Abstract: A Vector-Sum Excited Linear Predictive Coding (VSELP) speech coder provides improved quality and reduced complexity over a typical speech coder. VSELP uses a codebook which has a predefined structure such that the computations required for the codebook search process can be significantly reduced. This VSELP speech coder uses single or multi-segment vector quantizer of the reflection coefficients based on a Fixed-Point-Lattice-Technique (FLAT). Additionally, this speech coder uses a pre-quantizer to reduce the vector codebook search complexity and a high-resolution scalar quantizer to reduce the amount of memory needed to store the reflection coefficient vector codebooks. Resulting in a high quality speech coder with reduced computations and storage requirements.

Abstract: A digital speech coding method uses an Rth-order filter to model the frequency response of multiple filters, thereby, providing a filter which offers the control of multiple filters without the complexity of multiple filters. The Rth-order filter can be used as a spectral noise weighting filter or a combination of a short-term predictor filter and a spectral noise weighting filter, referred to as the spectrally noise weighted synthesis filter, depending on which embodiment is employed. In general, the method models the frequency response of L Pth-order filters by a single Rth-order filter, where the order R<L.times.P. Thus, this method increases the control of a speech coder filter without a corresponding increase in the complexity of the speech coder.

Abstract: A digital speech coder utilizes harmonic noise weighting to overcome some limitations of low-rate CELP-type speech coders in reproducing voiced speech. In addition to a short term correction factor, which constitutes spectral noise weighting as known in the art, a long term pitch correction factor is utilized to provide harmonic noise weighting. The inclusion of harmonic noise weighting in a speech coder more efficiently utilizes noise-masking properties of a speech signal, allowing synthesis of a higher quality speech at a given bit rate.

Abstract: A speech coder and decoder methodology wherein pitch excitation and codebook excitation source energies are represented by parameters that are readily transmissible with minimal transmission capacity requirements. The parameters are the long term energy value, a short term correction factor which is applied to the long term energy value to match the short term energy, and proportionality factor(s) that specify the relative energy contribution of the excitation sources to the short term energy value.

Abstract: An Rth-order filter models the frequency response of multiple filters, to provide a filter which offers the control of multiple filters without the complexity of multiple filters. The Rth-order filter can be used as a spectral noise weighting filter or a combination of a short-term predictor filter and a spectral noise weighting filter, referred to as the spectrally noise weighted synthesis filter, depending on which embodiment is employed. In general, the method models the frequency response of L Pth-order filters by a single Rth-order filter, where the order R<L.times.P. Thus, this method increases the control of a speech coder filter without a corresponding increase in the complexity of the speech coder.

Abstract: A digital speech coder includes a long-term filter (124) having an improved sub-sample resolution long-term predictor (FIG. 5 ) which allows for subsample resolution for the lag parameter L. A frame of N samples of input speech vector s(n) is applied to an adder (510). The output of the adder (510) produces the output vector b(n) for the long term filter (124). The output vector b(n) is fed back to a delayed vector generator block (530) of the long-term predictor. The nominal long-term predictor lag parameter L is also input to the delayed vector generator block (530). The long-term predictor lag parameter L can take on non-integer values, which may be multiples of one half, one third, one fourth or any other rational fraction. The delayed vector generator (530) includes a memory which holds past samples of b(n).

Abstract: A speech encoder uses a soft interpolation decision for spectral parameters. For each frame, the encoder first calculates the residual energy for interpolated spectral parameters, and then calculates the residual energy for non-interpolated spectral parameters. The encoder then compares these residual energy calculations. If the encoder determines that the interpolated spectral parameters yields the lowest residual energy, it indicates to a far-end decoder to use the interpolated values for the current frame. Otherwise, it indicates to the far-end decoder to use the non-interpolated values for the current frame. The encoder signals the far-end decoder as to which spectral parameters (interpolated or non-interpolated values) to use by encoding and transmitting a special signalling bit.

Abstract: Lag information for use in a speech coder is developed by estimating lag values for the various subframes (201) of a speech coding frame (200) of information, and by then selecting lag values for each subframe that are both closely corresponding to the estimated lag values and that also observe the restrictions of a selected delta-coding routine. When a plurality of candidate sets of such information have been developed, they are compared against one another to identify that set which appears to provide the best set of lag values. This information is then available for framing and transmission. In one embodiment, the sets of candidate values are also selected to ensure provision for subsequent adjustment in either a positive or negative direction.

Abstract: An adaptive spectral postfilter in a synthesized speech platform has a denominator characteristic that corresponds to a preceding LPC filter stage, and a numerator characteristic that is developed as a function of the denominator characteristic through application of spectral smoothing techniques. This allows the numerator to track the denominator without the introduction of spectral distortion that would otherwise affect the processing in an adverse way.