Training an echo canceller in severe noise

A method of updating filter coefficients in a dual path adaptive filter, said method, comprising:

• generating a first error signal as a function of an incoming signal, an outgoing signal and filter coefficients of a first filter;
• generating an second error signal as a function of said incoming signal, filter coefficients of a second filter, and either said outgoing signal or said first error signal;
• monitoring a quality of said first and said second error signals;
• and
• updating said first filter coefficients based on a comparison of said quality of said second error signal to a determined current best-attained performance measure, wherein said first filter coefficients are updated using said second filter coefficients and a fractional coefficient updating technique.

An echo canceller, comprising:

• a non-adaptive filter having non-adaptive filter coefficients and configured to develop a non-adaptive error signal as a function of an incoming signal, an outgoing signal and said non-adaptive filter coefficients;
• an adaptive filter having adaptive filter coefficients and configured to develop an adaptive error signal as a function of either (i) said incoming signal, said outgoing signal and said adaptive filter coefficients or (ii) said incoming signal, said non-adaptive error signal and said adaptive filter coefficients;
• and
• a system for updating of said non-adaptive and said adaptive filter coefficients, including a controller configured to (i) monitor a quality of said non-adaptive and said adaptive error signals and (ii) update said non-adaptive filter coefficients based on a comparison of said quality of said adaptive error signal to a determined current best-attained performance measure, wherein said non-adaptive filter coefficients are updated using said adaptive filter coefficients and a fractional coefficient updating technique.