Relative Transfer Function Identification Using Speech Signals

An important component of a multichannel hands-free communication system is the identification of the relative transfer function between sensors in response to a desired source signal. In this paper, a robust system identification approach adapted to speech signals is proposed. A weighted least-squares optimization criterion is introduced, which considers the uncertainty of the desired signal presence in the observed signals. An asymptotically unbiased estimate for the system's transfer function is derived, and a corresponding recursive online implementation is presented. We show that compared to a competing nonstationarity-based method, a smaller error variance is achieved and generally shorter observation intervals are required. Furthermore, in the case of a time-varying system, faster convergence and higher reliability of the system identification are obtained by using the proposed method than by using the nonstationarity-based method. Evaluation of the proposed system identification approach is performed under various noise conditions, including simulated stationary and nonstationary white Gaussian noise, and car interior noise in real pseudo-stationary and nonstationary environments. The experimental results confirm the advantages of proposed approach.