# US 2019/0174006 A1 · Speakerphone system or speakerphone accessory with on-cable microphone > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0174006 A1 - Document ID: US20190174006A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/173,801 - Filed: 2018-10-29 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-18 - Assignees: Avnera Corporation - Applicants: Avnera Corporation - Inventors: Eric Sorensen; Thomas Irrgang; Mike Wurtz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190174006A1 ## CPC - H04M 9/082: {using echo cancellers (echo cancellers per se H04B3/23)} - H04M 1/6041: {Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use} - H04M 1/62: Constructional arrangements - H04M 1/72409: by interfacing with external accessories (hands-free H04M1/60) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A portable speakerphone having a housing, a receiving transducer, an electrical cable, a transmitting transducer, and a processor. The receiving transducer is affixed to the housing and is configured to receive a first electrical signal from a mobile device. The electrical cable is coupled to and extends from the housing. The transmitting transducer is affixed to the electrical cable, remote from the housing. Also, the transmitting transducer is configured to transmit a second electrical signal, and the second electrical signal is based in part on the first electrical signal. The processor is configured to suppress acoustic echo by modifying the second electrical signal. The processor is also configured to output the modified second electrical signal to the mobile device. A related method is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-19. (canceled) ### Claim 20 A portable speakerphone comprising: a receiving transducer affixed to a housing; an electrical cable extending from the housing and having a connector at a distal end of the electrical cable, opposite a proximal end of the electrical cable coupled to the housing, the receiving transducer configured to receive a first electrical signal via the connector; a transmitting transducer affixed to the electrical cable, remote from the housing, and configured to transmit a second electrical signal; and an acoustic echo cancellation circuit configured to suppress acoustic echo in the second electrical signal by modifying the second electrical signal based in part on the first electrical signal, and to provide an output of the modified second electrical signal via the connector. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the acoustic echo cancellation circuit includes an acoustic echo cancellation processor configured to receive the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, and further includes a mixer configured to combine an output of the acoustic echo cancellation processor with the second electrical signal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the acoustic echo cancellation circuit further includes a non-linear processing module configured to further suppress acoustic echo by non-linear processing of an output of the mixer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the connector is configured to receive the first electrical signal from a mobile device coupled to the connector. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the acoustic echo cancellation circuit provides an output to a mobile device via the connector. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the second electrical signal is based in part on an audio signal from the receiving transducer and a voice signal. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The speakerphone of claim 25 wherein the voice signal is an analog voice signal. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the electrical cable is detachably attached to the housing. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the transmitting transducer includes a microphone located along the electrical cable between the proximal end of the electrical cable and the connector. ### Claim 29 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the transmitting transducer includes a microphone affixed to the connector. ### Claim 30 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the transmitting transducer includes a microphone substantially enclosed within the connector. ### Claim 31 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the housing and the electrical cable separate the transmitting transducer and the receiving transducer by more than four inches. ### Claim 32 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the transmitting transducer is a directional microphone. ### Claim 33 (depends on 20) The speakerphone of claim 20 wherein the transmitting transducer includes an array of transmitting transducers. ### Claim 34 A method of providing an acoustic echo suppressed signal in a portable speakerphone, the method comprising: receiving a first electrical signal from a mobile device via a connector positioned at a distal end of an electrical cable; communicating the first electrical signal through the electrical cable to a receiving transducer affixed to a housing, a proximal end of the electrical cable coupled to the housing; transmitting a second electrical signal from a transmitting transducer affixed to the electrical cable and separated from the receiving transducer by at least about four inches; suppressing an acoustic echo in the second electrical signal by modifying the second electrical signal based in part on the first electrical signal; and providing an output of the modified second electrical signal via the connector. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the second electrical signal is based on an audio signal received from the receiving transducer and an analog voice signal. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein said suppressing an acoustic echo in the second electrical signal includes comparing the first electrical signal with the second electrical signal and subtracting the first electrical signal from the second electrical signal to form the modified second electrical signal. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein said suppressing an acoustic echo in the second electrical signal includes non-linear processing of the modified second electrical signal. ### Claim 38 A portable speakerphone comprising: a receiving transducer affixed to a housing; an electrical cable having a connector at a distal end of the electrical cable that is opposite a proximal end of the electrical cable coupled to the housing, the receiving transducer configured to receive a first electrical signal from a mobile device coupled to the connector; a transmitting transducer configured to transmit a second electrical signal, the transmitting transducer affixed to the electrical cable and separated from the receiving transducer by at least four inches; and an acoustic echo cancellation circuit configured to suppress acoustic echo in the second electrical signal based in part on the first electrical signal, and to provide an output signal to a mobile device via the connector. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The speakerphone of claim 38 wherein the transmitting transducer includes a microphone affixed to the connector.