Patent ID: 6553122
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A multi-channel acoustic echo cancellation method for an acoustic system which has N receive channels each containing a loudspeaker for generating a reproduced sound, N being an integer equal to or greater than 2, and at least one pickup channel containing a microphone for picking up an acoustic signal, said N loudspeakers and said microphone being placed in a common sound field, said method comprising the steps of:(a) generating low cross-correlated additive signals for N received signals input into said N receive channels, respectively; (b) adding said received signals of said N receive channels and said additive signals corresponding thereto to generate processed signals of said N receive channels; (c) radiating said processed signals of said N receive channels by said loudspeakers corresponding thereto; (d) picking up, by said microphone of said at least one pickup channel, a combined acoustic echo of the reproduced sounds sneaking thereinto from said loudspeakers of said N receive channels, and inputting the combined acoustic echo into said at least one pickup channel as an acoustic echo signal; and (e) individually processing said N received signals and said N additive signals to generate an echo replica that simulates said acoustic echo signal in said at least one pickup channel, and subtracting said echo replica from said acoustic echo signal to thereby perform acoustic echo cancellation.