Optimizing audio processing functions by dynamically compensating for variable distances between speaker(s) and microphone(s) in a mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9232071-B2
Application number	US-201213664615-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2012
Priority date	Dec 16, 2011
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

Mobile communication devices, having multiple speakers and/or microphones to perform a number of audio functions, for use with mobile devices, are provided. The microphones may be housed within the communication device housing. To compensate for the unwanted signal feedback between the speakers and microphones, acoustic echo cancellation may be implemented to determine the proper distance and relative location between the speakers and microphones. Acoustic echo cancellation removes the echo from voice communications to improve the quality of the sound. The removal of the unwanted signals captured by the microphones may be accomplished by characterizing the audio signal paths from the speakers to the microphones (speaker-to-microphone path distance profile), including the distance and relative location between the speakers and microphones. The optimal distance and relative location between the speakers and microphones is provided to the user to optimize performance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device comprising:
a plurality of speakers;
a plurality of microphones, wherein a position of at least one of the plurality of microphones is variably adjustable relative to one or more of the plurality of speakers; and
a processing circuit coupled to the speakers and the plurality of microphones, the processing circuit adapted to:
automatically ascertain one or more distances between each speaker in the plurality of speakers and each microphone in the plurality of microphones to obtain a speaker-to-microphone path distance profile; and
adjust an echo canceller using the speaker-to-microphone path distance profile.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is adapted to:
estimate a distance between each speaker and each microphone to ascertain the speaker-to-microphone path distance profile.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:
estimate a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as a ratio of a near-end user speech signal to an echo signal.

4. The mobile device of claim 3 , wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:
adjust far end reference scaling for the echo canceller based on the estimated signal-to-noise ratio.

5. The mobile device of claim 3 , wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:
reduce or limit speaker volume if the signal-to-noise ratio is below a threshold.

6. The mobile device of claim 3 , wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:
provide a visual indicator to a user to increase speaker-to-microphone distance in order to increase at least one speaker volume.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of speakers are detachable from the mobile device.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more extendable and/or rotationally adjustable arms housing at least one of the microphones.

9. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more distances between each speaker and each microphone is received from an accessory device, the accessory device having one or more extendable and/or rotationally adjustable arms housing at least one of the microphones.

10. The mobile device of claim 9 , wherein predefined detents in the one or more extendible and/or rotationally adjustable arms are used to determine the one or more distances between each speaker and each microphone.

11. The mobile device of claim 9 , wherein angular rotation sensors in the one or more extendible and/or rotationally adjustable arms are used to determine the one or more distances between each speaker and each microphone.

12. A method operational on a mobile device for optimizing audio processing functions, comprising:
automatically ascertaining one or more distances between each speaker in a plurality of speakers and each microphone in a plurality of microphones to obtain a speaker-to-microphone path distance profile; and
adjusting an echo canceller using the speaker-to-microphone path distance profile.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
automatically obtaining speaker volume settings; and
estimating a signal-to-noise ratio and associated non-linearity based on the speaker-to-microphone distance profile and volume settings.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
adjusting far end reference scaling for the echo canceller based on the estimated signal-to-noise ratio.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
reducing or limiting speaker volume if the signal-to-noise ratio is below a threshold.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
changing the speaker-to-microphone path distance profile by adjusting one or more extendable and/or rotationally adjustable arms housing the plurality of speakers.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more distances between each speaker and each microphone is received from an accessory device, the accessory device having one or more extendable and/or rotationally adjustable arms housing at least one of the microphones.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein predefined detents in the one or more extendible and/or rotationally adjustable arms are used to determine the one or more distances between each speaker and each microphone.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein angular rotation sensors in the one or more extendible and/or rotationally adjustable arms are used to determine the one or more distances between each speaker and each microphone.

20. A mobile device comprising:
means for automatically ascertaining one or more distances between each speaker in a plurality of speakers and each microphone in a plurality of microphones to obtain a speaker-to-microphone path distance profile; and
means for adjusting an echo canceller using the speaker-to-microphone path distance profile.

21. The mobile device of claim 20 , further comprising:
means for automatically obtaining speaker volume settings; and
means for estimating a signal-to-noise ratio and associated non-linearity based on the speaker-to-microphone distance profile and volume settings.

22. The mobile device of claim 21 , further comprising:
means for adjusting far end reference scaling for the echo canceller based on the estimated signal-to-noise ratio.

23. The mobile device of claim 21 , further comprising:
means for reducing or limiting speaker volume if the signal-to-noise ratio is below a threshold.

24. The mobile device of claim 20 , further comprising:
means for changing the speaker-to-microphone path distance profile by adjusting one or more extendable and/or rotationally adjustable arms housing the plurality of speakers.

25. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by at least one processor causes the processor to:
automatically ascertain one or more distances between each speaker in a plurality of speakers and each microphone in a plurality of microphones to obtain a speaker-to-microphone path distance profile; and
adjust an echo canceller using the speaker-to-microphone path distance profile.

26. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 25 including further instructions which when executed by the at least one processor causes the processor to:
automatically obtain speaker volume settings; and
estimate a signal-to-noise ratio and associated non-linearity based on the speaker-to-microphone distance profile and volume settings.

27. A mobile device comprising:
a memory device;
a communication interface adapted to communicate with an accessory device to generate an audio profile, the accessory device having a plurality of speakers and/or a plurality of microphones for broadcasting or capturing acoustic signals on behalf of the mobile device;
a processing circuit, coupled to the communication interface and the memory device, the processing circuit adapted to:
send a calibration audio signal to the accessory device to estimate a distance between each microphone and each speaker in the accessory device;
receive an estimated distance between each microphone and each speaker from the accessory device;
generate a speaker-to-microphone path distance profile using estimated distances between each microphone and each speaker in the accessory device; and
adjust an echo canceller using the speaker-to-microphone path distance profile.

28. The mobile

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Visser Erik
• Contour Michael Joseph
• Mattis Eric S
• Fitzgerald Joseph Robert
• Chan Kwokleung

Classifications

• H04R2499/11

  Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's · CPC title

• H04R3/02

  for preventing acoustic reaction {, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453)} · CPC title

• H04M1/035

  Improving the acoustic characteristics by means of constructional features of the housing, e.g. ribs, walls, resonating chambers or cavities · CPC title

• H04M9/082 Primary

  using echo cancellers (echo cancellers per se H04B3/23) · CPC title

• H04M1/0206

  Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings · CPC title