Method and apparatus for noise cancellation in a wireless mobile device using an external headset

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus for noise cancelation is disclosed, which may be used in a wireless unit (WU). The WU may include a processor, a memory, a user interface, one or more internal microphones and internal speakers. A removably connected headset may include microphones and speakers. The WU may receive a first signal from the headset. The WU may receive a first ambient noise at the one or more internal microphones, and the WU may generate a second signal based on the first ambient noise. The WU may calculate an estimate of ambient noise based on the first and second signals, calculate a signal for noise cancellation based on the estimate, cancel estimated ambient noise from an audio output signal based on an application of the signal for noise cancellation, and send the audio output signal to one or more speakers of the headset or of the WU.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless unit (WU) for use in performing noise cancellation, the WU comprising:
 a user interface;   a memory;   a processor operatively coupled to one or more internal microphones, to the memory and to the user interface, the processor configured to receive a first signal from a headset without a processor, and the one or more internal microphones configured to receive a first ambient noise and to generate a second signal based on the first ambient noise;   one or more internal speakers of the WU;   a connector operatively coupled to the processor, the connector configured to removably connect with the headset; and   the processor configured to calculate an estimate of ambient noise based on the first signal and the second signal, determine one or more phase shifts, calculate a signal for noise cancellation based on the estimate of ambient noise and further based on the one or more phase shifts, cancel estimated ambient noise from an audio output signal based on an application of the signal for noise cancellation, and send the audio output signal to one or more speakers of the headset or the one or more internal speakers of the WU.   
     
     
         2 . The WU of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal is generated by the headset based on a second ambient noise received by the one or more microphones of the headset, wherein the headset is powered by the WU via the connector. 
     
     
         3 . The WU of  claim 1 , wherein a noise cancellation application (NCA) performs the canceling of the estimated ambient noise and is executed in the processor of the WU. 
     
     
         4 . The WU of  claim 3 , wherein the NCA is a software application, middleware, a part of another media software application, or a part of an operating system of the WU. 
     
     
         5 . The WU of  claim 1 , wherein the processor and the user interface are further configured to receive a user input indicating the one or more phase shifts, and wherein the determination of the one or more phase shifts is based on the received user input. 
     
     
         6 . The WU of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more phase shifts are one or more time shifts. 
     
     
         7 . The WU of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to select one or more ambient noise components for canceling. 
     
     
         8 . The WU of  claim 1 , wherein the canceling of the estimated ambient noise includes calculating a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the first signal. 
     
     
         9 . A method of performing noise cancellation in a wireless unit (WU), wherein the WU includes a processor, a memory, a user interface, a connector, one or more internal microphones, and one or more internal speakers, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the WU via the connector, a first signal from a headset without a processor, wherein the connector is configured to removably connect with the headset;   receiving, at the one or more internal microphones, a first ambient noise;   generating, by the one or more internal microphones, a second signal based on the first ambient noise;   calculating, by the processor of the WU, an estimate of ambient noise based on the first signal and the second signal;   determining, by the processor of the WU, one or more phase shifts,   calculating, by the processor of the WU, a signal for noise cancellation based on the estimate of ambient noise and further based on the one or more phase shifts;   canceling, by the processor of the WU, estimated ambient noise from an audio output signal based on an application of the signal for noise cancellation; and   sending, by the processor of the WU, the audio output signal to one or more speakers of the headset or the one or more internal speakers of the WU.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first signal is generated by the headset based on a second ambient noise received by the one or more microphones of the headset, wherein the headset is powered by the WU via the connector. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a noise cancellation application (NCA) performs the canceling of the estimated ambient noise and is executed in the processor of the WU. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the NCA is a software application, middleware, a part of another media software application, or a part of an operating system of the WU. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising,
 receiving, by the processor and the user interface, a user input indicating the one or more phase shifts, wherein the determination of the one or more phase shifts is based on the received user input.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more phase shifts are one or more time shifts. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 selecting, by the processor of the WU, one or more ambient noise components for canceling.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the canceling of the estimated ambient noise includes calculating a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the first signal.