Abstract: A method and apparatus for laughter detection. Laughter is detected through the presence of a sequence of at least a predetermined number such as three consecutive bursts, each burst comprising a voiced portion and an unvoiced portion. After detecting bursts, n-tuples such as triplets are detected, and a likelihood of each burst N-tuple to represent laughter is provided by comparison to predetermined thresholds. Finally, a total score is assigned to the signal based on the grades associated with the triplets and parameters such as the distance between the N-tuples, the total score representing the probability that the audio signal comprises a laughter episode. The method and apparatus preferably comprise a training step and module for determining the thresholds according to manually marked audio signals.

Abstract: A communication system comprising: at least one first communication device configured to communicate in half duplex mode using a first encoding-decoding format; at least one second communication device configured to communicate in half duplex mode using a second encoding-decoding format; a third communication device configured to communicate in half duplex mode using the first format; a fourth communication device configured to communicate in half duplex mode using the second format; wherein the third and fourth communication devices are configured to communicate with each other in half duplex mode using a third encoding decoding format.

Abstract: A communication system comprising: at least one first communication device configured to communicate in half duplex mode using a first encoding-decoding format; at least one second communication device configured to communicate in half duplex mode using a second encoding-decoding format; a third communication device configured to communicate in half duplex mode using the first format; a fourth communication device configured to communicate in half duplex mode using the second format; wherein the third and fourth communication devices are configured to communicate with each other in half duplex mode using a third encoding decoding format.