Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Microsoft Corporation

William L Looney

Anton W Krantz

Amit Gupta

Rajesh Ramanathan

Avronil Bhattacharjee

Devices connected with a computer system are interrogated to detect whether they are configured and functioning. In an audio device implementation, a known audio sample is output to a loudspeaker. If the loudspeaker is properly configured and functional, an attached microphone will capture the sound corresponding to the audio sample generated by the loudspeaker. If sound corresponding to the audio sample is detected, an indication is provided to the user that the microphone and loudspeaker are operational. If no sound corresponding to the audio sample is detected, an indication is provided to the user that the loudspeaker is not enabled and additional configuration is required.

Detection of device configuration

Conversation rights for multi-modal communications are managed and enforced in an enhanced communication system. Through physical and/or software components, rights are assigned to a communication session and related components upon user request. Permitted participants of the session are provided access tools such as decryption keys. Restrictions based on the assigned conversation rights are extended to preserved recordings and associated documents of the communication session.

Conversation rights management

A determination to enable echo cancellation is made in advance of a real-time communication session. A model sample audio file stored in memory on the computer system is played through a loudspeaker connected with the computer system. The sound generated by the loudspeaker is captured by a microphone connected with the computer system to create a captured audio signal. The captured audio signal is correlated with the sample audio signal to determine the presence of any echo effect in the captured audio signal. Characteristics of any echo in the captured audio signal, for example, frequency, delay, and gain, are parameterized and stored as initial values for use by the echo cancellation algorithm. The stored parameters are used by the echo cancellation algorithm at the initiation of a communication session until the algorithm receives enough real-time information to make any necessary ongoing adjustments.

Growing community of inventors

Kirkland, WA, United States of America

William L Looney