Abstract: A user terminal comprising; a loudspeaker; a microphone; and an audio signal processing module comprising: a reference signal generator configured, prior to establishment of a communication event over a network with at least one further terminal, to generate and output an audio reference signal to the loudspeaker for playout; an echo removal module configured to perform echo removal on audio signals received via the microphone during the communication event; and a detector configured, prior to establishment of the communication event, to: determine characteristics of the reference signal; receive an audio signal output from the microphone which includes echo resulting from the outputted reference signal; determine characteristics of the received audio signal; compare the determined characteristics of the reference signal with determined characteristics of the received audio signal to detect a nonlinear echo path of the echo, and configure a component of the audio signal processing module based on this detecti

Abstract: Disclosed is a device having an audio interface configured to generate from the audio signal an outgoing audio signal for supplying to a loudspeaker component. The audio interface is configured, in generating the outgoing audio signal, to apply dynamic range compression to the audio signal. Device software is configured to receive an incoming audio signal and generate an audio signal from the incoming audio signal. The audio signal generated by the software is supplied to the audio interface for outputting by the loudspeaker component and is also used as a reference in audio signal processing. Generating the audio signal comprises the software applying initial nonlinear amplitude processing to the incoming audio signal to modify its power envelope. The modified power envelope is sufficiently smooth to be substantially unaffected by the dynamic range compression when applied by the audio interface.

Abstract: A user terminal comprising; a loudspeaker; a microphone; and an audio signal processing module comprising: a reference signal generator configured, prior to establishment of a communication event over a network with at least one further terminal, to generate and output an audio reference signal to the loudspeaker for playout; an echo removal module configured to perform echo removal on audio signals received via the microphone during the communication event; and a detector configured, prior to establishment of the communication event, to: determine characteristics of the reference signal; receive an audio signal output from the microphone which includes echo resulting from the outputted reference signal; determine characteristics of the received audio signal; compare the determined characteristics of the reference signal with determined characteristics of the received audio signal to detect a nonlinear echo path of the echo, and configure a component of the audio signal processing module based on this detecti

Abstract: Disclosed is a device having an audio interface configured to generate from the audio signal an outgoing audio signal for supplying to a loudspeaker component. The audio interface is configured, in generating the outgoing audio signal, to apply dynamic range compression to the audio signal. Device software is configured to receive an incoming audio signal and generate an audio signal from the incoming audio signal. The audio signal generated by the software is supplied to the audio interface for outputting by the loudspeaker component and is also used as a reference in audio signal processing. Generating the audio signal comprises the software applying initial nonlinear amplitude processing to the incoming audio signal to modify its power envelope. The modified power envelope is sufficiently smooth to be substantially unaffected by the dynamic range compression when applied by the audio interface.