Robert Boschgmbh

Hans Van Der Schaar

Marc Smaak

Jochem Bonarius

Sjack Schellekens

Kees Janse

John Meeusen

Oosterom Han

Richard Heusdens

Richard Hendriks

Kees Geerts

Renier Hoengens

Jaap Grootens

Rene Derkx

Janse Kees

Conference systems are often installed in plenary halls or meeting rooms, whereby such conference systems typically consist of a central equipment and equipment for the participants of the discussion. The central equipment is usually used to control the conference system and supply power to the participant equipment. A conference systemcomprising a plurality of delegate units, whereby the delegate unitscomprise a microphonefor receiving a speech signal from a speaker, a control devicefor providing the delegate unitswith power, a network connectionfor connecting the plurality of delegate unitswith the control device, whereby the network connectionis operable to transmit the power from the control deviceto the delegate units, whereby at least one of the delegate unitsis a control delegate unit, whereby the control delegate unitcomprises a wake-up interface, whereby the conference systemis operable to activate the control deviceand/or the other delegate unitsfrom an un-activated state into an activated state as a reaction to the use of the wake-up interface

Conference system and process for operating the conference system

Conference systems are used for example in discussions and usually comprise a plurality of delegate units with microphones, whereby in a discussion each discussion participant uses his own delegate unit. Usually the delegate units have a switch or the like, that allows the participant in front of the delegate unit to request, that his microphone is activated, so that the speech of the participant is input in the conference system and amplified by the conference system. A conference system comprising () a plurality of delegate units (), each delegate unit () having a microphone () for receiving an audio signal from a surrounding, a central service module () handling a plurality of contribution channels, whereby the audio output of the contribution channels contribute to an amplified audio output of the conference system () is proposed, whereby each delegate unit () is adapted to send a request for a contribution channel commit to the central service module (), whereby the central service module () is adapted to grant the request and to allocate a contribution channel to the requesting delegate unit (), thus setting the requesting delegate unit i in an active state A, whereby the delegate unit () is adapted to trigger the request by voice activation, whereby the request is triggered in case at least a first trigger condition is fulfilled defining that the audio signal level of one of the delegate units () as a possible requesting delegate unit i is higher than an individual test value for each other delegate unit () in the active state A, whereby the individual test value is an estimated audio signal level of the possible requesting unit i resulting from an audio or speech signal provided to the other active delegate units ().

Conference system and process for voice activation in the conference system

Public address systems or other systems for emitting audio signals, like music, speech or announcements, in different locations like supermarkets, schools, universities, and auditoriums are widely known. In one embodiment, invention proposes a system for emitting an audio signal in an environment. The system includes an audio source for providing the audio signal and at least one loudspeaker for emitting the audio signal. The system also includes at least one microphone for receiving an acoustic signal from the environment. The acoustic signal is based on the audio signal and may comprise disturbing components. The system also includes an analyzing module for analyzing the acoustic signal and for providing an intelligibility measure from an objective intelligibility measure method. The intelligibility measure is used as a feedback signal.

System and method for emitting and especially controlling an audio signal in an environment using an objective intelligibility measure

Conference Systems usually comprise a plurality of delegate units, whereby each delegate unit provides a speaking place for a person attending the Conference. A delegate unit () for a Conference System is disclosed with a microphone () and a signal means () whereby the signal means () comprise a possible-to-speak indicator () operable to indicate a possible-to-speak Status of the microphone (), whereby the microphone is ready to be activated by a user of the delegate unit (), thus indicating the user floor status.

Delegate unit for a conference system, conference system, method for operating the delegate unit and computer program

Growing community of inventors

Breda, Netherlands

Hans Van Der Schaar