Ambient noise cancellation for voice communication device
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- detecting, by a first microphone, a first signal containing voice signals and ambient noise;
detecting, by a second microphone, a second signal containing the ambient noise;
receiving a noise cancellation signal indicating whether to cancel the ambient noise;
providing both the first signal detected by the first microphone and the second signal detected by the second microphone to an ambient noise compensation signal generator;
responsive to the noise cancellation signal indicating to cancel the ambient noise, enabling the ambient noise compensation signal generator to generate a compensation signal based on the first signal detected by the first microphone and the second signal detected by the second microphone, wherein a mixer mixes the first signal detected by the first microphone with the compensation signal such that the ambient noise contained in the first signal detected by the first microphone is attenuated;
responsive to the noise cancellation signal indicating not to cancel the ambient noise, disabling the ambient noise compensation signal generator, wherein the mixer mixes the first signal detected by the first microphone with the second signal detected by the second microphone, such that the ambient noise contained in the first signal detected by the first microphone is not attenuated;
buffering the first signal such that an arrival time of the first signal and the compensation signal at the mixer is synchronized; and
providing an output of the mixer to a transmitter.
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Abstract
A system and method for reducing or entirely canceling background or ambient noise from a voice transmission from a communications device. A communications device, such as a mobile telephone, is configured with an ambient noise compensation signal generator that is connected between a first microphone and a mixer. A second microphone is employed to detect ambient noise. An original output of the first microphone and a compensation signal generated by the ambient noise compensation signal generator are mixed together prior to being passed to a transmitter. A buffer is provided between the microphone and the mixer to help synchronize the timing of the signals to be mixed and an output of the mixer is provided to an antenna.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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detecting, by a first microphone, a first signal containing voice signals and ambient noise; detecting, by a second microphone, a second signal containing the ambient noise; receiving a noise cancellation signal indicating whether to cancel the ambient noise; providing both the first signal detected by the first microphone and the second signal detected by the second microphone to an ambient noise compensation signal generator; responsive to the noise cancellation signal indicating to cancel the ambient noise, enabling the ambient noise compensation signal generator to generate a compensation signal based on the first signal detected by the first microphone and the second signal detected by the second microphone, wherein a mixer mixes the first signal detected by the first microphone with the compensation signal such that the ambient noise contained in the first signal detected by the first microphone is attenuated; responsive to the noise cancellation signal indicating not to cancel the ambient noise, disabling the ambient noise compensation signal generator, wherein the mixer mixes the first signal detected by the first microphone with the second signal detected by the second microphone, such that the ambient noise contained in the first signal detected by the first microphone is not attenuated; buffering the first signal such that an arrival time of the first signal and the compensation signal at the mixer is synchronized; and providing an output of the mixer to a transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A communication device comprising:
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a first microphone that provides a first signal containing voice signals and ambient noise; a second microphone that provides a second signal containing the ambient noise; a switch that provides a noise cancellation signal indicating whether to cancel the ambient noise; an ambient noise compensation signal generator in communication with the first microphone, the second microphone and the switch, wherein the ambient noise compensation signal generator receives both the first signal detected by the first microphone and the second signal detected by the second microphone and the noise cancellation signal; a mixer in communication with the ambient noise compensation signal generator, wherein; responsive to the noise cancellation signal indicating to cancel the ambient noise, the ambient noise compensation signal generator generates a compensation signal based on the first signal detected by the first microphone and the second signal detected by the second microphone, wherein the mixer mixes the first signal detected by the first microphone with the compensation signal such that the ambient noise contained in the first signal detected by the first microphone is attenuated, and wherein, responsive to the noise cancellation signal indicating not to cancel the ambient noise, the ambient noise compensation signal generator is disabled, wherein the mixer mixes the first signal detected by the first microphone with the second signal detected by the second microphone, such that the ambient noise contained in the first signal detected by the first microphone is not attenuated; a buffer in communication between the first microphone and the mixer, wherein the buffer delays the first signal such that an arrival time of the first signal and the compensation signal at the mixer is synchronized; and a transmitter in communication with an output of the mixer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification