WO2002054732A1

WO2002054732A1 - Speech scrambling attenuator for use in a telephone

Info

Publication number: WO2002054732A1
Application number: PCT/FR2002/000036
Authority: WO
Inventors: René TRAVERE
Original assignee: Travere Rene
Priority date: 2001-01-05
Filing date: 2002-01-07
Publication date: 2002-07-11
Also published as: FR2819362A1; WO2002054732B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a system for use in a radiotelephone, cellular, portable, wire telephone, mobile-wire telephone, any other type of telephone, which enable to attenuate, scramble, suppress, all or part of the sound emitted by the user's voice, which is propagated outside the apparatus during a telephone conversation. The method enables to generate simultaneously during a telephone conversation, appropriate synthetic sounds, and, as the case may be, identical or close in power, frequency, modulation, but in phases suitably shifted relative to those contained in the user's spectral speech pattern, so that the sound of the user's voice which is propagated outside the telephone, combined with the result of the method, counter each other to produce the desired effect. The method is based on the user's spectral speech pattern. The sounds produced by the user's voice, are sensed by an appropriate receiver. The electric or sound wave signals are analysed and electronically reconditioned by the system, they are then transformed into acoustic waves and broadcast simultaneously with the conversation. To produce the desired effect, they directly or indirectly interfere with the acoustic waves produced by the user's words. The method comprises: an acoustic signal sensor; a signal analyser and processor, a generator transmitting transformed signals; and, if required, power supply or auxiliary battery.

Description

Method and system applied to radiotelephone, cell, portable, business telephone, landline-mobile telephone, any other telephone, which makes it possible to attenuate, scramble, suppress, all or part of the sound emitted by the voice of the user, which is propagated outside the device during a telephone call.

The present invention relates to a method and a system applied to the telephone, to simultaneously produce during a telephone conversation, appropriate acoustic waves, which are opposed to those emitted by the voice of the user of a telephone, to make so that the discussion becomes inaudible 0, less disturbing to the immediate entourage, without however that the telephone conversation which takes place between caller and called is disturbed. The inventor has found that a telephone conversation which takes place in places where the public stays can produce discomfort, and in particular when it concerns the cellular radiotelephone, since the latter is often used in all 5 places without distinction. This discomfort is aimed at: 1) Involuntary listeners located nearby. They are challenged:

First of all by the tone and the power of the voice of the user which modify the sound space. 0 - The content. Indeed, the direct neighborhood is suddenly distracted from its current occupations. The close listener will be interested in what is said, will undergo, or adapt, move away, or remain indifferent. The interest of the conversation is variable for each one and induces various effects. The majority of the audience participates in the event. 5 2) To the user:

He is not at ease, afraid of embarrassing. Indeed, the sound space is suddenly changed without prior notice and we must prepare to face disapproval, hostility from others or their curiosity. Human beings do not like sudden changes. o In terms of sound space, there is in principle no rule, it is the property of anyone, but, in this situation, the user rather has the desire not to disclose to strangers the content of the telephone conversation, the interest and secrecy of which concerns only him

Sometimes, to get his telephone message across, he is obliged to publicly display modesty and self-esteem, otherwise, he will modify his speech and the telephone message will not be the same and he suddenly becomes the actor of 'a role he did not prepare Public side, the full panoply is there, anger, irritation, mockery, mischief, sarcasm, grimaces and even interest, it is according to the intimacy often required for a conversation on the telephone does not take place THE PREVIOUS PRACTICE AND THAT OF TODAY.

We practice, according to our own temperament and education We isolate ourselves, to keep our free expression But this is not always possible, especially when it comes to the portable radiotelephone, because the call can arise in circumstances who do not always lend themselves to a great discretion and relaxation For example, the restaurant, the spectacle, in meeting, in transport, in family etc

It is however possible to disregard any personal embarrassment, but by interfering with the tranquility of others, one risks the disapprovals described above One can also postpone his conversation until later, when quieter circumstances arise. 'lend

Already and although we have not yet legislated on this subject, we notice that in certain places, the use of the radiotelephone is undesirable or even prohibited The resistance even taken technological turns of the detectors, signaling the presence of active radiotelephones are sometimes used, or interference systems prevent connections to networks

Also, the manufacturers understood well the unpleasant effects of the radiotelephone ringtones, they incorporated into the radiotelephones a vibrator which warns of the call and which thus replaces the traditional ringing Only a small part of the inconveniences is resolved The system has the function of scrambling, attenuating, or scrambling and attenuating, or erasing, partially or totally, the sounds produced by the voice of the telephone user and which propagate in the atmosphere outside the telephone handset, and / or its accessories.

When the telephone user speaks into the handset, the propagation of the sound of his voice can be analyzed in two directions. Part of the sound of the user's voice is sent to the microphone of the handset, the other is propagated in the surrounding space. This part relates to the field of the invention. The role of the method is to simultaneously generate, during a telephone conversation, appropriate synthetic sounds, and depending on the case, identical or neighboring, in power, frequency, modulation, but with phases judiciously offset from those contained in the vocal spectrum. of the user, to cause the sound of the user's voice that propagates outside the telephone, mixed with the result of the process, to be opposed to produce the desired effect. The source of the process is the user's voice.

The sounds produced by the voice of the user, are intercepted by an appropriate receiver, they can also be picked up punctually, at a precise place on the electronic, electrical circuit of the telephone. The signals, electrical or acoustic waves, are analyzed and repackaged electronically by the system.

They are then broadcast simultaneously with the conversation, they interfere directly, or indirectly, on the acoustic waves produced by the user's words, which are emitted into the atmosphere, outside the telephone, to produce the desired effect.

As for the near listener, for the user, the process will apparently reduce, modify, interfere with the sound of his own voice. In these conditions, to remedy this, and so that listening to the sound of his voice is obvious, the user has two resources simultaneously: 1 ^st Resource:

Analysis shows that when we speak, the sound waves produced by our vocal cords are distributed as follows. A first component takes place outside our organism in the surrounding space.

Simultaneously, a second component, trapped in our body, is distributed within our body.

When we express ourselves normally, we mainly hear the sound made outside our body.

When we talk about blocked ears, we mainly mean the internal sound, trapped in our body.

During a conversation we perceive the result of these two sounds.

We can identify the phenomenon with an acoustic enclosure which also propagates two sounds, one is distributed outside, the other remains trapped in the box.

When, thanks to appropriate equipment, we listen to the recording of our voice, we are surprised not to recognize ourselves, this is quite normal because the recording concerns only the external voice. When we speak, the sound perceived by each of us is the result of external voice and internal voice. The invention applies only to the external voice and the method does not disturb the user, since the latter also remains guided by the sound of his internal voice.

2nd Resource:

To the extent that the process tends to cause the user to lose control of the sound of his own voice, it is possible to suitably adjust on the telephone, at the time of its manufacture, the so-called "local effect" function, which consists in injecting more or less, into the earpiece of the telephone, the sound of the user's voice.

Thanks to these possibilities, the effects of the process in no way affect the quality of the telephone conversation. The method includes: a) The acoustic signal sensor. (C) Sensor. b) The analyzer and the signal processing. (T) Treatment. c) The generator, transmitter of transformed signals. (G) Generator, c) If applicable, the auxiliary power supply. (B) Battery. Note that the telephone microphone, which transforms acoustic energy into current, placed with or without its downstream circuits, can be considered and used as a sensor (C). So without being restrictive to the invention, certain existing components or circuits of telephones can be recovered, for example, this particular device

Similarly, for the current generator (B), it is possible to use the resources of the existing installation. However, radiotelephones, which by definition have little independent energy, may, for the application of the process, have an auxiliary rechargeable battery, easily transportable, easy to connect Several variant embodiments are described below

I. Cases where C, T, G, (Sensor, Processing, Generator) are used for the conventional telephone, or mobile-telephone (base connected to the telephone network, powered by household current, combined not connected by conductive wires to its base and rechargeable by connectors on its base), single station, or multi-station, connected by waves, or electromagnetic radiation, or C, T, G, are indifferently located in the base and / or in the, or the handsets.

Depending on the technical or space requirements (variable depending on the make or type of device), the locations of Sensor C, Processing T, Generator G can be combined in the base and / or the telephone handset , the power supply is drawn from the base or depending on, the handset rechargeable by the base

In the case of a fully-fledged telephone (base and handset connected by wire), the necessary information and electrical energy circulate in the connecting wires between the base and the handset In the case of a fii-mobile telephone, single or multi-user ( base and handset connected by electromagnetic waves) the information, according to the configuration of the locations of C, T, G, circulates by electromagnetic waves of types identical to those already used by the manufacturer for the current functions of this type of telephone

II. Use cases where C, T, G (Sensor, Processing, Generator) are installed entirely in the radiotelephone, associated or not with other radiotelephones and or wired or wired-mobile, single or multi-user telephones. Thus the system is compact, all the necessary functions are integrated in the radiotelephone, the energy of the process is drawn from the batteries of the radiotelephone, or if necessary by a separate auxiliary supply (B) connected to the radiotelephone by wires. If necessary, the radiotelephone is associated with other radiotelephones or other wired or wired-mobile telephones, mixed networks, each of the devices is equipped or not with the process.

III. Cases where C, T, (Sensor and Processing) are installed in the radiotelephone, G, (Signal generator) is installed in an external accessory, connected to the radiotelephone by wire circuit or by electromagnetic waves or radiation.

The Sensor C and the Processing module T are installed in the radiotelephone.

The CT system simultaneously captures and processes the sounds emitted by the user's voice, they are communicated to the external generator G, which directly diffuses the interference necessary for the process. In the case of a wire connection between C, T, contained in the telephone and G, the exchanges are carried out by conducting wires.

Without a wire link between C, T, contained in the telephone and G, the exchanges are carried out by electromagnetic waves or radiation, or by any other means capable of carrying data remotely. If the connection between C, T, contained in the radiotelephone and G, the independent accessory is reliable, this is supplied with current by the batteries of the radiotelephone and / or by the power supply (B), however if necessary, (B), supplies the accessory with current and supplements, if necessary, the energy requirements of the radiotelephone. If the link between C, T, contained in the radiotelephone and G is by waves or electromagnetic radiation, G is supplied by B, its independent supply.

IV. Cases where C (Sensor) is installed in the radiotelephone, T, G (Treatment, Generator) are installed in an external accessory, connected together by wire circuit, or by electromagnetic waves or radiation.

Sensor C, installed in the radiotelephone, T, G, are installed in an external accessory. System C picks up the sounds emitted by the user's voice, they are simultaneously communicated to T, G, the external system, so that G, the generator, directly diffuses the necessary interference.

In the case of a connection between the sensor contained in the telephone and TG, the exchanges are carried out indifferently by conductive wires and / or by electromagnetic waves or radiation.

Without a wire link between C, contained in the telephone and T G, the exchanges are carried out by electromagnetic waves or radiation, or by any other means capable of carrying data remotely.

If the connection between C, contained in the radiotelephone and TG, is reliable, the independent accessory is supplied with current by the batteries of the radiotelephone and / or by the power supply (B), however if necessary, (B), which supplies the accessory with current, supplementing if necessary, the energy requirements of the radiotelephone.

If the link between C, contained in the radiotelephone and T G, is by waves or electromagnetic radiation, the accessory containing T G, is powered by

B, independent power.

V. Cases where C, T, G, (Sensor, Treatment, Generator) are installed in an independent external accessory, connected if necessary to the radiotelephone by wire circuit or by electromagnetic waves or radiation. The C, T, G system is installed in an accessory independent of the radiotelephone. It receives the acoustic waves emitted by the user's voice which are simultaneously processed and rebroadcast transformed.

If the connection between the CTG system and the telephone is reliable, the independent accessory is supplied with current by the batteries of the radiotelephone and / or by the power supply (B), however if necessary, (B), which supplies running the accessory, complete if necessary, the energy needs of the radiotelephone.

If no connection exists between the system and the radiotelephone, the system

C, T, G, B is completely independent, and there is no need to modify the characteristics of radiotelephones. VI. Cases where G (Transformed signal generator) is installed in the radiotelephone, C, T (Sensor, Signal processing) are installed in a external accessory, connected to the radiotelephone by wire circuit and / or by electromagnetic waves or radiation.

The CT system, placed in an accessory, picks up the sounds emitted by the user's voice which are simultaneously processed T, then communicated to the generator G, contained in the telephone, the interference produced and necessary for the process, is immediately broadcast nearby of the phone user.

In the case of a wire connection between G contained in the telephone and C T, the exchanges are carried out by conducting wires.

Without a wire link between G, contained in the telephone and C T, contained in the accessory, the exchanges are carried out by electromagnetic waves or radiation, or by any other means capable of carrying data remotely.

If the bond between G contained in the radiotelephone and CT is fiiaire, ^the independent accessory is supplied with current by the batteries of the radio telephone and / or by the power supply (B), however if necessary, (B), which feeds by running the accessory, supplementing if necessary, the energy needs of the radiotelephone.

If the link between G, contained in the radiotelephone and C T is by electromagnetic waves or other means capable of carrying data remotely, the accessory containing C, T, is powered by the independent power supply (B).

Claims

1. Method applied to radiotelephone, cellular, portable, landline telephone, mobile landline telephone, any other landline or wireless telephone, simple or multi-station, characterized in that the said process makes it possible to attenuate, scramble, annoy, delete, all or part of the sound emitted by the user's voice, which is propagated outside the device during a telephone communication, the method comprising the steps:

- to capture, directly or indirectly, the sound waves or the electrical signals which result from the voice of the user, during a telephone communication, to analyze, the said electrical signals or sound waves, to transform them into other appropriate electrical signals,

- to diffuse in the surrounding space, the electrical signals transformed in the form of acoustic waves, phase shifted and recalibrated, which simultaneously will mix, oppose and counter the sound waves produced by the voice of the user which propagate in outside the phone, to produce the desired effect.

2. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the system is intended for single or multi-user telephone telephone, which contains a base and a handset, interconnected by conductive wires, the members C, T, G, are installed individually and following cases:

- indifferently on the base and lou on the handset, and supplied with current by the electrical power supply network of the telephone, (so that the organs C, T, G, which are connected together by conductive wires, makes the system has an inexhaustible energy).

3. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the system is intended for single or multi-user mobile-telephone, which contains a base and a handset not connected by conducting wires, the members C, T, G, are installed individually and following the cases: - indifferently on the base and / or on the handset, and supplied with current by the electric power supply network of the base or the current of the batteries on board the handset. iO

(so that the system has an inexhaustible energy from the base and rechargeable by the handset when it is placed at rest on its base).

4. Method according to claim 1 and 3 characterized in that the method allows to convey between the base and the handset, by waves or electromagnetic radiation, the information produced or contained in C, T, and G, whatever their respective location , in the base and / or in the handset, (so that the process does not require any connection between the base and the telephone handset)

5. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the method which is addressed to the radiotelephone or mobile telephone or cellular telephone, contains all the organs, the sensor C, the analyzer and signal processing, T, the signal generator transformed, G, the energy needs of the system are provided by the batteries of the telephone, (so that all the functions of the process, capture, analyze-process and generate-broadcast the appropriate acoustic signals, then supply the system, are met in the phone)

6. Method according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that the system which is entirely contained in the radiotelephone is connected by conductive wires to an external accessory B, which completes the energy requirements of the system,

(so that an independent complement of energy resources B, is connected by conductive wires to the radiotelephone, It supplies the system, also intervenes in a complementary manner if necessary, on the energy requirements of the radiotelephone) 7. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the method which is addressed to the radiotelephone or mobile telephone or cellular telephone, contains in the telephone the organs, the sensor C, the analyzer and processing of the signal T, and that moreover, the generator of transformed signals G , is located in an accessory external to the telephone. (so that the part of the system containing G, the modified signal generator is contained in an independent accessory sufficiently mobile to be placed near the user to achieve the desired effect) II

8. Method according to claims 1 and 7, characterized in that the exchanges which take place between the part of the system contained in the telephone and its accessory are carried out by means of electrical conductors, the accessory is supplied with current by the radiotelephone batteries and / or by the power supply (B) placed in the accessory, however if necessary, (B), supplements if necessary, the energy requirements of the radiotelephone

(so that the connections, between C and T contained in the telephone, and G contained in the accessory are carried out by electrical conductors which convey the information) 9. Method according to claims 1 and 7, characterized in that the exchanges which take place between the part of the system contained in the telephone and its independent accessory G, are produced by electromagnetic waves or radiation, (so that the external accessory comprising the generator of modified signals G and the energy resources B, is completely autonomous from the radio telephone, the relationships between the accessory and the telephone are effected by electromagnetic waves or radiation)

10. Method according to claim 1, 7, 8, and 9 characterized in that the exchanges which take place between the part of the system contained in the telephone C, T, and its accessory are carried out either by electromagnetic waves or radiation, and by conducting wires, accessory G, is supplied with current by the batteries of the radiotelephone and / or by the power supply (B) placed in the accessory, however if necessary, (B), supplements if necessary, the needs in energy of the radiotelephone (so that the exchanges between the system contained partly in the radiotelephone C, T, and partly in its independent accessory G, are carried out by electromagnetic waves or radiation and by conductive wires)

11. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the method which is addressed to the radiotelephone or mobile telephone or cellular telephone, contains in the telephone, the sensor C, and that moreover, the analyzer and signal processing T, the transformed signal generator G. are located in an accessory external to the telephone,

(so that the part of the system containing the processing of the signal T, and the modified signal generator G, are separated from the radiotelephone which itself contains the other part of the system, the sensor C)

12. Method according to claims 1 and 11, characterized in that the exchanges which take place between the part of the system contained in the telephone and the part of the system located in the accessory are produced by electrical conductors, the accessory is supplied with current by the batteries of the radiotelephone and or by the supply (B), placed in the accessory, however if necessary, (B), supplements if necessary, the energy requirements of the radiotelephone

(so that the connections between C, contained in the telephone, and T and G contained in the accessory are made by electrical conductors which convey information,)

13. Method according to claims 1 and 1, characterized in that the exchanges which take place between the part of the system contained in the telephone C, and the part of the system contained in the accessory T, G, are carried out by waves or electromagnetic radiation, (so that the processing of the signal T, the generator of modified signals G, and the energy resources B, are completely autonomous from the radio telephone, the relations between the two systems are made by waves or electromagnetic radiation)

14. Method according to claim 1, 11, 12, and 13 characterized in that the exchanges which take place between the part of the system contained in the telephone C, and its accessory T, G, are carried out equally by waves or radiation electromagnetic, and son conductors, ^the accessory is supplied with current by the batteries of the radio telephone and / or by the power supply (B) placed in the accessory, however, where appropriate, (B), complete if necessary, needs in radiotelephone energy, (so that the exchanges between the part of the system C. contained in the radiotelephone and the part of the system T, G, contained in the independent accessory are carried out by electromagnetic waves and by conducting wires)

15. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the system contains in a separate accessory, the sensor C, the analyzer and processing of the signal T, the generator of transformed signals G,

(so that all the functions of the process, capture, analyze-process, and broadcast, are gathered in a separate and autonomous accessory of the radiotelephone)

16. Method according to claims 1 and 15, characterized in that the accessory which contains the organs C, T, and G, directly receives the acoustic waves produced by the voice of the telephone user, and the retransmitters transformed to produce the desired effect, the power supply B is located in the accessory, (so that the autonomous accessory, which is not connected by any system to the telephone, achieves the desired effect without the need to modify the technological characteristics of the telephone)

17. Method according to claims 1 and 15, characterized in that the accessory is connected to the telephone by electrical conductors, it is supplied with current by the batteries of the radiotelephone and or by the power supply (B) placed in the accessory, however if necessary, (B), supplements if necessary, the energy needs of the radiotelephone

(so that the sensor C contained in the accessory can receive its information by wire circuit)

18. Method according to claims 1 and 15, characterized in that the accessory is connected to the telephone by waves or electromagnetic radiation, B, supplies only the system placed in the accessory,

(so that the sensor C, contained in the accessory can receive its information by waves or electromagnetic radiation)

19. Method according to claims 1 and 15, 17, 18, characterized in that the accessory is connected to the telephone by electromagnetic waves or radiation, and by electrical conductors, the accessory is supplied with current by the batteries of the radiotelephone and / or by the power supply (B) placed in the accessory, however if necessary, (B), supplements if necessary, the energy needs of the radiotelephone

(so that the sensor C, contained in the accessory can receive the information by electromagnetic waves and / or by wire circuit; 20. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the method which is addressed to the radiotelephone or mobile telephone or cellular telephone, contains in the telephone the generator of transformed signals G, and that in addition, the sensor C, the analyzer and processing of the signal T, are located in an accessory external to the telephone, (so that the generator of transformed signals G is installed in the radiotelephone near the user's voice source)

21. The method of claim 1 and 20 characterized in that the accessory which contains the organs C, and T, picks up the acoustic waves produced by the voice of the telephone user, (so that C, the sensor located in the accessory receives by air the acoustic waves produced by the user's voice)

22. Method according to claims 1, 20, and 21 characterized in that the accessory containing C, and T, is connected to the radiotelephone by conducting wires, it is supplied with current by the batteries of the radiotelephone and / or by the power supply (B) placed in the accessory, however if necessary, (B), supplements if necessary, the energy requirements of the radiotelephone

(so that C, the sensor of the accessory receives, the signals emitted by the voice of the user, either in the form of acoustic waves or by the wire circuit, the processing of the signal T exchanges its information with the telephone thanks to the fiancial link)

23. Method according to claims 1, 20, and 21 characterized in that the accessory containing C, and T, is connected to the radiotelephone by waves or electromagnetic radiation,

(so that C, the sensor of the accessory receives, indifferently in the form of acoustic waves or electromagnetic waves the signals emitted by the voice of the user, the processing of the signal T exchanges its information with the telephone thanks to the connection by electromagnetic waves or radiation)

24. Method according to claims 1, 20, 21, 22 and 23 characterized in that the accessory containing C, and T, is connected to the radiotelephone and by electrical conductors and by waves or electromagnetic radiation, the accessory is supplied with current by the radiotelephone batteries and / or by the power supply (B) placed in the accessory, however if necessary, (B), supplements if necessary, the energy needs of the radiotelephone)

(so that the sensor C, placed in the accessory receives the signals produced by the voice of the user either by wire connection and / or by electromagnetic waves, or even, directly from the voice of the user by acoustic waves, and that G, the transformed signal generator T, receives the information from the accessory by electromagnetic waves or radiation and / or by wire circuit)