GB2352948A - Voice activity monitoring - Google Patents
Voice activity monitoring Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2352948A GB2352948A GB9916430A GB9916430A GB2352948A GB 2352948 A GB2352948 A GB 2352948A GB 9916430 A GB9916430 A GB 9916430A GB 9916430 A GB9916430 A GB 9916430A GB 2352948 A GB2352948 A GB 2352948A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- audio signal
- local
- voice activity
- ear
- monitoring
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 30
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 27
- 230000005236 sound signal Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 38
- 230000009466 transformation Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 13
- 230000001131 transforming effect Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10L—SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
- G10L25/00—Speech or voice analysis techniques not restricted to a single one of groups G10L15/00 - G10L21/00
- G10L25/78—Detection of presence or absence of voice signals
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computational Linguistics (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
- Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- Multimedia (AREA)
- Monitoring And Testing Of Exchanges (AREA)
Abstract
A voice activity monitoring apparatus 10 for use with telecommunications apparatus having a local ear-piece 3 and a local microphone 2 receives a microphone audio signal A<SB>M</SB> and an ear-piece audio signal A<SB>E</SB> from the microphone and ear-piece respectively, transforms the received microphone audio and received ear-piece audio signals from the time domain to the frequency domain to generate respective transformation signals, and monitors the transformation signals as a function of time to derive voice activity information. Divergence of the transformation signals is indicative of voice activity of a distant party and a local party. If the signals track each other, voice activity solely of the local party is indicated.
Description
1 2352948 VOICE ACTIVITY MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHODS This invention
relates to voice activity monitoring apparatus and methods for use with telecommunications apparatus having a local ear-piece and a local microphone.
It is sometimes necessary to determine if a local party or a distant party is talking on a telephone line, or if both parties are talking at the same time or, indeed, if neither party is talking.
It might seem that this could be accomplished by directly monitoring the microphone audio signal and the ear-piece audio signal to detect for voice activity of the local party and the distant party respectively. However, this approach is impractical due to the presence of a low level side-tone; that is, a signal in the ear-piece audio signal originating from the local microphone. 15 The amount of side-tone present will vary with the type of telecommunications apparatus and may also vary with volume setting in the telephone handset or, in the case of a headset, with the volume setting of a control built into the headset lead. The side-tone will be of unknown phase as well as indeterminate amplitude. 20 It is an object of the invention to provide a voice activity monitoring apparatus and method which substantially alleviates this problem.
2 According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a voice activity monitoring apparatus for use with telecommunications apparatus having a local ear- piece and a local microphone, the monitoning apparatus comprising, means for receiving a microphone audio signal and an ear-piece audio signal from the local microphone and the local ear-piece respectively, means for transforming the received microphone audio signal and the received ear-piece audio signal from the time domain to the frequency domain to generate respective transformation signals, and means for monitoring said transformation signals as a function of time to derive voice activity information.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for monitoring voice activity in telecommunications apparatus having a local ear-piece and a local microphone, the method including the steps of receiving a microphone audio signal and an ear-piece audio signal from the local microphone and the local ear-piece respectively, transforming the received microphone audio signal and the received ear-piece audio signal from the time domain to the frequency domain to generate respective transformation signals, and monitoring said transformation signals as a fiinction of time to denve voice activity information.
A voice activity monitoring apparatus and method according to the invention are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a block schematic representation of the apparatus.
3 Referring to the drawing, a telecommunications apparatus comprises a telephone base unit I coupled to the telecommunications network N and a local handset or headset unit 2 including a local ear-piece 3, having a volume control 4, and a local microphone 5. The ear-piece 3 receives an ear-piece audio signal AE and the microphone 5 generates a microphone audio signal Ar, As already described, the ear piece audio signal A. contains a low level side-tone originating in the microphone 5.
A voice activity monitoring unit 10 has respective inputs 1, and 12 for receiving the microphone audio signal Am and the ear-piece audio signal AEin different channels C, andC2' The signals in each channel are sampled in respective analogue-to-digital conversion circuits I I and 12 and the samples in each channel are subjected to a Fast Fourier Transforrn (FFT) in processor 13 to produce respective transformation signals. In this particular embodiment, the microphone and ear-piece audio signals- are both sampled at 8kHz and each FFT is carried out on 128 successive samples. It will be appreciated that other forms of transform could be used.
It has been found that voice activity in the ear-piece and microphone audio signals AE,AE can be reliably determined by monitoring the FFT transformation signals generated in the two channels as a ftinction of time.
4 More specifically, if the amplitudes of the transformation signals in channels C, and C21 measured in one or more corresponding frequency band, are observed to diverge as a function of time (i.e. they change in opposite senses), this is indicative of simultaneous voice activity of the distant party and the local party (i.e. voice signals are simultaneously present in the microphone and ear-piece audio signals A.,A, ,.) Alternatively, if the two transformation signals are observed to follow or track each other as a function of time (i.e. they change in the same sense), this is indicative of voice activity solely of a local party (i.e. voice signals are present in the microphone audio signal Am but not the ear-piece audio signal A.
By this means it becomes possible to monitor voice activity notwithstanding the presence of a low level side-tone in the ear-piece audio signal AE.
Of course, the absence of both an ear-piece audio signal and a inicrophone audio signal indicates that neither party is speaking.
Claims (13)
- I A voice activity monitoring apparatus for use with telecommunications apparatus having a local ear-piece and a local microphone, the monitoring apparatus comprising, means for receiving a microphone audio signal and an ear-piece audio signal from the local microphone and the local ear-piece respectively, means for transfon-ning the received microphone audio signal and the received ear-piece audio signal from the time domain to the frequency domain to generate respective transformation signals, and means for monitoring said transformation signals as a function of time to derive voice activity information.
- 2. An apparatus according to claim I wherein said means for monitoring is arranged to detect for divergence of said transformation signals as a function of time, said divergence being indicative of simultaneous voice activity of a distant party and a local party.
- 3. An apparatus according to claim I or claim 2 wherein said means for monitoring is arranged to detect for tracking of said transformation signals as a function of time, said tracking being indicative of voice activity solely of a local party.6
- 4. An apparatus according to any one of claims I to 3 wherein said means for monitoring is arranged to monitor said transfori-nation signals in one or more corresponding frequency band.
- 5. An apparatus according to any one of claims I to 4 wherein said means for transfon-ning subjects the received microphone audio signal and the received ear-piece audio signal to respective Fast Fourier Transforms.
- 6. A method for monitoring voice activity in telecommunications apparatus having a local ear-piece and a local microphone, the method including the steps of receiving a microphone audio signal and an ear-piece audio signal from the local microphone and the local ear-piece respectively, transforming the received microphone audio signal and the received earpiece audio signal from the time domain to the frequency domain to generate respective transformation signals, and monitoring said transformation signals as a function of time to derive voice activity information.7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said monitoring step includes detecting for divergence of said transformation signals as a function of time, said divergence being indicative of simultaneous voice activity of a distant party and a local party.
- 7
- 8. A method as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein said monitoring step includes detecting for tracking of said transformation signals as a function of time, said tracking being indicative of voice activity of a local party alone.
- 9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein said monitoring step includes monitoring said transfon-nation signals in one or more corresponding frequency band.
- 10. A method as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9 wherein said transforming step includes subjecting the received microphone audio signal and the received ear- piece audio signal to respective Fast Fourier Transforms.
- 11. Telecommunications apparatus incorporating a voice activity monitoning apparatus according to any one of claims I to 5.
- 12. A voice activity monitoring apparatus substantially as hereindescribed with reference to the accompanying drawing.
- 13. A method for monitoring voice activity substantially as hereindesenibed.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9916430A GB2352948B (en) | 1999-07-13 | 1999-07-13 | Voice activity monitoring apparatus and methods |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9916430A GB2352948B (en) | 1999-07-13 | 1999-07-13 | Voice activity monitoring apparatus and methods |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9916430D0 GB9916430D0 (en) | 1999-09-15 |
| GB2352948A true GB2352948A (en) | 2001-02-07 |
| GB2352948B GB2352948B (en) | 2004-03-31 |
Family
ID=10857179
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9916430A Expired - Fee Related GB2352948B (en) | 1999-07-13 | 1999-07-13 | Voice activity monitoring apparatus and methods |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2352948B (en) |
Cited By (16)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7386105B2 (en) | 2005-05-27 | 2008-06-10 | Nice Systems Ltd | Method and apparatus for fraud detection |
| US7436887B2 (en) | 2002-02-06 | 2008-10-14 | Playtex Products, Inc. | Method and apparatus for video frame sequence-based object tracking |
| USRE40634E1 (en) | 1996-09-26 | 2009-02-10 | Verint Americas | Voice interaction analysis module |
| US7546173B2 (en) | 2003-08-18 | 2009-06-09 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Apparatus and method for audio content analysis, marking and summing |
| US7573421B2 (en) | 2001-09-24 | 2009-08-11 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | System and method for the automatic control of video frame rate |
| US7683929B2 (en) | 2002-02-06 | 2010-03-23 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | System and method for video content analysis-based detection, surveillance and alarm management |
| US7714878B2 (en) | 2004-08-09 | 2010-05-11 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Apparatus and method for multimedia content based manipulation |
| US7716048B2 (en) | 2006-01-25 | 2010-05-11 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Method and apparatus for segmentation of audio interactions |
| US7728870B2 (en) | 2001-09-06 | 2010-06-01 | Nice Systems Ltd | Advanced quality management and recording solutions for walk-in environments |
| US7761544B2 (en) | 2002-03-07 | 2010-07-20 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Method and apparatus for internal and external monitoring of a transportation vehicle |
| US7953219B2 (en) | 2001-07-19 | 2011-05-31 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Method apparatus and system for capturing and analyzing interaction based content |
| US8005675B2 (en) | 2005-03-17 | 2011-08-23 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Apparatus and method for audio analysis |
| US8060364B2 (en) | 2003-11-05 | 2011-11-15 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Apparatus and method for event-driven content analysis |
| US8724891B2 (en) | 2004-08-31 | 2014-05-13 | Ramot At Tel-Aviv University Ltd. | Apparatus and methods for the detection of abnormal motion in a video stream |
| US9712665B2 (en) | 2003-04-09 | 2017-07-18 | Nice Ltd. | Apparatus, system and method for dispute resolution, regulation compliance and quality management in financial institutions |
| CN107103914A (en) * | 2017-03-20 | 2017-08-29 | 南京邮电大学 | A kind of high-quality phonetics transfer method |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8078463B2 (en) | 2004-11-23 | 2011-12-13 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Method and apparatus for speaker spotting |
Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1995023477A1 (en) * | 1994-02-28 | 1995-08-31 | Qualcomm Incorporated | Doubletalk detection by means of spectral content |
| WO1996025733A1 (en) * | 1995-02-15 | 1996-08-22 | British Telecommunications Public Limited Company | Voice activity detection |
| US5848151A (en) * | 1995-01-24 | 1998-12-08 | Matra Communications | Acoustical echo canceller having an adaptive filter with passage into the frequency domain |
-
1999
- 1999-07-13 GB GB9916430A patent/GB2352948B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1995023477A1 (en) * | 1994-02-28 | 1995-08-31 | Qualcomm Incorporated | Doubletalk detection by means of spectral content |
| US5848151A (en) * | 1995-01-24 | 1998-12-08 | Matra Communications | Acoustical echo canceller having an adaptive filter with passage into the frequency domain |
| WO1996025733A1 (en) * | 1995-02-15 | 1996-08-22 | British Telecommunications Public Limited Company | Voice activity detection |
Cited By (19)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USRE41534E1 (en) | 1996-09-26 | 2010-08-17 | Verint Americas Inc. | Utilizing spare processing capacity to analyze a call center interaction |
| USRE40634E1 (en) | 1996-09-26 | 2009-02-10 | Verint Americas | Voice interaction analysis module |
| US7953219B2 (en) | 2001-07-19 | 2011-05-31 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Method apparatus and system for capturing and analyzing interaction based content |
| US7728870B2 (en) | 2001-09-06 | 2010-06-01 | Nice Systems Ltd | Advanced quality management and recording solutions for walk-in environments |
| US7573421B2 (en) | 2001-09-24 | 2009-08-11 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | System and method for the automatic control of video frame rate |
| US7683929B2 (en) | 2002-02-06 | 2010-03-23 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | System and method for video content analysis-based detection, surveillance and alarm management |
| US7436887B2 (en) | 2002-02-06 | 2008-10-14 | Playtex Products, Inc. | Method and apparatus for video frame sequence-based object tracking |
| US7761544B2 (en) | 2002-03-07 | 2010-07-20 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Method and apparatus for internal and external monitoring of a transportation vehicle |
| US9712665B2 (en) | 2003-04-09 | 2017-07-18 | Nice Ltd. | Apparatus, system and method for dispute resolution, regulation compliance and quality management in financial institutions |
| US7546173B2 (en) | 2003-08-18 | 2009-06-09 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Apparatus and method for audio content analysis, marking and summing |
| US8060364B2 (en) | 2003-11-05 | 2011-11-15 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Apparatus and method for event-driven content analysis |
| US7714878B2 (en) | 2004-08-09 | 2010-05-11 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Apparatus and method for multimedia content based manipulation |
| US8724891B2 (en) | 2004-08-31 | 2014-05-13 | Ramot At Tel-Aviv University Ltd. | Apparatus and methods for the detection of abnormal motion in a video stream |
| US8005675B2 (en) | 2005-03-17 | 2011-08-23 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Apparatus and method for audio analysis |
| US7801288B2 (en) | 2005-05-27 | 2010-09-21 | Nice Systems Ltd. | Method and apparatus for fraud detection |
| US7386105B2 (en) | 2005-05-27 | 2008-06-10 | Nice Systems Ltd | Method and apparatus for fraud detection |
| US7716048B2 (en) | 2006-01-25 | 2010-05-11 | Nice Systems, Ltd. | Method and apparatus for segmentation of audio interactions |
| CN107103914A (en) * | 2017-03-20 | 2017-08-29 | 南京邮电大学 | A kind of high-quality phonetics transfer method |
| CN107103914B (en) * | 2017-03-20 | 2020-06-16 | 南京邮电大学 | High-quality voice conversion method |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9916430D0 (en) | 1999-09-15 |
| GB2352948B (en) | 2004-03-31 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 732E | Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20060713 |