Fast algorithms for blind estimation of reverberation time

The reverberation time (RT) measures the persistence of a sound in enclosed acoustic spaces. In a previous work, a method for the blind maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) of RT using passively received microphone signals was presented. The procedure overcomes the drawbacks of current methods that use a controlled sound source for RT determination. Here, fast algorithms for online implementation of the method are developed. One algorithm, suitable for a one-time determination of the RT, requires O(N) computations for a data frame of length N. A second IIR algorithm, based on Q-levels of quantization, requires O(Q) computations. Results for speech data and choice of algorithms are discussed.