Polycom, Inc.

Raytheon Company

Plantronics, Inc.

Picturetel Corporation

Steven L Potts

Peter L Chu

Kwan Kin Truong

Eric David Elias

Arthur Crain

Hong Wang

Anthony Curran

Yibo Liu

Edward C Woodman

John Dietz

Wendi Beth Rabiner

Richard Kos

Gary Brown

Russell Siggelkoe

Adam Reed

PTP timestamps are obtained and correlated to internal audio time and timestamps. This allows Ethernet/IP audio devices to be closely aligned with local digital audio devices to allow improved AEC operations. By performing repetitive PTP timestamps based on local audio time, drift between PTP time and local audio time is determined and corrected. By performing the PTP to local audio time operations on each independent Ethernet network, the Ethernet/IP audio devices can be split between independent LANs. If some local digital audio inputs formed from analog inputs are not aligned with other local digital audio inputs, signals can be provided in analog format and audio samples of the signals can be correlated to local audio time. With correlations performed as necessary based on the various audio inputs in use, high quality AEC operations are performed.

PTP-based audio clock synchronization and alignment for acoustic echo cancellation in a conferencing system with IP-connected cameras, microphones and speakers

The amount of far-field noise transmitted by a primary communication device in an open-plan office environment is reduced by defining an acoustic perimeter of reference microphones around the primary device. Reference microphones generate a reference audio input including far-field noise in the proximity of the primary device. The primary device generates a main audio input including the voice of the primary speaker as well as background noise. Reference audio input is compared to main audio input to identify the background noise portion of the main audio signal. A noise reduction algorithm suppresses the identified background noise in the main audio signal. The one or more reference microphones defining the acoustic perimeter may be included in separate microphone devices placed in proximity to the main desktop phone, microphones within other nearby desktop telephone devices, or a combination of both types of devices.

Acoustic perimeter for reducing noise transmitted by a communication device in an open-plan environment

A system, such as a video conferencing system, is provided which includes an image pickup device, an audio pickup device, and an audio source locator. The image pickup device generates image signals representative of an image, while the audio pickup device generates audio signals representative of sound from an audio source, such as speaking person. The audio source locator processes the image signals and audio signals to determine a direction of the audio source relative to a reference point. The system can further determine a location of the audio source relative to the reference point. The reference point can be a camera. The system can use the direction or location information to frame a proper camera shot which would include the audio source.

Locating an audio source

A method of operating a radar system, including the steps of digitally sampling a received signal at a predetermined sampling rate, to periodically provide a set of selected samples, the set of selected samples including positive going ramp samples, negative going ramp samples and CW burst samples and performing a first fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the positive going ramp samples, performing a second fast Fourier transform on the negative going ramp samples and performing a third fast Fourier transform on the CW burst samples is described. Utilizing the subsequent radar operations the method further includes the steps of tracking each resulting signal from the first fast Fourier transform performing steps, tracking each resulting signal from the second fast Fourier transform performing steps and tracking each resulting signal from the third fast Fourier transform performing steps and associating any resulting signals from the tracking steps to periodically provide output signals indicative of other vehicles.

Radar system and method of operating same

Directional microphone

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Andover, MA, United States of America

Steven L Potts