Ambient noise cancellation for voice communication device

• US 20060029212A1
• Filed: 10/13/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meadows, Vernon, Short, Shannon M., Hartselle, William A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,450,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/388.30
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17821 characterised by the analysis of the input signals only
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/1783 handling or detecting of non-standard events or conditions, e.g. changing operating modes under specific operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17857 Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17873 using a reference signal without an error signal, e.g. pure feedforward
• 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 2210/1081 Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3036 Modes, e.g. vibrational or spatial modes
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3045 Multiple acoustic inputs, single acoustic output
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6008 in the transmitter circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/002 Damping circuit arrangements for transducers, e.g. motional feedback circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A system and method for reducing or entirely canceling background or ambient noise from a voice transmission from a communications device. A communications device, such as a mobile telephone, is configured with an ambient noise compensation signal generator that is connected between a microphone and a mixer. The original output of the microphone and a compensation signal generated by the ambient noise compensation signal generator are mixed together prior to being passed to a transmitter. In one embodiment a buffer is provided between the microphone and the mixer to help synchronize the timing of the signals to be mixed. In another embodiment a second microphone is employed to detect ambient noise.

Claims

1. A communications device, comprising:

a body portion;

a microphone having a microphone output providing a first signal, the microphone being spatially distant from the body portion;

an ambient noise compensation signal generator having an ambient noise compensation signal generator input connected to the microphone output and receiving the first signal and an ambient noise compensation signal generator output;

a mixer having (i) a first mixer input in communication with the microphone output and receiving the first signal and (ii) a second mixer input connected to the ambient noise compensation signal generator output and (iii) a mixer output; and

a transmitter within the body and having a transmitter input connected to the mixer output and a transmitter output in communication with an antenna,

wherein the ambient noise picked up by the microphone is attenuated before being passed to the transmitter.

2. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the communications device is a mobile telephone.

3. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the microphone picks up both ambient noise and a voice signal.

4. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising a buffer interposed between the microphone and the mixer.

5. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising an enable/disable switch for enabling/disabling the ambient noise compensation signal generator.

6. A communications device, comprising:

a body portion;

a first microphone having a microphone output providing a first signal containing both voice and ambient noise, the first microphone being spatially distant from the body portion;

a second microphone having a microphone output providing a second signal containing substantially only ambient noise, the second microphone being within the body portion;

an ambient noise compensation signal generator having (i) an ambient noise compensation signal generator input connected to both the first microphone output and the second microphone output and (ii) an ambient noise compensation signal generator output;

a mixer having (i) a first mixer input in communication with the first microphone output and (ii) a second mixer input connected to the ambient noise compensation signal generator output and (iii) a mixer output;

a transmitter having a transmitter input connected to the mixer output and a transmitter output in communication with an antenna, and

an enable/disable switch for enabling/disabling the ambient noise compensation signal generator,

wherein ambient noise picked up by the first microphone and by the second microphone is processed by the ambient noise compensation signal generator and wherein the ambient noise is attenuated before being passed to the transmitter.

7. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the communications device is a mobile telephone.

11. The communications device of claim 6, further comprising a buffer interposed between the first microphone and the mixer.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. A communications device, comprising:

a body portion;

means for detecting ambient noise, the means for detecting ambient noise having an omnidirectional sensitivity;

means for detecting a voice signal, the means for detecting a voice signal has a directional sensitivity;

means for attenuating the ambient noise, wherein the means for attenuating ambient noise generates an output that attenuates ambient noise detected by the means for detecting ambient noise thereby reducing the ambient noise associated with the voice signal;

a means for mixing the ambient noise detected by the means for detecting ambient noise and the voice signal detected by the means for detecting the voice signal with the output from the means for attenuating ambient noise thereby reducing the ambient noise associated with the voice signal;

a means for transmitting the voice signal, wherein the means for transmitting receives input from the means for mixing; and

means for receiving a selection from a user of the communications device to activate and deactivate the means for attenuating ambient noise independently of powering on and off the communications device.

14. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting ambient noise comprises a microphone.

15. The communications device of claim 14, wherein the microphone is omni-directional.

16. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting a voice signal comprises a microphone.

17. The communications device of claim 16, wherein the microphone is unidirectional.

18. The communications device of claim 13, the communications device is a mobile telephone.

19. The communications device of claim 13, wherein both the means for detecting ambient noise and means for detecting a voice signal are in communication with the means for attenuating ambient noise

20. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting ambient noise and the means for detecting a voice signal are spatially distant from each other.

21. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting ambient noise is spatially distant from the communications device.

22. The communications device of claim 13, further comprising means for buffering a voice signal.

23. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the means for receiving a selection comprises an enable/disable switch for enabling/disabling the means for attenuating ambient noise.