Method and apparatus for echo suppression

• US 6,714,646 B1
• Filed: 02/29/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Sörqvist, Patrik, Gnosspelius, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US09/515,628
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 379/406.01, 379/406.04, 379/406.06, 379/406.07, 370/286, 370/289, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356
• US Class Current: 379/406.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/20 Reducing echo effects or singing; Opening or closing transmitting path; Conditioning for transmission in one direction or the other
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

The present invention relates to echo suppression in a telephony system wherein a communication link is established over an analogue network and a digital network. The disclosed echo suppression invention provides cost-effective ways of minimizing an echo arising in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) by calculating a first value for the energy level of the signal from the analogue to the digital network, and likewise calculating a second value for the energy level of the signal from the digital to the analogue network. The sound from the analogue network to digital network is transmitted in dependence of the results of a comparison between the first and second values.

Claims

1. A method for suppressing echo in a telephone connection, a first part of said connection being connected through an analogue network and a second part of the connection being connected through a digital network, characterized by the steps of transmitting all sound from the digital network to the analogue network, determining a first value for the energy level of the signal from the analogue network to the digital network, determining a second value for the energy level of the signal from the digital to the analogue network;

transmitting sound from the analogue network to the digital network in dependence of the result of a comparison between said first and second values.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein sound is transmitted from the analogue network to the digital network if the result of the comparison indicates that the signal from the analogue to the digital network comprises speech.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that if the result of the comparison indicates that sound should not be transmitted from the analogue network to the digital network, the signal from the analogue network to the digital network is replaced with background noise.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that if the result of the comparison indicates that sound should not be transmitted from the analogue network to the digital network, the signal from the analogue network to the digital network is replaced with zeros.

9. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that if the result of the comparison indicates that sound should not be transmitted from the analogue network to the digital network, the signal from the analogue network to the digital network is replaced with background noise.

10. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that if the result of the comparison indicates that sound should not be transmitted from the analogue network to the digital network, the signal from the analogue network to the digital network is replaced with zeros.

5. An apparatus for suppressing echo in a telephone connection in which a first part of the connection is connected through an analogue network and a second part of the connection is connected through a digital network, characterized in that the apparatus comprises

first detection means arranged to determine a first value of the energy level in the signal from the analogue network to the digital network;

second detection means arranged to determine a second value of the energy level in the signal from the digital network to the analogue network;

comparing means for comparing the first and the second value and transmit an output signal representing the result of the comparison;

connection means arranged to always transmit the signal from the digital network to the analogue network, and to transmit or not transmit the signal from the analogue network to the digital network in dependence of the output signal from the comparing means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the connection means is arranged to transmit sound from the analogue network to the digital network if the result of the comparison indicates that the signal from the analogue network to the digital network comprises speech.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the connection means is arranged to, if the result of the comparison indicates that sound should not be transmitted from the analogue to the digital network, replace the signal from the analogue network to the digital network with background noise.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the connection means is arranged to, if the result of the comparison indicates that sound should not be transmitted from the analogue to the digital network replace the signal from the analogue network to the digital network with zeros.

11. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the connection means is arranged to, if the result of the comparison indicates that sound should not be transmitted from the analogue to the digital network, replace the signal from the analogue network to the digital network with background noise.

12. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the connection means is arranged to, if the result of the comparison indicates that sound should not be transmitted from the analogue to the digital network replace the signal from the analogue network to the digital network with zeros.