초록 ▼

A wireless conference phone system has a base station to couple at least one conference unit to a telephone network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network. Each conference unit performs echo cancellat

A wireless conference phone system has a base station to couple at least one conference unit to a telephone network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network. Each conference unit performs echo cancellation of the audio signal received from a remote location allowing a simplified base station implementation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A conference phone system with multiple wireless conference phone units, comprising: a base station unit comprising a base station processor, a wireless conference phone unit interface that includes RF interface circuitry, and telephone network circuitry;a plurality of wireless conference phone u

1. A conference phone system with multiple wireless conference phone units, comprising: a base station unit comprising a base station processor, a wireless conference phone unit interface that includes RF interface circuitry, and telephone network circuitry;a plurality of wireless conference phone units (PODs) that wirelessly couple to said base station unit, each individual POD further comprises: a plurality of microphones, a loudspeaker, a POD processor, a DSP, analog to digital conversion circuitry, digital to analog conversion circuitry, a base station interface that includes RF interface circuitry, circuitry for user input and output, all of which are electrically coupled together; andecho-cancelling circuitry configured to perform its own echo-cancellation by analyzing a received signal and subtracting the received signal from a signal generated by the microphones, and communicate audio information with said base station unit;wherein said base station unit: does not include microphones, loudspeakers, or user input circuitry;communicates audio information with said plurality of PODs;receives and sums the audio information via a summer from said PODs before transmitting the audio information to far end conference participants; anddoes not transmit the received audio information from one said POD to another said POD. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said individual POD comprises three microphones. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network. 5. A method to manufacture a conference phone system with multiple wireless conference phone units, comprising: providing a base station unit comprising a base station processor, a wireless conference phone unit interface that includes RF interface circuitry, a telephone line interface;providing a plurality of wireless conference phone units (PODs) that wirelessly couple to said base station unit, each individual POD further comprises: a plurality of microphones, a loudspeaker, a POD processor, a DSP, analog to digital conversion circuitry, digital to analog conversion circuitry, a base station interface that includes RF interface circuitry, circuitry for user input and output, all of which are electrically coupled together, each said POD including echo-cancelling circuitry configured to perform its own echo-cancellation by analyzing a received signal and subtracting he received signal from a signal generated by the microphones, and communicate audio information with said base station unit;wherein said base station unit: does not include microphones, loudspeakers, or user input circuitry; andcommunicates audio information with said plurality of PODs;receives and sums the audio information via a summer from said PODs before transmitting the audio information to far end conference participants; anddoes not transmit the received audio information from one said POD to another said POD. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said individual POD comprises three microphones. 7. The method of claim 5 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network. 8. The method of claim 5 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network. 9. A method to use a conference phone system with multiple wireless conference phone units, comprising: wirelessly communicating between a base station and a plurality of wireless conference phone units (PODs);said base station unit further comprises a base station processor, a wireless conference phone unit interface that includes RF interface circuitry, a telephone line interface;said plurality of wireless conference phone units (PODs) wirelessly couple to said base station unit, each individual POD further comprises: a plurality of microphones, a loudspeaker, a POD processor, a DSP, analog to digital conversion circuitry, digital to analog conversion circuitry, a base station interface that includes RF interface circuitry, circuitry for user input and output, all of which are electrically coupled together; andecho-cancelling circuitry configured to perform its own echo-cancellation by analyzing a received signal and subtracting the received signal from a signal generated by the microphones, and communicate audio information with said base station unit;wherein said base station unit: does not include microphones, loudspeakers, or user input circuitry;communicates audio information with said plurality of PODs;receives and sums the audio information via a summer from said PODs before transmitting the audio information to far end conference participants; anddoes not transmit the received audio information from one said POD to another said POD. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said individual POD comprises three microphones. 11. The method of claim 9 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network. 12. The method of claim 9 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.