Communication device and communication methods

Abstract

Audio data transmitted from another communication device is received by a receiver, and the received audio data is output to a speaker of a television. Audio is generated based on the output audio data, and the audio is input to a microphone of a camera/microphone device. Audio data corresponding to the input audio is input to an echo cancellation processing unit. An amount of distortion of the input audio data with respect to the received audio data is detected by the echo cancellation processing unit. It is determined whether or not the amount of distortion of the audio data detected by a distortion detector exceeds an acceptable amount. When the amount of distortion of the audio data exceeds the acceptable amount, notification data for presenting to the user a request for change of an output condition of the audio in the television is produced by a notification signal producer.

1 . A communication device capable of transmitting and receiving video data and audio data to and from another device and being connected to an audio input device and an audio output device, comprising:
 a receiver configured to be capable of receiving the audio data transmitted from said another device;   an audio data output unit arranged to output the audio data received by said receiver to said audio output device;   an audio data input unit to which audio data is input from said audio input device;   a transmitter configured to be capable of transmitting the audio data input by said audio data input unit to said another device;   a difference detector arranged to detect a geometric or temporal difference between a waveform represented by the audio data received by said receiver and a waveform represented by the audio data input by said audio data input unit when audio is output by said audio output device based on the audio data output from said audio data output unit and audio data based on said output audio is input from said audio input device to said audio data input unit;   a determiner arranged to determine whether or not the difference detected by said difference detector exceeds a predetermined acceptable amount; and   a presentation signal producer arranged to produce a presentation signal for presenting to a user a request for change of an output condition of the audio based on the audio data output by said audio data output unit when said determiner determines that the difference exceeds said acceptable amount.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said difference detector includes:   a removal processing unit arranged to perform processing of removing components corresponding to the audio data received by said receiver from the audio data input to said audio data input unit; and   a level detector arranged to detect a level of the audio data processed by said removal processing unit as said difference when the audio is output by said audio output device based on the audio data output from said audio data output unit and the audio data based on said output audio is input from said audio input device to said audio data input unit, and   said presentation signal includes a request for adjustment of audio volume of said audio output device as the request for change of the output condition of said audio.   
     
     
         3 . The communication device according to  claim 2 , wherein said presentation signal includes a request for decrease of the audio volume of said audio output device as the request for change of the output condition of said audio. 
     
     
         4 . The communication device according to  claim 2 , which is capable of being connected to a video output device, further comprising a video data output unit arranged to output video data to said video output device, wherein
 said presentation signal producer produces video data for displaying the request for adjustment of the audio volume of said audio output device as said presentation signal, and   said video data output unit outputs the presentation signal produced by said presentation signal producer to said video output device.   
     
     
         5 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said audio output device is configured to be capable of changing an amount of delay of the input audio data,   said difference detector includes a delay detector arranged to detect the amount of delay of the audio data input to said audio data input unit with respect to the audio data received by said receiver as said difference when the audio is output by said audio output device based on the audio data output from said audio data output unit and the audio data based on said output audio is input from said audio input device to said audio data input unit, and   said presentation signal includes a request for operation involving change of the amount of delay of the audio data in said audio output device as the request for change of the output condition of said audio.   
     
     
         6 . The communication device according to  claim 5 , which is capable of being connected to a video output device, wherein
 said video output device is configured to be capable of displaying video based on video data in a selected display mode of a plurality of display modes and is set such that an amount of delay of the video data differs according to the plurality of display modes,   said audio output device is configured to adjust the amount of delay of the audio data such that the audio data is synchronized with the video data in said video output device,   said receiver is configured to be capable of receiving the video data transmitted from said another device,   said communication device further comprises a video data output unit arranged to output the video data received by said receiver, and   said presentation signal includes a request for operation of changing the display mode of said video output device as the request for the operation involving change of the amount of delay of the audio data in said audio output device.   
     
     
         7 . The communication device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 said presentation signal producer produces video data for displaying the request for the operation of changing the display mode of said video output device as said presentation signal, and   said video data output unit outputs the presentation signal produced by said presentation signal producer to said video output device.   
     
     
         8 . The communication device according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a delay unit arranged to delay the audio data received by said receiver; and   a removal processing unit arranged to perform processing of removing components corresponding to the audio data delayed by said delay unit from the audio data input to said audio data input unit, wherein   said transmitter is configured to transmit the audio data processed by said removal processing unit to said another device.   
     
     
         9 . A communication device capable of transmitting and receiving video data and audio data to and from another device and being connected to an audio input device and an audio output device, comprising:
 a receiver configured to be capable of receiving the audio data transmitted from said another device;   an audio data output unit arranged to output the audio data received by said receiver to said audio output device;   an audio data input unit to which audio data is input from said audio input device;   a transmitter configured to be capable of transmitting the audio data input by said audio data input unit to said another device;   a difference detector arranged to detect a geometric or temporal difference between a waveform represented by the audio data received by said receiver and a waveform represented by the audio data input by said audio data input unit when audio is output by said audio output device based on the audio data output from said audio data output unit and audio data based on said output audio is input from said audio input device to said audio data input unit;   a determiner arranged to determine whether or not the difference detected by said difference detector exceeds a predetermined acceptable amount; and   a control signal producer arranged to produce a control signal for changing an output condition of the audio based on the audio data output by said audio data output unit when said determiner determines that the difference exceeds said acceptable amount.   
     
     
         10 . A communication method using a communication device capable of transmitting and receiving video data and audio data to and from another device and being connected to an audio input device and an audio output device, comprising the steps of:
 receiving the audio data transmitted from said another device using a receiver of said communication device;   outputting said received audio data from an audio data output unit of said communication device to said audio output device;   inputting audio data from said audio input device to an audio data input unit of said communication device;   transmitting the audio data input to said audio data input unit from a transmitter of said communication device to said another device;   detecting a geometric or temporal difference between a waveform represented by the audio data received by said receiver and a waveform represented by the audio data input by said audio data input unit when audio is output by said audio output device based on the audio data output from said audio data output unit and audio data based on said output audio is input from said audio input device to said audio data input unit;   determining whether or not said detected difference exceeds a predetermined acceptable amount; and   outputting a presentation signal for presenting to a user a request for change of an output condition of the audio based on the audio data output by said audio data output unit when it is determined that said difference exceeds said acceptable amount.