Communication system
View Patent ↗An echo component of a first signal received at an audio input device is removed. A second signal is output from an audio output device. The echo component in the first signal is the result of the second signal traversing an echo path. The characteristics of the first and second signals are compared, and if the first signal only comprises the echo, an estimate of the echo path is determined by comparing the first and second signals. The echo path estimate is applied to the first signal to determine an equalized first signal, which is is compared with the second signal to determine an estimate of the echo component. The echo component from the first signal is removed in dependence on the estimate of the echo component.
1. A method comprising:
receiving at an audio input device a first signal including an echo component that is a result of a second signal traversing an echo path;
detecting that the first signal comprises the echo component;
determining an estimate indicative of the echo path including determining a delay between the second signal being output by an output device and the first signal being received at the audio input device by comparing the first signal and the second signal in response to detecting that the first signal comprises echo;
applying the estimate indicative of the echo path to the first signal to determine an equalized first signal;
applying the delay to the second signal;
comparing the equalized first signal with the delayed second signal to determine an estimate indicative of the echo component; and
removing the echo component from the first signal based on the estimate indicative of the echo component.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second signal comprises signal output from a speaker and the first signal comprises the output from the speaker received at the audio input device.
3. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the echo path includes an indication of one or more effects of an acoustic path traveled by the second signal from the speaker to the audio input device.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said determining comprises comparing a power spectrum of the first signal with a power spectrum of the second signal to determine the delay between the first signal and the second signal.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said detecting comprises comparing a characteristic of the equalized first signal to a characteristic of the second signal.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said applying comprises equalizing the first signal using an inverse echo path transfer function to determine the equalized first signal.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said comparing comprises comparing a power spectrum of the equalized first signal with a power spectrum of the second signal.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said comparing comprises comparing a signal to noise ratio of the equalized first signal with a signal to noise ratio of the second signal.
9. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
software stored on the system and executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first signal including an echo component that is a result of a second signal traversing an echo path;
determining an estimate indicative of the echo path by comparing the first signal and the second signal to determine a delay between the second signal and the first signal;
applying the estimate indicative of the echo path to the first signal to determine an equalized first signal;
applying the delay to the second signal;
comparing the equalized first signal with the delayed second signal to determine an estimate indicative of the echo component; and
removing the echo component from the first signal based on the estimate indicative of the echo component.
10. A system as recited in claim 9 , herein the second signal comprises signal output from a speaker of the system and the first signal comprises the output from the speaker received at an audio input device of the system.
11. A system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said determining comprises comparing a power spectrum of the first signal with a power spectrum of the second signal to determine the delay between the first signal and the second signal.
12. A system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said applying comprises equalizing the first signal using an inverse echo path transfer function to determine the equalized first signal.
13. A system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said comparing comprises comparing a power spectrum of the equalized first signal with a power spectrum of the second signal.
14. A system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said comparing comprises comparing a signal to noise ratio of the equalized first signal with a signal to noise ratio of the second signal.
15. A communication terminal comprising:
an audio echo canceller implemented at least in part in hardware and configured to perform operations including:
receiving a first signal including an echo component that is a result of a second signal traversing an echo path;
determining an estimate indicative of the echo path by comparing the first signal and the second signal to determine a delay between the second signal and the first signal;
applying the estimate indicative of the echo path to the first signal to determine an equalized first signal;
applying the delay to the second signal;
comparing the equalized first signal with the delayed second signal to determine an estimate indicative of the echo component;
removing the echo component from the first signal based on the estimate indicative of the echo component to generate; and
a speaker component configured to output the first signal with the echo component removed.
16. A communication terminal as recited in claim 15 , wherein the second signal comprises signal output from the speaker component and the first signal comprises the output from the speaker component received at an audio input device of the communication terminal.
17. A communication terminal as recited in claim 15 , wherein said determining comprises comparing a power spectrum of the first signal with a power spectrum of the second signal to determine the delay between the first signal and the second signal.
18. A communication terminal as recited in claim 15 , wherein said applying comprises equalizing the first signal using an inverse echo path transfer function to determine the equalized first signal.
19. A communication terminal as recited in claim 15 , wherein said comparing comprises comparing a power spectrum of the equalized first signal with a power spectrum of the second signal.
20. A communication terminal as recited in claim 15 , wherein said comparing comprises comparing a signal to noise ratio of the equalized first signal with a signal to noise ratio of the second signal.