公开(公告)号：US09363600B2

公开(公告)日：2016-06-07

申请号：US14289378

申请日：2014-05-28

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Qing Yang ,  Sean Anthony Ramprashad

IPC: H04R3/00 ,  H04R3/02 ,  H04M9/08

CPC classification number: H04R3/02 ,  H04M9/08

Abstract: A system and method is described for estimating residual echo and performing residual echo suppression on a signal. In particular, the system and method described herein: 1) provides a more accurate coherence-based approach where the sub-band nature of coherence-based residual echo estimation is leveraged using sub-band-based coherence measures and upper-bound envelopes to guide residual echo estimates; 2) provides joint estimation of the residual echo and a background stationary noise-floor; 3) provides more accurate residual echo estimation by combining the above two measures with information on near-end activity to selectively adjust the residual-echo estimation in sub-bands; and 4) provides improved control of near-end distortion by leveraging the noise-floor estimate and the internally calculated signal-to-echo ratios as additional guides/limits to help balance, flexibly, and as needed, near-end distortion with residual echo suppression. The resultant residual echo suppressor design provides significant improvement in both residual echo suppression and background noise preservation.

Abstract translation: 描述了用于估计残余回波并对信号执行残余回波抑制的系统和方法。 特别地，本文描述的系统和方法：1）提供更准确的基于相干性的方法，其中基于相干的残差回波估计的子带性质利用基于子带的一致性测量和上限的包络来引导 残差回波估计; 2）提供残差回波和背景固定噪声基底的联合估计; 3）通过将上述两种措施与近端活动信息相结合，提供更精确的残余回波估计，以选择性地调整子带中的残余回波估计; 和4）通过利用噪声层估计和内部计算的信号与回波比作为附加指南/限制来提供对近端失真的改进的控制，以帮助平衡，灵活地并且根据需要具有残余回波的近端失真 抑制。 所得到的残留回波抑制器设计提供了残留回波抑制和背景噪声保护的显着改进。

公开(公告)号：US20150350778A1

公开(公告)日：2015-12-03

申请号：US14289437

申请日：2014-05-28

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sean Anthony Ramprashad ,  Qing Yang

IPC: H04R3/00

CPC classification number: H04R3/02 ,  H04M9/08 ,  H04M19/08

Abstract: To address issues with present echo gate control, a method and apparatus for more intelligently operating an echo gate is described herein. In particular, the decision of whether to mute an uplink signal, or not, is formulated herein as primarily a perceptual decision based on an appropriate analysis of the perceptual interaction of the current residual echo and the current near-end signal(s). By doing so, the application of muting through an echo gate may be minimized and/or more appropriately engaged. This will lead to fewer dropouts and muting of speech onsets and offsets 1) during periods such as double-talk or 2) during periods of downlink playback in the presence of low near-end signal levels, two cases of particular importance.

Abstract translation: 为了解决当前回波门控制的问题，本文描述了用于更智能地操作回波门的方法和装置。 特别地，基于对当前残余回声和当前近端信号的感知交互的适当分析，本文中将基于上行链路信号的静音的决定在此形成为主要的感知决定。 通过这样做，通过回波门的静音的应用可以被最小化和/或更适当地接合。 两种情况尤其重要，这将导致在较低的近端信号电平存在的情况下，在下行链路重放的时段期间，诸如双向通话或2）期间的语音丢失和偏移量的丢失和静音1）。

公开(公告)号：US09503815B2

公开(公告)日：2016-11-22

申请号：US14289437

申请日：2014-05-28

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sean Anthony Ramprashad ,  Qing Yang

IPC: H04R3/00 ,  H04R3/02 ,  H04M9/08 ,  H04M19/08

CPC classification number: H04R3/02 ,  H04M9/08 ,  H04M19/08

Abstract: To address issues with present echo gate control, a method and apparatus for more intelligently operating an echo gate is described herein. In particular, the decision of whether to mute an uplink signal, or not, is formulated herein as primarily a perceptual decision based on an appropriate analysis of the perceptual interaction of the current residual echo and the current near-end signal(s). By doing so, the application of muting through an echo gate may be minimized and/or more appropriately engaged. This will lead to fewer dropouts and muting of speech onsets and offsets 1) during periods such as double-talk or 2) during periods of downlink playback in the presence of low near-end signal levels, two cases of particular importance.

Abstract translation: 为了解决当前回波门控制的问题，本文描述了用于更智能地操作回波门的方法和装置。 特别地，基于对当前残余回声和当前近端信号的感知交互的适当分析，本文中将基于上行链路信号的静音的决定在此形成为主要的感知决定。 通过这样做，通过回波门的静音的应用可以被最小化和/或更适当地接合。 两种情况尤其重要，这将导致在较低的近端信号电平存在的情况下，在下行链路重放的时段期间，诸如双向通话或2）期间的语音丢失和偏移量的丢失和静音1）。

公开(公告)号：US20150350777A1

公开(公告)日：2015-12-03

申请号：US14289378

申请日：2014-05-28

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Qing Yang ,  Sean Anthony Ramprashad

IPC: H04R3/00

CPC classification number: H04R3/02 ,  H04M9/08

Abstract: A system and method is described for estimating residual echo and performing residual echo suppression on a signal. In particular, the system and method described herein: 1) provides a more accurate coherence-based approach where the sub-band nature of coherence-based residual echo estimation is leveraged using sub-band-based coherence measures and upper-bound envelopes to guide residual echo estimates; 2) provides joint estimation of the residual echo and a background stationary noise-floor; 3) provides more accurate residual echo estimation by combining the above two measures with information on near-end activity to selectively adjust the residual-echo estimation in sub-bands; and 4) provides improved control of near-end distortion by leveraging the noise-floor estimate and the internally calculated signal-to-echo ratios as additional guides/limits to help balance, flexibly, and as needed, near-end distortion with residual echo suppression. The resultant residual echo suppressor design provides significant improvement in both residual echo suppression and background noise preservation.

Abstract translation: 描述了用于估计残余回波并对信号执行残余回波抑制的系统和方法。 特别地，本文描述的系统和方法：1）提供更准确的基于相干性的方法，其中基于相干的残差回波估计的子带性质利用基于子带的一致性测量和上限的包络来引导 残差回波估计; 2）提供残差回波和背景固定噪声基底的联合估计; 3）通过将上述两种措施与近端活动信息相结合，提供更精确的残余回波估计，以选择性地调整子带中的残余回波估计; 和4）通过利用噪声层估计和内部计算的信号与回波比作为附加指南/限制来提供对近端失真的改进的控制，以帮助平衡，灵活地并且根据需要具有残余回波的近端失真 抑制。 所得到的残留回波抑制器设计提供了残留回波抑制和背景噪声保护的显着改进。

公开(公告)号：US09412354B1

公开(公告)日：2016-08-09

申请号：US14601129

申请日：2015-01-20

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sean Anthony Ramprashad

IPC: G10K11/16 ,  H04R3/00

CPC classification number: H04R3/005 ,  H04M3/56 ,  H04R27/00

Abstract: A conference system is described that transfers audio signals/streams between a near-end computing system and a far-end computing system. The near-end system may produce a plurality of microphone beams capturing various areas of the near-end. The beams may include primary beams directed at targets of interest and secondary beams focused on sound sources away from the targets of interest. The secondary beams may be selectively used as de-correlating signals for de-correlating the primary beams. The mixing may be made using a scale factor to produce a new primary beam. When the new beam does not provide significant de-correlation and the original raw primary beams are already sufficiently de-correlated, the original raw primary beams may be transmitted to the far-end system.

Abstract translation: 描述了在近端计算系统和远端计算系统之间传送音频信号/流的会议系统。 近端系统可以产生捕获近端的各种区域的多个麦克风束。 梁可以包括指向感兴趣的目标的主波束和聚焦在远离目标目标的声源上的次波束。 次级光束可以被选择性地用作去相关信号以使主光束去相关。 可以使用比例因子来进行混合以产生新的一次光束。 当新的光束不提供显着的去相关性并且原始的原始光束已经被充分地去相关时，原始的原始主光束可以被传送到远端系统。