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In bi-directional voice communication systems, acoustic echo is a common and potentially severe problem. In typical bi-directional voice communication systems, audio from a conversation with remote parties is rendered over a speaker in a local party communication device as well as captured by a microphone in the same device thereby forming an echo. Consequently, audio received by a local party at the microphone is transmitted along with the echo back to a remote party during the conversation, resulting in corrupted audio. Previous solutions to this problem include the use of acoustic echo cancellation (“AEC”) for the removal of the echo prior to it reaching the remote party. However, current AEC functionality is compromised during instances of “double-talk” in a conversation (i.e., when the audio from the local party (i.e., “near end audio”) and echo are both present at the same time). In particular, because near end audio and echo are typically both speech signals with indistinguishable statistical properties, existing AEC techniques for identifying double-talk may result in detection errors as well as the misapplication of echo control methods (e.g., suppressing the near end audio from the local party resulting in distorted speech being received by the remote party). It is with respect to these considerations and others that the various embodiments described herein have been made.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Embodiments are provided for detecting double-talk in audio communication. A communication device may receive an echo signal mixed with a speech signal at a near end location. The echo signal may be generated by speech transmitted by a remote party at a far end location to a local party at the near end location. The speech signal may be received from the local party for transmission to the remote party. The communication device may then filter the echo signal and the speech signal. The communication device may then analyze the speech signal to identify speech characteristics which indicate the presence of double-talk. The communication device may then set a flag upon identifying the speech characteristics which indicate the presence of the double-talk. The communication device may then process the filtered signals to further suppress remaining echo prior to transmission of the speech signal to the remote party.
These and other features and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Embodiments are provided for detecting double-talk in audio communication. A communication device may receive an echo signal mixed with a speech signal at a near end location. The echo signal may be generated by speech transmitted by a remote party at a far end location to a local party at the near end location. The speech signal may be received from the local party for transmission to the remote party. The communication device may then filter the echo signal and the speech signal. The communication device may then analyze the speech signal to identify speech characteristics which indicate the presence of double-talk. The communication device may then set a flag upon identifying the speech characteristics which indicate the presence of the double-talk. The communication device may then process the filtered signals to further suppress remaining echo prior to transmission of the speech signal to the remote party.
The routine 300 begins at operation 305, where the AEC 110 in the communication device 100 of
From operation 305, the routine 300 continues to operation 310, where the AEC 110 in the communication device 100 of
From operation 310, the routine 300 continues to operation 315, where the AEC 110 in the communication device 100 of
From operation 315, the routine 300 continues to operation 320, where the AEC 110 in the communication device 100 of
From operation 320, the routine 300 continues to operation 325, where the AEC 110 in the communication device 100 of
The computing device 400 may have additional features or functionality. For example, the computing device 400 may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, solid state storage devices (“SSD”), flash memory or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in
Generally, consistent with various embodiments, program modules may be provided which include routines, programs, components, data structures, and other types of structures that may perform particular tasks or that may implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, various embodiments may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Various embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.
Furthermore, various embodiments may be practiced in an electrical circuit comprising discrete electronic elements, packaged or integrated electronic chips containing logic gates, a circuit utilizing a microprocessor, or on a single chip containing electronic elements or microprocessors. For example, various embodiments may be practiced via a system-on-a-chip (“SOC”) where each or many of the components illustrated in
Various embodiments, for example, may be implemented as a computer process (method), a computing system, or as an article of manufacture, such as a computer program product or computer readable media. The computer program product may be a computer storage media readable by a computer system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process.
The term computer readable media as used herein may include computer storage media. Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. The system memory 404, removable storage 409, and non-removable storage 410 are all computer storage media examples (i.e., memory storage.) Computer storage media may include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store information and which can be accessed by the computing device 400. Any such computer storage media may be part of the computing device 400. The computing device 400 may also have input device(s) 412 such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, a sound input device (e.g., a microphone), a touch input device, etc. Output device(s) 514 such as a display, speakers, a printer, etc. may also be included. The aforementioned devices are examples and others may be used.
The term computer readable media as used herein may also include communication media. Communication media may be embodied by computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” may describe a signal that has one or more characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media may include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared, and other wireless media.
Mobile computing device 550 incorporates output elements, such as display 525, which can display a graphical user interface (GUI). Other output elements include speaker 530 and LED light 526. Additionally, mobile computing device 550 may incorporate a vibration module (not shown), which causes mobile computing device 550 to vibrate to notify the user of an event. In yet another embodiment, mobile computing device 550 may incorporate a headphone jack (not shown) for providing another means of providing output signals.
Although described herein in combination with mobile computing device 550, in alternative embodiments may be used in combination with any number of computer systems, such as in desktop environments, laptop or notebook computer systems, multiprocessor systems, micro-processor based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, mini computers, main frame computers and the like. Various embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network in a distributed computing environment; programs may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. To summarize, any computer system having a plurality of environment sensors, a plurality of output elements to provide notifications to a user and a plurality of notification event types may incorporate the various embodiments described herein.
Applications 567 may be loaded into memory 562 and run on or in association with an operating system 564. The system 502 also includes non-volatile storage 568 within memory the 562. Non-volatile storage 568 may be used to store persistent information that should not be lost if system 502 is powered down. The applications 567 may use and store information in the non-volatile storage 568. A synchronization application (not shown) also resides on system 502 and is programmed to interact with a corresponding synchronization application resident on a host computer to keep the information stored in the non-volatile storage 568 synchronized with corresponding information stored at the host computer. As should be appreciated, other applications may also be loaded into the memory 562 and run on the mobile computing device 550.
The system 502 has a power supply 570, which may be implemented as one or more batteries. The power supply 570 might further include an external power source, such as an AC adapter or a powered docking cradle that supplements or recharges the batteries.
The system 502 may also include a radio 572 (i.e., radio interface layer) that performs the function of transmitting and receiving radio frequency communications. The radio 572 facilitates wireless connectivity between the system 502 and the “outside world,” via a communications carrier or service provider. Transmissions to and from the radio 572 are conducted under control of OS 564. In other words, communications received by the radio 572 may be disseminated to the applications 567 via OS 564, and vice versa.
The radio 572 allows the system 502 to communicate with other computing devices, such as over a network. The radio 572 is one example of communication media. The embodiment of the system 502 is shown with two types of notification output devices: an LED 580 that can be used to provide visual notifications and an audio interface 574 that can be used with speaker 530 to provide audio notifications. These devices may be directly coupled to the power supply 570 so that when activated, they remain on for a duration dictated by the notification mechanism even though processor 560 and other components might shut down for conserving battery power. The LED 580 may be programmed to remain on indefinitely until the user takes action to indicate the powered-on status of the device. The audio interface 574 is used to provide audible signals to and receive audible signals from the user. For example, in addition to being coupled to speaker 530, the audio interface 574 may also be coupled to a microphone (not shown) to receive audible input, such as to facilitate a telephone conversation. In accordance with embodiments, the microphone may also serve as an audio sensor to facilitate control of notifications. The system 502 may further include a video interface 576 that enables an operation of on-board camera 530 to record still images, video streams, and the like.
A mobile computing device implementing the system 502 may have additional features or functionality. For example, the device may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in
Data/information generated or captured by the mobile computing device 550 and stored via the system 502 may be stored locally on the mobile computing device 550, as described above, or the data may be stored on any number of storage media that may be accessed by the device via the radio 572 or via a wired connection between the mobile computing device 550 and a separate computing device associated with the mobile computing device 550, for example, a server computer in a distributed computing network such as the Internet. As should be appreciated such data/information may be accessed via the mobile computing device 550 via the radio 572 or via a distributed computing network. Similarly, such data/information may be readily transferred between computing devices for storage and use according to well-known data/information transfer and storage means, including electronic mail and collaborative data/information sharing systems.
Various embodiments are described above with reference to block diagrams and/or operational illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products. The functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order as shown in any flow diagram. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
While certain embodiments have been described, other embodiments may exist. Furthermore, although various embodiments have been described as being associated with data stored in memory and other storage mediums, data can also be stored on or read from other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices (i.e., hard disks, floppy disks, or a CD-ROM), a carrier wave from the Internet, or other forms of RAM or ROM. Further, the disclosed routines' operations may be modified in any manner, including by reordering operations and/or inserting or operations, without departing from the embodiments described herein.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or variations may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the embodiments described herein. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the embodiments described herein.