NON-INTRUSIVE QUALITY MEASUREMENTS FOR USE IN ENHANCING AUDIO QUALITY

• US 20150030163A1
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DSP Group Incorporated (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DSP Group Incorporated (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sokolov, Dotan
• Granted Patent: US 9,984,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/56
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/60 for measuring the quality of voice signals
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/69 for evaluating synthetic or decoded voice signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2236 Quality of speech transmission monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for receiving by a first electronic device audio content, determining audio quality of the received audio content, which includes measuring and/or estimating quality related parameters associated with the received audio content, and communicating the quality related parameters to a second electronic device, from which the audio content was transmitted. The quality related parameters may be used to control audio related functions in the second electronic device. The audio related functions may comprise noise reduction, noise suppression, cancellation, distortion reduction, equalization, compression, enhancement and/or audio rate conversion. Determining the audio quality of the received audio content may be based on one or more noise related thresholds. The quality related parameters may be communicated to the second electronic device over a dedicated control channel setup between the devices.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more circuits for use in an electronic device, the one or more circuits being operable to;

receive audio content;

determine audio quality of the received audio content, the determining of audio quality comprising measuring or estimating quality related parameters associated with the received audio content; and

communicate the quality related parameters to a second electronic device, from which the audio content was transmitted, wherein the quality related parameters are used by the second electronic device to control audio related functions in the second electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio related functions comprise noise reduction, noise suppression, echo cancellation, distortion reduction, equalization, compression, audio enhancement, speech recognition, and/or audio rate conversion.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control by the second electronic device of its audio related functions based on the quality related parameters comprises initiating, adjusting, or terminating one or more of the audio related functions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to determine the audio quality of the received audio content based on one or more related thresholds.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to communicate the quality related parameters to the second electronic device over a dedicated control channel setup between the devices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to control handling of the received audio content based on user input.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user input controls or adjusts the determination of the audio quality of the audio content and/or the determination of the quality related parameters.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the user input controls or adjusts the audio related functions in the second electronic device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a communication device, or a network element or resource in a communication network that is used in communicating audio content among a plurality of devices.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio content is destined for the electronic device, or for another device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic device comprises, when the audio content is destined for another device, a network element or resource in a network used for communicating audio content.

12. A method, comprising:

in an electronic device;

receiving audio content;

determining audio quality of the received audio content is noisy, the determining of audio quality comprising measuring or estimating quality related parameters associated with the received audio content; and

communicating the quality related parameters to a second electronic device, from which the audio content was transmitted, wherein the quality related parameters are used by the second electronic device to control audio related functions in the second electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the audio related functions comprise noise reduction, noise suppression, echo cancellation, distortion reduction, equalization, compression, audio enhancement, speech recognition, and/or audio rate conversion.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the control by the second electronic device of its audio related functions based on the quality related parameters comprises initiating, adjusting, or terminating one or more of the audio related functions.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising determining the audio quality of the received audio content based on one or more noise related thresholds.

16. The method of claim 12, comprising communicating the quality related parameters to the second electronic device over a dedicated control channel setup between the devices.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising controlling handling of the received audio content based on user input.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user input controls or adjusts the determination of the audio quality of the received audio content and/or the determination of the quality related parameters.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the user input controls or adjusts the audio related functions in the second electronic device.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic device comprises a communication device, or a network element or resource in a communication network that is used in communicating audio content among a plurality of devices.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the audio content is destined for the electronic device, or for another device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the electronic device comprises, when the audio content is destined for another device, a network element or resource in a network used for communicating audio content.