Communications system and method utilizing centralized signal processing
First Claim
1. A method for supporting communication among a plurality of terminals, the method comprising steps of:
- receiving an audio signal at a centralized switch to result in a received signal, wherein the centralized switch receives the audio signal from a terminal over a communications medium, wherein the terminal has a microphone located proximate to not more than one active speaker mechanism, wherein the terminal lacks mechanisms for removing an audio feedback portion of the audio signal, wherein the audio feedback portion is caused by the microphone reacting to sound energy from the not more than one active speaker mechanism;
processing by a signal processor the received audio signal to remove the audio feedback portion resulting in a first filtered signal;
mixing the first filtered signal with a second filtered signal to result in a mixed signal; and
transmitting the mixed signal to the terminal over the communications medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communications system and method performs centralized signal processing on received audio signals. A plurality of terminals are coupled to a processing switch via links. The terminals can be, for example, dedicated speakerphones, desktop handsets, or personal computers with audio capabilities. The links can be wired or wireless, can carry analog or digital signals, and can be shared with other users in a network. The switch receives the audio data from the terminals, processes the data according to desired acoustical procedures, creates one or more output mixes, and provides the output mixes to the appropriate terminals. The operation of the processing switch is controlled by a communications support module (CSM) which can receive, process, and send data to/from multiple terminals simultaneously. The CSM receives audio signals from the terminals. The CSM uses stored room models holding room model information including data and/or filters representing the acoustic properties of the terminal and/or the environment surrounding the terminal to produce the audio signals. Signal processing (SP) modules provide a pool of SP power from which the CSM can draw to process audio signals received from or being sent to the terminals. The CSM uses the SP modules to perform signal processing including acoustic echo cancellation, automatic gain control, noise reduction. The CSM also uses a mixing module to perform signal mixing.
49 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for supporting communication among a plurality of terminals, the method comprising steps of:
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receiving an audio signal at a centralized switch to result in a received signal, wherein the centralized switch receives the audio signal from a terminal over a communications medium, wherein the terminal has a microphone located proximate to not more than one active speaker mechanism, wherein the terminal lacks mechanisms for removing an audio feedback portion of the audio signal, wherein the audio feedback portion is caused by the microphone reacting to sound energy from the not more than one active speaker mechanism; processing by a signal processor the received audio signal to remove the audio feedback portion resulting in a first filtered signal; mixing the first filtered signal with a second filtered signal to result in a mixed signal; and transmitting the mixed signal to the terminal over the communications medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A communications system comprising:
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a processing switch coupled to a plurality of terminals, wherein each of the plurality of terminals has a microphone and a speaker proximate to the microphone, wherein the processing switch receives a first audio signal from a first terminal of the plurality of terminals resulting in a first received audio signal, wherein upon receipt, the first received audio has not been processed to reduce acoustic feedback; a communications support module (CSM) coupled to the processing switch; a signal processing (SP) module coupled to the CSM, wherein the SP module has digital signal processing resources to reduce acoustic feedback in the first received audio signal to result in a first processed signal, wherein the SP module operates under the control of the CSM, a room module coupled to the SP module, wherein the room module accesses a plurality of room models, wherein each room model contains acoustic information specific to one of the plurality of terminals, wherein each room model contains data related to the acoustic properties surrounding its respective terminal; a mixing module coupled to the processing switch and directed by the CSM, wherein the mixing module mixes the first processed signal with a second processed signal to produce an output mix, wherein the output mix is associated with the first terminal; and a module for sending the output mix to the first terminal for output on the first terminal'"'"'s speaker, wherein the first terminal has less than two speakers active simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for supporting a communications session among a plurality of terminals, the system comprising:
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a communications support module (CSM) for determining whether a first terminal of the plurality of terminals is active, wherein responsive to determining that the first terminal is active, the CSM allocates pooled feedback-reducing resources to the first terminal, wherein responsive to determining that the first terminal is not active, the CSM deallocates pooled feedback-reducing resources from the first terminal; a receiving module for receiving a first audio signal from the first terminal, wherein the first audio signal has a feedback component caused by the proximity of a first terminal'"'"'s speaker to a first terminal'"'"'s microphone, wherein the first terminal has less than two speakers active simultaneously; a room module for storing a first room model associated with the first terminal, wherein the first room model contains information relates to acoustic properties influenced by the environment surrounding the first terminal'"'"'s microphone and speaker; and a centralized signal processing (SP) module for performing SP on the first audio signal to compensate for the feedback component, wherein performing SP on the first audio signal results in a first processed signal, the wherein performing SP on the first audio signal is responsive to the first room model; and a sending module for sending the first processed signal to the first terminal. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification