block schematic diagram showing functional components of the dispatcher terminal 131 in more detail. The dispatcher terminal 131 includes a controller 201 which controls communication functions of the terminal 101. A processor 202 operably connected to 7 CMO786OEC/GBfDJM the controller 201 processes information sent to and from the terminal 131. The processor 202 is operably connected to a transceiver 203 which transmits and receives signals including signals carrying information sent from and to the MS 101. The signals are delivered to and from other terminals of the system 100, such as MS5 of the system 101 via their serving BSs. For example, communication with the MS 101 is made via the link 133 with the BS 103 and via the wireless link 129 with the MS 101.

The dispatcher terminal 131 also includes a computer 204 which comprises a Cpu (central processing unit) 210 and a memory 211. The computer 204 may or may not be in a local network with other computers. The computer 204 is connected to the controller 201 and the processor 202. The memory 211 stores data and programs needed in operation by the controller 201 and the processor 202 and these are provided to the controller and the processor 202 via the Cpu 210. The computer 204 is connected to multiple displays, namely a display 205 and a display 206, in view of the large amount of information needed to be displayed by the dispatcher, e.g. including a map showing current location of personnel of the organisation and details of jobs currently assigned to such personnel. The computer 204 is also connected to a keyboard 207 which allows the dispatcher to enter data and control instructions into the computer 204.

When the transceiver 203 receives an incoming signal including information representing communicated speech, the processor 202 extracts the information and 8 CMO786OEC/GBIDJM delivers a signal including the extracted information to an audio output 208 which includes a transducer such as a speaker which converts the signal to audio form to reconstruct the communicated speech for delivery to the dispatcher. The terminal 131 also includes an audio input 209 which includes a transducer such as a microphone which converts speech of the dispatcher into the form of an electrical signal and delivers the signal to the processor 202 which processes the signal into a form suitable for inclusion in a signal for transmission by the transceiver 203.

When the transceiver 203 receives an incoming signal representing communicated (non-speech) data, e.g. alphanumeric characters representing words or numerals or picture or video information, the processor 202 extracts information relating to the communicated data and delivers a signal including the extracted data to the computer 204. Information relating to the data may also be displayed on one of the displays 205, 206. Data received from the computer 204 may also be processed by the processor 202 and sent in an outgoing communication by the transceiver 203.

The keyboard 207 allows data for communication by the terminal 131 to be entered by the dispatcher. The data is obtained by the computer 204 from the keyboard 207 and is delivered by the computer 204 to the processor 202, which processes the data into a form suitable for inclusion in a signal to be transmitted by the transceiver 203.

9 CMO786OEC/GB/DJM In a particular embodiment of the invention the controller 201 may be incorporated within the CPU 210 of the computer 204.

FIG. 3 shows an arrangement 300 of some of the components included in the dispatcher terminal 131 of FIG. 2 including the processor 202, the controller 201 and the memory 211 of the computer 204. The audio output 208 (indicated by a dashed line) is shown in more detail. The audio output 208 includes an amplifier 301, a volume control 303, a speaker 305 and an AGC 307. A signal from the processor 202 in the form of a low frequency analog signal representing speech is received by and amplified by the amplifier 301. The signal is also applied to the AGC 307 which, depending on a level of the signal detected by the AGC 307, in turn adjusts the gain of the amplifier 301 in a known way. The volume control 303, operating under control of a signal supplied by the controller 201, automatically adjusts the volume of the signal produced as an output of the amplifier 301. The volume control 303 is a known device, e.g. comprising a voltage divider providing a selected amount of attenuation of the amplified signal produced by the amplifier 301. The extent of attenuation is selected by application of a control signal from the controller 201 to the volume control. If the control signal from the controller 201 is a digital signal, the volume control 303 may include a D/A (digital to analog) converter to provide an analog voltage for the volume control 303. The attenuated output provided by the volume control 303 is delivered to the speaker 305 where it is provides an output in the form of reconstructed JO CMO786OEC/GB/DJM speech. The volume control 303 may also be operated manually be the dispatcher as well as automatically by the controller 201.

Normally, for incoming calls which are not made in special circumstances, the speech of the person making the call is assumed to be at a normal level and the volume control 303 is set (automatically by the controller 201 or manually by the dispatcher using the dispatcher terminal 131) to provide a speech output at JO the speaker 305 at a normal volume level.

Suppose, however, that the user of the MS 101 is a police officer working under cover and is making a call to the dispatcher at the terminal 131. In this case the user of the MS 101 may wish to speak very quietly. The arrangement 300 of the dispatcher terminal 131 operates in the following manner in this case.

Initially, a call set up request is sent as a control signal by the MS 101. The signal will typically have a standard form generated automatically by the MS 101 including various data relating to the requested call including an identifier which identifies the requesting terminal, i.e. the MS 101, and an identifier which identifies the target terminal, i.e. the dispatcher terminal 131. The control signal is sent via the BS 101 which provides the required routing of the signal to the terminal 131 and associated channel resource allocation for the requested call. The control signal reaches the dispatcher terminal 131 via the link 133. The transceiver 203 of the terminal 131 delivers the control signal to the controller 201 via the processor 202. The controller 201, in response to 11 CMO786OEC/GB/DJM receipt of the control signal, sets the terminal 131 to be ready to take part in the call and sends a return signal to the MS 101 via the BS 103 to indicate that a link for the requested call has been established. The incoming call from the user of the MS 101 is then received by the transceiver 203 via the BS 103 (and the links 129 and 130) In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the controller 201 of the terminal 131 automatically detects from the identity of the MS 101 included in the received call set up request control signal that an adjustment is needed to the volume of the output reconstructed speech provided by the audio output 208 so that the speech of the user of the MS 101 may be heard at a normal volume level by the dispatcher using the dispatcher terminal 131 even though the user of the MS 101 is speaking very quietly. The required volume adjustment is provided by the issue of a control signal by the controller 201 to provide automatic adjustment of the signal volume by the volume control 303.

The memory 211 stores an identity of the MS 101 and an indication that a signal representing speech received from the MS 101 requires volume adjustment. Using this stored information, the controller 201 detects the identity of the MS 101 in the call set up request control signal sent by the MS 101 and, in response to detecting the identity, provides a signal to control the volume control 303 to provide the required adjustment of volume.

There are various alternative ways in which the memory 211 may receive the information to indicate that 12 CMO786OEC/GB/DJM a signal representing speech received from the MS 101 requires volume adjustment so that the memory 211 thereby may store the information for use by the controller 201.

In a first alternative way, data may have been entered into the memory 211 by the dispatcher using the keyboard 207.

In a second alternative way, data may have been entered by a user of the MS 101 and sent in a message from the MS 101. Such a message may be of a pre-determined form, e.g. a standard form used within the communication protocol of the system 100. Such a message may therefore be established automatically by the MS 101 when selected by a user of the MS 101 and may be automatically recognised by the terminal 131 and thereby automatically entered in the memory 211. Where the memory 211 contains such a data entry, the data entry may also indicate that when a call is received from the MS 101 the volume has to be adjusted to a selected specified level. When the controller 201 receives a call set up request control signal from the MS 101, the controller 201 recognises from the MS identity data entered in the memory 211 and the matching identity data in the received control signal that the incoming call has to receive a volume adjustment by an amount specified in the data entry in the memory 211.

In a third alternative way in which the memory 211 may receive the information indicating the need for volume adjustment, the control signal sent by the MS 101 to request call set up may indicate the required adjustment, e.g. as a standard code in the control 13 CMO786OEC/GBIDJM signal. This may be included in the call set request control signal from the MS 101 every time the MS 101 sends a call set up request control signal either to the terminal 131 or to any other fixed or mobile terminal in the system 100, or may be included only upon specific request by the user of the MS 101.

In fourth alternative way in which the memory 211 may receive the information indicating the need for volume adjustment, the memory 111 of the BS 103 may include a data entry relating to the required volume adjustment, e.g. received by previous communication from the MS 101, and the processor 109 of the BS 103 when receiving a call set up request control signal from the MS 101 may automatically notify the terminal 131 of the required adjustment, either in the call set up request control signal passed on by the BS 103 or in a separate data message from the BS 103. The information relating to the required adjustment sent in a control signal or in a message when received by the terminal 131 is stored in the memory 211.

In a fifth alternative way in which the memory 211 may receive the information indicating the need for volume adjustment, the memory 123 of the zone controller 123 may include a data entry relating to the required volume adjustment, e.g. received by previous communication from the MS 101. The processor 121 of the zone controller 107 may be notified of the call set up request control signal from the MS 101 and may automatically notify the terminal 131 of the required adjustment, either in a control signal or in a separate message.

14 CMO786OEC/GB/DJM In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, use may be made of an identifier of the user of the MS 101 as well as of the MS 101 itself. For example, when the MS 101 obtains registration to operate in the system 100 it may be required for an identifier of a current user of the MS 101 to be provided, e.g. to distinguish between different possible users of the MS 101. The personal identifier may for example be recorded in the memory 111, the memory 123 or the memory 211.

When a call set up request control signal is sent by the MS 101, the controller 201 has to find a match between the user personal identifier as well as, or instead of, the MS identifier in order to initiate the required volume adjustment.

Claims

CMO786OEC/GBIDJM

CLAIMS

1. A first terminal for use in a wireless communication system which is operable to receive from a second terminal a signal representing speech of a user of the second terminal and automatically to provide volume adjustment of the signal for delivery to a user of the first terminal, characterised in that the first terminal is operable to detect an identity of the second terminal and/or a user of the second terminal and is operable to adjust the volume of the received signal in response to detecting the identity.

2. A first terminal according to claim 1 which is a fixed terminal or a mobile terminal.

3. A first terminal according to claim 2 which is a fixed dispatcher terminal.

4. A first terminal according to any one of the preceding claims which includes a controller operable to detect the identity of the second terminal and/or a user of the second terminal from the content of a control signal sent to the first terminal and, in response, to adjust the volume of the incoming signal representing speech.

5. A first terminal according to claim 4 wherein the controller is operable to detect the identity from a call set up request control signal from the second terminal.

6. A first terminal according to any one of the preceding claims which includes, operationally coupled to the controller, a memory operable to store the 16 CMO786OEC/GB/DJM identity of the second terminal and/or its user and an indication that the volume of a signal received from the second terminal and/or its user requires adjustment.

7. A communication system including at least a first terminal and a second terminal wherein the first terminal is a terminal according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. A system according to claim 7 which further includes a system infrastructure including a base station via which communication signals are delivered between the second terminal and the first terminal.

9. A method of operation in a system according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the second terminal sends to the first terminal a signal representing speech of a user of the second terminal and the first terminal automatically provides volume adjustment of the signal for delivery to a user of the first terminal, characterised in that the first terminal detects an identity of the second terminal and/or a user of the second terminal and adjusts the volume of the received signal in response to detecting the identity.