JP2012227566A - Echo cancellation device, and method and program therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an echo cancellation technique having higher accuracy in residual echo estimation than ever.SOLUTION: An echo cancellation device includes: an input/output correlation coefficient calculation unit for obtaining a power spectrum of an m-th channel reception signal and a cross spectrum between the m-th channel reception signal and a sound pickup signal, by letting m=1, ..., M, using a reception signal and a sound pickup signal in a frequency domain,; an input/output transmission characteristic estimation unit for estimating estimation values of the input/output transmission characteristic of the reception signal and the sound pickup signal in the frequency domain on a frequency-by-frequency basis, using the power spectrum and the cross spectrum, ; a residual echo prediction unit for predicting a residual echo component included in the sound pickup signal in the frequency domain, from the reception signal in the frequency domain and the estimation value of the input/output transmission characteristic; and a residual echo compensation unit for compensating the residual echo component to obtain a residual echo component after compensation, using the sound pickup signal in the frequency domain.

Description

  In the present invention, M (where M is an integer of 1 or more) speakers and one or more microphones are arranged in a common sound field, and when a received signal is reproduced from the speakers, the microphones are connected to the microphones via an echo path. The present invention relates to a technique for canceling an acoustic echo that wraps around (hereinafter simply referred to as “echo”), and more particularly to a technique for canceling an echo in a voice call system such as a video conference system.

  The received signal is reproduced by the speaker, and the sound is picked up by the microphone to generate an echo. If it is transmitted as it is, problems such as trouble of telephone conversation and discomfort arise. Further, howling occurs when the volume of the speaker or microphone is high, making it impossible to make a call. In particular, such a problem becomes conspicuous in the voice call system.

  In order to solve this problem, there is an echo canceller that cancels echoes using an adaptive filter as a prior art. Non-Patent Document 1 is known as a conventional multi-channel echo cancellation method. A conventional multi-channel echo canceling apparatus 80 will be described with reference to FIG.

Speaker ₂ 1, ..., _{2 M} and the microphone ₃ 1, ..., _{3 N} are arranged in a common sound field, speaker ₂ 1, ..., respectively, from _{2 M} received signals _{x 1 (k), ...,} x M (k ), The echo canceling unit 8 _n in the multi-channel echo canceling device 80 cancels the playback sound that wraps around the microphone 3 _n via the M echo paths h _mn (k). However, M is an integer greater than or equal to 1, N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, m = 1, ..., M, n = 1, ..., N. Multi-channel echo canceller 80, receiving terminal ₁ 1, ..., and _{1 M,} transmitter terminal ₄ 1, ..., ₄ and _N, the microphone ₃ 1, ..., _{3 N} and are connected, the received signal _{x 1} (k), _{..., x} M (k) and the sound collection signal _y 1 (k), _{..., y} N (k) is input, transmission signal _u 1 (k), _{..., u} N (k) of each Output to the transmitting terminals 4 ₁ ,..., 4 _N. The multi-channel echo canceller 80 includes N echo cancelers 8 ₁ ,..., 8 _N , and the echo canceler 8 _n includes an echo predictor 81, a subtractor 82, and an echo path estimator 83. . In FIG. 1, y _n (k) is y (k), u _n (k) is u (k), and h _1n (k),..., H _Mn (k) are h ₁ (k),. , H _M (k). Can also perform the same processing for the sound signals picked up from the other microphones, it is only necessary arranged in parallel configuration of the echo canceling portion 8 _n of FIG. 1, the following will be described with reference to FIG.

In the echo prediction unit 81, the echo cancellation unit 8 _n filters the received signals x ₁ (k),..., X _M (k) with an adaptive filter to generate a predicted echo signal y ′ (k). In the subtracting unit 82, a difference (hereinafter referred to as “error signal”) u (k) between the collected sound signal y (k) and the predicted echo signal y ′ (k) is obtained and output as a transmission signal. Further, the echo path estimation unit 83 sequentially estimates the echo path from the error signal u (k) and the received signals x ₁ (k),..., X _M (k), and this estimation result (filter coefficient h of the adaptive filter) '(K)) is copied to the echo prediction unit 81. When the echo path estimation is performed with high accuracy, the echo component included in the collected sound signal y (k) and the predicted echo signal y ′ (k) are substantially equal, and the error signal u (k) includes almost no echo. It will not be.

  However, in a situation where a multi-channel echo canceller is actually used, it is not always possible to sufficiently cancel the echo, and a residual echo may occur, resulting in a deterioration in the speech quality. This is because the echo path is constantly fluctuating due to human movement and the like, and the echo path estimation by the adaptive filter is not completed instantaneously. This is because the estimation of the echo path can be slightly disturbed in the double talk state.

  Further, when the received signal is multi-channel, since the correlation between the received signals is high, the estimated echo path may not always match the true echo path even if the echo is canceled. Therefore, when the speaker changes and the cross-correlation between the received signals changes, the residual echo can suddenly increase (see Non-Patent Document 1).

  In order to realize a comfortable loud voice call, it is necessary to quickly reduce the residual echo regardless of the number of channels of the received signal and the conversation state in a state where the echo path estimation and cancellation by the adaptive filter is not sufficient. Non-Patent Document 2 is known as a method of estimating transfer characteristics from a received signal to a residual echo at high speed and subtracting the residual echo from an error signal in order to reduce the residual echo regardless of the number of channels and the conversation state. In this method, the transfer characteristic is estimated by using the correlation between the received signal and the error signal for each frequency, thereby speeding up the estimation and suppressing the estimated fluctuation caused by signals other than the residual echo. Since the amplitude and phase are estimated with respect to the transfer characteristic and residual echo, the present invention can be applied regardless of the number of channels. In addition, since residual echo is eliminated by subtraction, distortion of transmitted sound quality can be reduced even during double talk.

M.M.Sondhi, D.R.Morgan, and J.L.Hall, “Stereophonic Acoustic Echo Cancellation-An Overview of the Fundamental Problem”, IEEE Signal Processing Letters, AUGUST 1995, vol.2, no.8, pp.148-151 Satoshi Emura and Yoichi Haneda, "Multi-channel echo cancellation using multi-stage echo estimation", Proc. Of the Acoustical Society of Japan, 2010, pp.717-719

  In Non-Patent Document 2, the residual echo needs to be obtained with high accuracy. However, since the residual echo is estimated from the reception signal and error signal of a limited time length (short duration), the estimation variation is larger than when the time length is sufficiently long, and the residual echo is estimated to be larger. Resulting in. In order to improve the quality of transmission, it is necessary to improve the estimation accuracy of residual echo even in the above situation. Note that the above problem is that the transfer characteristic is estimated from the reception signal and error signal of a limited time length, and the residual echo is estimated, not only when the reception signal is multi-channel but also when there is one channel. However, it can occur as well.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an echo cancellation technique with higher residual echo estimation accuracy than before.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, according to the echo canceller according to the first aspect of the present invention, M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones have a common sound field. When the received signal is reproduced from the speaker, the echo that goes around the microphone via the echo path is eliminated. A frequency domain conversion unit that converts a received signal and a signal obtained from a first sound collection signal collected by a microphone (hereinafter referred to as “sound collection signal”) into a frequency domain signal for each short period; ..., M, and an input / output phase for obtaining a power spectrum of the m-th channel received signal and a cross spectrum of the m-th channel received signal and the collected sound signal using the received signal and the collected sound signal in the frequency domain. An input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit that estimates an estimated value of input / output transfer characteristics of a received signal and a sound pickup signal in a frequency domain for each frequency by using a relation number calculation unit, a power spectrum and a cross spectrum, and a frequency domain The residual echo component is estimated by using the residual echo prediction unit that predicts the residual echo component contained in the frequency domain sound pickup signal and the frequency domain sound pickup signal from the received signal and the estimated input / output transfer characteristics. Shi A residual echo correction unit for obtaining a corrected residual echo component, a subtraction unit for obtaining a difference between a frequency-domain sound pickup signal and a corrected residual echo component as a transmission signal, and a frequency-domain transmission signal as a time-domain signal A time domain conversion unit for conversion.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, according to the echo canceller according to the second aspect of the present invention, M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones have a common sound field. When the received signal is reproduced from the speaker, the echo that goes around the microphone via the echo path is eliminated. The received signal is filtered by an adaptive filter, a predicted echo signal is generated, and the difference between the first collected sound signal and the predicted echo signal collected by the microphone is obtained as a second collected signal. An echo cancellation unit that updates the filter coefficient of the adaptive filter based on the signal, a frequency domain conversion unit that converts the second collected signal into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval, and a predicted echo signal for each short time interval Using a second frequency domain conversion unit that converts to a frequency domain signal, a second sound collection signal and a prediction echo signal in the frequency domain, a power spectrum of the prediction echo signal, a prediction echo signal, and a second sound collection signal Input / output transfer characteristics between the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain and the second collected sound signal using the input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit for obtaining the cross spectrum of the power spectrum and the power spectrum and the cross spectrum Predict the residual echo component contained in the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain from the input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit that estimates the estimated value for each frequency, the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain, and the estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic. The residual echo prediction unit, the residual echo correction unit that corrects the residual echo component by using the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain to obtain the corrected residual echo component, the second collected signal in the frequency domain and the corrected residual A subtractor that obtains a difference from the echo component as a transmission signal, and a time domain conversion unit that converts the frequency domain transmission signal into a time domain signal.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, according to the echo canceller according to the third aspect of the present invention, M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones have a common sound field. When the received signal is reproduced from the speaker, the echo that goes around the microphone via the echo path is eliminated. The received signal is filtered with an adaptive filter, a predicted echo signal is generated, and an echo canceller that obtains a difference between the first collected signal collected by the microphone and the predicted echo signal as the second collected signal, and the received signal and the first received signal A frequency domain conversion unit that converts the two sound pickup signals into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval, and m = 1,..., M, and using the frequency domain received signal and the second sound pickup signal, An input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit for obtaining a power spectrum of an m-channel received signal and a cross spectrum of the m-th channel received signal and the second collected sound signal, and a frequency spectrum using the power spectrum and the cross spectrum. An input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit for estimating the input / output transfer characteristic between the received signal and the second collected sound signal for each frequency, and the frequency domain received signal and the input / output transfer characteristic estimate from the frequency domain. of A residual echo prediction unit that predicts a residual echo component included in the two collected sound signals, and a residual echo correction unit that corrects the residual echo component to obtain a corrected residual echo component using the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain; A residual echo power ratio calculation unit that obtains a residual echo power ratio that is a ratio of a corrected residual echo component to a second collected sound signal in the frequency domain using the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component The echo canceling unit updates the filter coefficient of the adaptive filter based on the residual echo power ratio, the received signal, and the second collected sound signal.

  In order to solve the above problem, according to the echo canceling method according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones have a common sound field. When the received signal is reproduced from the speaker, the echo that goes around the microphone via the echo path is eliminated. A frequency domain conversion step for converting a received signal and a signal obtained from a first sound collection signal collected by a microphone (hereinafter referred to as “sound collection signal”) into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval; m = 1, ..., M, and an input / output phase for obtaining a power spectrum of the m-th channel received signal and a cross spectrum of the m-th channel received signal and the collected sound signal using the received signal and the collected sound signal in the frequency domain. An input / output transfer characteristic estimation step for estimating an input / output transfer characteristic estimated value for the frequency domain received signal and sound pickup signal for each frequency using the relation number calculation step, the power spectrum and the cross spectrum; and the frequency domain A residual echo prediction step for predicting a residual echo component included in the frequency domain sound pickup signal from the received signal and the estimated input / output transfer characteristics, and using the frequency domain sound pickup signal A residual echo correction step for correcting the residual echo component to obtain a corrected residual echo component, a subtraction step for obtaining a difference between the collected sound signal in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component as a transmission signal, and transmission in the frequency domain Transforming the signal into a time domain signal.

  In order to solve the above problem, according to the echo cancellation method according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones have a common sound field. When the received signal is reproduced from the speaker, the echo that goes around the microphone via the echo path is eliminated. The received signal is filtered by an adaptive filter, a predicted echo signal is generated, and the difference between the first collected sound signal and the predicted echo signal collected by the microphone is obtained as a second collected signal. An echo cancellation step for updating the filter coefficient of the adaptive filter based on the signal, a frequency domain conversion step for converting the second collected signal into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval, and a predicted echo signal for each short time interval. Using a second frequency domain conversion step for converting to a frequency domain signal, a second collected sound signal and a predicted echo signal in the frequency domain, a power spectrum of the predicted echo signal, a predicted echo signal and a second collected sound signal, Using the input / output correlation coefficient calculation step to obtain the cross spectrum of the power spectrum and the power spectrum and the cross spectrum, The input / output transfer characteristic estimation step for estimating the input / output transfer characteristic with the signal for each frequency, the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain, and the estimated input / output transfer characteristic are converted into the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain. A residual echo prediction step for predicting the residual echo component included, a residual echo correction step for correcting the residual echo component to obtain a corrected residual echo component using the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain, A subtracting step for obtaining a difference between the two sound pickup signals and the corrected residual echo component as a transmission signal; and a time domain conversion step for converting the frequency domain transmission signal into a time domain signal.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, according to the echo cancellation method according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones have a common sound field. When the received signal is reproduced from the speaker, the echo that goes around the microphone via the echo path is eliminated. The received signal is filtered by an adaptive filter to generate a predicted echo signal, and an echo cancellation step for obtaining a difference between the first collected signal collected by the microphone and the predicted echo signal as a second collected signal; A frequency domain conversion step for converting the two sound pickup signals into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval, and m = 1,..., M, and using the frequency domain received signal and the second sound pickup signal, An input / output correlation coefficient calculating step for obtaining a power spectrum of an m-channel received signal and a cross spectrum between the m-th channel received signal and the second collected sound signal, and using the power spectrum and the cross spectrum, Input / output transfer characteristic estimation step for estimating the input / output transfer characteristics of the received signal and the second collected sound signal for each frequency, and estimation of the frequency domain received signal and input / output transfer characteristics. The residual echo prediction step for predicting the residual echo component included in the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain from the value, and the corrected residual echo by correcting the residual echo component using the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain The residual echo power ratio, which is the ratio of the corrected residual echo component to the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain, using the residual echo correction step for obtaining the component, the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component A residual echo power ratio calculation step for obtaining the adaptive echo filter, and an adaptive filter update step for updating a filter coefficient of the adaptive filter based on the residual echo power ratio, the received signal, and the second collected sound signal.

  In the echo cancellation technique according to the present invention, the estimated residual echo is corrected in consideration of the confidence interval of the estimated value, and the residual echo estimation accuracy can be improved.

The figure which shows the structural example of the conventional multichannel echo cancellation apparatus 80. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an echo cancellation apparatus 100. FIG. The figure which shows the processing flow of the echo cancellation apparatus. The figure which shows the structural example of the input-output correlation coefficient calculation part 163. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an echo canceller 200. FIG. The figure which shows the processing flow of the echo cancellation apparatus 200. Diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of the echo cancellation unit _{28 n,} 38 n. It shows a process flow of the echo canceling portion _{28 n,} 38 n. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an echo canceller 300. The figure which shows the processing flow of the echo cancellation apparatus 300. The figure which shows the structural example of the echo cancellation apparatus. The figure which shows the processing flow of the echo cancellation apparatus 400. The figure which shows the structural example of the echo cancellation apparatus. The figure which shows the processing flow of the echo cancellation apparatus 500. Diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of the echo cancellation unit 58 _n. It shows a process flow of the echo canceling portion 58 _n. The figure which shows the structural example of the echo cancellation apparatus 600. FIG. The figure which shows the processing flow of the echo cancellation apparatus 600. The figure which shows the structural example of the echo cancellation apparatus 700. FIG. The figure which shows the processing flow of the echo cancellation apparatus 700.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

<First embodiment>
<Echo canceling apparatus 100>
The echo cancellation apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. M M speakers 2 ₁ ,..., 2 _M and N microphones 3 ₁ ,..., 3 _N are arranged in a common sound field, and the received signals x ₁ (k), _M from the speakers 2 ₁ ,. .., X _M (k) is reproduced, the echo canceling apparatus 100 cancels the reproduced sound (echo) that circulates into the microphone via M × N echo paths h _mn (k). More specifically, the residual echo canceling unit 16 _n in the echo canceling apparatus 100 cancels the reproduced sound (echo) that wraps around the microphone 3 _n via the M echo paths h _mn (k). The echo canceling apparatus 100 includes all M channel receiving terminals 1 ₁ ,..., 1 _{M on} the receiving side, all N channel transmitting terminals 4 ₁ ,..., 4 _N on the transmitting side, and microphones 3 ₁ ,. 3 _N is connected, and the received signal x ₁ (k),..., X _M (k) and the collected sound signal y ₁ (k),..., Y _N (k) are input, and the transmitted signal u _{1 (k), ..., u N} (k) , respectively transmitter terminals ₄ 1, ..., and outputs a _{4 N.}

The echo canceller 100 includes N residual echo cancelers 16 ₁ ,..., 16 _N.

<Residual echo canceller _16n >
The residual echo canceling unit 16 _n is connected to all M channel receiving terminals 1 ₁ ,..., 1 _{M on} the receiving side, one channel transmitting terminal 4 _n on the transmitting side, and a microphone 3 _n . M-channel received signals x ₁ (k),..., X _M (k) and 1-channel sound pickup signal y _n (k) are input, and 1-channel transmitted signal u _n (k) is transmitted to transmission terminal 4. output to _n . In each figure, y _n (k) is y (k), u _n (k) is u (k), and h _1n (k),..., H _Mn (k) are h ₁ (k), respectively. ,..., H _M (k). In each figure, only the processing unit of the nth channel will be described. The same processing can be performed on the collected sound signals from other microphones, and the configuration of the processing units of the n-th channel only needs to be arranged in parallel.

The residual echo canceling unit 16 _n includes M frequency domain transforming units 161 ₁ ,..., 161 _M , a frequency domain transforming unit 162, an input / output correlation coefficient calculating unit 163, an input / output transfer characteristic estimating unit 164, A residual echo prediction unit 165, a residual echo correction unit 166, a subtraction unit 167, and a time domain conversion unit 168 are included.

<Frequency Domain Transformer 161 ₁ ,..., 161 _M and Frequency Domain Transformer 162>
The frequency domain transform units 161 ₁ ,..., 161 _M receive the received signals x ₁ (k),..., X _M (k), respectively, and receive the received signals X ₁ (f, j),..., X _M (f, j) for conversion and output (s161). Similarly, frequency domain transform section 162 inputs the first voice collecting signal y (k) picked up by the microphone 3 _n, is converted into a short time interval for each signal Y (f, j) in the frequency domain into the output (S162).

A case will be described in which each signal is set to 1 frame = 2 L samples, the L / D samples are blocked, and the L / D samples are shifted to create a frame. However, L is an integer greater than or equal to 1, D is an integer which can divide L, j represents a frame number, and is time k = jL / D. f represents a frequency number. For example, f corresponds to a discrete point (frequency bin) obtained by equally dividing half of the sampling frequency f _s by L, f = 0, 1,..., L−1, and f = 0 is Corresponding to frequency 0, f = 1 corresponds to frequency (1 / L) f _s / 2, ..., f = L-1 corresponds to ((L-1) / L) f _s / 2.

  The conversion to the frequency domain is performed by, for example, FFT (Fast Fourier transform) or DFT (discrete Fourier transform), and it is preferable to set L to a power of 2 in order to simplify and speed up the calculation. For example, L = 64 to 1024, D = 2 to 8, and the like. The frame length (number of samples included in one frame) may be set so as to correspond to 10 ms to 20 ms.

<Input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 163>
The input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 163 receives the frequency domain received signals X ₁ (f, j),..., X _M (f, j) and the first sound pickup signal Y (f, j) as inputs. using the value, the power spectrum _P mm (f, j) of the received signal _X m of the m channels (f, j) and, received signal _X m of the m channels (f, j) and the m '(where , M ′ = 1,..., M and m ≠ m ′) the cross spectrum P _m′m (f, j) with the received signal X _{m ′} (f, j) of the channel and the _m′th channel received signal X _m determined _'(f, j) and the first collected signal Y (f, j) cross spectrum Q _m of _the' (f, j) and outputs the (s163).

Each cross spectrum and power spectrum are values at time k = jL / D. The power spectrum P _mm (f, j) represents the autocorrelation coefficient of the input signal (the m-th channel received signal X _m (f, j)), and the cross spectrum P _m′m (f, j) represents the input signal ( This represents a correlation coefficient between the m-th channel received signal X _m (f, j) and the m′-th channel received signal X _{m ′} (f, j)). The matrix composed of the power spectrum P _mm (f, j) and the cross spectrum P _m′m (f, j) described above is represented as the correlation coefficient P (f, j) of the input signal as follows.

On the other hand, the cross spectrum Q _{m ′} (f, j) includes an input signal (received signal X _{m ′} (f, j) of the m′-th channel) and an output signal (first sound pickup signal Y (f, j)). The correlation coefficient between the input and output Q (f, j)

It expresses. The input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 163 will be described with reference to FIG. For example, the input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 163 includes a power spectrum calculation unit 163a, an inter-received signal cross spectrum calculation unit 163b, and an input / output signal cross spectrum calculation unit 163c.

The power spectrum calculation unit 163a calculates the power spectrum P _mm (f, j) using the m-th channel received signal X _m (f, j) in the frequency domain.

The inter-received signal cross spectrum calculation unit 163b uses the M received signals X ₁ (f, j),..., X _M (f, j) in the frequency domain to receive the m-th channel received signal X _m (f, The cross spectrum P _m′m (f, j) between j) and the received signal X _{m ′} (f, j)) of the _{m′-th channel} is calculated.

The cross spectrum calculation unit 163c between the input and output signals uses X ₁ (f, j),..., X _M (f, j) and the first collected sound signal Y (f, j), and uses X ₁ (f, j). j),..., X _M (f, j) and the first spectrum Y _m (f, j) are calculated as a cross spectrum Q _{m ′} (f, j).

For example, P _mm (f, j), P _m′m (f, j), and Q _{m ′} (f, j) are the received signal X _m (f, j) of the m-th channel at time k = jL / D. And the first collected sound signal Y (f, j) by the following equations (3), (4) and (5), respectively.

X ^* means a complex conjugate of X, and E [] means an average. As an example of the averaging process,

As described above, there are a method using a processing result of one frame before and a smoothing constant β that takes a value of 0 to 1, a method of obtaining by multiplying a past several frames by a time constant, and the like. P _mm (f, j) and Q _{m ′} (f, j) can also be obtained by the same method.

<Input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 164>
The input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 164 receives the power spectrum P _mm (f, j), the cross spectrum P _m′m (f, j), and Q _{m ′} (f, j) as input, and uses these values. , An estimated value G (f) of the input / output transfer characteristics between the M received signals X ₁ (f, j),..., X _M (f, j) in the frequency domain and the first sound pickup signal Y (f, j). , J) = [G ₁ (f, j),..., G _M (f, j)] ^T is estimated for each frequency and output (s164).

  For example, the input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 164 estimates the estimated value G (f, j) of the input / output transfer characteristic by the following equation (7).

  For the matrix composed of the power spectrum and cross spectrum, in order to stabilize the inverse matrix calculation, a small constant δ is added to the diagonal component,

It is good.

<Residual echo prediction unit 165>
The residual echo prediction unit 165 receives M received signals X ₁ (f, j),..., X _M (f, j) in the frequency domain and the estimated value G (f, j) of the input / output transfer characteristics as inputs. From these values, the residual echo component Y ^ (f, j) contained in the first sound pickup signal Y (f, j) in the frequency domain is predicted and output (s165).

  For example, the residual echo component Y ^ (f, j)

To predict.

<Residual echo correction unit 166>
The residual echo correction unit 166 receives the first collected sound signal Y (f, j) in the frequency domain and the residual echo component Y ^ (f, j) as input, and uses this to output the residual echo component Y ^ (f, j j) is corrected, a corrected residual echo component Y ₂ ^ (f, j) is obtained and output (s166). For example, the residual echo component Y 2 (f, j) is corrected by multiplying the residual echo component Y ^ (f, j) by a value based on the ratio from the expected value of the confidence interval, thereby correcting the residual echo component Y ₂ (f, j). Ask for. The corrected residual echo component Y ₂ ^ (f, j) can be obtained by the following equation, for example.

However, Z ^ (f, j) in equation (9) is

Is a predicted value of the transmission signal defined by. In Equation (9), T is the number of degrees of freedom of estimation of each spectrum, and the input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 163 _uses the power spectrum P _mm (f, j) and the cross spectrum P _m′m (f , J), Q _{m ′} (f, j) corresponds to this number of frames. An appropriate value is set prior to use or after setting the number M of channels of the received signal so that T−2M> 0. F _{2M, T-2M, α} is the 100α percentage point of the F distribution with n ₁ = 2M degrees of freedom and n ₂ = T-2M. The F distribution is a continuous probability distribution used in statistics. In analysis of variance, which is a method of statistical hypothesis testing, it is used to determine the effect / significance of each factor by breaking the variation in the observed data into error variation and the variation of each factor.

  According to Reference Document 1 below, when M = 1, the confidence interval of the estimated value G (f, j) of the transfer characteristic in the input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 164 is a ratio from the expected value.

With a width of The confidence interval of the residual echo component Y ^ (f, j) (estimated value) predicted by the residual echo prediction unit 165 has the same width.
[Reference 1] JS Vendat, AG Pearsol, “Statistical Processing of Random Data”, Baifukan, 1976

In the input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 164 described above, the short-time spectrum calculated from the received signal X _m (f, j) and the first collected sound signal Y (f, j) converted into a frequency signal for each short-term section. Based on (power spectrum P _mm (f, j), cross spectrum P _m′m (f, j), Q _{m ′} (f, j)), an estimated value G (f, j) of the input / output transfer characteristic is obtained. The residual echo component Y ^ (f, j) is estimated using this.

  When the residual echo component is estimated based on the short-time spectrum, the correlation between the transmission and the residual echo component is estimated to be higher than the original, and the residual echo component tends to be estimated larger. Based on this, the above correction uses the value of the lower end of the confidence interval of the residual echo component (estimated value) as the correction value of the residual echo component. Therefore, in this example, the value based on the ratio of the residual echo component Y ^ (f, j) (estimated value) from the expected value of the confidence interval is

Means.

Note that the values of F _{2M, T-2M, and α} are stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown). Further, values (−2M / (T−2M)) · F _{2M, T−2M, α} in the equation (9) are calculated after M and T are set and stored in a storage unit (not shown). Also good. With such a configuration, the calculation time of Equation (9) can be shortened.

<Subtraction unit 167>
The subtracting unit 167 receives the first collected sound signal Y (f, j) in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component Y ₂ ^ (f, j), and uses this difference as the transmission signal V (f, j). Obtain and output (s167). For example, V (f, j) is obtained from the transmission signal by the following equation (12).

<Time domain conversion unit 168>
The time domain conversion unit 168 receives the frequency domain transmission signal V (f, j) as an input, converts this signal into a time domain signal v (k), and outputs this as an output value of the echo canceller 100. (S168). Note that the time domain conversion unit 168 may use a time domain conversion method corresponding to the frequency domain conversion method used in the frequency domain conversion units 161 _m and 162.

<Effect>
With such a configuration, it is possible to correct the predicted residual echo in consideration of the confidence interval of the residual echo component (estimated value), and to improve the estimation accuracy of the residual echo.

<Modification>
In the first embodiment, the case where M> 1 is mainly described. However, M = 1 may be used. In this case, the input-output correlation coefficient calculating unit 163, the received signal _X m (f, j) of the m channels and the m 'received signal of the channel X _m' (f, j) cross spectrum _{P M'M} with There is no need to find (f, j). The input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 164 uses the power spectrum P ₁₁ (f, j) and the cross spectrum Q ₁ (f, j) to receive the received signal X ₁ (f, j) in the frequency domain and the first sound pickup. An estimated value G (f, j) of input / output transfer characteristics with the signal Y (f, j) is estimated for each frequency and output.

<Second embodiment>
Only parts different from the first embodiment will be described.

<Echo canceling apparatus 200>
An echo canceling apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. The echo cancellation apparatus 200 includes N echo cancellation units 28 ₁ ,..., 28 _N and N residual echo cancellation units 26 ₁ ,..., 26 _N , and the echo cancellation unit 28 precedes the residual echo cancellation unit 26 _{n. n} is provided.

<Echo canceling unit 28 _n >
The echo cancellation unit 28 _n, receiving terminal ₁ 1, ..., _{1 M} and the residual echo cancellation unit 26 _n, which is connected to the microphone _{3 n} is the received signal _{x 1 (k), ...,} x M ( k) and the first sound pickup signal y _n (k) are input, and the second sound pickup signal u _n (k) of one channel is output to the residual echo canceling unit 26 _n . Note that an error signal obtained by eliminating the echo component from the first sound collection signal is referred to as a second sound collection signal for convenience.

The echo canceller 28 _n filters the received signals x ₁ (k),..., X _M (k) with an adaptive filter, generates a predicted echo signal y ′ (k), and further picks up the sound with the microphone 3 _n The difference between the first sound pickup signal y (k) and the predicted echo signal y ′ (k) is obtained as the second sound pickup signal u (k), and the second sound pickup signal u (k) and the received signal x ₁ (k ),..., X _M (k) and the filter coefficient h ′ (k) of the adaptive filter is updated (s28).

Details will be described below with reference to FIGS. The echo erasure unit 28 _n includes an echo prediction unit 281, a subtraction unit 282, and an echo path estimation unit 283.

To illustrate the processing of the echo canceling portion 28 _n, first described the relationship between the received signal and the first voice collecting signal. If the impulse response of the echo path from the speakers 2 ₁ ,..., 2 _M to the microphone 3 _n is h ₁ ,..., H _M (k) and the length is L ₁ , the received signal x ₁ (k),. , X _M (k) and the first collected sound signal y (k) have the following relationship.

The impulse response _{h m} and the reception signal _{x m} of the m channels
h _m = [h _m (0)… h _m (L ₁ -1)] ^T (22)
x _m = [x _m (0)… x _m (L ₁ -1)] ^T (23)
As a vector, the relationship between the received signal x ₁ (k),..., X _M (k) and the first collected sound signal y (k) is described as follows.

y (k) = h ₁ ^T x ₁ (k) +… + h _M ^T x _M (k) (24)
However, T represents transposition.

<Echo Prediction Unit 281>
The echo prediction unit 281 inputs the reception signals x ₁ (k),..., X _M (k) to the prediction echo path by the adaptive filter, generates a prediction echo signal y ′ (k), and outputs it (s281). The echo prediction unit 281 includes an adaptive filter, and the characteristic of the adaptive filter is controlled by an echo path estimation unit 283 described later so that the error signal of the subtraction unit 282 in the reception state is minimized.

For example, the filter coefficient of the adaptive filter of the mth channel is
h ' _m = [h' _m (0)… h ' _m (L _E -1)] ^T (25)
And the predicted echo signal
y '(k) = h' ₁ ^T x ₁ (k) +… + h ' _M ^T x _M (k) (26)
Is generated. However, L _E represents a tap length of the adaptive filter. The echo prediction unit 281 outputs the generated predicted echo signal y ′ (k) to the subtraction unit 282. For example, the tap length of the adaptive filter is often set to about 100 to 300 ms.

<Subtraction unit 282>
The subtractor 282 receives the first collected sound signal y (k) and the predicted echo signal y ′ (k), subtracts the predicted echo signal y ′ (k) from the first collected sound signal y (k), and The collected sound signal u (k) is obtained (s282).

u (k) = y (k) -y '(k) (27)
The obtained second collected sound signal u (k) is output to the echo path estimating unit 283 and the frequency domain converting unit 262 in the residual echo canceling unit 26 _n .

<Echo path estimation unit 283>
The echo path estimator 283 receives the second collected sound signal u (k) and the received signals x ₁ (k),..., X _M (k) as input, and uses them to use the filter coefficient h ′ (k ) Is updated and output (s283). When the Normalized Least Mean Square algorithm (NLMS algorithm) is used as the coefficient correction method for the adaptive filter, the filter coefficient is updated by the following equation (28).

h ' _m (k + 1) = h' _m (k) + μu (k) x _m (k) (28)
Where μ is the step size,

Determined by. Note that μ ₀ is a parameter that is controlled based on the power of the input signal and is preset to a value of 0 to 1 in order to perform stable estimation. The echo path estimation unit 283 copies the updated filter coefficient h ′ (k + 1) and outputs it to the echo prediction unit 281. The filter coefficient updating method is not limited to the above-described method, and other updating methods may be used.

<Residual echo canceller 26 _n >
The processing performed using the first collected sound signal y _n (k) in the residual echo canceling unit 16 _n of the first embodiment is performed in the above-described second collected sound signal u _n (k) in the residual echo canceling unit 26 _n . To do. For example, the frequency domain conversion unit 262 converts the second collected sound signal u (k) into a frequency domain signal U (f, j), and uses this signal to input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 263 and residual echo correction. Each processing is performed in the unit 266 and the subtracting unit 267. The processing performed by the residual echo prediction unit 265 is the same as in the first embodiment, but the residual echo component U ^ (f, j) to be predicted is included in the first sound collection signal y _n (k). It is not a residual echo component but a residual echo component included in the second collected sound signal u _n (k). That is, the residual echo canceling unit 26 _n cancels the residual echo component included in the second sound pickup signal u _n (k), not the residual echo component included in the first sound pickup signal y _n (k).

<Effect>
With such a configuration, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained. When there is no large fluctuation in the echo path, the echo canceling unit 28 _n in the previous stage can estimate the echo path with high accuracy, so that the transmission quality is improved. In addition, when the echo path greatly fluctuates, the residual echo component can be canceled by the subsequent residual echo canceller 26 _n until the estimation of the echo path performed in the echo canceler 28 _n is stabilized. Therefore, compared to a device that performs echo cancellation using only an adaptive filter (for example, the multi-channel echo cancellation device 80 in FIG. 1), high transmission quality can be maintained throughout the echo path stabilization and fluctuation.

<Third embodiment>
Only parts different from the second embodiment will be described.

<Echo canceling apparatus 300>
An echo canceling apparatus 300 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. The echo cancellation apparatus 300 includes N echo cancellation units 38 ₁ ,..., 38 _N and N residual echo cancellation units 36 ₁ ,..., 36 _N , and an echo cancellation unit 38 preceding the residual echo cancellation unit 36 _{n. n} is provided.

<Echo canceling unit 38 _n >
The processing content of the echo canceling unit 38 _n is the same as that of the echo canceling unit 28 _n . However, the difference is that the predicted echo signal y ′ (k) obtained by the echo prediction unit 281 is output not only to the subtraction unit 282 but also to the second frequency domain conversion unit 369 in the residual echo cancellation unit 36 _n (see FIG. 7 and FIG. 9 (however, in FIG. 7, the output of the predicted echo signal y ′ (k) is indicated by a broken line).

<Residual echo canceller 36 _n >
The residual echo canceling unit 36 _n includes M frequency domain transforming units 161 ₁ ,..., 161 _M , a frequency domain transforming unit 262, an input / output correlation coefficient calculating unit 363, an input / output transfer characteristic estimating unit 364, A residual echo prediction unit 365, a residual echo correction unit 266, a subtraction unit 267, a time domain conversion unit 168, and a second frequency domain conversion unit 369 are included.

<Second frequency domain transform unit 369>
The second frequency domain transform unit 369 receives the predicted echo signal y ′ (k) as an input, converts this into a predicted echo signal in the frequency domain for each short time interval, and performs input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 363 and residual echo prediction. To the unit 365 (s369). Note that the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain is represented as X ₀ (f, j) for convenience. As the conversion method, the same method as the frequency domain conversion units 161 _m and 262 is used.

<Input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 363>
The input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 363 receives the frequency domain received signal X ₁ (f, j),..., X _M (f, j), the predicted echo signal X ₀ (f, j), and the second collected sound signal U. (F, j) as inputs, and using these values, the power spectrum P _mm (f, j) of the m-th channel received signal X _m (f, j) and the predicted echo signal X ₀ (f, j) j) power spectrum P ₀₀ (f, j), cross spectrum P _{m ′ of} m-th channel received signal X _m (f, j) and m′-th channel received signal X _{m ′} (f, j) _m (f, j), the cross spectrum P _0m (f, j) between the received signal X _m (f, j) of the m-th channel and the predicted echo signal X ₀ (f, j), and the _m′- th channel received signal X _{m '(f,} j) and the second voice collecting signal U (f, j) cross spectrum Q _m of _the' (f, j) and the prediction Eco Signal _X 0 determined (f, j) and the second voice collecting signal U (f, j) cross spectrum _Q 0 (f, j) between the outputs (S363).

The power spectrum P ₀₀ (f, j), the cross spectrum P _0m (f, j), and the cross spectrum Q ₀ (f, j) are obtained by the following equations.

The average processing method may be the same method as that used in the first embodiment.

In the third embodiment, p = 0, 1,..., M, q ′ = 0, 1,..., M, q ≠ q ′, and power spectrum P ₀₀ (f, j) and cross spectrum P _m′m ( f, j)

Represent as Cross spectrum P _0m (f, j) and cross spectrum P _m′m (f, j)

Represent as Cross spectrum Q ₀ (f, j) and cross spectrum Q _{m ′} (f, j)

Represent as A matrix composed of the power spectra P ₀₀ (f, j), P _mm (f, j) and the cross spectrum, P _0m (f, j), P _m′m (f, j) is used as a correlation coefficient of the input signal. P (f, j) is expressed as follows.

On the other hand, the correlation coefficient Q (f, j) between the input and output composed of the cross spectrums Q _{m ′} (f, j) and Q ₀ (f, j) is

Represent as

<Input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 364>
The input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 364 includes power spectra P _mm (f, j), P ₀₀ (f, j) and cross spectra P _m′m (f, j), P _0m (f, j), Q ₀ ( f, j) and Q _{m ′} (f, j) as inputs, and using these values, M received signals X ₁ (f, j),..., X _M (f, j) in the frequency domain are used. , Estimated value G (f, j) = [G ₀ (f, j), G ₁ of input / output transfer characteristics of the predicted echo signal X ₀ (f, j) and the second sound pickup signal U (f, j) (F, j),..., G _M (f, j)] ^T is estimated for each frequency and output (s364).

  For example, the input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 364 estimates the input / output transfer characteristic estimated value G (f, j) by the following equation (39).

<Residual echo prediction unit 365>
The residual echo prediction unit 365 estimates M received signals X ₁ (f, j),..., X _M (f, j) in the frequency domain, the predicted echo signal X ₀ (f, j), and input / output transfer characteristics. The value G (f, j) is input, and the residual echo component U ^ (f, j) included in the second collected sound signal U (f, j) in the frequency domain is predicted and output from these values. (S365).

  For example, the residual echo component U ^ (f, j)

To predict.

<Effect>
By adopting such a configuration, the same effect as in the second embodiment can be obtained. In the residual echo canceller 36 _n , the processing delay amount is determined by L / D set by the frequency domain converters 161 _m and 162 and the second frequency domain converter 369. If the frame length is increased in order to improve the prediction performance, the amount of delay increases. On the other hand, when shorter than tap length L _E of the adaptive filter frame length in order to shorten the processing delay (used in the echo prediction unit 281), can not be corresponding to the residual echo component reaching later than the frame length of the reverberation component . As a result, the residual echo cancellation performance is degraded. For example, when the frame length is 10 ms, the reverberation time of a normal conference room is 300 ms or more, and therefore it is not possible to cope with the residual echo component included in the portion after 10 ms of the echo path impulse response (that is, 10 ms to 300 ms or more). In addition, the residual echo cancellation performance is significantly degraded.

  Therefore, attention is paid to the fact that the predicted echo signal y ′ (k) generated by the adaptive filter includes a reverberation component exceeding the frame length. In the residual echo prediction unit 605, the residual echo cancellation performance can be improved without increasing the delay amount by estimating the residual echo using the predicted echo signal y '(k). Thereby, the residual echo cancellation performance can be ensured even in a room with long reverberation.

<Fourth embodiment>
Only parts different from the third embodiment will be described.

<Echo canceling device 400>
An echo canceling apparatus 400 according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. Echo canceller 400, the N echo cancellation portion ₃₈ 1, ..., 38 _N and N residual echo canceling portion ₄₆ 1, ..., including 46 _N.

<Residual echo canceller 46 _n >
The residual echo cancellation unit 46 _n includes a frequency domain conversion unit 262, an input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 463, an input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 464, a residual echo prediction unit 465, a residual echo correction unit 266, and a subtraction unit. 267, a time domain transform unit 168, and a second frequency domain transform unit 369. Therefore, the residual echo canceling unit 46 _n is different from the residual echo canceling unit 36 _{n in} that it does not include _M frequency domain transforming units 161 ₁ ,..., 161 _M.

<Input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 463>
The input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit 463 receives the predicted echo signal X ₀ (f, j) in the frequency domain and the second collected sound signal U (f, j) as input, and uses these values to predict the predicted echo signal. X ₀ (f, j) the power spectrum P of the (f, j) and the predicted echo signal _X 0 (f, j) and the second voice collecting signal U (f, j) a cross spectrum Q of (f, j) Are obtained and output (s463).

For example, P (f, j) and Q (f, j) are obtained from the predicted echo signal X ₀ (f, j) and the second collected sound signal U (f, j) at time k = jL / D.

Calculated by

<Input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 464>
The input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 464 receives the power spectrum P (f, j) and the cross spectrum Q (f, j) as input, and uses these values to calculate the predicted echo signal X ₀ (f, j) The estimated value G (f, j) of the input / output transfer characteristic with the two sound pickup signals U (f, j) is estimated for each frequency and output (s464).

For example, the input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit 464 calculates the input / output transfer characteristic estimated value G (f, j).
P ^-1 (f, j) Q (f, j) = G (f, j) (43)
Estimated by

<Residual echo prediction unit 465>
The residual echo predicting unit 465 receives the frequency domain predicted echo signal X ₀ (f, j) and the input / output transfer characteristic estimation value G (f, j) as input, and from these values, the second frequency domain second convergence is obtained. The residual echo component U ^ (f, j) included in the sound signal U (f, j) is predicted and output (s465).

  For example, the residual echo component U ^ (f, j)

To predict.

<Effect>
By adopting such a configuration, the same effect as that of the third embodiment can be obtained. However, since the received signal is not used when the residual echo is predicted, the estimation accuracy is slightly lowered. Most of the computation of the residual echo cancellation portion 36 _n of the third embodiment is occupied by the calculation of the calculated transfer characteristic of the correlation coefficient. The calculation of the input / output correlation coefficient (s163, s263, s363) is proportional to the square of the number of channels, and the calculation of the input / output transfer characteristic (s164, s364) is proportional to the third power of the number of channels because it includes an inverse matrix operation. To do. For this reason, in the first to third embodiments described above, the amount of computation increases rapidly as the number of channels increases.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the configuration is simplified as described above in order to suppress an increase in the amount of computation when the number of channels increases. In the present embodiment, since the input to the residual echo canceling unit 46 _n is decreased from the M channel to one channel, the amount of computation of the residual echo canceling unit 46 _n does not increase even if the number of channels increases.

<Fifth embodiment>
Only parts different from the second embodiment will be described. In the fifth embodiment, a method of estimating the power ratio of the residual echo component in the output signal (second sound collection signal) of the adaptive filter with high accuracy by the method of the second embodiment and updating the adaptive filter based on this ratio. Show.

<Echo canceling apparatus 500>
An echo canceling apparatus 500 according to the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. The echo cancellation apparatus 500 includes N echo cancellation units 58 ₁ ,..., 58 _N and N residual echo cancellation units 56 ₁ ,..., 56 _N , and the echo cancellation unit 58 is arranged upstream of the residual echo cancellation unit 56 _{n. n} is provided.

<Echo canceling part 58 _n >
The echo canceling unit 58 _n will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. The echo cancellation unit 58 _n includes a frequency domain conversion unit 584, an echo prediction unit 581, a subtraction unit 282, and an echo path estimation unit 583. For example, the echo canceling unit 58 _n uses the method described in Reference 2 to cancel the echo component (s58).
[Reference Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 3756828

<Frequency domain converter 584>
Frequency domain transform section 584, received signals _{x 1 (k), ...,} x M (k) a signal X of the respective frequency domain _{'1 (j), ...,} X' is converted to _M (j), and outputs ( s584). For example, the reception signal X ′ _m (j) in the frequency domain is obtained by the following equation (51).

X ' _m (j) = diag (FFT ([x _m (k-2L + 1),…, x _m (k)])) (51)
When each signal is set to 2 L samples per frame, and each L / D sample is blocked and shifted by L / D samples to create a frame, there is a relationship of k = j L / D between time k and frame number j. , D is an integer that can divide L. FFT (A) is a function that performs an FFT transform (fast Fourier transform) on vector A, and diag (A) is a function that transforms vector A into a matrix whose elements are diagonal components. That, X _'m the diagonal elements of _{(j) X' m (f} ', j) ( where, f' represents a frequency number, f '= 0,1, ..., 2L-1) When to, X ' _m (j) has the following value.

<Echo Prediction Unit 581>
The echo prediction unit 581 receives the received signals X ′ ₁ (j),..., X ′ _M (j) in the frequency domain, and performs filtering with an adaptive filter in the frequency domain corresponding to each echo path h _m (k). and, converted into a signal in the time domain, the predicted echo signal vector y ₁ corresponding to the M channels' (k), ..., y _M 'predicted by summing the (k) the echo signal vector y' (k) to Generate (s581). For example, the predicted echo signal vector y ′ (k) is generated by the following equation.

y _m (k) = [0 _L I _L ] IFFT (X ' _m (j) H _m ' (j)) (52)
y '(k) = Σ ^M _{m = 1} y _m (k) (53)
However, H _m ′ (j) is a complex vector of 2L elements, and when it is converted to the time domain and the first half L is taken out, it becomes the impulse response of the adaptive filter. 0 _L represents an L × L zero matrix, and _IL represents an L × L unit matrix. IFFT (A) is a function that performs an IFFT transform (inverse fast Fourier transform) on the vector A.

<Subtraction unit 582>
The processing content of the subtraction unit 582 is the same as that of the subtraction unit 282 of the second embodiment. However, the second embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that the second sound pickup signal u (k) is output as an output value (transmission signal) of the echo canceller 500.

<Echo path estimation unit 583>
The echo canceling unit 58 _n has a residual echo power ratio γ ² (f ′, j), a frequency domain received signal X ′ ₁ (j),..., X ′ _M (j) and a second collected sound signal u (k). Are input, and based on these values, the filter coefficient H ′ (j) of the adaptive filter in the frequency domain is updated, copied, and output to the echo prediction unit 581 (s583). The echo path estimation (s583) is performed after the residual echo power ratio γ ² (f ′, j) is calculated (see FIG. 14). Details of the residual echo power ratio γ ² (f ′, j) will be described later. For example, the filter coefficient H ′ (j) is updated using the method described in Reference 2. The outline will be described below.

Using the second collected sound signal u (k) and the received signal X ′ ₁ (j),..., X ′ _M (j) in the frequency domain

Ask for.

Further, using diagonal components X ′ ₁ (f ′, j),..., X ′ _M (f ′, j) of the received signal X ′ (j) in the frequency domain,

Ask for. However, β is a smoothing constant for taking an average for a short time, and is set to a real number larger than 0 and smaller than 1.

Further, using the residual echo power ratio γ ² (f ′, j), the matrix

Ask for.

Finally, the filter coefficient H ′ (j) is updated by the following equation using M (j), P (j), and M dH ^ _m (j) obtained by the above-described processing.

However, μ ₀ is a fixed value and is set to a real number larger than 0 and smaller than 1. Instead of formula (57)

It is also possible to use.

<Residual echo canceling unit 56 _n >
Residual echo cancellation unit 56 _n will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. The residual echo canceling unit 56 _n includes M frequency domain transforming units 161 ₁ ,..., 161 _M , a frequency domain transforming unit 262, an input / output correlation coefficient calculating unit 263, an input / output transfer characteristic estimating unit 164, A residual echo prediction unit 265, a residual echo correction unit 266, and a residual echo power ratio calculation unit 569 are included.

The second collected sound signal U (f, j) in the frequency domain, which is the output value of the frequency domain transform unit 262, and the corrected residual echo component U ₂ ^ (f, j), which is the output value of the residual echo correction unit 266, It is output to the residual echo power ratio calculation unit 569 instead of the subtraction unit.

<Residual echo power ratio calculation unit 569>
The residual echo power ratio calculation unit 569 receives the second collected sound signal U (f, j) in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component U ₂ ^ (f, j), and uses these values to determine the frequency. A residual echo power ratio γ ² (f ′, j), which is a ratio of the corrected residual echo component U ₂ ^ (f, j) to the second collected sound signal U (f, j) in the region, is obtained (s569). For example, the residual echo power ratio γ ² (f ′, j) (where f ′ <L, f = f ′) is obtained by the following formula (63) or formula (64):

Further, γ ² (2L−f ′, j) = γ ² (f ′, j) (where L ≦ 2L−f ′ <2L) is obtained, and γ ² (f ′, j) (f ′ = 0,1) ,..., 2L-1) are output to the echo canceller 58n.

However, in the residual echo power ratio calculation unit 569, a matrix having the residual echo power ratio γ ² (f ′, j) as a diagonal component.

May be obtained and output to the echo canceling unit 58 _n .

<Effect>
With such a configuration, the estimated residual echo can be corrected in consideration of the confidence interval of the estimated value, and the estimation accuracy of the residual echo can be increased. A residual echo power ratio γ ² (f), which is a ratio of the corrected residual echo component U ₂ ^ (f, j) to the second collected sound signal U (f, j) in the frequency domain, using a residual echo with high estimation accuracy. ', J) is obtained, and the step size of the update equation of the filter coefficient of the adaptive filter is controlled based on the residual echo power ratio γ ² (f', j). The transmission quality can be realized.

<First Modification of Fifth Embodiment>
Only the parts different from the fifth embodiment will be described.

<Echo canceling apparatus 600>
An echo canceller 600 according to a first modification of the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. Echo canceller 600, the N echo cancellation portion ₅₈ 1, ..., 58 _N and N residual echo canceling portion ₆₆ 1, ..., 66 include _N, echo cancellation portion 58 in front of the residual echo canceling portion 66 _{n n} is provided.

The processing contents of the N echo canceling units 58 _n are the same as in the fifth embodiment. However, the difference is that the output value u (k) is output only to the frequency domain converting unit 262 in the residual echo canceling unit 66 _n and not the output value (transmission signal) of the echo canceling device 600.

<Residual echo canceller 66 _n >
The residual echo canceling unit 66 _n includes M frequency domain transforming units 161 ₁ ,..., 161 _M , a frequency domain transforming unit 262, an input / output correlation coefficient calculating unit 263, an input / output transfer characteristic estimating unit 164, A residual echo prediction unit 265, a residual echo correction unit 266, a residual echo power ratio calculation unit 569, a subtraction unit 267, and a time domain conversion unit 168 are included. That is, the residual echo power ratio calculating unit 569 is added to the residual echo canceling unit 26 _n of the second embodiment. The difference from the residual echo canceling unit 56 _n is that a subtracting unit 267 and a time domain converting unit 168 are included.

Output value of the frequency domain transform section 262 U (f, j) and the output value _U 2 ^ (f, j) of the residual echo compensation unit 266, not only the residual echo power ratio calculation unit, also output to the subtraction unit 267 The The processing contents of the subtraction unit 267 and the time domain conversion unit 168 are the same as those described in the second embodiment (s267, s168). The echo cancellation apparatus 600 outputs the output value v (k) of the time domain conversion unit 168 as a transmission signal.

<Effect>
By adopting such a configuration, in addition to the same effect as that of the second embodiment, the same effect as that of the fifth embodiment can be obtained.

<Second Modification of Fifth Embodiment>
Only parts different from the first modification of the fifth embodiment will be described.

<Echo cancellation device 700>
An echo canceling apparatus 700 according to a second modification of the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20. Echo canceller 700, the N echo cancellation portion ₅₈ 1, ..., 58 _N and N residual echo canceling portion ₇₆ 1, ..., it includes a 76 _N, echo cancellation portion 58 in front of the residual echo canceling portion 76 _{n n} is provided.

<Residual echo canceller 76 _n >
The residual echo canceling unit 76 _n includes M frequency domain transforming units 161 ₁ ,..., 161 _M , a frequency domain transforming unit 262, an input / output correlation coefficient calculating unit 363, an input / output transfer characteristic estimating unit 364, A residual echo prediction unit 365, a residual echo correction unit 266, a residual echo power ratio calculation unit 569, a subtraction unit 267, a time domain conversion unit 168, and a second frequency domain conversion unit 369 are included. That is, the residual echo power ratio calculator 569 is added to the residual echo canceler 36 _n of the third embodiment.

  The process of each part is the same as that described in the third embodiment and the fifth embodiment.

<Effect>
By adopting such a configuration, in addition to the same effects as in the third embodiment, the same effects as in the fifth embodiment can be obtained.

<Program and recording medium>
The echo canceling apparatus described above can also be operated by a computer. In this case, a program for causing a computer to function as a target device (device having the functional configuration shown in the drawings in various embodiments and modifications thereof), or a processing procedure thereof (shown in each example) A program for causing a computer to execute each process may be downloaded from a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a magnetic disk, or a semiconductor storage device or via a communication line into the computer to execute the program.

<Other variations>
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications. For example, the various processes described above are not only executed in time series according to the description, but may also be executed in parallel or individually as required by the processing capability of the apparatus that executes the processes. In addition, it can change suitably in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.

For example, in the second modification of the fifth embodiment, as in the fifth embodiment, the residual echo canceller 76 _n does not include the subtractor 267 and the time domain converter 168, and the echo canceler 58 The output of _n may be the output value (transmission signal) of the echo canceller 700.

  The sound collection signal in the claims is a signal obtained from the first sound collection signal collected by the microphone, and the first sound collection signal itself collected by the microphone, or the first sound collection signal and the predicted echo signal. This is a concept including a second collected sound signal obtained as a difference from the above. Furthermore, a signal that has been devised so that the cross-correlation of the multi-channel received signal changes with respect to the first or second collected sound signal (for example, a signal loaded with noise, half-wave rectification, delay variation, level variation Or a second sound pickup signal obtained as a difference between the signal obtained by performing the above-described contrivance on the first sound pickup signal and the predicted echo signal. Good.

Claims (13)

M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones are arranged in a common sound field, and when an incoming signal is reproduced from the speakers, an echo that wraps around the microphone via an echo path is generated. An echo canceller for erasing,
A frequency domain converter that converts the received signal and a signal obtained from the first collected sound signal collected by the microphone (hereinafter referred to as “sound collected signal”) into a frequency domain signal for each short period;
m = 1,..., M, and using the received signal and the collected sound signal in the frequency domain, the power spectrum of the received signal in the m-th channel, the received signal and the collected sound signal in the m-th channel, An input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit for obtaining a cross spectrum of
Using the power spectrum and the cross spectrum, an input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit that estimates an estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristics of the received signal and the collected sound signal in the frequency domain for each frequency;
A residual echo prediction unit that predicts a residual echo component included in the collected sound signal in the frequency domain from the received signal in the frequency domain and the estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic;
Using the collected sound signal in the frequency domain, correcting the residual echo component to obtain a corrected residual echo component; and
A subtraction unit for obtaining a difference between the sound pickup signal in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component as a transmission signal;
A time domain conversion unit for converting the transmission signal in the frequency domain into a signal in the time domain;
Including an echo canceller. The echo canceller according to claim 1,
In the residual echo correction unit, the residual echo component is corrected by multiplying the residual echo component by a value based on a ratio from an expected value of the confidence interval to obtain a corrected residual echo component.
Echo canceler. The echo canceller according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
The number of degrees of freedom of estimation of each spectrum is T, and the 100α percentage point of the F distribution with degrees of freedom n ₁ = 2M and n ₂ = T-2M is F _{2M, T-2M, α,} and the sound collection in the frequency domain The signal is Y (f, j), the residual echo component is Y ^ (f, j), and the residual echo component Y ₂ ^ (f, j) is changed in the residual echo correction unit.

Asking,
Echo canceler. The echo canceller according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The received signal is filtered by an adaptive filter to generate a predicted echo signal, and a difference between the first collected sound signal collected by the microphone and the predicted echo signal is obtained as a second collected sound signal. An echo canceler that updates a filter coefficient of the adaptive filter based on the sound signal and the received signal, and
In the frequency domain conversion unit, the input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit, the residual echo correction unit, and the subtraction unit, the second sound collection signal is used as the sound collection signal.
Echo canceler. The echo canceller according to claim 4,
A second frequency domain transform unit that transforms the predicted echo signal into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval; and
q ′ ≠ q, q = 0, 1,..., M, q ′ = 0, 1,..., M, and the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain is X ₀ (f, j). The received signal of the m channel is X _m (f, j), the second sound pickup signal in the frequency domain is U (f, j), and the power spectrum of the predicted echo signal is P ₀₀ (f, j). , The power spectrum of the received signal of the m-th channel is P _mm (f, j), the cross spectrum between the predicted echo signal and the received signal of the m-th channel is P _0m (f, j), and m '= 1, ..., M, m ≠ m', the cross spectrum between the received signal of the _m'th channel and the received signal of the mth channel is P _m'm (f, j), and the prediction the cross spectrum between the echo signal and the second voice collecting signal Q _{0 (f,} j) and , 'Cross spectra between said received signal of the channel the second voice collecting signal Q _m' m-th and (f, j), the A ^* is the complex conjugate of A, the average E and [A] of A And a function that takes
In the input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit, the power spectrum P ₀₀ and the power spectrum P _mm are

The cross spectrum P _0m (f, j) and the cross spectrum P _m′m (f, j) are obtained as

The cross spectrum Q ₀ (f, j) and the cross spectrum Q _{m ′} (f, j)

As sought
In the input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit, the estimated value G (f, j) of the input / output transfer characteristic is

Estimated as
In the residual echo prediction unit, the residual echo component is

Predict as
Echo canceler. M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones are arranged in a common sound field, and when an incoming signal is reproduced from the speakers, an echo that wraps around the microphone via an echo path is generated. An echo canceller for erasing,
The received signal is filtered by an adaptive filter, a predicted echo signal is generated, and a difference between the first collected signal collected by the microphone and the predicted echo signal is obtained as a second collected signal, and this second collected sound is obtained. An echo canceler that updates a filter coefficient of an adaptive filter based on a signal and the received signal;
A frequency domain converter that converts the second collected sound signal into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval;
A second frequency domain transform unit that transforms the predicted echo signal into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval;
Input / output phase relationship for obtaining a power spectrum of the predicted echo signal and a cross spectrum between the predicted echo signal and the second collected sound signal using the second collected signal in the frequency domain and the predicted echo signal A number calculator,
Using the power spectrum and the cross spectrum, an input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit that estimates an estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic of the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain and the second sound collection signal for each frequency;
A residual echo prediction unit that predicts a residual echo component included in the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain from the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain and the estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic;
Using the second collected signal in the frequency domain, correcting the residual echo component to obtain a corrected residual echo component;
A subtraction unit for obtaining a difference between the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component as a transmission signal;
A time domain conversion unit for converting the transmission signal in the frequency domain into a signal in the time domain;
Including an echo canceller. M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones are arranged in a common sound field, and when an incoming signal is reproduced from the speakers, an echo that wraps around the microphone via an echo path is generated. An echo canceller for erasing,
An echo canceler that filters the received signal with an adaptive filter to generate a predicted echo signal, and obtains a difference between the first collected signal collected by the microphone and the predicted echo signal as a second collected signal;
A frequency domain converter that converts the received signal and the second collected sound signal into a frequency domain signal for each short period;
m = 1,..., M, and using the received signal in the frequency domain and the second collected sound signal, the power spectrum of the received signal in the m-th channel, the received signal in the m-th channel, and the second An input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit for obtaining a cross spectrum with the collected sound signal;
Using the power spectrum and the cross spectrum, an input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit that estimates an estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic of the received signal in the frequency domain and the second sound collection signal for each frequency;
A residual echo prediction unit that predicts a residual echo component included in the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain from the received signal in the frequency domain and the estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic;
Using the second collected signal in the frequency domain, correcting the residual echo component to obtain a corrected residual echo component;
A residual echo power ratio for obtaining a residual echo power ratio, which is a ratio of the corrected residual echo component to the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain, using the second collected sound signal and the corrected residual echo component in the frequency domain Including a calculation unit,
In the echo canceller, the filter coefficient of the adaptive filter is updated based on the residual echo power ratio, the received signal, and the second collected sound signal.
Echo canceler. The echo canceller according to claim 7, comprising:
A subtraction unit for obtaining a difference between the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component as a transmission signal;
An echo canceling apparatus, further comprising: a time domain conversion unit that converts the transmission signal in the frequency domain into a signal in the time domain. The echo canceller according to claim 7 or 8,
A second frequency domain transform unit that transforms the predicted echo signal into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval; and
q ′ ≠ q, q = 0, 1,..., M, q ′ = 0, 1,..., M, and the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain is X ₀ (f, j). The received signal of the m channel is X _m (f, j), the second sound pickup signal in the frequency domain is U (f, j), and the power spectrum of the predicted echo signal is P ₀₀ (f, j). , The power spectrum of the received signal of the m-th channel is P _mm (f, j), the cross spectrum between the predicted echo signal and the received signal of the m-th channel is P _0m (f, j), and m '= 1, ..., M, m ≠ m', the cross spectrum between the received signal of the _m'th channel and the received signal of the mth channel is P _m'm (f, j), and the prediction the cross spectrum between the echo signal and the second voice collecting signal Q _{0 (f,} j) and , 'Cross spectra between said received signal of the channel the second voice collecting signal Q _m' m-th and (f, j), the A ^* is the complex conjugate of A, the average E and [A] of A And a function that takes
In the input / output correlation coefficient calculation unit, the power spectrum P ₀₀ and the power spectrum P _mm are

The cross spectrum P _0m (f, j) and the cross spectrum P _m′m (f, j) are obtained as

The cross spectrum Q ₀ (f, j) and the cross spectrum Q _{m ′} (f, j)

As sought
In the input / output transfer characteristic estimation unit, the estimated value G (f, j) of the input / output transfer characteristic is

Estimated as
In the residual echo prediction unit, the residual echo component is

Predict as
Echo canceler. M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones are arranged in a common sound field, and when an incoming signal is reproduced from the speakers, an echo that wraps around the microphone via an echo path is generated. An echo cancellation method for erasing,
A frequency domain conversion step of converting the received signal and a signal obtained from the first sound collection signal collected by the microphone (hereinafter referred to as “sound collection signal”) into a frequency domain signal for each short period;
m = 1,..., M, and using the received signal and the collected sound signal in the frequency domain, the power spectrum of the received signal in the m-th channel, the received signal and the collected sound signal in the m-th channel, An input / output correlation coefficient calculation step for obtaining a cross spectrum of
Using the power spectrum and the cross spectrum, an input / output transfer characteristic estimation step for estimating an input / output transfer characteristic estimated value of the received signal and the collected sound signal in the frequency domain for each frequency;
A residual echo prediction step for predicting a residual echo component included in the collected sound signal in the frequency domain from the received signal in the frequency domain and the estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic;
A residual echo correction step for correcting the residual echo component to obtain a corrected residual echo component using the collected sound signal in the frequency domain;
A subtraction step for obtaining a difference between the sound pickup signal in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component as a transmission signal;
A time domain transforming step for transforming the transmission signal in the frequency domain into a signal in the time domain;
Including an echo cancellation method. M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones are arranged in a common sound field, and when an incoming signal is reproduced from the speakers, an echo that wraps around the microphone via an echo path is generated. An echo cancellation method for erasing,
The received signal is filtered by an adaptive filter, a predicted echo signal is generated, and a difference between the first collected signal collected by the microphone and the predicted echo signal is obtained as a second collected signal, and this second collected sound is obtained. An echo cancellation step of updating a filter coefficient of an adaptive filter based on a signal and the received signal;
A frequency domain conversion step of converting the second collected sound signal into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval;
A second frequency domain transforming step for transforming the predicted echo signal into a frequency domain signal for each short time interval;
Input / output phase relationship for obtaining a power spectrum of the predicted echo signal and a cross spectrum between the predicted echo signal and the second collected sound signal using the second collected signal in the frequency domain and the predicted echo signal A number calculation step;
Using the power spectrum and the cross spectrum, an input / output transfer characteristic estimation step for estimating an estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic of the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain and the second sound pickup signal for each frequency;
A residual echo prediction step for predicting a residual echo component included in the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain from the predicted echo signal in the frequency domain and the estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic;
A residual echo correction step for correcting the residual echo component to obtain a residual echo component after correction using the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain;
A subtraction step for obtaining a difference between the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain and the corrected residual echo component as a transmission signal;
A time domain transforming step for transforming the transmission signal in the frequency domain into a signal in the time domain;
Including an echo cancellation method. M is an integer of 1 or more, and M speakers and one or more microphones are arranged in a common sound field, and when an incoming signal is reproduced from the speakers, an echo that wraps around the microphone via an echo path is generated. An echo cancellation method for erasing,
Echo cancellation step of filtering the received signal with an adaptive filter, generating a predicted echo signal, and obtaining a difference between the first collected sound signal collected by the microphone and the predicted echo signal as a second collected signal;
A frequency domain conversion step of converting the received signal and the second sound pickup signal into a frequency domain signal for each short period;
m = 1,..., M, and using the received signal in the frequency domain and the second collected sound signal, the power spectrum of the received signal in the m-th channel, the received signal in the m-th channel, and the second An input / output correlation coefficient calculating step for obtaining a cross spectrum with the collected sound signal;
Using the power spectrum and the cross spectrum, an input / output transfer characteristic estimation step for estimating an input / output transfer characteristic estimated value of the received signal in the frequency domain and the second collected sound signal for each frequency;
A residual echo prediction step for predicting a residual echo component included in the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain from the received signal in the frequency domain and the estimated value of the input / output transfer characteristic;
A residual echo correction step for correcting the residual echo component to obtain a residual echo component after correction using the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain;
A residual echo power ratio for obtaining a residual echo power ratio, which is a ratio of the corrected residual echo component to the second collected sound signal in the frequency domain, using the second collected sound signal and the corrected residual echo component in the frequency domain A calculation step;
An adaptive filter update step of updating a filter coefficient of an adaptive filter based on the residual echo power ratio, the received signal, and the second collected sound signal,
Echo cancellation method.   A program for causing a computer to function as the echo canceling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images