Noise reduction for teleconferencing within an interactive television system
First Claim
1. A set top box for an interactive television system, the set top box configured to provide two-way communication using the interactive television system between a near-end user and a far-end user, the set top box comprising:
- a processor;
a wireless receiver coupled to the processor for communicating with a remote control;
an interface coupled to the processor for communicating with the far-end user;
a noise cancellation module coupled to the wireless receiver and to the interface and having;
a first input to receive TV audio output;
a second input coupled to the receiver to receive input sound; and
an adaptive filter to remove the TV audio output from the input sound based on an estimate of received TV audio output; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including;
communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for providing two-way communication using an interactive television system includes a remote control and a set top box. The remote control is configured to control operation of the interactive television system. In addition, the set top box is configured to establish two-way communication with a far-end user via the interactive television system. In one configuration, the set top box includes a noise cancellation module for canceling estimated TV sound from an audio signal captured by the remote control. In another configuration, the set top box includes an output suppression module for suppressing TV sound while an audio signal is being captured.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A set top box for an interactive television system, the set top box configured to provide two-way communication using the interactive television system between a near-end user and a far-end user, the set top box comprising:
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a processor;
a wireless receiver coupled to the processor for communicating with a remote control;
an interface coupled to the processor for communicating with the far-end user;
a noise cancellation module coupled to the wireless receiver and to the interface and having;
a first input to receive TV audio output;
a second input coupled to the receiver to receive input sound; and
an adaptive filter to remove the TV audio output from the input sound based on an estimate of received TV audio output; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including;
communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A set top box for an interactive television system, the set top box configured to provide two-way communication using the interactive television system between a near-end user and a far-end user, the set top box comprising:
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a processor;
a wireless receiver coupled to the processor for communicating with a remote control;
an interface coupled to the processor for communicating with the far-end user;
an output suppression module coupled to the wireless receiver and to a TV audio output, the output suppression module having;
a first input coupled to the receiver to receive input sound;
a first output coupled to the TV audio output; and
a near-end audio detector to detect near-end audio in the input sound and to suppress the TV audio output when the near-end audio is detected;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including;
communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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15. A system for providing two-way communication using an interactive television system, the system comprising:
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a remote control configured to control operation of the interactive television system, the remote control further comprising a wireless transmitter configured to communicate with the interactive television system; and
a set top box configured to establish two-way communication with a far-end user via the interactive television system, the set top box comprising;
a processor;
a wireless receiver coupled to the processor for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter;
an interface coupled to the processor for communicating with the far-end user;
a noise cancellation module coupled to the wireless receiver and to the interface and having;
a first input to receive TV audio output;
a second input coupled to the receiver to receive input sound; and
an adaptive filter to remove the TV audio output from the input sound based on an estimate of received TV audio output;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including;
communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system.
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28. A system for providing two-way communication using an interactive television system, the system comprising:
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a remote control configured to control operation of the interactive television system, the remote control further comprising a wireless transmitter configured to communicate with the interactive television system; and
a set top box configured to establish two-way communication with a far-end user via the interactive television system, the set top box comprising;
a processor;
a wireless receiver coupled to the processor for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter;
an interface coupled to the processor for communicating with the far-end user;
an output suppression module coupled to the wireless receiver and to a TV audio output, the output suppression module having;
a first input coupled to the receiver to receive input sound;
a first output coupled to the TV audio output; and
a near-end audio detector to detect near-end audio in the input sound and to suppress the TV audio output when the near-end audio is detected;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including;
communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system.
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41. A method of providing two-way communication over an interactive television system, the method comprising:
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outputting television sound to a speaker;
capturing a first audio signal through use of a microphone integrated with a remote control, the first audio signal including the television sound;
transmitting the first audio signal from a wireless transmitter of the remote control to a wireless receiver of a set top box;
canceling the television sound from the first audio signal to generate a filtered first audio signal; and
transmitting the filtered first audio signal to a far-end user via the interactive television system. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50)
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47. A method of providing two-way communication over an interactive television system, the method comprising:
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capturing audio through use of a microphone integrated with a remote control;
transmitting the audio from a wireless transmitter of the remote control to a wireless receiver of a set top box;
detecting when a first audio signal is present in the audio;
suppressing television sound when the first audio signal is detected;
outputting the television sound when the first audio signal is not detected; and
transmitting the first audio signal to a far-end user via the interactive television system.
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51. A set top box for an interactive television system, the set top box being configured to provide two-way communication using the interactive television system between a near-end user and a far-end user, the set top box comprising:
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an interface for communicating with the far-end user;
an audio coupling to the interactive television system for providing the television sound to the interactive television system for outputting the television sound to the near-end user;
a wireless receiver for communicating with a remote control and for receiving a first audio signal from the remote control, the first audio signal including near-end user speech and television sound;
an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the wireless receiver for converting the first audio signal to a digital first audio signal;
a processor coupled to the analog-to-digital converter for processing the digital first audio signal;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including;
communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system;
a noise cancellation module for canceling the television sound from the digital first audio signal, the noise cancellation module comprising noise cancellation instructions executable by the processor; and
a bus enabling electronic communication between the processor and the memory.
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52. A set top box for an interactive television system, the set top box being configured to provide two-way communication using the interactive television system between a near-end user and a far-end user, the set top box comprising:
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an interface for communicating with the far-end user;
an audio coupling to the interactive television system for providing the television sound to the interactive television system for outputting the television sound to the near-end user;
a wireless receiver for communicating with a remote control and for receiving a first audio signal from the remote control;
an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the wireless receiver for converting the first audio signal to a digital first audio signal;
a processor coupled to the analog-to-digital converter for processing the digital first audio signal;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including;
communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system;
an output suppression module for detecting audio user input in the first audio signal and to suppress the television sound when the audio user input is detected, the output suppression module comprising output suppression instructions executable by the processor; and
a bus enabling electronic communication between the processor and the memory.
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53. A method of providing two-way communication over an interactive television system, the method comprising:
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receiving a television signal that includes a television audio signal;
providing the television audio signal to the interactive television system;
outputting the television audio signal to a speaker to produce television sound;
capturing a first audio signal through use of a microphone integrated with a remote control;
transmitting the first audio signal from a wireless transmitter of a remote control to a wireless receiver of a set top box;
converting the first audio signal to a digital first audio signal;
canceling the television sound from the digital first audio signal to generate a filtered first audio signal;
generating a data stream that includes the filtered first audio signal; and
transmitting the data stream to a far-end user via the interactive television system.
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54. A method of providing two-way communication over an interactive television system, the method comprising:
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receiving a television signal that includes a television audio signal;
providing the television audio signal to the interactive television system;
outputting the television audio signal to a speaker to produce television sound;
capturing audio through use of a microphone integrated with a remote control;
transmitting the audio from a wireless transmitter of the remote control to a wireless receiver of a set top box;
converting the audio to a digital audio signal;
detecting when a first audio signal is present in the digital audio signal;
suppressing television sound when the first audio signal is detected;
outputting the television audio signal to the speaker when the first audio signal is not detected; and
transmitting the first audio signal to a far-end user via the interactive television system.
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55. A system for providing two-way communication using an interactive television system between a near-end user and a far-end user, the system comprising:
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a remote control configured to control operation of the interactive television system, the remote control comprising a wireless transmitter configured to communicate with the interactive television system and a microphone configured to capture a first audio signal for transmission to the set top box via the wireless transmitter; and
a set top box, the set top box comprising;
an interface for communicating with the far-end user;
an audio coupling to the interactive television system for providing television sound to the interactive television system for outputting the television sound to the near-end user;
a wireless receiver for communicating with the remote control and for receiving the first audio signal from the remote control, the first audio signal including near-end user speech and television sound;
an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the wireless receiver for converting the first audio signal to a digital first audio signal;
a processor coupled to the analog-to-digital converter for processing the digital first audio signal;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including;
communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system;
a noise cancellation module for canceling the television sound from the digital first audio signal, the noise cancellation module comprising noise cancellation instructions executable by the processor; and
a bus enabling electronic communication between the processor and the memory;
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56. A system for providing two-way communication using an interactive television system between a near-end user and a far-end user, the system comprising:
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a remote control configured to control operation of the interactive television system, the remote control comprising a wireless transmitter configured to communicate with the interactive television system and a microphone configured to capture a first audio signal for transmission to the set top box via the wireless transmitter; and
a set top box, the set top box comprising;
an interface for communicating with the far-end user;
an audio coupling to the interactive television system for providing the television sound to the interactive television system for outputting the television sound to the near-end user;
a wireless receiver for communicating with the remote control and for receiving a first audio signal from the remote control;
an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the wireless receiver for converting the first audio signal to a digital first audio signal;
a processor coupled to the analog-to-digital converter for processing the digital first audio signal;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including;
communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system;
an output suppression module for detecting audio user input in the first audio signal and to suppress the television sound when the audio user input is detected, the output suppression module comprising output suppression instructions executable by the processor; and
a bus enabling electronic communication between the processor and the memory.
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57. A set top box for an interactive television system, the set top box configured to provide two-way communication using the interactive television system between a near-end user and a far-end user, the set top box comprising:
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processing means;
wireless receiving means coupled to the processing means for communicating with a remote control;
interface means coupled to the processing means for communicating with the far-end user;
noise cancellation means coupled to the wireless receiving means and to the interface means and having;
first input means for receiving TV audio output;
second input means coupled to the wireless receiving means for receiving input sound; and
adaptive filtering means for removing the TV audio output from the input sound based on an estimate of received TV audio output; and
memory means coupled to the processing means, the memory means including communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system.
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58. A system for providing two-way communication using an interactive television system, the system comprising:
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control means for remotely controlling operation of the interactive television system, the remote control means further comprising wireless transmission means configured to communicate with the interactive television system; and
communication means for establishing two-way communication with a far-end user via the interactive television system, the communication means comprising;
processing means;
wireless receiving means coupled to the processing means for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmission means;
interface means coupled to the processing means for communicating with the far-end user;
noise cancellation means coupled to the wireless receiving means and to the interface means and having;
first input means for receiving TV audio output;
second input means for receiving input sound; and
adaptive filter means for removing the TV audio output from the input sound based on an estimate of received TV audio output; and
memory means coupled to the processing means, the memory means including communication instructions for establishing two-way communication with the far-end user via the interactive television system.
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Specification