Systems, methods, and apparatus for multi-microphone based speech enhancement
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of processing an M-channel input signal that includes a speech component and a noise component, M being an integer greater than one, to produce a spatially filtered output signal, said method comprising:
- applying a first spatial processing filter to the input signal;
applying a second spatial processing filter to the input signal;
at a first time, determining that the first spatial processing filter begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the second spatial processing filter;
in response to said determining at a first time, producing a signal that is based on a first spatially processed signal as the output signal;
at a second time subsequent to the first time, determining that the second spatial processing filter begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the first spatial processing filter; and
in response to said determining at a second time, producing a signal that is based on a second spatially processed signal as the output signal,wherein the first and second spatially processed signals are based on the input signal.
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Abstract
Systems, methods, and apparatus for processing an M-channel input signal are described that include outputting a signal produced by a selected one among a plurality of spatial separation filters. Applications to separating an acoustic signal from a noisy environment are described, and configurations that may be implemented on a multi-microphone handheld device are also described.
133 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method of processing an M-channel input signal that includes a speech component and a noise component, M being an integer greater than one, to produce a spatially filtered output signal, said method comprising:
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applying a first spatial processing filter to the input signal; applying a second spatial processing filter to the input signal; at a first time, determining that the first spatial processing filter begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the second spatial processing filter; in response to said determining at a first time, producing a signal that is based on a first spatially processed signal as the output signal; at a second time subsequent to the first time, determining that the second spatial processing filter begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the first spatial processing filter; and in response to said determining at a second time, producing a signal that is based on a second spatially processed signal as the output signal, wherein the first and second spatially processed signals are based on the input signal. - 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. An apparatus for processing an M-channel input signal that includes a speech component and a noise component, M being an integer greater than one, to produce a spatially filtered output signal, said apparatus comprising:
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means for performing a first spatial processing operation on the input signal; means for performing a second spatial processing operation on the input signal; means for determining, at a first time, that the means for performing a first spatial processing operation begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the means for performing a second spatial processing operation; means for producing, in response to an indication from said means for determining at a first time, a signal that is based on a first spatially processed signal as the output signal; means for determining, at a second time subsequent to the first time, that the means for performing a second spatial processing operation begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the means for performing a first spatial processing operation; and means for producing, in response to an indication from said means for determining at a second time, a signal that is based on a second spatially processed signal as the output signal, wherein the first and second spatially processed signals are based on the input signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus for processing an M-channel input signal that includes a speech component and a noise component, M being an integer greater than one, to produce a spatially filtered output signal, said apparatus comprising:
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a first spatial processing filter configured to filter the input signal; a second spatial processing filter configured to filter the input signal; a state estimator configured to indicate, at a first time, that the first spatial processing filter begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the second spatial processing filter; and a transition control module configured to produce, in response to the indication at a first time, a signal that is based on a first spatially processed signal as the output signal, wherein said state estimator is configured to indicate, at a second time subsequent to the first time, that the second spatial processing filter begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the first spatial processing filter, and wherein said transition control module is configured to produce, in response to the indication at a second time, a signal that is based on a second spatially processed signal as the output signal, and wherein the first and second spatially processed signals are based on the input signal. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method of processing an M-channel input signal that includes a speech component and a noise component, M being an integer greater than one, to produce a spatially filtered output signal, said instructions comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
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perform a first spatial processing operation on the input signal; perform a second spatial processing operation on the input signal; indicate, at a first time, that the first spatial processing operation begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the second spatial processing operation; produce, in response to said indication at a first time, a signal that is based on a first spatially processed signal as the output signal; indicate, at a second time subsequent to the first time, that the second spatial processing operation begins to separate the speech and noise components better than the first spatial processing operation; and produce, in response to said indication at a second time, a signal that is based on a second spatially processed signal as the output signal, wherein the first and second spatially processed signals are based on the input signal. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification