Patent · US Expired

Teleconference system

US4712231A · kind A · utility

53Cited by
21References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 6, 1984
Grant dateDec 8, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 6, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M3/56
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A teleconferencing system for connection to telephone lines or other communication links. Directionally gated microphones receive local speech for audio send signal transmission to the far end on the telephone line, and audio receive signals from the far end are output locally via a loudspeaker. The outgoing send signals and incoming receive signals are automatically suppressed in accordance with user and setup controls (volume and suppression) and in accordance with the strength of the incoming receive signal. When the system is in a send mode, the receive signals are suppressed to a lower audible level; when the system is in a receive mode, the send signals are suppressed. The mode of the system is switched during conversation. When simultaneous talking (speech from both ends) occurs, priority is given to the interrupting party.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.