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US7636436B2
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Method for the performance testing of echo cancellers using an artificial segmented test signal
Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP
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Filing: 2003-12-17
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Granted: 2009-12-22
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Expires: 2023-12-17
Abstract
Abstract A method for the performance testing of an echo canceller including the steps of transmitting a test signal to the echo canceller, recording an echo energy signal output from the echo canceller as a result of the test signal, measuring the energy and duration of the echo energy signal and calculating a performance score for the echo canceller based on the measured energy and duration of the echo energy signal, wherein the test signal transmitted to the echo canceller has a plurality of discrete frequency band segments of white noise representing sub-bands of an overall bandwidth ranging from about 0 kHz to about 3.5 kHz. The test signal preferably has four discrete frequency band segments of white noise, wherein each discrete frequency band segment of the test signal is repeated in succession, whereby the test signal has a total of eight segments. Thus, the test signal can have a first frequency band segment having a bandwidth of about 0 kHz to about 1 kHz, a second frequency band segment having a bandwidth of about 1 kHz to about 2 kHz, a third frequency band segment having a bandwidth of about 2 kHz to about 3 kHz and a fourth frequency band segment having a bandwidth of about 3 kHz to about 3.5 kHz.
Inventors
- 👤 Bing Chen
- 👤 James H. James
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:09
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/22; H04M3/26; H04B; H04B3/00; H04B3/02; H04B3/20; H04B3/23; H04B3/46; H04B3/493
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
Test equipment for testing an echo canceller, the test equipment comprising a signal generator to generate a white noise test signal associated with an overall frequency band, the white noise test signal including a plurality of high-level white noise time segments each of which is separated by a low-level white noise time gap, the high-level white noise time segments including at least: a pair of first segments associated with a first frequency band of the overall frequency band; a pair of second segments following the first segments and associated with a second frequency band of the overall frequency band, the second frequency band being higher than the first frequency band; a pair of third segments following the second segments and associated with a third frequency band of the overall frequency band, the third frequency band being higher than the second frequency band; and a pair of fourth segments following the third segments and associated with a fourth frequency band of the overall frequency band, the fourth frequency band being higher than the third frequency band.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
Test equipment for testing an echo canceller, the test equipment comprising a signal generator to generate a white noise test signal associated with an overall frequency band, the white noise test signal including a plurality of high-level white noise time segments each of which is separated by a low-level white noise time gap, the high-level white noise time segments including at least: a pair of first segments associated with a first frequency band of the overall frequency band; a pair of second segments following the first segments and associated with a second frequency band of the overall frequency band, the second frequency band being higher than the first frequency band; a pair of third segments following the second segments and associated with a third frequency band of the overall frequency band, the third frequency band being higher than the second frequency band; and a pair of fourth segments following the third segments and associated with a fourth frequency band of the overall frequency band, the fourth frequency band being higher than the third frequency band.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of testing an echo canceller, the method comprising: generating a white noise test signal that includes a plurality of high-level white noise time segments each of which is separated by a low-level white noise time gap, the high-level white noise time segments including at least a pair of first segments associated with a first frequency band, a pair of second segments following the first segments and associated with a second frequency band that is higher than the first frequency band, a pair of third segments following the second segments and associated with a third frequency band that is higher than the second frequency band, and a pair of fourth segments following the third segments and associated with a fourth frequency band that is higher than the third frequency band; transmitting the generated white noise test signal to the echo canceller; receiving at least one echo output signal from the echo canceller, the echo output signal resulting from the white noise test signal; and measuring level and duration of the received at least one echo output signal.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of testing an echo canceller, the method comprising: generating a white noise test signal that includes a plurality of high-level white noise time segments each of which is separated by a low-level white noise time gap, the high-level white noise time segments including at least a pair of first segments associated with a first frequency band, a pair of second segments following the first segments and associated with a second frequency band that is higher than the first frequency band, a pair of third segments following the second segments and associated with a third frequency band that is higher than the second frequency band, and a pair of fourth segments following the third segments and associated with a fourth frequency band that is higher than the third frequency band; transmitting the generated white noise test signal to the echo canceller; receiving at least one echo output signal from the echo canceller, the echo output signal resulting from the white noise test signal; and measuring level and duration of the received at least one echo output signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
190 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising operational instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to: generate a white noise test signal that includes a plurality of high-level white noise time segments each of which is separated by a low-level white noise time gap, the high-level white noise time segments including at least a pair of first segments associated with a first frequency band, a pair of second segments following the first segments and associated with a second frequency band that is higher than the first frequency band, a pair of third segments following the second segments and associated with a third frequency band that is higher than the second frequency band, and a pair of fourth segments following the third segments and associated with a fourth frequency band that is higher than the third frequency band; transmit the generated white noise test signal to the echo canceller; receive at least one echo output signal from the echo canceller, the at least one echo output signal resulting from the white noise test signal; and measure level and duration of the received at least one echo output signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
190 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising operational instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to: generate a white noise test signal that includes a plurality of high-level white noise time segments each of which is separated by a low-level white noise time gap, the high-level white noise time segments including at least a pair of first segments associated with a first frequency band, a pair of second segments following the first segments and associated with a second frequency band that is higher than the first frequency band, a pair of third segments following the second segments and associated with a third frequency band that is higher than the second frequency band, and a pair of fourth segments following the third segments and associated with a fourth frequency band that is higher than the third frequency band; transmit the generated white noise test signal to the echo canceller; receive at least one echo output signal from the echo canceller, the at least one echo output signal resulting from the white noise test signal; and measure level and duration of the received at least one echo output signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The test equipment as defined in claim 1 , wherein each high-level white noise time segment of the plurality of high-level white noise time segments has a duration of about 350 msec.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The test equipment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the low-level white noise gap has a duration of about 150 msec.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The test equipment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the low-level white noise time gap has a level of about −65 dBm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as defined in claim 2 , further comprising: calculating a performance score based on the measured level and duration of the at least one echo output signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein echo output signal has a duration greater than about 5 msec and a level greater than about −50 dBm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method as defined in claim 7 , wherein calculating the performance score comprises: multiplying the measured level and duration of each output echo signal of the at least one echo output signal to obtain a product; and summing the product of each output echo signal of the at least one echo output signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein: the first frequency band of the first segments is from about 0 kHz to about 1 kHz; the second frequency band of the second segments is from about 1 kHz to about 2 kHz; the third frequency band of the third segments is from about 2 kHz to about 3 kHz; and the fourth frequency band of the fourth segments is from about 3 kHz to about 3.5 kHz.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein each high-level white noise time segment of the plurality of high-level white noise time segments has a level of about −18 dBm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein each high-level white noise time segment of the plurality of high-level white noise time segments has a duration of about 350 msec.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein the low-level white noise time gap has a duration of about 150 msec.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein the low-level white noise time gap has a level of about −65 dBm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
The test equipment as defined in claim 1 , wherein: the first frequency band of the first segments is from about 0 kHz to about 1 kHz; the second frequency band of the second segments is from about 1 kHz to about 2 kHz; the third frequency band of third segments is from about 2 kHz to about 3 kHz; and the fourth frequency band of the fourth segments is from about 3 kHz to about 3.5 kHz.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The test equipment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the white noise test signal has an overall frequency band from about 0 kHz to about 3.5 kHz.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The test equipment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the white noise test signal has a period of about 3900 msec.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The test equipment as defined in claim 1 , wherein each high-level white noise time segment of the plurality of high-level white noise time segments has a level of about −18 dBm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 3 , further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to: calculate a performance score based on the measured level and duration of the at least one echo output signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 3 , wherein the at least one echo output signal has a duration greater than about 5 msec and a level greater than about −50 dBm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
76 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 3 , wherein instructions that cause the processing device to calculate the performance score comprise instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to: multiply the measured level and duration of each output echo signal of the at least one echo output signal to obtain a product; and sum the product of each output echo signal of the at least one echo output signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
80 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 3 , wherein: the first frequency band of the first segments is from about 0 kHz to about 1 kHz; the second frequency band of the second segments is from about 1 kHz to about 2 kHz; the third frequency band of the third segments is from about 2 kHz to about 3 kHz; and the fourth frequency band of the fourth segments is from about 3 kHz to about 3.5 kHz.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 3 , wherein each high-level white noise time segment of the plurality of high-level white noise time segments has a duration of about 350 msec.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 3 , wherein the low-level white noise time gap has a duration of about 150 msec.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 3 , wherein the low-level white noise time gap has a level of about −65.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 3 , wherein each high-level white noise time segment of the plurality of high-level white noise time segments has a level of about −18 dBm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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