Use of sensors for noise suppression in a mobile communication device

摘要

Techniques are described herein that use sensors (e.g., microphones) for noise reduction in a mobile communication device. For example, one technique enables a first sensor that is initially configured to be a speech sensor to be used as a noise reference sensor. This technique also enables a second sensor that is initially configured to be a noise reference sensor to be used as a speech sensor. Another technique enables a primary sensor and/or a secondary sensor in a handset of a mobile communication device to be used as a speech sensor while a sensor in a headset of the mobile communication device is used as a noise reference sensor, or vice versa. In yet another technique, a secondary sensor in a mobile communication device is configured to be a directional sensor.

主权项

1. A mobile communication device comprising:
a headset that includes a first sensor configured to detect a first audio signal for a first duration that includes a designated time period; and a handset that is communicatively coupled to the headset, the handset comprising:
at least one second sensor configured to detect a second audio signal for a second duration that includes the designated time period; anda processor that is configured to compare a portion of a representation of the first audio signal that corresponds to the designated time period and a portion of a representation of the second audio signal that corresponds to the designated time period to determine a noise-reduced signal, the noise-reduced signal representing a difference between the portion of the representation of the first audio signal and the portion of the representation of the second audio signal, the processor further configured to determine whether a fidelity of the noise-reduced signal is less than a fidelity threshold, the processor further configured to switch from providing the noise-reduced signal as an output signal to providing a designated signal as the output signal and to cause at least one designated sensor to be disabled in response to the fidelity of the noise-reduced signal being less than the fidelity threshold, the designated signal being the first audio signal or the second audio signal, the at least one designated sensor being the first sensor or the at least one second sensor, and the at least one designated sensor configured to detect the first audio signal or the second audio signal that is not the designated signal.