1. A method of transmitting a combined audio signal to at least one of a plurality of participants in a communication event comprising;
receiving an audio signal from each of said plurality of participants together with audio activity information associated with each of said received audio signals;
analysing a measure of audio activity for each received audio signal based on the audio activity information associated with each of said received signals, wherein said measure of audio activity allows audio signals comprising audio activity to be compared;
selecting a set of audio signals from said received audio signals based on the analysed measure of audio activity for each signal;
decoding said set of audio signals; and
combining said set of audio signals to generate said combined audio signal to be transmitted to said at least one of said plurality of participants.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said received audio signals comprises a plurality of data packets.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said audio activity information is associated with each data packet.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the audio activity information associated with each data packet comprises a plurality of bits.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of selecting a set of audio signals comprises selecting a predetermined number of said received audio signals having the highest measure of audio activity.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the predetermined number is adjusted in dependence on the number of participants in the communication event.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the audio signals are received by a host device.
8. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the predetermined number is adjusted in dependence on a resource usage of a host device that receives the audio signals.
9. A method as claimed claim 1 wherein the said step of selecting a set of audio signals comprises selecting audio signals having a measure of audio activity above a predetermined threshold.
10. A method as claimed in claim 3 further comprising the step of temporarily storing in a data storage the data packets of each received signal together with the audio activity information associated with each stored data packet.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the step of analysing a measure of audio activity for each received signal comprises analysing the audio activity information stored in the data storage.
12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the measure of audio activity is dependent on the signal-plus-noise to noise ratio of the audio signal.
13. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the measure of audio activity is dependent on the energy in the signal.
14. A host device arranged to transmit a combined audio signal to at least one of a plurality of participants in a communication event comprising;
a receiver arranged to receive an audio signal from each of said plurality of participants together with audio activity information associated with each of said received audio signals;
a comparator arranged to compare a measure of audio activity for each received audio signal to a measure of audio activity within an active audio range based on the audio activity information associated with each of said received signals, and to select a set of audio signals from said received audio signals based on the measure of audio activity for each signal;
a decoder arranged to decode said set of audio signals; and
a combiner arranged to combine said set of audio signals to generate said combined audio signal to be transmitted to said at least one of said plurality of participants.
15. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the receiver is arranged to receive the audio signal from each participant as a plurality of data packets
16. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the comparator is arranged to select a predetermined number of audio signals having the highest measure of audio activity.
17. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the comparator is arranged to select audio signals having a measure of audio activity above a predetermined threshold.
18. A device as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a buffer arranged to temporarily store the data packets of each received signal together with the audio activity information associated with each stored data packet.
19. A device as claimed in claim 18 wherein the comparator is arranged to compare the measure of audio activity for each received audio signal based on the audio activity information stored in the buffer.
20. A host device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the host device resides in one of said plurality of participants to which the combined audio signal is transmitted.
21. A host device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the host device is a server.
22. A participant device participant in a communication event with a plurality of other participant devices, said participant device comprising;
input means for receiving an audio signal from a user of said participant device;
an audio activity information determiner arranged to determine a measure of audio activity in the received audio signal and to generate audio activity information associated with the received audio signal, wherein said measure of audio activity allows audio signals comprising audio activity to be compared; and
a transmitter arranged to transmit the audio signal and the associated information to a host device arranged to transmit the audio signal to said plurality of other participant devices based on the audio activity information associated with the audio signal.
23. A communication system comprising a host device and a plurality of participant devices participant in a communication event, wherein each of said participant devices comprises;
input means for receiving an audio signal from a user of said participant device;
an audio activity information determiner arranged to determine a measure of audio activity in the received audio signal and to generate audio activity information associated with the received audio signal, wherein said measure of audio activity allows audio signals comprising audio activity to be compared; and
a transmitter arranged to transmit the audio signal and the audio activity information to the host device; and wherein the host device comprises
a receiver arranged to receive the audio signal transmitted from each of said plurality of participants together with said audio activity information associated with each of said received audio signals;
a comparator arranged to compare the measure of audio activity for each received audio signal based on the audio activity information associated with each of said received signals, and to select a set of audio signals from said received audio signals based on the analysed measure of audio activity for each signal; a decoder arranged to decode said set of audio signals; and
a combiner arranged to combine said set of audio signals to generate said combined audio signal to be transmitted to said at least one of said plurality of participants.
24. A computer program product comprising program code means which when executed by a computer implement the steps according to the method of claim 1.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A method for enhancing the production of an oxidative reaction product of a hydrocarbon comprising:
providing an electrically conductive catalyst composition comprising a vapor phase partial oxidation catalyst;
subjecting said electrically conductive catalyst composition to an electric current passing through said electrically conductive catalyst composition;
passing a hydrocarbon vapor over said electrically conductive catalyst composition;
wherein said vapor phase partial oxidation catalyst comprises a mixed metal oxide having the following empirical formula
AaMmNnXxOo
wherein
A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo and W,
M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V and Ce,
N is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Te, Se and Sb,
X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Ti, Al, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pt, Bi, B, In, As, Ge, Sn, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Hf, Pb, P, Pm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Th, Yb, Lu, Au, Ag, Pd, Ga, Pr, Re, Ir, Nd, Y, Sm and Tb,
wherein
when a1, m0.01 to 1.0, n0.01 to 1.0, x0.001 to 1.0 and o is dependent on the oxidation state of the other elements;
and wherein said electrically conductive catalyst composition is subjected to said electric current prior to contacting the hydrocarbon vapor.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive catalyst composition comprises nanoparticles of said mixed metal oxide having the following empirical formula
AaMmNnXxOo
wherein
A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo and W,
M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V and Ce,
N is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Te, Se and Sb,
X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Ti, Al, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pt, Bi, B, In, As, Ge, Sn, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Hf, Pb, P, Pm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Th, Yb, Lu, Au, Ag, Pd, Ga, Pr, Re, Ir, Nd, Y, Sm and Tb,
wherein
when a1, m0.01 to 1.0, n0.01 to 1.0, x0.001 to 1.0 and o is dependent on the oxidation state of the other elements.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive catalyst composition comprising a vapor phase partial oxidation catalyst is coated on a channel wall of a microchannel reactor.
4. A method for altering the oxidative reaction product of a vapor phase catalytic oxidation comprising:
providing an electrically conductive catalyst composition comprising a vapor phase partial oxidation catalyst;
subjecting said electrically conductive catalyst composition to a first electric current passing through said electrically conductive catalyst composition, said first electric current favoring the production of a partial oxidation reaction product of a first hydrocarbon;
passing said first hydrocarbon over said electrically conductive catalyst composition;
recovering said partial oxidation reaction product of said first hydrocarbon;
ceasing passage of said first hydrocarbon over said electrically conductive catalyst composition; subjecting said electrically conducting catalyst composition to a second electric current passing through said electrically conductive catalyst composition, said second electric current favoring the production of a partial oxidation reaction product of a second hydrocarbon passing said second hydrocarbon over said electrically conductive catalyst composition;
recovering said partial oxidation reaction product of said second hydrocarbon;
wherein said electrically conductive catalyst composition is subjected to said first electric current prior to contacting the first hydrocarbon; and said electrically conductive catalyst composition is subjected to said second electric current prior to contacting the second hydrocarbon.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said electrically conductive catalyst composition comprises a mixed metal oxide of the following empirical formula
AaMmNnXxOo
wherein
A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo and W,
M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V and Ce,
N is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Te, Se and Sb,
X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Ti, Al, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pt, Bi, B, In, As, Ge, Sn, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Hf, Pb, P, Pm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Th, Yb, Lu, Au, Ag, Pd, Ga, Pr, Re, Ir, Nd, Y, Sm and Th,
wherein
when a1, m0.01 to 1.0, n0.01 to 1.0, x0.001 to 1.0 and o is dependent on the oxidation state of the other elements.
6. A method for enhancing the production of an oxidative reaction product of a hydrocarbon comprising:
providing an electrically conductive catalyst composition comprising a vapor phase partial oxidation catalyst;
subjecting said electrically conductive catalyst composition to an electric current passing through said electrically conductive catalyst composition;
passing an oxidative gas over said electrically conductive catalyst;
then, passing a hydrocarbon vapor over said electrically conductive catalyst composition;
and wherein said electrically conductive catalyst composition is subjected to said electric current prior to contacting the hydrocarbon vapor.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the electrically conductive catalyst composition comprises a mixed metal oxide having the following empirical formula
AaMmNnXxOo
wherein
A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo and W,
M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V and Ce,
N is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Te, Se and Sb,
X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Ti, Al, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pt, Bi, B, In, As, Ge, Sn, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Hf, Pb, P, Pm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Th, Yb, Lu, Au, Ag, Pd, Ga, Pr, Re, Ir, Nd, Y, Sm and Th,
wherein
when a1, m0.01 to 1.0, n0.01 to 1.0, x0.001 to 1.0 and o is depenedent on the oxidation state of the other elements.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said electrically conductive catalyst composition comprises nanoparticles comprising a mixed metal oxide of the following empirical formula
AaMmNnXxOo
wherein
A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo and W,
M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V and Ce,
N is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Te, Se and Sb,
X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Ti, Al, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pt, Bi, B, In, As, Ge, Sn, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Hf, Pb, P, Pm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Th, Yb, Lu, Au, Ag, Pd, Ga, Pr, Re, Ir, Nd, Y, Sm and Th,
wherein
when a1, m0.01 to 1.0, n0.01 to 1.0, x0.001 to 1.0 and o is dependent on the oxidation state of the other elements.
9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said electrically conductive catalyst composition comprising a vapor phase partial oxidation catalyst is coated on a channel walls of a microchannel reactor.