UNSUPERVISED ADAPTATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MULTIPLE CLASSES AND SOURCES IN BLIND SIGNAL SEPARATION

A computer-implemented method and apparatus that adapts class parameters, classifies data and separates sources configured in one of multiple classes whose parameters (i.e. characteristics) are initially unknown. The data set may be generated in a dynamic environment where the sources provide signals that are mixed, and the mixing parameters change without notice and in an unknown manner. A mixture model is used in which the observed data is categorized into two or more mutually exclusive classes. The class parameters for each of the classes are adapted to a data set in an adaptation algorithm in which class parameters including mixing matrices and bias vectors are adapted. Each data vector is assigned to one of the learned mutually exclusive classes. In some embodiments the class parameters may have been previously learned, and the system is used to classify the data and if desired to separate the sources. The adaptation and classification algorithms can be utilized in a wide variety of applications such as speech processing, image processing, medical data processing, satellite data processing, antenna array reception, and information retrieval systems. The adaptation algorithm described is implemented with an extended infomax ICA algorithm, which provides a way to separate sources that have a non-Gaussian (e.g., platykurtic or leptokurtic) structure.