IP Library Granted Patent US 8,463,331
Granted Patent B2
US 8,463,331 · App. 12/056,606 · Granted Jun 11, 2013

Deterministic characterization and reduction of acoustic echo

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,463,331
App. No.
12/056,606
Granted
Jun 11, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques to characterize and reduce acoustic echo are described. For example, a mobile computing device may comprise an audio characterization module to send a first signal to a first component and receive a second signal from a second component. The first signal may be a deterministic audio training sequence and the second signal may be a recovered audio training sequence. The audio characterization module compares the first signal and the second signal to determine an audio echo path. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims (39)

1. A mobile computing device, comprising:

an audio characterization module to:

send a first signal to a first component and receive a second signal from a second component, the first signal comprising a deterministic audio training sequence and the second signal comprising a recovered audio training sequence;

compare the first signal and the second signal to determine an audio echo path;

correlate the first signal and the second signal to determine an echo environment model; and

configure an echo cancellation algorithm based on the determined echo environment model.

2. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , the deterministic audio training sequence comprising comfort noise configured as artificial background noise.

3. The mobile computing device of claim 2 , the comfort noise configured to reduce audible disturbance to a user when the mobile computing device is in use.

4. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , the echo environment model comprising one or more echo paths, a delay time for the one or more echo paths, one or more echo tail lengths or an amplitude and phase for the one or more echo paths.

5. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein configuring the echo cancellation algorithm comprises selecting an operating mode or initializing parameters of an echo canceller.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 5 , the parameters of the echo canceller comprising at least one of a delay time, tail length, adaptation step size, adaptation speed, gain or loop bandwidth.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , the first component comprising a speaker and the second component comprising a microphone.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first signal is sent to the first component during periods of inactivity at the first component, periods of inactivity at the second component or periods of inactivity at the first and second components.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first signal is continuously sent to the first component or the first signal is sent to the first component during periods of activity at the first and second components.

10. A method, comprising:

sending a first signal comprising a deterministic audio training sequence to a first component;

receiving a second signal comprising a recovered audio training sequence from a second component; and

comparing the first signal and the second signal to determine an audio echo path;

correlating the first signal and the second signal to determine an echo environment model; and

configuring an echo cancellation algorithm based on the determined echo environment model.

11. The method of claim 10 , the deterministic audio training sequence comprising comfort noise configured as artificial background noise and configured to reduce audible disturbance.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein configuring an echo cancellation algorithm comprises selecting an operating mode or initializing parameters of an echo canceller.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sending the first signal to the first component during periods of inactivity at the first component, periods of inactivity at the second component or periods of inactivity at the first and second components.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising continuously sending the first signal to the first component or sending the first signal to the first component during periods of activity at the first and second components.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, enable a system to:

send a first signal comprising a deterministic audio training sequence to a first component;

receive a second signal comprising a recovered audio training sequence from a second component; and

compare the first signal and the second signal to determine an audio echo path;

correlate the first signal and the second signal to determine an echo environment model; and

configure an echo cancellation algorithm based on the determined echo environment model.

16. The article of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

configure the deterministic audio training sequence as comfort noise comprising artificial background noise; and

configure the comfort noise to reduce audible disturbance.

17. The article of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

select an operating mode or initialize parameters of an echo canceller based on the echo cancellation algorithm.

18. The article of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

send the first signal to the first component during periods of inactivity at the first component, periods of inactivity at the second component or periods of inactivity at the first and second components.

19. The article of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

continuously send the first signal to the first component or send the first signal to the first component during periods of activity at the first and second components.

Assignments (9)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 28, 2014
From: HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY; HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.; PALM, INC.
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 032132/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2013
From: PALM, INC.
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 031837/0239 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2013
From: PALM, INC.
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 031837/0659 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2013
From: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
To: PALM, INC.
Reel/Frame 031837/0544 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2013
From: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
To: PALM, INC.
Reel/Frame 030341/0459 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2010
From: PALM, INC.
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 025204/0809 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 6, 2010
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: PALM, INC.
Reel/Frame 024630/0474 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 22, 2009
From: PALM, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 023406/0671 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2008
From: CARNES, MICHAEL; TU, JEROME
To: PALM, INC.
Reel/Frame 021101/0878 →