On the Regularization of Recursive Least-Squares Adaptive Algorithms Using Line Search Methods

Abstract

Stereophonic acoustic echo cancellation (SAEC) requires the identification of four unknown impulse responses corresponding to four loudspeaker-to-microphone pairs. Recent developments in the field of adaptive filters for SAEC setups have allowed for the handling of a single complex-valued adaptive impulse response, instead of the four classical real-valued adaptive filters. With the simplified framework provided by the widely linear (WL) model, more advanced versions of recursive least-squares (RLS) were employed in order to take advantage of their superior tracking speeds when working with highly correlated input signals (such as speech). Despite the performances and numerical stability provided by using exponentially weighted versions of the RLS family in combination with line search methods (LSMs), the SAEC configurations have limited capabilities in mitigating the negative effects caused by high-level disturbances affecting the two microphone signals. Such is the case of double-talk scenarios, which considerably reduce the update accuracy of the adaptive system. This paper analyzes a regularization technique for the named WL-RLS-LSM adaptive filters by adjusting the correlation matrix associated with the input signals and creating a reaction in the update process. The proposed method is designed to considerably slow (or even freeze) the adaptation process while the disturbance is manifested. Simulation results are discussed in order to validate the theoretical content.