Audio device, sound processing method, sound processing program, sound output method, and sound output program

Abstract

There is provided an audio device including a control section configured to cause an audio signal to be output, the audio signal including a sound signal obtained through playback of content and a sound signal received from a communication partner device, and a sound processing section configured to generate an elimination signal obtained by eliminating a given sound signal from a microphone detection signal, which is the audio signal that is propagated and detected by a microphone. The control section causes the communication partner device to transmit the elimination signal.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An audio processing apparatus that outputs a first audio signal including audio content and a second audio signal received from a communication apparatus, comprising:
 sound processing circuitry that receives a microphone detection signal comprising the first audio signal and the second audio signal and generates an elimination signal that is used to remove a predetermined audio signal from the microphone detection signal to produce an echo-eliminated signal,   a transmitter that transmits the echo-eliminated signal to the communication apparatus upon generation of the echo-eliminated signal by the sound processing circuitry, and   an output for producing audible sound comprising the first audio signal and the second audio signal.   
     
     
         20 . The audio processing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the sound processing circuitry generates the elimination signal based on an amount of delay that occurs between the output generating the audible sound and detection of the microphone detection signal. 
     
     
         21 . The audio processing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein transmission of the echo-eliminated signal to the communication apparatus stops upon the sound processing circuitry ending generation of the elimination signal. 
     
     
         22 . The audio processing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein generation of the elimination signal is interrupted upon receipt of a suspend request. 
     
     
         23 . The audio processing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the sound processing circuitry generates the elimination signal based on volume of the audible sound at the output. 
     
     
         24 . The audio processing apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the output comprises a speaker. 
     
     
         25 . The audio processing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the elimination signal is computed based on an adaptive filter coefficient learned by a predetermined adaptive-signal-processing algorithm. 
     
     
         26 . The audio processing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the elimination signal comprises an echo estimation signal and the sound processing circuitry comprises an adaptive filter that generates the echo estimation signal. 
     
     
         27 . The audio processing apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the sound processing circuitry further includes an adder that computes the echo-eliminated signal based on the echo estimation signal and the microphone detection signal. 
     
     
         28 . The audio processing apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the microphone detected signal comprises a digital representation of the first audio signal and the second audio signal detected by a microphone within range of the audible sound produced by the output. 
     
     
         29 . An audio processing method comprising:
 receiving a microphone detection signal detected by a microphone, the microphone detection signal comprising a first audio signal and a second audio signal;   generating an elimination signal that is used to remove a predetermined audio signal from the microphone detection signal to produce an echo-eliminated signal;   transmitting the echo-eliminated signal to a communication apparatus upon generation of the echo-eliminated signal; and   generating audible sound comprising the first audio signal and the second audio signal.   
     
     
         30 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to process executable instructions to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving a microphone detection signal detected by a microphone, the microphone detection signal comprising a first audio signal and a second audio signal;   generating an elimination signal that is used to remove a predetermined audio signal from the microphone detection signal to produce an echo-eliminated signal;   transmitting the echo-eliminated signal to a communication apparatus upon generation of the echo-eliminated signal; and   generating audible sound comprising the first audio signal and the second audio signal.   
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein generating the elimination signal further comprises generating the elimination signal based on an amount of delay that occurs between the output generating the audible sound and detection of the microphone detection signal. 
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein transmitting the echo-eliminated signal to the communication apparatus stops upon the sound processing circuitry ending generation of the elimination signal. 
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein generating the elimination signal is interrupted upon receipt of a suspend request. 
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein generating the elimination signal further comprises generating the elimination signal based on volume of the audible sound at the output. 
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein generating audible sound further comprises generating audible sound through a speaker. 
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein generating the elimination signal further comprises computing the elimination signal based on an adaptive filter coefficient learned by a predetermined adaptive-signal-processing algorithm.