Noise estimation in a mobile device using an external acoustic microphone signal

A method for providing analytics relevant to audio noise estimation, from a microphone device to nearby audio devices, the method comprising:

• identifying, at the microphone device, an external audio device that is within proximity of the microphone device;
• computing, at the microphone device, a noise profile from a first signal that is produced by a microphone of the microphone device, wherein the noise profile is devoid of discernible speech that was picked up by the microphone of the microphone device;
• and
• sending the noise profile to the external audio device to enable the external audio device to compute a noise estimate and on that basis suppress noise from a second signal that is produced by an internal microphone of the external audio device.

A mobile device comprising:

• an internal microphone to produce a first signal;
• a wireless data interface to identify an external microphone device within proximity of the mobile device and to receive a second signal from the external microphone device, the second signal being a noise estimate that was computed from an audio signal produced by a microphone of the external microphone device and that is devoid of discernible speech which was picked up by the microphone of the external microphone device;
• and
• a processor to generate a noise profile based on the second signal and to suppress noise from the first signal using the noise profile.

A microphone device that provides nearby audio devices with analytics relevant to audio noise estimation, the microphone device comprising:

• a microphone configured to produce an audio signal;
• a wireless data interface configured to identify a mobile device, that is within proximity of the microphone device, and establish a wireless connection with the mobile device;
• and
• a processor configured compute a noise profile from the audio signal that is produced by the microphone of the microphone device, wherein the noise profile is devoid of discernible speech that was picked up by the microphone of the microphone device,
• wherein the wireless data interface is configured to send the noise profile to the mobile device through the wireless connection, to enable the mobile device to compute a noise estimate and on that basis suppress noise from an audio signal that is produced by an internal microphone of the mobile device.