Conferencing apparatus that combines a beamforming microphone array with an acoustic echo canceller

A method to manufacture a conferencing apparatus for a conference between a local end and a far end that combines a beamforming microphone array with an acoustic echo canceller, comprising:

• providing a beamforming microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones wherein each microphone is configured to sense acoustic waves and said plurality of microphones are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals;
• operably coupling a processor, memory, and storage to said beamforming microphone array, said processor configured to:
• perform a beamforming operation with a beamformer to combine the plurality of microphone signals from said beamforming microphone array into a plurality of combined signals that is greater in number than one and less in number than the plurality of microphone signals, each of the plurality of combined signals corresponding to a different configurable fixed beam with pre-computed parameters;
• perform an acoustic echo cancellation operation with an acoustic echo canceller on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals;
• perform a direction of arrival determination on a plurality of microphone signals;
• and
• select, in response to the direction of arrival determination, with a selector, one or more of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end.

A method performed by a conferencing apparatus for a conference between a local end and a far end that combines a beamforming microphone array with an acoustic echo canceller, comprising:

• sensing acoustic waves with a beamforming microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones wherein said plurality of microphones are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals;
• providing a processor, memory, and storage operably coupled to said beamforming microphone array, said processor configured to:
• perform a beamforming operation with a beamformer to combine the plurality of microphone signals from said beamforming microphone array into a plurality of combined signals that is greater in number than one and less in number than the plurality of microphone signals, each of the plurality of combined signals corresponding to a different configurable fixed beam with pre-computed parameters;
• perform an acoustic echo cancellation operation with an acoustic echo canceller on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals;
• perform a direction of arrival determination on a plurality of microphone signals;
• and
• select, in response to the direction of arrival determination, with selector, one or more of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end.

A non-transitory program storage device that tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by a computing device, and that is readable by said computing device, said computing device being in communication with or being a part of a conferencing apparatus to perform a method for a conference between a local end and a far end that combines a beamforming microphone array with an acoustic echo canceller, comprising:

• sensing acoustic waves with a beamforming microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones wherein said plurality of microphones are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals;
• providing a processor, memory, and storage operably coupled to said beamforming microphone array, said processor configured to:
• perform a beamforming operation with a beamformer to combine the plurality of microphone signals from said beamforming microphone array to a plurality of combined signals that is greater in number than one and less in number than the plurality of microphone signals, each of the plurality of combined signals corresponding to a different configurable fixed beam with pre-computed parameters;
• perform an acoustic echo cancellation operation with an acoustic echo canceller on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals;
• perform a direction of arrival determination on a plurality of microphone signals;
• and
• select, in response to the direction of arrival determination, with a selector, one of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end.