Abstract: An information extraction unit extracts spectral envelope information of L-dimension from each frame of speech data by discrete Fourier transform. The spectral envelope information is represented by L points. A basis storage unit stores N bases (L>N>1). Each basis is differently a frequency band having a maximum as a peak frequency in a spectral domain having L-dimension. A value corresponding to a frequency outside the frequency band along a frequency axis of the spectral domain is zero. Two frequency bands of which two peak frequencies are adjacent along the frequency axis partially overlap. A parameter calculation unit minimizes a distortion between the spectral envelope information and a linear combination of each basis with a coefficient for each of L points of the spectral envelope information by changing the coefficient, and sets the coefficient of each basis from which the distortion is minimized to a spectral envelope parameter of the spectral envelope information.

Abstract: An information extraction unit extracts spectral envelope information of L-dimension from each frame of speech data. The spectral envelope information does not have a spectral fine structure. A basis storage unit stores N bases (L>N>1). Each basis is differently a frequency band having a maximum as a peak frequency in a spectral domain having L-dimension. A value corresponding to a frequency outside the frequency band along a frequency axis of the spectral domain is zero. Two frequency bands of which two peak frequencies are adjacent along the frequency axis partially overlap. A parameter calculation unit minimizes a distortion between the spectral envelope information and a linear combination of each basis with a coefficient by changing the coefficient, and sets the coefficient of each basis from which the distortion is minimized to a spectral envelope parameter of the spectral envelope information.

Abstract: An input speech signal to an input terminal is supplied to a speech synthesizer section through a speech analyzer section and frequency parameter quantizer section to form a synthesis filter, and the input speech signal is expressed by quantized LPC coefficients representing the characteristics of the synthesis filter and an excitation signal for exciting the synthesis filter. In this case, in a pulse excitation section, a pulse position selector selects pulse position candidates from the integer pulse positions and non-integer pulse positions stored in a pulse position codebook, and an integer position pulse generator and non-integer position pulse generator respectively generate integer position pulses set at sampling points of the excitation signal and non-integer position pulses set at positions located between sampling points. These pulses are synthesized into a pulse train serving as a source of an excitation signal.

Abstract: An input speech signal to an input terminal is supplied to a speech synthesizer section through a speech analyzer section and frequency parameter quantizer section to form a synthesis filter, and the input speech signal is expressed by quantized LPC coefficients representing the characteristics of the synthesis filter and an excitation signal for exciting the synthesis filter. In this case, in a pulse excitation section, a pulse position selector selects pulse position candidates from the integer pulse positions and non-integer pulse positions stored in a pulse position codebook, and an integer position pulse generator and non-integer position pulse generator respectively generate integer position pulses set at sampling points of the excitation signal and non-integer position pulses set at positions located between sampling points. These pulses are synthesized into a pulse train serving as a source of an excitation signal.

Abstract: An input speech signal to an input terminal is supplied to a speech synthesizer section through a speech analyzer section and frequency parameter quantizer section to form a synthesis filter, and the input speech signal is expressed by quantized LPC coefficients representing the characteristics of the synthesis filter and an excitation signal for exciting the synthesis filter. In this case, in a pulse excitation section, a pulse position selector selects pulse position candidates from the integer pulse positions and non-integer pulse positions stored in a pulse position codebook, and an integer position pulse generator and non-integer position pulse generator respectively generate integer position pulses set at sampling points of the excitation signal and non-integer position pulses set at positions located between sampling points. These pulses are synthesized into a pulse train serving as a source of an excitation signal.

Abstract: A constraint relieving section receives an input vector and transforms it with a predetermined transform function to generate a target vector obtained by subtracting a constraint vector representing a predetermined constraint from the input vector. An error evaluation section selects from a codebook a code vector constituting a quantization vector having a minimum error with respect to the target vector and outputs an index representing this code vector.

Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention includes an inverted J-shaped pipe disposed under the sea and including shorter and longer open end portions, and a connecting portion joining them such that the shorter and longer portions extend downward from connecting portion to their respective open ends. An injector nut injecting the carbon dioxide-containing gas into a portion of said short pipe adjacent to said first open end into said shorter pipe. An accumulator is in fluid communication with the connecting portion for collecting gas, which remains undissolved in the seawater during the passage of the carbon dioxide-containing gas through said shorter pipe.

Abstract: A speech synthesis apparatus synthesize a speech signal by filtering a speech source signal through a synthesis filter. A speech source signal codebook stores a plurality of speech source signals as a code vector. A unit dictionary memory stores a plurality of synthesis units corresponding to phonemic symbols, each synthesis unit comprising an index of the code vector in the speech source codebook and a shift number for the code vector to decode the speech source signal. A unit selection section selects a synthesis unit corresponding to phonemic symbols to be synthesized from the unit dictionary memory. A synthesis unit decoder selects the code vector corresponding to the index in the synthesis unit from the speech source signal codebook, and shifts the code vector according to the shift number in the synthesis unit.

Abstract: On the basis of an autocorrelation coefficient calculated by an autocorrelation coefficient computation section from an input speech signal, an LSF computation section computes LSF parameters F(k) (k=1, 2, . . . , N). A modified logarithmic transformation section performs on the LSF parameters a logarithmic transformation with offset defined by f(k)=logC (1+A.times.F(k)) to obtain modified logarithmic LSF parameters f(k). The resulting modified logarithmic LSF parameters are quantized by a quantization section to provide quantized LSF parameters fq(k). Codes representing the quantized LSF parameters fq(k) are outputted. An inverse transformation defined by Fq(k)=(C.sup.fq(k) -1)/A is performed on the LSF parameters fq(k) to output LSF parameters Fq(k) on the general frequency scale.

Abstract: An improved powered lawn mower of the type comprising a longitudinally extending engine bed support frame, a transversely extending cutting reel and bed knife assembly carried by the frame, a transversely extending front roller carried by the frame and longitudinally spaced in front of the cutting reel, and a transversely extending lawn conditioning roller carried by the frame and spaced between the front roller and the cutting wheel. The improvements comprise a conditioning roller vertical adjustment means carried by the frame and operable to adjust the vertical height of the conditioning roller with respect to the grass and the pitch of the bed knife together with conditioning roller drive mechanism which is enclosed and pivotable upon vertical movement of the conditioning roller.