Communications systems, methods and devices having improved noise immunity

1. A method for improving noise immunity in a communication, comprising:

at least one computer processor determining a region of interest in a received audio signal;

the at least one computer processor determining a surrogate candidate within the region of interest of the received signal; and

the at least one computer processor encoding the surrogate candidate as a surrogate in a different frequency, time, or phase region of the received audio signal other than the region of interest;

wherein the surrogate comprises a spectral component of the received audio signal;

wherein the step of encoding the surrogate candidate as a surrogate does not increase bandwidth of the received audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal further comprises a video signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the region of interest comprises a noise band within the received audio signal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surrogate candidate comprises an element of the signal that has an intensity below an intensity within the region of interest.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectral component is generated using a transform selected from the group consisting of a Fourier transform, a Fast Fourier transform, a Discrete Fourier transform, a Gabor transform, and a Gabor-Wigner transform.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of encoding the surrogate candidate as a surrogate in a different frequency, time, or phase region of the signal other than the region of interest comprises:

the at least one computer processor encoding the surrogate candidate in a phase element of the signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of encoding the surrogate candidate as a surrogate in a different frequency, time, or phase region of the signal other than the region of interest comprises:

the at least one computer processor encoding the surrogate candidate within a spread-of-masking range of an intense frequency element.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of encoding the surrogate candidate as a surrogate in a different frequency, time, or phase region of the signal other than the region of interest comprises:

the at least one computer processor encoding the surrogate candidate within a predetermined range of an intense frequency element.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

the at least one computer processor transmitting the signal comprising the surrogate to a second device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

the at least one computer processor generating a regenerated signal from the signal comprising the surrogate; and

transmitting the regenerated signal to a second device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectral component comprises a single spectral component.

12. A method for improving noise immunity in a communication, comprising:

at least one computer processor identifying a surrogate candidate encoded as a surrogate in a received audio signal, wherein the surrogate comprises a spectral component of the signal, and wherein the encoded surrogate candidate does not increase bandwidth of the received audio signal;

the at least one computer processor restoring the surrogate candidate in a different frequency, time, or phase of the received audio signal; and

the at least one computer processor generating a regenerated signal from the received audio signal with the restored surrogate candidate.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the spectral component is generated using a transform selected from the group consisting of a Fourier transform, a Fast Fourier transform, a Discrete Fourier transform, a Gabor transform, and a Gabor-Wigner transform;

wherein the surrogate is identified in the spectrum representation.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the surrogate is within a spread-of-masking range of an intense frequency element.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the surrogate is within a predetermined range of an intense frequency element.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

the at least one computer processor amplifying the surrogate.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

the at least one computer processor determining a region of interest in the received audio signal; and

the at least one computer processor attenuating the intensity of at least one signal element within the region of interest.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the spectral component comprises a single spectral component.

19. A communication device, comprising:

a memory;

at least one computer processor that performs the following:

determine a region of interest in an audio signal;

determine a surrogate candidate within the region of interest of the audio signal; and

encode the surrogate candidate as a surrogate in a different frequency, time, or phase region of the signal other than the region of interest wherein the surrogate comprises a spectral component of the received audio signal; and

an interface for communicating with a second communication device;

wherein encoding the surrogate candidate as a surrogate does not increase bandwidth of the received audio signal.

20. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the at least one computer processor further performs the following:

identify a surrogate candidate encoded as a surrogate in a received signal;

restore the surrogate candidate in the signal;

generate a regenerated signal from the signal with the restored surrogate candidate; and

output the regenerated signal.

21. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the spectral component is generated using a transform selected from the group consisting of a Fourier transform, a Fast Fourier transform, a Discrete Fourier transform, a Gabor transform, and a Gabor-Wigner transform.

22. The communication device of claim 21 , wherein the at least one computer processor further performs the following:

generate a regenerated signal from the signal comprising the surrogate; and

transmit the regenerated signal to the second communication device.

23. The communication device of claim 21 , wherein the at least one computer processor further performs the following:

amplify the surrogate.

24. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the signal further comprises a video signal.

25. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the region of interest comprises a noise band within the signal.

26. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the surrogate candidate comprises an element of the signal that has an intensity below an intensity within the region of interest.

27. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the surrogate candidate is encoded in a phase element of the signal.

28. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the surrogate candidate is encoded within a spread-of-masking range of an intense frequency element.

29. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the surrogate candidate is encoded within a predetermined range of an intense frequency element.

30. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the signal is received from an input device comprising at least one of a microphone and a camera.

31. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the signal is received from the memory.

32. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the signal is received from a communication network.

33. The communication device of claim 20 , further comprising:

an output device for outputting the regenerated signal comprising at least one of a speaker and a display for outputting the regenerated signal.

34. The communication device of claim 19 , wherein the spectral component comprises a single spectral component.

35. A communication device, comprising: a memory; and

at least one computer processor that performs the following:

identify a surrogate candidate encoded as a surrogate in a received audio signal, wherein the surrogate comprises a spectral component of the received audio signal and wherein the encoded surrogate candidate does not increase bandwidth of the audio signal;

restore the surrogate candidate in a different frequency, time, or phase of the received audio signal; and

generate a regenerated signal from the received audio signal with the restored surrogate candidate.

36. The communication device of claim 35 , wherein the received audio signal is received from a second communication device.

37. The communication device of claim 35 , wherein the received audio signal is received from a communication network.

38. The communication device of claim 35 , further comprising:

an output device comprising at least one of a speaker and a display for outputting the regenerated signal.

39. The communication device of claim 35 , wherein the spectral component comprises a single spectral component.