Maxim’s processors boast new noise reduction and echo cancellation capabilities

Acoustic Technologies and Tensilica have announced that Acoustic Technologies' SoundClear Mobile Voice 2-mic noise elimination and echo cancellation software has been ported to Tensilica's HiFi Audio DSPs (digital signal processors), the leading audio/voice DSP IP cores.

It has already been implemented on the Flexsound processor from Maxim Integrated Products, which includes Tensilica technology, and is commercially available on Maxim's MAX98095, a member of the company's family of TINI CODECs developed for smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other audio and voice-enabled devices.

Tensilica and Acoustic Technologies will be demonstrating their joint audio solution, using the MAX98095, at Tensilica's booth, #1F39 at the Mobile World Congress, February 27 - March 1, in Barcelona, Spain.

"We implemented Acoustic Technologies' SoundClear Mobile Voice on our FlexSound processor, so our customers are able to provide consumers with unprecedented voice quality in mobile products, including comprehensive noise and echo cancellation," stated Todd Moore, Director of Business Development within Maxim's Audio Solutions Group. "Our silicon and system knowledge, combined with technology from Acoustic Technologies and Tensilica, provide our customers with a competitive advantage, based on voice quality, power consumption and time-to-market."

SoundClear Mobile Voice features proprietary ASSIST (Auditory Scene Sensing and Intelligent Sound Tracking) noise elimination. This intelligent 2-mic technology maintains pristine voice quality, delivers lightning fast noise adaptation and significantly improves SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) by up to 35 dB in noisy circumstances commonly encountered by mobile users such as loud restaurants, busy streets, subways, or sporting arenas. Combined with a robust echo canceller, SoundClear Mobile Voice delivers high-quality full-duplex, echo free operation during both handset and speakerphone modes. SoundClear Mobile Voice has been tested and approved for use by leading mobile phone manufacturers worldwide and is currently being designed into smartphone and tablet products for release in 2012.

Tensilica's HiFi Audio DSPs are the leading audio/voice DSP IP cores, licensed by over 40 customers including five of the top 10 semiconductor manufacturers and many leading system OEMs. The HiFi Audio/Voice DSPs support over 90 audio/voice software packages with very efficient processing at low power. The HiFi Audio/Voice DSPs are part of Tensilica's growing line of dataplane processors (DPUs) that efficiently do the challenging, compute-intensive tasks in SOC designs.

"The leading Tensilica HiFi DSP engine offers the combination of an efficient and powerful architecture along with robust and well supported development tools," stated Bob Ackmann, CEO of Acoustic Technologies, Inc. "SoundClear Mobile Voice for the Maxim MAX98095 offers the breakthrough performance of our 2-mic noise elimination on a powerful platform ideal for smartphones and tablets."

"SoundClear Mobile Voice is very effective at enhancing the voice experience in noisy environments," stated Larry Przywara, Tensilica's senior director of multimedia marketing. "It is optimized for minimal power dissipation, an essential feature for smartphones, tablets and other battery-powered devices."

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