Abstract: A multi-rate speech codec supports a plurality of encoding bit rate modes by adaptively selecting encoding bit rate modes to match communication channel restrictions. In higher bit rate encoding modes, an accurate representation of speech through CELP (code excited linear prediction) and other associated modeling parameters are generated for higher quality decoding and reproduction. To achieve high quality in lower bit rate encoding modes, the speech encoder departs from the strict waveform matching criteria of regular CELP coders and strives to identify significant perceptual features of the input signal. The encoder generates pluralities of codevectors from a single, normalized codevector by shifting or other rearrangement. As a result, searching speeds are enhanced, and the physical size of a codebook built from such codevectors is greatly reduced.

Abstract: The invention provides a speech coding system with input signal transformation that may reduce or essentially eliminate “silence noise” from the input or speech signal. The speech coding system may comprise an encoder disposed to receive an input signal. The encoder ramps the input signal to a zero-level when a portion of the input signal comprises silence noise.

Abstract: There is provided a conference bridge or transcoder configured to intelligently handle multiple speech channels in the contest of a packet network, wherein various speech channels may adhere to variety of speech encoding standards. For example, the conference bridge establishes framing and alignment of multiple incoming speech channels associated with multiple participants, extracts parameters from the speech samples, mixes the parameters, and re-encodes the resulting speech samples for transmission to the participants. In one aspect, a speech processing method comprises decoding a first bitstream according to a first coding scheme to generate first speech samples and a first side information; generating second speech samples and a second side information using the first speech samples and the first side information, for use according to a second coding scheme; and creating a second bitstream, encoded based on the second coding scheme, using the second speech samples and the second side information.

Abstract: A multi-rate speech codec supports a plurality of encoding bit rate modes by adaptively selecting encoding bit rate modes to match communication channel restrictions. In higher bit rate encoding modes, an accurate representation of speech through CELP (code excited linear prediction) and other associated modeling parameters are generated for higher quality decoding and reproduction. To achieve high quality in lower bit rate encoding modes, the speech encoder departs from the strict waveform matching criteria of regular CELP coders and strives to identify significant perceptual features of the input signal. The encoder generates pluralities of codevectors from a single, normalized codevector by shifting or other rearrangement. As a result, searching speeds are enhanced, and the physical size of a codebook built from such codevectors is greatly reduced.

Abstract: A distortion removal system for reducing the quantization distortion that results from quantization of a signal by sample-by-sample quantization techniques is disclosed. The distortion removal system uses the signal previously quantized with the sample-by-sample quantization techniques to determine an expected quantization distortion. The expected quantization distortion is determined for each of a plurality of frames of the signal. The expected quantization distortion is removed from each of the frames of the signal.

Abstract: Silence description coding for multi-rate speech coding systems that employ discontinued transmission. Speech coding systems include multi-rate speech codecs having an encoder and a decoder. The silence description coding is performed in either the encoder or the decoder of the multi-rate speech codec. It may also be performed in a distributed manner wherein it is performed partially in the encoder and partially in the decoder. The silence description coding is performed on a speech signal having a substantially non-speech-like characteristic. Voice activity detection classifies the speech signal as being either substantially speech-like or substantially non-speech-like. The silence description coding is selected from a plurality of coding modes. In certain embodiments of the invention, the silence description coding is a source coding mode that operates at a bit rate that fits within a bit rate budget as determined by all of the available source coding modes within the plurality of coding modes.

Abstract: A multi-rate speech codec supports a plurality of encoding bit rate modes by adaptively selecting encoding bit rate modes to match communication channel restrictions. In higher bit rate encoding modes, an accurate representation of speech through CELP (code excited linear prediction) and other associated modeling parameters are generated for higher quality decoding and reproduction. To support lower bit rate encoding modes, a variety of techniques are applied many of which involve the classification of the input signal. The encoder utilizes gain normalization wherein LPC (linear predictive coding) gain provides a smoothing factor for combining both open and closed loop gains. The lower the LPC gain, the greater the open loop gain contribution to a gain normalization factor. The greater the LPC gain, the greater the closed loop gain contribution. For background noise, the smaller of the closed and open loop gains are used as the normalization factor.

Abstract: Silence description coding for multi-rate speech coding systems that employ discontinued transmission. Speech coding systems include multi-rate speech codecs having an encoder and a decoder. The silence description coding is performed in either the encoder or the decoder of the multi-rate speech codec. It may also be performed in a distributed manner wherein it is performed partially in the encoder and partially in the decoder. The silence description coding is performed on a speech signal having a substantially non-speech-like characteristic. Voice activity detection classifies the speech signal as being either substantially speech-like or substantially non-speech-like. The silence description coding is selected from a plurality of coding modes. In certain embodiments of the invention, the silence description coding is a source coding mode that operates at a bit rate that fits within a bit rate budget as determined by all of the available source coding modes within the plurality of coding modes.

Abstract: A multi-rate speech codec supports a plurality of encoding bit rate modes by adaptively selecting encoding bit rate modes to match communication channel restrictions. In higher bit rate encoding modes, an accurate representation of speech through CELP (code excited linear prediction) and other associated modeling parameters are generated for higher quality decoding and reproduction. For each bit rate mode selected, pluralities of fixed or innovation subcodebooks are selected for use in generating innovation vectors. The speech coder distinguishes various voice signals as a function of their voice content. For example, a Voice Activity Detection (VAD) algorithm selects an appropriate coding scheme depending on whether the speech signal comprises active or inactive speech. The encoder may consider varying characteristics of the speech signal including sharpness, a delay correlation, a zero-crossing rate, and a residual energy.

Abstract: A method of coding speech under background noise conditions or during noise-like speech periods wherein during active voice speech segments an analysis-by-synthesis method is used. However, when a background noise segment or noise-like speech segment is detected, an adaptive code book (pitch prediction) contribution is used as a source of a pseudo-random sequence in order to provide a better representation of the background noise or the noise-like speech. An improved gain quantization scheme is also employed when a background noise segment is detected, wherein energy of the total excitation with quantized gains is matched to the energy of total excitation with unquantized gains.

Abstract: A multi-rate speech codec supports a plurality of encoding bit rate modes by adaptively selecting encoding bit rate modes to match communication channel restrictions. In higher bit rate encoding modes, an accurate representation of speech through CELP (code excited linear prediction) and other associated modeling parameters are generated for higher quality decoding and reproduction. The encoder produces a series of LSF (line spectral frequencies) vectors. For filter stability, each LSF vector comprises an ascending sequence of LSF values. Occasionally, pairs of LSF values are produced (or become through an introduction of channel error) out of ascending order. In response, the encoder performs frame erasure, LSF concealment or pair flipping. With a relatively large number of out of order pairs, frame erasure is applied. With a single out of order pair, within the LSF vector, the pair are flipped.

Abstract: A signal including speech and background noise is encoded by first decomposing the signal into speech and noise components. A first speech encoding algorithm is then used to generate codebook indices for the speech component and a second algorithm is applied to generate codebook indices for the noise component. The speech encoding algorithm performs better since it faces clean speech, while a simple, very low bit rate algorithm may be used to encode the noise.

Abstract: A method of coding speech under background noise conditions wherein during active voice speech segments an analysis-by-synthesis method is used. However, when a background noise segment is detected, an adaptive code book (pitch prediction) contribution is used as a source of a pseudo-random sequence in order to provide a better representation of the background noise. An improved gain quantization scheme is also employed when a background noise segment is detected, wherein an energy of the total excitation with quantized gains is matched to an energy of total excitation with unquantized gains.