METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SIDETONE FEEDBACK NOTIFICATION TO A USER OF A COMMUNICATION DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE MICROPHONES

• US 20100022280A1
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Schrage, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 8,630,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/109 by improving strong signal performance of the receiver when strong unwanted signals are present at the receiver input
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/58 Anti-side-tone circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23

Abstract

A communication device including multiple microphones is provided. The communication device includes at least two microphones. The communication device further includes a sidetone feedback notifier for producing a notification signal. The sidetone feedback notifier is coupled to the microphones. The notification signal is based on the combination of, a first input audio signal provided for by a first microphone, and a second input audio signal provided for by a second microphone. The sidetone feedback notifier is coupled to a notification device for providing a feedback signal to a user based on the notification signal.

Claims

1. A communication device including multiple microphones comprising:

a first microphone for producing a first input audio signal;

a second microphone for producing a second input audio signal;

a sidetone feedback notifier, for producing a notification signal., connected, directly or indirectly, to a first microphone and, connected, directly or indirectly, to a second microphone, wherein the notification signal is based on the combination of the first input audio signal and the second input audio signal; and

a notification device, for providing a feedback signal to a user based on the notification signal, connected, directly or indirectly to the sidetone feedback notifier.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the notification device is at least one of a display, a speaker, a vibrator, and a light emitting diode.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the feedback signal to the user is at least one of an audible signal, visual signal, and tactile signal.

4. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a signal combiner adapted for combining a first combiner signal and a second combiner signal based on the first input audio signal and the second input audio signal.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the signal combiner includes an adder for combining the first combiner signal and the second combiner signal.

6. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the sidetone feedback notifier includes at least two configurable gain adjusters for adjusting a level for the notification signal.

7. The communication device of claim 6, wherein any of the configurable gain adjuster'"'"'s gain is configurable.

8. The communication device of claim 7, wherein any of the configurable gain adjuster'"'"'s gain is configurable by the user.

9. The communication device of claim 7, wherein any of the configurable gain adjuster'"'"'s gain is configurable by a mode controller output.

10. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the mode controller output is based on any one of a wind noise detection value, enhancement return loss echo value, and automatic volume control level value.

11. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the mode controller output is based on if a microphone on the communication device has switched designation from a secondary microphone to primary microphone during operation.

12. The communication device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first combiner signal and the second combiner signal exceeds a threshold.

13. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the threshold is either pre-determined or configurable.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the threshold is configurable by the user.

15. A method of generating a feedback signal to a communication device user comprising:

obtaining a first audio signal coupled to an output from a first microphone;

obtaining a second audio signal coupled to an output from a second microphone;

generating a notification signal based on the combination of the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

providing a feedback signal to the user based on the notification signal sent to a notification device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the notification device is at least one of a display, a speaker, a vibrator, and a light emitting diode.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the feedback signal to the user is at least one of an audible signal, visual signal, and tactile signal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first audio signal and the second audio signal are added to produce a combined signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein any of the first audio signal, the second audio signal signal, and the combined signal are adjusted by a configurable gain.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the configurable gain is configured by the user.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the configurable gain is configured by a mode controller output.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the mode controller output is based on any one of a wind noise detection value, enhancement return loss echo value, and automatic volume control level value.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the mode controller output is based on if a microphone on the communication device has switched designation from a secondary microphone to primary microphone during operation.

24. A communication device including multiple microphones comprising:

means for obtaining a first audio signal coupled to an output from a first microphone;

means for obtaining a second audio signal coupled to an output from a second microphone;

means for generating a notification signal based on the combination of the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

means for providing a feedback signal to the user based on the notification signal sent to a notification device.

25. The communication device of claim 24, wherein the notification device is at least one of a display, a speaker, a vibrator, and a light emitting diode.

26. The communication device of claim 24, wherein the feedback signal to the user is at least one of an audible signal, visual signal, and tactile signal.

27. The communication device of claim 24, wherein the first audio signal and the second audio signal are added to produce a combined signal.

28. The communication device of claim 27, wherein any of the first audio signal, the second audio signal signal, and the combined signal are adjusted by a configurable gain.

29. The communication device of claim 28, wherein the configurable gain is configured by the user.

30. The communication device of claim 28, wherein the configurable gain is configured by a mode controller output.

31. The communication device of claim 30, wherein the mode controller output is based on any one of a wind noise detection value, enhancement return loss echo value, and automatic volume control level value.

32. The communication device of claim 30, wherein the mode controller output is based on if a microphone on the communication device has switched designation from a secondary microphone to primary microphone during operation.

33. A computer-readable medium embodying a set of instructions executable by one or more processors, comprising:

code for obtaining a first audio signal coupled to an output from a first microphone;

code for obtaining a second audio signal coupled to an output from a second microphone;

code for generating a notification signal based on the combination of the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

code for providing a feedback signal to the user based on the notification signal sent to a notification device.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the notification device is at least one of a display, a speaker, a vibrator, and a light emitting diode.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the feedback signal to the user is at least one of an audible signal, visual signal, and tactile signal.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the first audio signal and the second audio signal are added to produce a combined signal.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein any of the first audio signal, the second audio signal signal, and the combined signal are adjusted by a configurable gain.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the configurable gain is configured by the user.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the configurable gain is configured by a mode controller output.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the mode controller output is based on any one of a wind noise detection value, enhancement return loss echo value, and automatic volume control level value.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the mode controller output is based on if a microphone on the communication device has switched designation from a secondary microphone to primary microphone during operation.