Echo Canceler Circuit And Method

• US 20100197232A1
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Rokusek, Daniel S., Piket, James B., Iwai, Kyle K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,467,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/63.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23

Abstract

Received data is filtered to produce pre-noise suppression data. Noise is removed from the pre-noise suppression data to provide noise-suppressed data. At least one weighted filter coefficient is dynamically determined using at least the pre-noise suppression data and not the noise suppressed data. The determination occurs independently from and is not affected by removing the noise from the pre-noise suppression data. Removing the noise from the pre-noise suppression data occurs independently from and is not affected by dynamically determining the at least one weighted coefficient.

Claims

1. A method for suppressing echoes and noise in data, the method comprising:

filtering received data to produce pre-noise suppression data;

removing noise from the pre-noise suppression data to provide noise-suppressed data;

dynamically determining at least one weighted filter coefficient using at least the pre-noise suppression data and not the noise suppressed data, the determining occurring independently from and not being affected by removing the noise from the pre-noise suppression data;

wherein removing the noise from the pre-noise suppression data occurs independently from and is not affected by dynamically determining the at least one weighted coefficient.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising filtering echoes from the noise suppressed data using the at least one weighted filter coefficient to produce final data, the final data being substantially free of noise and substantially free of echoes.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing the final data to a transceiver for transmission.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the received data is received from a microphone.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing a telemetric function, the telemetric function selected from the group consisting of performing a remote engine diagnostic function;

tracking a vehicle location; and

providing roadside assistance.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps are performed at a portable wireless device.

7. An apparatus comprising:

pre-noise suppression logic, the pre-noise suppression logic being configured to receive data and to responsively filter the received data to produce pre-noise suppression data;

noise suppression logic coupled to the pre-noise suppression logic, the noise suppression logic being configured to remove noise from the pre-noise suppression data and to responsively provide noise-suppressed data;

a coefficient generator coupled to the pre-noise suppression logic, the coefficient generator being configured to dynamically determine at least one weighted filter coefficient using at least in part the pre-noise suppression data and not the noise suppressed data, the determination occurring independently from and not being affected by the removal of the noise from the pre-noise suppression data at the noise suppression logic, and

wherein removing the noise at the noise suppression logic occurs independently from and is not affected by the dynamic determination of the at least one weighted coefficient at the coefficient generator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising an echo canceller filter coupled to the noise suppression logic and the coefficient generator, the echo canceller filter configured to filter echoes from the noise suppressed data using the at least one weighted filter coefficient to produce final data, the final data being substantially free of noise and substantially free of echoes.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the echo canceller filter is configured to provide the final data to a transceiver for transmission.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the received data is received from a microphone.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the apparatus comprises a portable wireless device.

12. An echo canceller apparatus comprising:

a Blue tooth-compliant transceiver;

pre-noise suppression logic, the pre-noise suppression logic being coupled to the Blue tooth-compliant transceiver and configured to receive data from the transceiver and to responsively filter the received data to produce pre-noise suppression data;

noise suppression logic coupled to the pre-noise suppression logic, the noise suppression logic being configured to remove noise from the pre-noise suppression data and to responsively provide noise-suppressed data;

a coefficient generator coupled to the pre-noise suppression logic, the coefficient generator being configured to dynamically determine at least one weighted filter coefficient using at least in part the pre-noise suppression data and not the noise suppressed data, the determination occurring independently from and not being affected by the removal of the noise from the pre-noise suppression data at the noise suppression logic;

wherein removing the noise at the noise suppression logic occurs independently from and is not affected by the dynamic determination of the at least one weighted coefficient at the coefficient generator;

an echo canceller filter coupled to the Blue tooth-compliant transceiver, the noise suppression logic, and the coefficient generator, the echo canceller filter being configured to filter echoes from the noise suppressed data using the at least one weighted filter coefficient to produce final data, the final data being substantially free of noise and substantially free of echoes;

wherein the Blue tooth-compliant transceiver is configured to receive the final data and wirelessly transmit the final data in a Blue Tooth compliant form.

13. The echo canceller apparatus of claim 12 wherein the received data is received from a microphone.

14. The echo canceller apparatus of claim 12 further comprising telemetric logic, the telemetric logic configured to perform a telemetric function, the telemetric function selected from the group consisting of performing a remote engine diagnostic function;

tracking a vehicle location; and

providing roadside assistance.

15. The echo canceller apparatus of claim 12 wherein an audio system is coupled thereto, the audio system being configured to present the final data obtained from the echo canceller apparatus to a user.

16. A computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method of suppressing echoes and noise in data, the method comprising:

filtering received data to produce pre-noise suppression data;

removing noise from the pre-noise suppression data to provide noise-suppressed data;

dynamically determining at least one weighted filter coefficient using at least the pre-noise suppression data and not the noise suppressed data, the determining occurring independently from and not being affected by removing the noise from the pre-noise suppression data;

wherein removing the noise from the pre-noise suppression data occurs independently from and is not affected by dynamically determining the at least one weighted coefficient.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises filtering echoes from the noise suppressed data using the at least one weighted filter coefficient to produce final data, the final data being substantially free of noise and substantially free of echoes

18. The computer usable medium of claim 16 wherein the received data is received from a microphone.

19. The computer usable medium of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises performing a telemetric function, the telemetric function selected from the group consisting of performing a remote engine diagnostic function;

tracking a vehicle location; and

providing roadside assistance.

20. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

a passenger compartment disposed at least partially within the vehicle body;

a transceiver;

an echo canceller apparatus coupled to the transceiver, the echo canceller apparatus comprising;

pre-noise suppression logic, the pre-noise suppression logic being configured to receive data from the transceiver and to responsively filter the received data to produce pre-noise suppression data;

noise suppression logic coupled to the pre-noise suppression logic, the noise suppression logic being configured to remove noise from the pre-noise suppression data and to responsively provide noise-suppressed data;

a coefficient generator coupled to the pre-noise suppression logic, the coefficient generator being configured to dynamically determine at least one weighted filter coefficient using at least in part the pre-noise suppression data and not the noise suppressed data, the determination occurring independently from and not being affected by the removal of the noise from the pre-noise suppression data at the noise suppression logic, and

wherein removing the noise at the noise suppression logic occurs independently from and is not affected by the dynamic determination of the at least one weighted coefficient at the coefficient generator;

an echo canceller filter coupled to the transceiver, the noise suppression logic, and the coefficient generator, the echo canceller filter being configured to filter echoes from the noise suppressed data using the at least one weighted filter coefficient to produce final data, the final data being substantially free of noise and substantially free of echoes;

an audio system disposed at least partially within the passenger compartment and coupled to the echo canceller apparatus, the audio system being configured to present at least some of the final data obtained from the echo canceller apparatus to a user of the vehicle;

a vehicle power source, the vehicle power source coupled to at least the echo canceller apparatus and the audio system, the vehicle power source being configured to supply power to at least the echo canceller apparatus and the audio system.

21. The vehicle of claim 20 wherein the transceiver is configured to operate according to a Blue tooth-compliant protocol.

22. The vehicle of claim 20 further comprising a microphone and wherein the echo canceller apparatus receives data from the microphone.

23. The vehicle of claim 20 further comprising telemetric logic, the telemetric logic configured to perform a telemetric function, the telemetric function selected from the group consisting of performing a remote engine diagnostic function;

tracking a vehicle location; and

providing roadside assistance.

24. The vehicle of claim 20 wherein the transceiver is configured to receive at least some of the final data and wirelessly transmit at least some of the final data.

25. The vehicle of claim 24 wherein the transceiver transmits the data in Blue tooth-compliant form.