A communication system that includes multiple conferencing devices connected in a daisy-chain configuration is communicably connected to far-end conference participants. Multiple conferencing devices provide improved sound quality to the far-end participants by reducing aural artifacts resulting fro
A communication system that includes multiple conferencing devices connected in a daisy-chain configuration is communicably connected to far-end conference participants. Multiple conferencing devices provide improved sound quality to the far-end participants by reducing aural artifacts resulting from reverberation and echo. The daisy-chain communication system also reduces the processing and transmission time of the near-end audio signal by processing and transmitting the audio signal in frequency domain. Each conferencing device in the daisy chain performs signal conditioning on its audio signal before transmitting it in the frequency domain to a mixer. The output signal of the mixer is converted back to the time domain before being transmitted to the far-end. The daisy-chain configuration also provides a distributed bridge to external communication devices that can be connected to each conferencing device.
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1. A conferencing system for communicating audio information between a near-end location and a far-end conferencing device at a far-end location, the conferencing system comprising: a primary conferencing device; andat least one non-primary conferencing devices communicably coupled to the primary co
1. A conferencing system for communicating audio information between a near-end location and a far-end conferencing device at a far-end location, the conferencing system comprising: a primary conferencing device; andat least one non-primary conferencing devices communicably coupled to the primary conferencing device,wherein each of the at least one non-primary conferencing devices generates audio signals representative of voices of near-end participants and transmits the generated audio signals to the primary conferencing device in a frequency domain,wherein one of the primary conferencing device and the at least one non-primary conferencing devices is communicably coupled to the far-end conferencing device,wherein the primary conferencing device is configured to mix a frequency domain audio signal generated by the primary conferencing device with the generated audio signals received in the frequency domain from each of the at least one non-primary conferencing devices and generate a frequency domain near-end audio signal, andwherein the primary conferencing device is configured to convert the frequency domain near-end audio signal to a time domain near-end audio signal and provide the time domain near-end audio signal for transmission to the far-end conferencing device. 2. The conferencing system of claim 1, wherein a loudspeaker signal received from the far-end conferencing device is transmitted in the time domain to the primary device and to each of at least one non-primary conferencing devices. 3. The conferencing system of claim 2, wherein the loudspeaker signal is delayed such that the primary conferencing device and each of at least one non-primary conferencing devices playback the loudspeaker signal substantially simultaneously. 4. The conferencing system of claim 2, wherein the primary device and each at least one non-primary device perform signal conditioning on their respective generated audio signals. 5. The conferencing system of claim 4, wherein the signal conditioning comprises amplification, acoustic echo cancellation, and noise reduction. 6. The conferencing system of claim 1, wherein the primary conferencing device transmits the time domain near-end audio signal to the far-end conferencing device. 7. The conferencing system of claim 1, wherein the primary conferencing device transmits the time domain near-end audio signal to at least one non-primary conferencing device, which in turn transmits the time domain near-end audio signal to the far-end conferencing device. 8. The conferencing system of claim 1, wherein the audio signals generated by each of at least one non-primary conferencing device are transmitted in frequency domain using sub-band encoding. 9. The conferencing system of claim 1, wherein each non-primary conferencing device transmits side information associated with the generated audio signal. 10. The conferencing system of claim 9, wherein the side information comprises noise floor information and echo-return loss information. 11. The conferencing system of claim 1, wherein the primary conferencing device and the at least one non-primary conferencing device are connected in a daisy chain configuration such that the primary conferencing device is placed at one end of the daisy chain. 12. The conferencing device of claim 1, wherein the primary conferencing device and the at least one non-primary conferencing device are connected in a daisy chain configuration such that the primary conferencing device is placed between two of at least one non-primary conferencing devices. 13. A conferencing device for use with other conferencing devices, the conferencing device comprising: a microphone for generating a time domain audio signal representative of voices of near-end participants;a first time-to-frequency conversion module for converting the time domain audio signal to a frequency domain audio signal;an acoustic signal processor for processing the frequency domain audio signal to generate a processed frequency domain audio signal;a local input-output port for communicably connecting to another conferencing device for transmitting the processed frequency domain audio signal to the other conferencing device in the frequency domain;a speaker signal input port for receiving a time domain loudspeaker signal; anda loudspeaker for converting the time domain loudspeaker signal into sound. 14. The conferencing device of claim 13, wherein the local input-output port and the speaker signal input port are the same port and the time domain loudspeaker signal is received from another conferencing device. 15. The conferencing device of claim 14, further comprising a second time-to-frequency conversion module for converting the time domain loudspeaker signal to a frequency domain loudspeaker signal. 16. The conferencing device of claim 15, wherein the acoustic signal processor uses the frequency domain loudspeaker signal for processing the frequency domain audio signal. 17. The conferencing device of claim 16, wherein the processing comprises amplification, acoustic echo cancellation, and noise reduction. 18. The conferencing device of claim 13, further comprising: an external input-output port for communicably coupling a far end device,wherein the external input-output port is the speaker signal input port, andwherein the time domain loudspeaker signal is received from the far end device. 19. The conferencing device of claim 13, wherein the first time-to-frequency conversion module is an analysis filter bank. 20. A conferencing device for use with other conferencing devices, the conferencing device comprising: a microphone for generating a time domain audio signal representative of voices of near-end participants;a first time-to-frequency conversion module for converting the time domain audio signal to a frequency domain audio signal;an acoustic signal processor for processing the frequency domain audio signal to generate a processed frequency domain audio signal;at least one local input-output port for communicably connecting to the other near-end conferencing devices and for receiving other processed frequency domain audio signals from each of the other conferencing devices;a frequency domain mixer for mixing the processed frequency domain audio signal with the other processed frequency domain audio signals to generate a near-end frequency domain audio signal;a speaker signal input port for receiving a time domain loudspeaker signal; anda loudspeaker for converting the time domain loudspeaker signal into sound. 21. The conferencing device of claim 20, further comprising: an external input-output port for communicably connecting a far end device,wherein the external input-output port is the speaker signal input port, andwherein the time domain loudspeaker signal is received from the far end device. 22. The conferencing device of claim 21, further comprising: a second time-to-frequency conversion module for converting the time domain loudspeaker signal to a frequency domain loudspeaker signal. 23. The conferencing device of claim 22, wherein the acoustic signal processor uses the frequency domain loudspeaker signal for processing the frequency domain audio signal. 24. The conferencing device of claim 23, wherein the processing comprises amplification, acoustic echo cancellation, and noise reduction. 25. The conferencing device of claim 20, wherein the local input-output port and the speaker signal input port are the same port and the time domain loudspeaker signal is received from another conferencing device. 26. The conferencing device of claim 20, further comprising: a frequency-to-time conversion module for converting the near-end frequency domain audio signal to a near-end time domain audio signal, wherein the near-end time domain audio signal is transmitted to the far-end conferencing device. 27. The conferencing device of claim 26, wherein the frequency-to-time conversion module is a synthesis bank. 28. The conferencing device of claim 20, wherein the first time-to-frequency conversion module is an analysis filter bank. 29. A method of operating a conferencing system for communicating audio information between a near-end location and a far-end conferencing device at a far-end location, the conferencing system including a primary conferencing device and at least one non-primary conferencing devices communicably coupled to the primary conferencing device, with one of the primary conferencing device and the at least one non-primary conferencing devices is communicably coupled to the far-end conferencing device the method comprising: each of the at least one non-primary conferencing devices generating audio signals representative of voices of near-end participants and transmitting the generated audio signals to the primary conferencing device in a frequency domain,the primary conferencing device mixing a frequency domain audio signal generated by the primary conferencing device with the generated audio signals received in the frequency domain from each of at least one non-primary conferencing devices and generating a frequency domain near-end audio signal, andthe primary conferencing device converting the frequency domain near-end audio signal to a time domain near-end audio signal and providing the time domain near-end audio signal for transmission to the far-end conferencing device. 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising: the primary conferencing device transmitting the time domain near-end audio signal to the far-end conferencing device. 31. The method of claim 29, further comprising: the primary conferencing device transmitting the time domain near-end audio signal to at least one non-primary conferencing device; andthe at least one non-primary conferencing in turn transmitting the time domain near-end audio signal to the far-end conferencing device. 32. A method for operating a conferencing device which includes a microphone, an input-output port and a loudspeaker, the method comprising: generating a time domain audio signal representative of voices of near-end participants;converting the time domain audio signal to a frequency domain audio signal;processing the frequency domain audio signal to generate a processed frequency domain audio signal;transmitting the processed frequency domain audio signal to another conferencing device in the frequency domain;receiving a time domain loudspeaker signal; andconverting the time domain loudspeaker signal into sound. 33. A method for operating a conferencing device which includes a microphone, at least one input/output port and a loudspeaker, the method comprising: generating a time domain audio signal representative of voices of near-end participants;converting the time domain audio signal to a frequency domain audio signal;processing the frequency domain audio signal to generate a processed frequency domain audio signal;receiving other processed frequency domain audio signals from each of other conferencing devices;mixing the processed frequency domain audio signal with the other processed frequency domain audio signals to generate a near-end frequency domain audio signal;receiving a time domain loudspeaker signal; andconverting the time domain loudspeaker signal into sound.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (2)
Dal Farra,Dave; Smeulders,Paul, Method of improving conferencing in telephony.
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