Techniques to dynamically engage echo cancellation

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor circuit on a first client device;
• a network interface controller on the device;
• a streaming component operative on the processor circuit to establish an audio connection between the first client device and a second client device via the network interface controller;
• and receive a far-end audio stream at the first client device from the second client device via the audio connection;
• an audio capture component operative on the processor circuit to capture a near-end audio stream at the first client device, wherein the network interface controller is configured to generate a data packet comprising a header and an audio frame of the near-end audio stream, the header comprising an indication that the audio frame exceeds a high-intensity energy threshold, and transmitting the data packet to the second client device, and the far-end audio stream comprises a corresponding data packet comprising a corresponding header;
• and
• an echo processing component operative on the processor circuit to compare the near-end audio stream and the far-end audio stream to determine whether a far-end echo is present in the near-end audio stream, wherein the determining comprises:
• comparing an audio energy level for an audio frame in the near-end audio stream to a high-intensity energy threshold,
• comparing an audio energy level for a corresponding audio frame in the far-end audio stream to the high-intensity energy threshold by identifying an indication in the corresponding header that the far-end audio stream exceeds the high-intensity energy threshold, and
• determining that the far-end echo is present in the near-end audio stream when the frame of the near-end audio stream and the corresponding frame of the far-end audio stream both exceed the high-intensity energy threshold;
• and
• use an echo-cancellation module at the first client device where the far-end echo is present in the near-end audio stream.

At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a system to:

• establish an audio connection between a first client device and a second client device;
• capture a near-end audio stream at the first client device;
• generate a data packet comprising a header and an audio frame of the near-end audio stream, the header comprising an indication that the audio frame exceeds a high-intensity energy threshold, and transmitting the data packet to the second client device;
• receive a corresponding data packet for a far-end audio stream at the first client device from the second client device via the audio connection, the corresponding data packet comprising a corresponding header;
• compare the near-end audio stream and the far-end audio stream to determine whether a far-end echo is present in the near-end audio stream, wherein the determining comprises:
• comparing an audio energy level for the audio frame in the near-end audio stream to a high-intensity energy threshold,
• determining that a corresponding audio frame in the far-end audio stream exceeds the high-intensity energy threshold by identifying an indication in the corresponding header that the far-end audio stream exceeds the high-intensity energy threshold, and
• determining that the far-end echo is present in the near-end audio stream when the frame of the near-end audio stream and the corresponding frame of the far-end audio stream both exceed the high-intensity energy threshold;
• and
• use an echo-cancellation module at the first client device where the far-end echo is present in the near-end audio stream.