Acoustic Echo Suppression Using Dynamic Microphone Selection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional acoustic echo suppression techniques in multi-microphone systems become less effective when microphones are occluded or affected by external conditions such as wind or blockages, leading to degraded performance in noise cancellation and echo suppression.
Innovation Solution
A method that dynamically selects the most suitable microphone signals for echo suppression by analyzing conditions such as blockages and wind effects, using features like sub-band noise power and total signal entropy to identify affected microphones and generate echo suppressed audio signals through adaptive filtering and multiplexing of echo reference signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional echo suppression techniques are used, then echo suppression is effective under normal conditions, but performance degrades when microphones are occluded or affected by external conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its echo suppression strategy by monitoring microphone conditions and switching between different processing modes. When microphones are detected as occluded or affected by external conditions, the system transitions from using conventional single-microphone techniques to employing multiple alternative microphones and adaptive filtering strategies, ensuring continuous effective performance across varying environmental conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by selecting different microphones based on their current condition. When a microphone's signal quality deteriorates due to occlusion or external factors, the system alters which microphone is used for echo suppression and adjusts filtering parameters accordingly, maintaining reliable performance through parameter adaptation
2Reliability
If multiple microphones are used, then echo suppression can be maintained under various conditions, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple microphones serve dual purposes: they function as alternative pickup elements when primary microphones are occluded, and simultaneously provide redundant signals for adaptive filtering and condition monitoring. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain echo suppression performance without proportionally increasing complexity, as the same hardware resources serve multiple protective and adaptive functions
Data Source
AI summary
A method of enhancing an audio signal, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of input audio signals from a plurality of microphones; for each of the plurality of input audio signals, generating at an echo cancellation module, at least one output signal, the at least one output signal comprising one or more of an echo cancelled signal, a post-filter signal and a filter tap signal; analysing the plurality of input audio signals and/or the respective at least one output signal to determine a condition at each of the plurality of microphones; selecting one of the at least one output signals based on the determined condition at each of the plurality of microphones; and generating an echo suppressed audio signal by suppressing echo in an audio signal derived from one or more of the plurality of microphones using the selected one of the at least one output signal.