A system and method for reducing audio feedback, and in particular ‘howling’, during a communication session involving two or more computing devices. The system determines that a first device is likely to join a meeting in which another, second device is already joined. In response, the system can cause the second device to broadcast a signal that, if detected by the first device, will indicate that the two devices are in auditory range of one another. As a result, the system can preemptively mute the audio components of the first device to prevent an audio stream of the first device from interfering with the audio already streaming via the second device.

Automated methods and systems are provided for performing acoustic echo cancellation of streaming audio for a plurality of participants who are each receiving the streaming audio from a host, and who are simultaneously engaged in remote audio communications with each other. The streaming audio is captured in memory as an audio signal copy for subsequent use in performing the acoustic echo cancellation. In this manner, participants may engage in remote audio communications with each other without receiving acoustic echoes of the streaming audio received by other participant computers, while still being able to individually hear the streaming audio outputted from their respective speakers.

Apparatuses, methods, systems, and program products are disclosed for detecting and correcting audio echo. An apparatus includes a processor and a memory that stores code executable by the processor. The code is executable by the processor to detect audio that is received through an audio channel of a first user during a conference call being echoed through an audio channel of a second user in the conference call. The code is executable by the processor to identify the second user associated with the audio channel that is echoing the audio of the first user. The code is executable by the processor to perform a corrective action associated with the second user to prevent audio that is received from the first user from being echoed through the audio channel of the second user.

Systems, methods, and computer program products for provisioning a temporary disposable number are described. A user can be provided with a pool of available temporary disposable numbers that have a limited shelf life. The user can select one of the available temporary disposable numbers while submitting a permanent phone number associated with a communications device (e.g., mobile phone, home phone, business phone, etc.). Prior to activating the selected temporary disposable number, the temporary disposable number is linked to the permanent phone number. After activation, when an incoming call to the temporary disposable number is received, the permanent phone number is identified to be associated with the temporary disposable number being called. The incoming call is then forwarded to the communications device on which the permanent phone number is established.

The present invention provides a sound signal processing device that precisely detects various kinds of noises and that does not block output of voice signals even when detecting noise during the output of the voice signals. The sound signal processing device according to the present invention comprises: an input part 10; an input signal determination part 20 that determines whether an input signal from the input part is present; a noise detection part 30 that detects noise included in the input signal from the input part; an output part 80 that outputs the input signal as an output signal; an output switching part 52 that performs switching between an output state in which the output part outputs the output signal and a non-output state in which the output part does not output the output signal; and a control part 60 that controls the switching performed by the output switching part. The control with the control part for switching includes first control that controls the switching based on a determination result r1 from the input signal determination part and a detection result r2 from the noise detection part, and second control that controls the switching based on the determination result from the input signal determination part. One of the first control and the second control is selected based on a state of the output switching part.

An echo suppression device includes an echo canceller which suppresses a linear echo signal from an input signal acquired by a microphone; a nonlinear echo estimation unit which, by using a nonlinear echo model indicative of a relationship between at least one of a call reception signal to be output to a speaker and the input signal, and a nonlinear echo signal, estimates the nonlinear echo signal included in the input signal from at least one of the call reception signal and the input signal; a nonlinear echo suppression unit which, by using the estimated nonlinear echo signal, suppresses the nonlinear echo signal from an output signal of the echo canceller; and an echo suppressor which suppresses a residual linear echo signal not suppressed by the echo canceller from an output signal of the nonlinear echo suppression unit.

Method, apparatus, and program code embodied in computer-readable media, for providing enhanced echo suppression in a conferencing system having at least one microphone and at least one speaker. At least one microphone input signal is received, and at least one speaker input signal is provided. At least one processor has at least one primary echo-suppressor and at least one secondary echo-suppressor. The at least one primary echo-suppressor receives (i) the microphone input signal(s) and (ii) the speaker input signal(s). The at least one primary echo-suppressor provides at least one echo-suppressed microphone signal. The at least one secondary echo-suppressor receives the at least one echo-suppressed microphone signal and provides an output signal. The at least one processor provides the at least one echo-suppressed microphone signal to the at least one secondary echo-suppressor without providing the at least one speaker input signal directly to the at least one secondary echo-suppressor.

A method and an electronic device for detecting crosstalk data are provided. The method for detecting crosstalk data can detect whether an audio data stream includes crosstalk data.

One embodiment provides a method, comprising: transmitting, from a communication component, a signal down a communication channel; determining, using a processor, whether an echo associated with the signal is detected by the communication component; and providing, responsive to determining that the echo is not detected, a notification to a user that a mute control is enabled at another communication component along the communication channel. Other aspects are described and claimed.

A system includes participant nodes that unicast a voice stream to a master node and receive a multicast voice stream from the master node. The multicast voice stream may be a mixed voice stream mixing the voice streams of the participants. In this case, each participant performs echo cancellation on the multicast voice stream. Alternatively, the multicast voice stream may be a multiplexed voice stream multiplexing the voice streams of all participants. In this case, each participant de-multiplexes the multicast voice stream and generates a mixed voice stream that does not include that participant. Alternatively, the multicast voice stream received by each participant may be a multiplexed digital voice stream multiplexing multiple mixed streams including one mixed stream that does not include the voice stream of that participant. In this case, each participant de-multiplexes the multicast voice stream to obtain the mixed stream that does not include that participant.