Method and device for improving audio quality in a mobile radio network

REPUBLIC

POLAND

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Patent Office of the Republic of Poland (12) PATENT DESCRIPTION (19) PL (11) 196500 (13) B1 (21) Application number: 358910 ⁽¹³⁾ (22) Date of notification: 12/11/1999 ^{(51) Int.Cl.}

H04Q 7/22 (2006.01) (86) Date and number of the international application:

12.11.1999, PCT / DE99 / 03616 (87) Date and publication number of the international application:

May 25, 2000, WO00 / 30277 PCT Gazette No. 21/00 (54) A method and device for improving the quality of audio in a mobile radiocommunication network

<td>(30) Priority: 11/12/1998, DE, 19852091.3</td><td>(73) The right holder of the patent: T-MOBILE DEUTSCHLAND GmbH, Bonn, DE</td>

<td>(43) Application was announced: 23.08.2004 BUP 17/04</td><td>(72) Inventor (s): Bernhard Budnik, Bonn, DE</td>

<td>(45) The grant of the patent was announced:</td><td>(74) Representative:</td>

<td>31.01.2008 WUP 01/08</td><td>Palka Grażyna, POLSERVICE, Kancelaria Rzeczników Patentowych Sp. z o. o</td>

⁽⁵⁷⁾ A method of improving the audio quality in a mobile radiocommunication network, characterized in that, by means of an equalizer (7) in the audio channel (10) assigned to the communication link, it influences the audio quality in the audio channel (10) depending on the type of terminal devices, involved in the call by changing the parameters of the sound transmitted in the audio channel.

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PL 196 500 B1

Description of the invention

The present invention relates to a method and device for improving the quality of audio in a mobile radiocommunication network.

Mobile radiocommunication networks, such as the GSM radiocommunication network, behave neutral in terms of sound characteristics, irrespective of a given bandwidth limitation.

The sound perceived by the radiocommunication subscriber is primarily determined by the radiocommunication end devices, with each device manufacturer giving the device a slightly different sound image. Known models of terminal devices show large sound differences which are perceived as pleasant or less pleasant to a different extent.

The known GSM1800 networks sound better than the GSM900 networks, which means that the GDM1800 networks sound better than the end devices used in these networks.

It is known from the European patent description EP A-0 705 016 a method of improving the sound quality, depending in the case of telephones on the individual subscriber. Before connecting the calls or during the connection, the sound quality of the current call connection is improved, depending on the preset subscriber parameters, by means of devices in the communication network. For this purpose, the subscriber enters the required settings manually via the telephone, or his identity is automatically determined by the communication network, and based on the identity, the subscriber's preset settings are downloaded from the database.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that, by means of an equalizer in the audio channel assigned to the communication connection, the quality of the audio in the audio channel is influenced depending on the type of terminal devices involved in the connection by changing the parameters of the sound transmitted in the audio channel.

Preferably, the equalizer is used to influence the audio quality in the direction of the call from the calling subscriber to the called subscriber, differently than in the direction from the called subscriber to the calling subscriber.

Preferably, the types of end devices are determined by the controller of the base station or the mobile exchange by asking for the identifier of the mobile device, and a predetermined type of end device is assigned predetermined parameters for setting the equalizer.

Preferably, the parameters for all mobile radiocommunication terminals are stored in the data memory and called up as required.

Preferably, an equalizer is configured in the audio channel on the basis of the parameters stored for a given type of terminal device.

The parameters are preferably transmitted to the corrector via a control signal generated in the mobile radiocommunication center or other network elements.

The equalizer is preferably set according to the individual characteristics of the subscribers.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that an equalizer is switched on in the audio channel associated with the communication link.

Preferably, the equalizer is located in the base station controller.

Preferably, the corrector is located in the mobile radiocommunication center.

Preferably, the equalizer is part of a transcoding device.

Preferably, the equalizer is included upstream or downstream of the transcoding device.

Preferably, the equalizer comprises a plurality of correction blocks associated with the individual audio channels.

An advantage of the invention is the development of a method and a device with which the sound quality in the radio communication network is corrected depending on the end devices. Thanks to the invention, any shortcomings in the audio quality of the individual models of terminal devices are compensated for by the network, i.e. in a manner imperceptible to the patient. Now it is not the end device manufacturer but the network operator that determines the audio picture characteristics of the network, whereby the characteristics are determined for each end device model, with the direct result of improving the quality of networks equipped according to the invention. The end device, which has a lower-quality sound in an ordinary network, achieves a good sound quality using the invention, which directly affects the quality of the network perceived by the subscriber. Depending on the end device, the configuration of the equalizer connected to the audio channel takes place, so that, for example, with a device that sounds particularly dull, the treble is raised.

PL 196 500 B1

The subject matter of the invention is shown in the drawing in which Fig. 1 shows a mobile radio communication network using the invention.

Figure 1 shows an example of a GSM mobile radiocommunication network for the most important devices implementing the communication link between a mobile subscriber and a public fixed network subscriber.

The mobile subscriber establishes a voice connection with a subscriber of the public fixed network 9 via the mobile radio terminal 1 and registers in the mobile radiocommunication network via the base station 2. The connection is first established via the base station 2 and the base station controller 3 to the mobile exchange 5 radiocommunication that takes over the connection to the public fixed network 9. A transcoding device 4 is connected between the base station controller 3 and the mobile radiocommunication center 5, which is arranged e.g. inside the mobile radiocommunication center 5.

In the audio channel 10 of the connection, an equalizer 7 is activated, which is located in the area of ​​the mobile radiocommunication center 5. The corrector 7 is controlled by the control signal 8 by the mobile exchange 5. During the connection process, the mobile exchange 5 determines the model 1 of the device by asking for the IMEI identifier of the mobile device used by the mobile subscriber. Querying for the IMEI identifier is carried out in the GSM standard. For each type of commercially available device, the sound parameters stored in the data memory 6 are read at any time. The audio channel associated with the connection is configured via the control signal 8 of the equalizer 7 on the basis of the sound parameters stored for a specific type of device. The sound parameters are preferably stored in the equalizer itself 7. The equalizer 7 thus influences the alignment of the sound image on channel 10 and corrects, corrects and / or equalizes the sound image.