Single-channel speech enhancement in variable noise-level environment

Abstract

This paper discusses the problem of single-channel speech enhancement in variable noise-level environment. Commonly used, single-channel subtractive-type speech enhancement algorithms always assume that the background noise level is fixed or slowly varying. In fact, the background noise level may vary quickly. This condition usually results in wrong speech/noise detection and wrong speech enhancement process. In order to solve this problem, we propose a new subtractive-type speech enhancement scheme in this paper. This new enhancement scheme uses the RTF (refined time-frequency parameter)-based RSONFIN (recurrent self-organizing neural fuzzy inference network) algorithm we developed previously to detect the word boundaries in the condition of variable background noise level. In addition, a new parameter (MiFre) is proposed to estimate the varying background noise level. Based on this parameter, the noise level information used for subtractive-type speech enhancement can be estimated not only during speech pauses, but also during speech segments. This new subtractive-type enhancement scheme has been tested and found to perform well, not only in variable background noise level condition, but also in fixed background noise level condition.