Abstract: In one embodiment, an echo canceller configured to cancel echo in a wideband voice conference is provided. A double-talk condition may be when a plurality of users are speaking substantially simultaneously. When a double-talk condition is detected in the wideband conference, a high-frequency process is enabled and used to process signals in the high band to reduce echo. Accordingly, echo in the high band may not be produced by end devices being used by the users' speaking. Also, the users speaking have the echo cancelled in the low band and substantial echo does not result. This results in the users speaking experiencing the conference in the narrowband. The other users that are not speaking, however, continue to receive wideband signals. The users not speaking also continue to have echo cancellation performed for the high band and low band because these users are not speaking and thus attenuation of their voices is not a consideration.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, an example method is provided for echo mitigation in a conference call. In this method, a test audio signal is transmitted to a conference endpoint and as a result, an echo associated with the transmittal of the test audio signal is received. One or more parameters of the echo are then identified and an echo mitigation process is selected from multiple echo mitigation processes based on the identified parameters. The selected echo mitigation process is then applied.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment that includes monitoring a sound pressure level with an endpoint (e.g., an Internet Protocol (IP) phone), which is configured for communications involving end users; analyzing the sound pressure level to detect a sound anomaly; and communicating the sound anomaly to a sound classification module. The endpoint can be configured to operate in a low-power mode during the monitoring of the sound pressure level. In certain instances, the sound classification module is hosted by the endpoint. In other implementations, the sound classification module is hosted in a cloud network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an echo canceller configured to cancel echo in a wideband voice conference is provided. A double-talk condition may be when a plurality of users are speaking substantially simultaneously. When a double-talk condition is detected in the wideband conference, a high-frequency process is enabled and used to process signals in the high band to reduce echo. Accordingly, echo in the high band may not be produced by end devices being used by the users' speaking. Also, the users speaking have the echo cancelled in the low band and substantial echo does not result. This results in the users speaking experiencing the conference in the narrowband. The other users that are not speaking, however, continue to receive wideband signals. The users not speaking also continue to have echo cancellation performed for the high band and low band because these users are not speaking and thus attenuation of their voices is not a consideration.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an echo canceller configured to cancel echo in a wideband voice conference is provided. A double-talk condition may be when a plurality of users are speaking substantially simultaneously. When a double-talk condition is detected in the wideband conference, a high-frequency process is enabled and used to process signals in the high band to reduce echo. Accordingly, echo in the high band may not be produced by end devices being used by the users' speaking. Also, the users speaking have the echo cancelled in the low band and substantial echo does not result. This results in the users speaking experiencing the conference in the narrowband. The other users that are not speaking, however, continue to receive wideband signals. The users not speaking also continue to have echo cancellation performed for the high band and low band because these users are not speaking and thus attenuation of their voices is not a consideration.

Abstract: A method and a network device for controlling a jitter buffer are disclosed. The method comprises providing a jitter buffer to counter the effect of jitter in a communication channel and comprises determining a duplex mode of the communication channel. The method further comprises adjusting parameters of the jitter buffer in response to determination of the duplex mode, half-duplex mode and full-duplex mode respectively having respective sets of parameters associated therewith. A network device comprises a jitter buffer to counter the effect of jitter in a communication channel and a controller operable to determine a duplex mode of the communication channel and to adjust parameters of the jitter buffer in response to determination of the duplex mode, half-duplex mode and full-duplex mode having respective sets of parameters associated therewith.

Abstract: An example method is provided and includes identifying a change in header information within a packet of a communication flow. The change in header information reflects a predetermined type of header change that signifies a degradation condition for the communication flow. The method also includes changing a header field within an outgoing frame to initiate a trace through a network path. Diagnostic data associated with the communication flow can be collected. In more particular embodiments, the changing of the header field includes changing an Ethernet header field for a layer two frame, or changing an Internet Protocol (IP) header field for a layer three frame. Changing of the header field can also include changing a field within an outgoing layer three header to identify an IP socket associated with the communication flow. The change to the header field can be propagated by network elements along the network path.

Abstract: A system and method are provided whereby periodic measurements of autonomic reflex times of individuals are used as an early-warning indication that an undesirable physical condition, such as an undesirable blood-chemistry condition, may exist. This method correlates measurements of the reaction times of specific autonomic reflexes to more-definitive measurements for the medical condition being monitored for this early-warning assessment.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, an example method is provided for echo mitigation in a conference call. In this method, a test audio signal is transmitted to a conference endpoint and as a result, an echo associated with the transmittal of the test audio signal is received. One or more parameters of the echo are then identified and an echo mitigation process is selected from multiple echo mitigation processes based on the identified parameters. The selected echo mitigation process is then applied.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a control connection is introduced between an adaptive jitter buffer (AJB) and an adaptive bulk delay (ABD) buffer of an echo canceller (ECAN) in an Internet Protocol (IP) conference bridge. The control connection allows the AJB to control the amount of delay inserted by the ABD in the ECAN convolution processor (CP) signal path. The adjustment in ABD delay restores the time alignment of the ECAN internal echo estimate and offsets variations in echo tail delay introduced by network induced AJB delay changes. Time-invariance is preserved in the echo tail path.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, an example method is provided for echo mitigation in a conference call. In this method, a test audio signal is transmitted to a conference endpoint and as a result, an echo associated with the transmittal of the test audio signal is received. One or more parameters of the echo are then identified and an echo mitigation process is selected from multiple echo mitigation processes based on the identified parameters. The selected echo mitigation process is then applied.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment that includes monitoring a sound pressure level with an endpoint (e.g., an Internet Protocol (IP) phone), which is configured for communications involving end users; analyzing the sound pressure level to detect a sound anomaly; and communicating the sound anomaly to a sound classification module. The endpoint can be configured to operate in a low-power mode during the monitoring of the sound pressure level. In certain instances, the sound classification module is hosted by the endpoint. In other implementations, the sound classification module is hosted in a cloud network.

Abstract: An echo canceller apparatus comprises a receive side attenuator coupled in a receive side signal path that is configured to couple from a conference call bridge to a caller; a convolution processor coupled to the receive side signal path at a convolution processor pick-off point; a double-talk detector coupled to the receive side signal path and to a sending side signal path that is configured to couple from the caller to the conference call bridge; and logic coupled to the receive side attenuator which when executed is responsive to a double-talk condition detected by the double-talk detector and operable to determine a level of echo canceled by the convolution processor, to determine an additional amount of attenuation to introduce, and to activate the receive side attenuator to introduce the additional attenuation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of buffering a media stream is provided. The method may comprise receiving a plurality of IP packets of the media stream, each packet providing a fragment of a portion of the media stream. Thereafter, the portion of media stream may be buffered in a jitter buffer using the fragments provided by the received packets. Further, the portion of the media stream may be buffered in a replay buffer using the fragments provided by the received packets. The replay buffer may be larger than the jitter buffer and a first received fragment and a second received fragment may be combined. The second received fragment may have been discarded by the jitter buffer. A media stream may then be played back using media from the replay and/or jitter buffer.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes establishing a path for a media session between a first network element and a second network element. A third network element is detected along the path. A response is received from the third network element indicating that it is capable of performing a loopback activity that involves the first network element. A test packet is communicated from the first network element to the third network element in order to evaluate characteristics associated with the media session. In more specific implementations, the response includes an indication as to a proximity of the third network element in relation to the first network element. The first network element can receive additional responses from a plurality of network elements such that the first network element generates a list of available network elements for performing loopback activities.

Abstract: Particular embodiments provide for attenuating one or more microphone signals in a teleconferencing system upon detecting a non-audible signal. A far end voice signal is received from a sound source. A non-audible signal is added to the far end voice signal to create a composite signal, which is provided to one or more speakers. The speakers output the composite signal and the non-audible signal are detected in the composite signal after the composite signal is received at one or more microphones. The non-audible signal allows an attenuator to attenuate a microphone signal including the composite signal from a particular microphone in response to the detected non-audible signal to reduce far end echo.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for providing voice quality assurance is provided. The method determines voice information for an end point in a voice communication system. The voice information may be from an ingress microphone. The method determines if the voice quality is considered degraded based on an analysis of the voice information. For example, the voice information may indicate that it is distorted, too loud, too soft, is subject to an external noise, etc. Feedback information is determined if the voice quality is considered degraded where the feedback information designed to improve voice quality at an ingress point for a user speaking. The feedback information is then outputted at the end point to the user using the end point.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a control connection is introduced between an adaptive jitter buffer (AJB) and an adaptive bulk delay (ABD) buffer of an echo canceller (ECAN) in an Internet Protocol (IP) conference bridge. The control connection allows the AJB to control the amount of delay inserted by the ABD in the ECAN convolution processor (CP) signal path. The adjustment in ABD delay restores the time alignment of the ECAN internal echo estimate and offsets variations in echo tail delay introduced by network induced AJB delay changes. Time-invariance is preserved in the echo tail path.

Abstract: An example method is provided and includes identifying a change in header information within a packet of a communication flow. The change in header information reflects a predetermined type of header change that signifies a degradation condition for the communication flow. The method also includes changing a header field within an outgoing frame to initiate a trace through a network path. Diagnostic data associated with the communication flow can be collected. In more particular embodiments, the changing of the header field includes changing an Ethernet header field for a layer two frame, or changing an Internet Protocol (IP) header field for a layer three frame. Changing of the header field can also include changing a field within an outgoing layer three header to identify an IP socket associated with the communication flow. The change to the header field can be propagated by network elements along the network path.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, an example method is provided for echo mitigation in a conference call. In this method, a test audio signal is transmitted to a conference endpoint and as a result, an echo associated with the transmittal of the test audio signal is received. One or more parameters of the echo are then identified and an echo mitigation process is selected from multiple echo mitigation processes based on the identified parameters. The selected echo mitigation process is then applied.