Noise robust integration for blind and non-blind reverberation time estimation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a low-complexity, noise-robust decay rate estimator for reverberation time estimation, effective in both blind and non-blind scenarios, demonstrated through simulations and speech experiments.

Contribution

It proposes a novel decay rate estimator that is computationally efficient and robust to stationary noise, improving reverberation time estimation accuracy.

Findings

Effective in stationary noise environments

Low computational complexity

Validated with speech in ventilation noise

Abstract

The estimation of the decay rate of a signal section is an integral component of both blind and non-blind reverberation time estimation methods. Several decay rate estimators have previously been proposed, based on, e.g., linear regression and maximum-likelihood estimation. Unfortunately, most approaches are sensitive to background noise, and/or are fairly demanding in terms of computational complexity. This paper presents a low complexity decay rate estimator, robust to stationary noise, for reverberation time estimation. Simulations using artificial signals, and experiments with speech in ventilation noise, demonstrate the performance and noise robustness of the proposed method.