Remote party speaker phone detection

A method of determining the presence of acoustic echo in a voice communication signifying a high likelihood of speakerphone use by a party to a voice communication, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, by a telecommunication device, an electronic signal representative of a transmitted voice signal;
• detecting, by an echo detector, an echo associated with the retrieved electronic signal;
• discriminating, by an echo discriminator, between hybrid echo and acoustic echo if an echo is detected;
• analyzing, by the echo discriminator, the characteristics of acoustic echo if acoustic echo is detected;
• and
• outputting, by a telecommunication device, to a far end user an indication to a user that speakerphone use by a near end user has occurred based upon detected acoustic echo characteristics.

A system for detecting acoustic echo in outgoing voice signals, said system comprising:

• means for generating a first electronic signal representing a received voice signal;
• means for detecting acoustic echo communicating with said means for generating, said means for detecting capable of generating a second electronic signal indicative of the presence of echo in the first electronic signal;
• means for discriminating between hybrid and acoustic echo, said means for discriminating communicating with said means for detecting, said means for discriminating including programming means for evaluating the presence of discrete acoustic echo characteristics including multiple bulk delay values, a length of time of echo delays, and echo magnitudes;
• and
• means for outputting a signal to a far end user indicating the presence of an acoustic echo, said acoustic echo produced as a result of use of speakerphone use by a near end user.