In-vehicle communication signal processing

• US 10,002,601 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2016
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mohammad, Asif, Narayanaswamy, Sreekanth, Heimbigner, Wade, Visser, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US15/216,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20170193976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17813 characterised by the analysis of the acoustic paths, e.g. estimating, calibrating or testing of transfer functions or cross-terms
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17817 between the output signals and the error signals, i.e. secondary path
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17854 the filter being an adaptive filter
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17857 Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17875 using an error signal without a reference signal, e.g. pure feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17885 additionally using a desired external signal, e.g. pass-through audio such as music or speech
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/12821 Rolling noise; Wind and body noise
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02082 the noise being echo, reverberation of the speech
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/002 Applications of echo suppressors or cancellers in telephonic connections in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/08, echo suppressors or cancellers per se H04B3/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/02 for preventing acoustic reaction , i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453

Abstract

A system includes a feedback filter configured to receive an audio signal from a microphone and to process the audio signal based on a feedback path between a loudspeaker and the microphone. The system also includes an adaptive filter coupled to the feedback filter. The system further includes a signal combiner coupled to the microphone and to the adaptive filter.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a feedback filter configured to receive an audio signal from a microphone and to process the audio signal based on a feedback path between a loudspeaker and the microphone;

a second feedback filter configured to receive the audio signal from the microphone and to process the audio signal based on a second feedback path between a second loudspeaker and the microphone, wherein the second feedback path is distinct from the feedback path;

an adaptive filter coupled to the feedback filter and to the second feedback filter; and

a signal combiner coupled to the microphone and to the adaptive filter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback filter is configured to apply a first delay corresponding to the feedback path between the loudspeaker and the microphone, and wherein the second feedback filter is configured to apply a second delay corresponding to the second feedback path between the second loudspeaker and the microphone.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first adder having a first input coupled to an output of the signal combiner, a second input configured to receive a first surround sound signal, and an output coupled to the loudspeaker; and

a second adder having a first input coupled to the signal combiner, a second input configured to receive a second surround sound signal, and an output coupled to the second loudspeaker.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a third feedback filter configured to process a second audio signal responsive to a third feedback path between a third loudspeaker and the microphone, and wherein the adaptive filter is further coupled to the third feedback filter.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the feedback filter, the second feedback filter, the third feedback filter, the adaptive filter, and the signal combiner are included in a feedback cancellation unit, and further comprising a second feedback cancellation unit coupled to a second microphone, wherein the second feedback cancellation unit comprises:

a fourth feedback filter configured to process the audio signal responsive to a fourth feedback path between the loudspeaker and the second microphone;

a fifth feedback filter configured to process the second audio signal responsive to a fifth feedback path between the third loudspeaker and the second microphone; and

a second adaptive filter coupled to the third feedback filter and the fourth feedback filter; and

a second signal combiner coupled to the second microphone and to the second feedback cancellation unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the adaptive filter is coupled to the feedback filter via a delay element.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback path includes an acoustic path between the loudspeaker and the microphone, and wherein the feedback filter is configured to process the audio signal based on the acoustic path between the loudspeaker and the microphone.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a feedback cancellation unit configured to:

determine an impulse response of the acoustic path based on input received by the microphone responsive to a calibration signal from the loudspeaker during a configuration mode; and

set the feedback filter based on the impulse response.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback filter, the adaptive filter, and the signal combiner are integrated into a mobile device.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal combiner coupled to an output of the feedback filter and coupled to a second output of the second feedback filter; and

a delay element coupled to a third output of the signal combiner and coupled to an input of the adaptive filter.

24. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third feedback filter configured to process the audio signal responsive to a third feedback path between a third loudspeaker and the microphone, and wherein the adaptive filter is further coupled to the third feedback filter.

10. A method for in-vehicle communication, the method comprising:

receiving an audio signal from a microphone of a vehicle;

processing the audio signal to at least partially cancel a feedback portion of the audio signal and to at least partially cancel a second feedback portion of the audio signal, the feedback portion corresponding to an output of a loudspeaker of the vehicle and the second feedback portion corresponding to a second output of a second loudspeaker of the vehicle, wherein processing the audio signal includes;

generating a filtered signal based on the audio signal;

generating a second filtered signal based on the audio signal;

generating a cancellation signal at least partially based on the filtered signal and the second filtered signal; and

adaptively filtering the cancellation signal to generate a filtered cancellation signal; and

combining the filtered cancellation signal with the audio signal to generate a modified audio signal.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising processing the modified audio signal to generate an input signal for the loudspeaker and to generate a second input signal for the second loudspeaker.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the microphone is at a first location proximate to a first occupant of the vehicle, wherein the loudspeaker is at a second location proximate to a second occupant of the vehicle, wherein the audio signal includes a voice portion that corresponds to speech of the first occupant, and wherein the input signal causes the loudspeaker to output a synthesized version of the speech of the first occupant at the second location proximate to the second occupant.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein combining the filtered cancellation signal with the audio signal attenuates one or more loudspeaker output signals that are received at the microphone without substantial attenuation of a voice portion of the audio signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein processing the modified audio signal includes adding a surround sound component for the loudspeaker to the modified audio signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein processing the modified audio signal includes adding a second surround sound component for the second loudspeaker to the modified audio signal.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein processing the audio signal includes:

filtering the audio signal at a first filter having a first transfer characteristic corresponding to a first feedback path between the loudspeaker and the microphone to generate the filtered signal;

filtering the audio signal at a second filter having a second transfer characteristic corresponding to a second feedback path between the second loudspeaker and the microphone to generate the second filtered signal; and

combining the filtered signal and the second filtered signal.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein processing the audio signal includes:

delaying the audio signal with a first delay corresponding to a first feedback path between the loudspeaker and the microphone to generate the filtered signal;

delaying the audio signal with a second delay corresponding to a second feedback path between the second loudspeaker and the microphone to generate the second filtered signal; and

combining the filtered signal and the second filtered signal.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for in-vehicle communication, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

processing an audio signal from a microphone of a vehicle to at least partially cancel a feedback portion of the audio signal and to at least partially cancel a second feedback portion of the audio signal, the feedback portion corresponding to an output of a loudspeaker of the vehicle and the second feedback portion corresponding to a second output of a second loudspeaker of the vehicle, wherein processing the audio signal includes;

generating a filtered signal;

generating a second filtered signal based on the audio signal;

generating a cancellation signal at least partially based on the filtered signal and the second filtered signal; and

adaptively filtering the cancellation signal to generate a filtered cancellation signal; and

combining the filtered cancellation signal with the audio signal to generate a modified audio signal.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, the operations further comprising processing the modified audio signal to generate an input signal for the loudspeaker and to generate a second input signal for the second loudspeaker.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein combining the filtered cancellation signal with the audio signal attenuates one or more loudspeaker output signals that are received at the microphone without substantial attenuation of a voice portion of the audio signal.

21. An apparatus for in-vehicle communication, the apparatus comprising:

means for processing an audio signal from a microphone of a vehicle to at least partially cancel a feedback portion of the audio signal, the feedback portion corresponding to an output of a loudspeaker of the vehicle and to a second output of a second loudspeaker of the vehicle, the means for processing including;

means for generating a filtered signal;

second means for generating a second filtered signal;

means for generating a cancellation signal at least partially based on the filtered signal and the second filtered signal; and

means for adaptively filtering the cancellation signal to generate a filtered cancellation signal; and

means for combining the filtered cancellation signal with the audio signal to generate a modified audio signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein combining the filtered cancellation signal with the audio signal attenuates one or more loudspeaker output signals that are received at the microphone without substantial attenuation of a voice portion of the audio signal.