Headset for separation of speech signals in a noisy environment
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A headset, comprising:
- a housing;
an ear speaker;
a first microphone connected to the housing;
a second microphone connected to the housing;
a radio; and
a processor coupled to the first and the second microphones, and configured to;
receive a first signal from the first microphone, the first signal having a noise component and a speech component;
receive a second signal from the second microphone, the second signal having a noise component and a speech component;
separate the first and second signals into a first and a second channel using a blind-source separation process, wherein one of the channels provides a noise signal comprising substantially only noise components and the other channel provides a combination signal comprising both noise components and speech components;
identify which of the first or second channels has the combination signal;
process the combination signal to generate a speech signal; and
transmit the speech signal,wherein the speech signal is transmitted to the radio, and wherein the radio operates according to a Bluetooth standard.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A headset is constructed to generate an acoustically distinct speech signal in a noisy acoustic environment. The headset positions a pair of spaced-apart microphones near a user'"'"'s mouth. The microphones each receive the user'"'"'s speech, and also receive acoustic environmental noise. The microphone signals, which have both a noise and information component, are received into a separation process. The separation process generates a speech signal that has a substantial reduced noise component. The speech signal is then processed for transmission. In one example, the transmission process includes sending the speech signal to a local control module using a Bluetooth radio.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A headset, comprising:
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a housing; an ear speaker; a first microphone connected to the housing; a second microphone connected to the housing; a radio; and a processor coupled to the first and the second microphones, and configured to; receive a first signal from the first microphone, the first signal having a noise component and a speech component; receive a second signal from the second microphone, the second signal having a noise component and a speech component; separate the first and second signals into a first and a second channel using a blind-source separation process, wherein one of the channels provides a noise signal comprising substantially only noise components and the other channel provides a combination signal comprising both noise components and speech components; identify which of the first or second channels has the combination signal; process the combination signal to generate a speech signal; and transmit the speech signal, wherein the speech signal is transmitted to the radio, and wherein the radio operates according to a Bluetooth standard. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A wireless headset system comprising:
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an ear speaker; a first microphone generating a first transducer signal having a noise component and a speech component; a second microphone generating a second transducer signal having a noise component and a speech component; a processor; a radio; and a housing, the housing holding the ear speaker and only one of the microphones, the processor configured to; receive the first and second transducer signals; separate the first and second transducer signals into a first and a second channel using a blind-source separation process, wherein one of the channels provides a noise signal comprising substantially only noise components and the other channel provides a combination signal comprising both noise components and speech components; identify which of the first or second channels has the combination signal; process the combination signal to generate a speech signal; and transmit the speech signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A wireless headset system comprising:
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an ear speaker; a first microphone generating a first transducer signal having a noise component and a speech component; a second microphone generating a second transducer signal having a noise component and a speech component; a processor; a radio; and a housing, the housing holding the ear speaker and neither of the microphones, the processor configured to; receive the first and second transducer signals; separate the first and second transducer signals into a first and a second channel using a blind-source separation process, wherein one of the channels provides a noise signal comprising substantially only noise components and the other channel provides a combination signal comprising both noise components and speech components; identify which of the first or second channels has the combination signal; process the combination signal to generate a speech signal; and transmit the speech signal.
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17. A wireless headset system comprising:
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an ear speaker; a first microphone generating a first transducer signal having a noise component and a speech component; a second microphone generating a second transducer signal having a noise component and a speech component; a processor; and a radio; the processor configured to; receive the first and second transducer signals; separate the first and second transducer signals into a first and a second channel using a blind-source separation process, wherein one of the channels provides a noise signal comprising substantially only noise components and the other channel provides a combination signal comprising both noise components and speech components; identify which of the first or second channels has the combination signal; process the combination signal to generate a speech signal; and transmit the speech signal, wherein the processor, the first microphone and the second microphone are in the same housing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A wireless headset system comprising:
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an ear speaker; a first microphone generating a first transducer signal having a noise component and a speech component; a second microphone generating a second transducer signal having a noise component and a speech component; a processor; a radio; and a member for positioning the ear speaker and a second ear speaker, the member generally forming a stereo headset, the processor configured to; receive the first and second transducer signals; separate the first and second transducer signals into a first and a second channel using a blind-source separation process, wherein one of the channels provides a noise signal comprising substantially only noise components and the other channel provides a combination signal comprising both noise components and speech components; identify which of the first or second channels has the combination signal; process the combination signal to generate a speech signal; and transmit the speech signal.
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Specification