Echo Suppression in Audio Mixing Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Audio mixing systems in communication devices face issues with audible distortions such as echoes and local device alert sounds being distracting to far-end users, which existing signal processing methods fail to fully address.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes an echo suppressor to suppress recaptured designated audio signals, mixes them with suppressed input audio signals, and adjusts signal levels to generate an uplink audio signal free from artifacts introduced by transducers and the acoustic space, ensuring clear transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If signal processing methods are applied to reduce audible distortions, then echo reduction is improved, but local device alert sounds and music become distracting to far end user
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is segmented into different components (designated audio signal vs. other audio signals). The echo suppressor selectively processes only the designated audio signal component that is reproduced by the transducer, while leaving other local sounds unaffected. This segmentation allows targeted echo reduction without suppressing desirable local audio content.
Solution Approach 2:
The designated audio signal acts as an intermediary reference that enables the echo suppressor to identify and remove only the echo components. By comparing the reproduced designated audio signal with the captured microphone signal, the system can distinguish between echo (to be removed) and local device sounds (to be preserved).
2Ease of operation
If the microphone captures audio from the acoustic space, then communication functionality is maintained, but audible distortions including echoes are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback by comparing the reproduced designated audio signal with the microphone-captured signal. The echo suppressor analyzes the difference between these two signals to identify and remove echo components, maintaining communication functionality while reducing audible distortions.
Solution Approach 2:
The echo suppressor extracts and removes only the echo components from the captured audio signal. By identifying the portion of the microphone signal that corresponds to the reproduced designated audio signal, the system can separate and eliminate echoes while preserving other audio content.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If locally generated sounds are suppressed when the microphone recaptures them, then echo reduction is achieved, but music and other local sounds become distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the audio processing into selective echo suppression for designated signals and preservation of other local sounds. By identifying which audio components are designated for echo suppression versus which are local device sounds, the system maintains audio signal quality while achieving echo reduction.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for sharing a designated audio signal may reproduce the designated audio signal via transducer into an acoustic space. The designated audio signal may be a recorded audio signal, an encoded audio signal, a streamed audio signal and an audio signal component of a multi-media content item. An input audio signal may be received representing a sound field in the acoustic space. One or more microphones may receive the input audio signal. A component contributed by the reproduced designated audio signal may be suppressed in the input audio signal. An echo suppressor may suppress the recaptured designated audio signal. The designated audio signal may be mixed with the suppressed input audio signal to generate an uplink audio signal. The designated audio signal mixed with the suppressed input audio signal may not include artifacts caused by the transducer, the microphone and the acoustic space.