Room acoustics echo meter for voice terminals

• US 20040022394A1
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Michaelis, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/08 Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic

Abstract

The present invention provides an indication to the user of a voice communication system that an echo at the user'"'"'s location has been detected by the system. In response to receiving this indication of echo, users may take any of several actions to reduce the echo, such as changing the position of the microphone or changing their own position with respect to the microphone. The need for potentially expensive echo-canceling hardware and software is reduced because the actions to eliminate the echo are performed by the user. The echo detector in the present invention may be implemented as part of a voice terminal, or as part of a communication switch or server that is used in conjunction with a voice terminal.

Claims

1. A method for reducing echo in voice communication signals, comprising:

receiving a first voice signal;

generating at least a first signal comprising said first voice signal;

detecting the presence of at least a first echo in said first generated signal; and

reporting said first echo to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to said reported first echo, changing a position of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a first voice signal is performed by a microphone, said method further comprising:

in response to said reported first echo, moving a position of at least one of the user and said receiver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting the presence of at least a first echo in said first generated signal comprises detecting a magnitude of said at least a first echo.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of reporting said first echo to the user comprises reporting a magnitude of said first echo.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of reporting said first echo comprises providing at least one of an audible and a visual signal to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting comprises detecting a change in a spectral content of said first generated signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting comprises detecting an amplitude and a time delay of said echo.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a second voice signal;

generating a second signal comprising said second voice signal;

detecting the presence of at least a second echo in said second generated signal; and

reporting said second echo to said user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to said reported second echo, moving a position of at least one of the user and a microphone.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said output device comprises a speaker.

11. A system of reducing echo in voice communication signals, comprising:

an electronic signal path operable to transmit at least one electronic signal including at least one electronic representation of at least one voice signal;

an echo detector operable to detect the presence of an echo associated with said at least one electronic representation transmitted by said electronic signal path; and

an output device in communication with said echo detector operable to output a signal indicating the detection of an echo by said echo detector.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a receiver operable to convert a voice signal to an electronic representation of said voice signal and to provide said electronic representation to said electronic signal path.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said receiver comprises a microphone.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a voice communication device, wherein said receiver, at least a portion of said electronic signal path, said echo detector and said output device are provided as part of said voice communication device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said voice communication device comprises at least one of a telephone and a soft telephone.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a communication server, wherein said echo detector is provided as part of said communication server; and

a voice communication device, wherein said output device is provided as part of said voice communication device.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said output device comprises at least one a visual output and an audible output.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said output device comprises a numeric display.

20. A computer readable storage medium containing a program for performing a series of method steps, the method comprising:

receiving a voice signal;

detecting an echo associated with said received voice signal; and

outputting an indication of said detected echo to a user.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, the method further comprising:

determining a psycho-acoustic effect of said echo.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein said step of outputting comprises reporting said determined psycho-acoustic effect of said echo to the user.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein said psycho-acoustic effect of said echo is determined from an amplitude and a time delay of said detected echo.

24. A system for reducing echo in outgoing voice signals, comprising:

means for generating an electronic signal representing a received signal;

means for detecting an acoustic echo in said electronic signal, wherein said means for detecting is in communication with said means for generating; and

means for outputting a signal to a user indicating the presence of an acoustic echo in said electronic signal to a user.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said means for generating comprises a microphone.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said means for detecting is provided as part of a communication server.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said means for generating, said means for detecting, and said means for outputting are provided as part of a voice communication device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said voice communication device comprises a telephone.