Qualcomm Unveils Voice Recognition/ Audio Software; Files Suit Against Motorola
The first software product is the PureVoice VR 2.1 voice recognition software. Designed to operate with the MSM3000 mobile station modem family, the VR 2.1 supports a speaker-independent menu command capability, allowing consumers to access key phone functions by voice command. Voice commands in English, Japanese, and Korean languages will be available to easily enable next-generation user-interface phone designs.
As a result of advancements to the PureVoice VR technology, version 2.1 will now support a 40 name voice-dialing directory. PureVoice VR 2.1 will also support a new in-call voice record and playback feature allowing handsets to conveniently act as simple-to-use mobile answering machines.
Qualcomm's PureVoice VR software delivers a complete voice recognition solution, including: speaker-dependent speech recognition, speaker-independent control words, voice recording/memo and speech prompting. The software is an add-on option for the MSM3000 system software and uses the voice services application program interface (API), which enables manufacturers to quickly and easily add the various voice recognition features into their latest products.
Audio enhancements
Qualcomm's second software release also falls under the PureVoice family. The new product, dubbed the PureVoice audio automatic gain control (AGC) software, is an audio enhancement solution that enables CDMA manufacturers to deliver enhanced voice quality to handsets without creating additional hardware costs.
The PureVoice audio AGC software is a suite of digital signal processor (DSP) algorithms performing three distinctive functions to compensate for less than ideal handset usage conditions. These three functions include forward link automatic gain control, forward link volume control, and reverse link limiting. When combined into a single software package, these three functions provide a complete audio enhancement solution that allows for better sounding calls on CDMA handsets in adverse background noise conditions.
PureVoice's software's forward link automatic volume control tracks the background noise levels in the user's operating environment and automatically adjusts the volume level best suited for the situation. By dynamically adding up to a +24 dB digital gain to the handset volume level, developers can still experience call clarity regardless of background noise levels without manually adjusting the volume control.
The reverse link limiter (RLL) can make a handset sound better to landline listeners for wireless calls made under noisy conditions. The natural reaction for wireless callers in loud settings is to "talk over" background noise. This situation results in clipping and over saturation, common side effects that degrade the overall voice quality of the caller. PureVoice Audio AGC's RLL compensates for this scenario without affecting normal input volume levels. RLL prevents clipping and over saturation of the handset's audio signal to ensure call clarity.
Qualcomm's PureVoice Audio AGC software is optimized for both the MSM3000 and MSM3100 platforms. It will be available for the MSM3000 in the fourth quarter of 1999.
Motorola law suit
In a final announcement yesterday, Qualcomm said it filed a lawsuit seeking a judicial determination that it has the right to terminate all licenses granted to Motorola Inc. (Schaumburg, IL) under a 1990 patent license agreement signed by the parties.
Filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of California, the suit claims that Motorola has committed breaches of the patent license agreement that include pursuing a lawsuit against Qualcomm for infringement of patents that are in fact licensed to Qualcomm under the agreement. Qualcomm's new filing also seeks a ruling that upon termination of the patent license agreement, the patents formerly licensed to Motorola would be infringed by CDMA handsets and network infrastructure equipment made and sold by Motorola.
The litigation between Qualcomm and Motorola began in March 1997 in response to allegations by Motorola that Qualcomm's Q phone infringed design and utility patents held by Motorola. In April 1997, the federal court in San Diego denied Motorola's motion for a preliminary injunction, thereby permitting Qualcomm to continue to manufacture, market and sell the Q phone.
In January 1998, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the lower court's decision not to enjoin Qualcomm from manufacturing and selling the Q phone. The litigation eventually expanded to include several consolidated cases for patent and trade dress infringement and Qualcomm's claims for breach of the patent license agreement and unfair competition.