JPH05235789A - Voice communication terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the voice communication terminal equipment by which a receiver side voice signal is heard easily by controlling adaptively a receiver side voice signal level in response to surrounding noise when the receiver side voice signal is hard of hearing due to the surrounding noise or the like. CONSTITUTION:An amplification factor calculation means 6 calculates the amplification factor based on a preset 'relation between noise signal level and receiver side voice signal level' or 'relation between receiver side voice signal and noise signal level' stored when the user adjusts the amplification factor of the receiver side voice signal level and a current noise signal level and a current receiver side voice signal and adjusts the receiver side voice signal level by using an amplifier automatic control means 7 or an amplifier manual control means 8 to adjust adaptively the receiver side voice signal level in response to surrounding noise fetched from a microphone 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a voice communication terminal device for adaptively controlling a voice level of a receiver on the basis of ambient noise.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, voice communication terminal devices have come to be used in various environments with the advent of mobile phones, cordless phones, mobile phones, and advances in wireless communication technology due to the enhancement of public telephone networks and the development of mobile communication technology. Voice communication is becoming possible.

Conventionally, in the voice communication from any environment, when the ambient noise level or the noise level is high,
The voice on the receiving side may be difficult to hear, or even if the ambient noise level or the noise level is not so high, it may be difficult to hear if the voice level on the receiving side is low. In either case, it becomes difficult to hear unless the receiving side voice level is higher than a certain value with respect to the ambient noise level and the noise level. Therefore, in the conventional voice communication terminal device, by adjusting the voice level on the receiving side, noise and a certain value or more against noise are secured, and the receiving side voice that is easy to hear is provided.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional method, when the voice level on the receiving side is low due to ambient noise and noise at the beginning of communication and it is difficult to hear, the voice level on the receiving side must be increased. In this case, gradually increase the voice level on the receiving side while listening to the ambient noise, compare the noise with the voice on the receiving side, and then determine the voice level on the receiving side that is easy to hear for the ambient noise and noise at that time. Must be set. In addition, even if the user once adjusts the voice level on the receiving side as described above, if the ambient noise level changes, the voice level on the receiving side must be adjusted again as necessary. As described above, the conventional voice communication terminal device has a problem that the user needs to adjust the voice level on the receiving side as necessary, and if the frequency is high, it becomes very troublesome.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a voice communication terminal device capable of minimizing the adjustment by the user regarding the adjustment of the voice level on the receiving side.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a voice communication terminal apparatus of the present invention takes in ambient noise and converts it into a noise signal, and a current noise signal level and a current receiving side. Voice signal level, preset "relationship between noise signal level and voice signal level on the receiving side" or "amplified voice signal level on receiving side" stored when the user controls the amplification amount of the voice signal level on the receiving side. "Relationship of noise signal level", calculating the amplification amount of the reception side voice signal level, controlling the amplification amount according to the calculated amplification amount of the reception side voice signal level, and if necessary. The user can control the amount of amplification of the voice signal level on the receiving side, and that the user can control the amount of amplification of the voice signal level on the receiving side. Calculating the relationship between the amplified voice signal level on the receiving side and the noise signal level, and calculating the "amplified voice signal level on the receiving side and the noise signal level when the user controls the amplification amount of the voice signal level on the receiving side. The relationship is stored and used for calculating the amplification amount from the next time.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in the above configuration, even when the voice on the receiving side is difficult to hear due to ambient noise at the start of voice communication, the voice on the receiving side is automatically amplified, and the voice communication can be easily heard. , Even if the ambient noise level changes, the user does not need to adjust the voice level of the receiving side when the ambient noise level changes by adaptively changing the amplification amount of the receiving side voice. Is something that can be done. Next, it is different for each person whether a certain receiving side voice signal level is easy to hear or hard to hear with respect to a certain noise signal level. For example, even if the sound level of the receiving side, which is considered to be easily heard by an ordinary person for a certain noise level, it may be difficult for the deaf person to hear. In such a case, the amplification amount may be insufficient even if the amplification amount of the reception side voice signal level is calculated and amplified from the preset "relationship between the noise signal level and the reception side voice signal level". In order to deal with such a case, the user can adjust the receiving side voice level, and when the user adjusts the receiving side voice level, the "amplified receiving side voice signal level and noise signal level" at that time is displayed. The relationship can be stored and used for calculation of the amplification amount from the next time.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the voice communication terminal device of this embodiment can be connected to the communication network 1 through the network interface 2. The microphone 3 has a function of picking up ambient noise, converting it into a noise signal, and delivering it to the amplification amount calculation means 6. Audio signals are input and output from the handset 4. When the signal output when the amplifier manual control means 8 is operated is input, the "relative relationship between the voice signal level on the receiving side and the noise signal level" is calculated by the relative relationship calculation means 5, and the calculation result is stored in the relative relationship storage means 11 It has a function to hand over to. The amplification amount calculation means 6 has a function of calculating the amplification amount of the receiving side voice level using the following three elements.
That is, the first element is the noise signal level from the microphone 3, the second element is the receiving side voice signal level from the amplifier 10, and the third element is the noise level output from the relative relationship storage means 11. It is the relationship of the voice level on the receiving side. The amplifier automatic control means 7 has a function of outputting a signal for controlling the amplifier 10 according to the amount calculated by the amplification amount calculation means 6. The amplifier manual control means 8 has a function of outputting a signal for controlling the amplifier 10 according to the volume level of the volume control 9. Here, the amplifier 10 has a function of amplifying the receiving side voice signal from the network interface 2 in accordance with the control signal from the amplification amount automatic control means 7 or the amplification amount manual control means 8. The relative relationship storage means 11 stores the calculated value output by the relative relationship calculation means 5 when a signal output when the amplifier manual control means 8 is operated is input, and continues to output "noise signal". It has a function of continuing to output the newly stored "relationship between noise signal and receiving side voice signal" instead of "relationship between receiving side voice signal". The "relationship between the noise signal and the voice signal on the receiving side" output here is an initial value set in advance until the signal output when the amplifier manual control means 8 operates is input, and the amplifier manual control means 8 Is always the newest value stored in the relative relation storage device after the signal to be output when it is operated is input.

The operation of the voice communication terminal device configured as described above will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, a main routine of a processing procedure for adaptively controlling the voice signal level on the receiving side according to ambient noise will be described with reference to FIG. When the voice communication terminal device starts communication, the receiver side voice signal from the network interface 2 connected to the voice communication network 1 in step 1 is amplified by the amplifier 1.
It is amplified and output with an initial value of 0. Next, at the same time, in step 2, the microphone 3 collects ambient noise and noise,
It is converted into an electrical noise signal and output. Next, step 3
Then, the amplification amount calculation means 6 calculates what kind of relationship the reception side voice signal from the amplifier 10 has with the noise signal from the microphone 3 and outputs the “noise signal level The difference between the "reception side voice signal level relationship" and the current "relationship between the noise signal level and the reception side voice signal level" is calculated, and an amplification amount that minimizes this difference is calculated and output. Here, the "relationship between the noise signal level and the voice signal level on the receiving side" means, for example, two parameters such that the horizontal axis indicates the absolute value n of the noise level and the vertical axis indicates the relative difference d between the voice level on the receiving side and the noise level. The function d = f (n) represented by Then, in step 4, the amplifier automatic control means 7 controls the amplifier 10 according to the amplification amount calculated by the amplification amount calculation means 6. Thereafter, by repeating the above operation, it is possible to perform voice communication in which the voice level of the receiving side is adaptively controlled according to the ambient noise.

Next, the interrupt subroutine when the volume 9 is changed will be described with reference to FIG. The "relationship between the noise signal level and the voice signal level on the receiving side" output from the relative relationship storage means 11 is a preset initial value at the start of communication. However, this initial value is not sufficient for the user, and the amplification amount calculated by this initial value may make it difficult for the receiving side voice to be heard. In such a case, the user can manually control the amplification amount. When the user changes the volume control 9, the main routine is interrupted, and the process proceeds to the interruption subroutine when the volume control 9 is changed. In step 11, a signal indicating the amount of change is output from the volume control 9, and the amplifier manual control means 8 controls the amplifier 10 according to the signal.
At the same time, the amplifier manual control means 8 outputs an operation confirmation signal of the amplifier manual control means 8. Next, in step 12, the amplifier 10 amplifies the voice on the receiving side from the network interface 2 and outputs the amplified voice. In steps 13 and 14, the relative relationship calculating means 5 starts its operation in response to the operation confirmation signal from the amplifier manual control means 8, and the "noise signal" when the amplifier is manually controlled using the signals from the microphone 3 and the amplifier 10. The relationship between the level and the voice signal level on the receiving side "is calculated and output. Here, to calculate the "relationship between the noise signal level and the voice signal level on the receiving side" is, for example, the absolute value n of the noise level when the amplifier manual control means 8 operates,
For two parameters of the relative difference d between the voice level on the receiving side and the noise level, a function d = f (n) is calculated for the relative difference between the voice level on the receiving side and the noise level when the absolute value of the noise level is changed. That is. Next, in step 15, the relative relationship storage means 11 starts its operation in response to the operation confirmation signal from the amplifier manual control means 8, and when the amplifier manual control from the relative relationship calculation means 5 is performed, "noise signal level and receiver side" “Relationship between audio signal levels” is stored. At the same time, instead of the "relationship between the noise signal level and the voice signal level on the receiving side" that has been output from the relative relationship storage means, the newly stored "relationship between the noise signal level and the voice signal level on the receiving side" is output. Begin to. When the above-described interrupt subroutine processing when the volume control 9 changes, the process returns to the interrupt position of the main routine.

Finally, the interrupt subroutine when the end of communication is requested will be described with reference to FIG. When the end of communication is requested, any routine interrupts and moves to an interrupt subroutine when the end of communication is requested to end the communication.

[0013]

As is apparent from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, the method for amplifying the voice signal on the receiving side is adapted according to the ambient noise when the receiving side voice is hard to hear due to the ambient noise. Even if the voice on the receiving side becomes difficult to hear due to changes in the surrounding noise level, the user does not need to adjust the amplification level of the voice level on the receiving side. A user who has insufficient amplification at the voice signal level can secure a voice on the receiving side that is easy for the user to hear by manual control. At this time, the "relationship between the noise level and the voice level on the receiving side" It is possible to realize an excellent voice communication terminal device that is reflected in the adaptive automatic control of the amplification amount of.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a voice communication terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a processing procedure for adaptively controlling the voice signal level on the receiving side of the voice terminal device according to ambient noise.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an interruption subroutine of the voice terminal device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an interruption subroutine of communication termination of the voice terminal device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Voice Communication Network 2 Network Interface 3 Microphone 5 Relative Relationship Calculation Means 6 Amplification Amount Calculation Means 7 Amplifier Automatic Control Means 8 Amplifier Manual Control Means 9 Volume Volume 10 Amplifier 11 Relative Relationship Storage Means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A means for receiving a voice signal, a means for taking in ambient noise or the like and converting it into a noise signal, a means for amplifying a voice signal level of a receiving side, a current noise signal level,
The current receiving side voice signal level, the relationship between the preset noise signal level and the receiving side voice signal level, and the amplified receiving side stored when the user controls the amplification amount of the receiving side voice signal level. A means for calculating the amplification amount of the reception side voice signal level from three elements of the voice signal level and any one of the set values of the relations between the noise signal level and the calculated amount of amplification of the reception side voice signal level. Amplifier automatic control means for controlling the amount of amplification, amplifier manual control means for controlling the amount of amplification of the voice signal level on the receiving side when necessary, and amplification when the user controls the amount of amplification of the audio signal level on the receiving side The relative relationship calculating means for calculating the relationship between the received voice signal level of the receiving side and the noise signal level, and the user's voice Voice communication terminal apparatus and a relative relationship storing means for storing the amplified the receiving side speech signal level and a noise signal level relationship at that time when the control amount of amplification of No. levels.