ACOUSTIC ECHO CANCELLATION (AEC) WITH CONFERENCING ENVIRONMENT TEMPLATES (CETs)

• US 20110099485A1
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Fozunbal, Majid, ALCORN, Byron A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,538,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

In at least some embodiments, a computer system includes a processor and a network interface coupled to the processor. The computer system also includes a system memory coupled to the processor, the system memory storing a communication application having a conferencing user interface. The conferencing user interface, when executed, enables a user to set up a conferencing session by selecting one of a plurality of conferencing environment templates (CETs). Each CET is matched to one of a plurality of different sets of acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) parameters to be applied during the conferencing session.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a network interface coupled to the processor; and

a system memory coupled to the processor, the system memory storing a communication application having a conferencing user interface,

wherein the conferencing user interface, when executed, enables a user to set up a conferencing session by selecting one of a plurality of conferencing environment templates (CETs),

wherein each CET is matched to one of a plurality of different sets of acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) parameters to be applied during the conferencing session.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of CETs comprise an office room template, a conference room template, and an auditorium template.

3. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the AEC parameters comprise an echo suppression method parameter and an echo suppression level parameter.

4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the AEC parameters comprise an estimation filter size parameter, an adaptation rate parameter, and a double-talk sensitivity parameter.

5. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of CETs are categorized by room size.

6. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of CETs are categorized by room shape.

7. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of CETs are categorized by speaker location and microphone location within a room.

8. The computer system of claim 1 wherein at least some AEC parameters associated with the CETs are not visible to a conference participant.

9. The computer system of claim 1 wherein some AEC parameters are not associated with any CETs.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing a communication application that, when executed, causes a processor to:

select one of a plurality of conferencing environment templates (CETs) based on user input; and

provide a conferencing session based on acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) parameters corresponding to the selected CET.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the communication application, when executed, causes the processor to select between an office room CET, a conference room CET, and an auditorium CET based on user input.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the communication application, when executed, causes the processor to select one of the plurality of conferencing environment templates based on room size input, room shape input, speaker location input, and microphone location input.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the communication application, when executed, causes the processor to implement AEC based on an echo suppression method parameter and an echo suppression level parameter that selectively vary for different CETs.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the communication application, when executed, causes the processor to implement AEC based on an estimation filter size parameter, an adaptation rate parameter, and a double-talk sensitivity parameter that selectively vary for different CETs.

15. A method for a communication application, comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of conferencing environment templates (CETs) based on user input; and

providing a conferencing session based on acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) parameters corresponding to the selected CET.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein selecting one of the plurality of CETs based on user input comprises selecting between an office room template, a conference room template, and an auditorium template based on user input.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein selecting one of the plurality of conferencing environment templates based on user input comprises selecting a template based on room size input, room shape input, speaker location input, and microphone location input.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising selectively varying an AEC suppression technique parameter and an AEC suppression level parameter based on CET selection.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising selectively varying an AEC estimation filter size parameter, an AEC adaptation rate parameter, and an AEC double-talk sensitivity parameter based on CET selection.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising preventing at least some AEC parameters associated with the CETs rom being viewed by conference participants.