Network echo canceller

• US 5,559,881 A
• Filed: 02/28/1994
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sih, Gilbert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/202,520
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 379/406, 379/407, 379/409, 379/410, 379/411, 379/399, 379/398, 379/345, 379/59, 379/60, 379/390, 370/32.1, 375/99
• US Class Current: 379/406.08
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/012 Comfort noise or silence coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/23 using a replica of transmitted signal in the time domain, e.g. echo cancellers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/234 using double talk detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23

Abstract

An echo canceller and method for cancelling in a return channel signal an echoed receive channel signal where the echoed receive channel signal is combined by an echo channel with an input return channel signal. The echo canceller has a first filter which generates first filter coefficients, generates a first echo estimate signal with the first filter coefficients, and updates the first filter coefficients in response to a first filter control signal. A first summer subtracts the first echo estimate signal from a combined return channel and echo receive channel signal to generate a first echo residual signal. A second filter generates second filter coeffidents, generates a second echo estimate signal with the second filter coefficients, and updates the second filter coefficients in response to a second filter control signal. A second summer subtracts the second echo estimate signal from the combined signal to generate a second echo residual signal, and provides upon the return channel the second echo residual signal. A control unit determines from the receive channel signal, the combined signal, and the first and second echo residual signals, one of a plurality of control states wherein a first control state is indicative of a receive channel signal above a first predetermined energy level, wherein when the control unit is in the first control state it generates the first control signal and generates the second control signal when at least one of a first energy ratio of the first echo residual signal and the combined signal and a second energy ratio of the second echo residual signal and the combined signal exceed a predetermined level.

Claims

1. An echo canceller system for cancelling an echo receive channel signal from a return channel, said echo receive channel signal being introduced into said return channel from an echo channel in communication with said return channel, said system comprising:

an automatic gain control unit for receiving a far-end signal from a far-end channel and for scaling said far-end signal in accordance with a gain control signal to provide a controlled dynamic range signal; and

echo canceller means, coupled to said automatic gain control unit, for receiving said controlled dynamic range signal from said automatic gain control unit and for receiving from said return channel a combined signal comprised of said echo receive channel signal and an input return channel signal, for subtracting an estimate of said echo receive channel signal from said return channel and for providing said gain control signal to said automatic gain control unit.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said echo canceller means comprises:

first filter means for generating first filter coefficients, generating a first echo estimate signal with the first filter coefficients, and updating the first filter coefficients in response to a first filter control signal;

first summing means for subtracting the first echo estimate signal from the combined signal to generate a first echo residual signal;

second filter means for generating second filter coefficients, generating a second echo estimate signal with the second filter coefficients, and updating the second filter coefficients in response to a second filter control signal;

second summing means for subtracting the second echo estimate signal from the combined signal to generate a second echo residual signal, and providing upon the return channel the second echo residual signal; and

control means for determining from the receive channel signal, the combined signal, and the first and second echo residual signals, one of a plurality of control states wherein a first control state is indicative of a receive channel signal above a first predetermined energy level, wherein when the control means is in the first control state generating the first control signal and generating the second control signal when at least one of a first energy ratio of the first echo residual signal and the combined signal and a second energy ratio of the second echo residual signal and the combined signal exceed a first predetermined energy ratio level.

3. A method for performing echo canceling in an echo canceller comprising the steps of:

receiving a far-end signal from a far-end channel in communication with said echo canceller;

scaling said far-end signal to provide a controlled range signal within a predefined dynamic range, said controlled range signal being incident upon an echo channel;

receiving an echo signal from said echo channel; and

echo canceling said echo signal at least partially on the basis of magnitude of said controlled range signal.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of determining an echo estimate, said step of determining an echo estimate comprising the steps of:

generating a first set of filter coefficients;

generating from a receive channel signal and said first set of filter coefficients a first echo estimate;

subtracting the first echo estimate signal from a combined return channel and echo receive channel signal to generate a first echo residual signal;

generating a second set of filter coefficients;

generating from the receive channel signal and the second set of filter coefficients a second echo estimate;

subtracting the second echo estimate signal from the combined signal to generate a second echo residual signal;

providing upon the return channel the second echo residual signal;

updating the first set of filter coefficients when the receive channel signal is above a first predetermined energy level; and

updating the second filter coefficients when at least one of a first energy ratio of the first echo residual signal and the combined signal and a second energy ratio of the second echo residual signal and the combined signal exceed a first predetermined energy ratio level.