Integration of harmonic and analysis by synthesis coders

Hybrid coding of speech has been proposed to overcome the limitations of a single model in representing the wide variety of characteristics of human speech. A new hybrid coding algorithm, which combines harmonic and analysis by synthesis coding techniques, is presented. To integrate the harmonic and analysis by synthesis coders, novel phase synchronisation and speech classification techniques are developed. The perceptual quality of the speech synthesised using the unquantised hybrid model is almost indistinguishable when compared with 128 kbit/s linear PCM. Two variable rate coders are developed based on the designed hybrid model, by quantising the parameters at different bit rates. Subjective listening tests show that the speech quality of the variable rate hybrid coders outperform the quality of 5.3 kbit/s and 6.3 kbit/s ITU G.723.1 coders, at maximum bit rates of 4 kbit/s and 6 kbit/s respectively.     

Low delay coder (< 25 ms) of wideband audio (20 Hz-15 kHz) scalable from 64 to 32 kbit/s

A low delay coder for speech and music signals sampled at 32kHz is described. Its algorithmic delay does not exceed 25 ms which enables audioconferencing applications without echo cancellation. Its bit rate is scalable between 64 and 32 kbit/s by steps of 8 kbit/s. The transmitter issues the binary code at 64 kbit/s with lower bit rate codes embedded in it. The receiver may operate at lower bit rates with gradual loss of quality. The proposed coder is based on a mixed scheme : the adopted solution contains elements from the CELP speech coder and frequency domain music coders. The perceptual signal is obtained in the time domain, then transformed to the frequency domain where bit allocation is calculated and transform coefficients are quantized. A first solution based on the dft is discussed, then a second solution based on a mdct with small overlap is applied. The quantization of these coefficients is done in the following way. First, a prediction of the whole spectrum is applied. Then, a mean- removed gain- shape split vq is used for amplitude spectrum quantization and a hierarchical 2- dimensional vq is used for phase spectrum quantization with amplitude correction. At the phase quantization stage, each codeword describing the selected vector index is split into parts corresponding to different bit rates. Due to the hierarchical codebook structure, truncated indices may be used, without much affecting the signal quality. Simulation results are presented and the robustness of the proposed coder is examined.     

Natural quality two-band LPC coding of speech at 880 bit/s withframe interpolation

A novel frame interpolation technique for two-band linear predictive coding (LPC) vocoders is proposed for maintaining natural speech quality at bit rates below 1 kbit/s. Experimental results show that the speech quality of the proposed vocoder is quite natural at bit rates 880 bit/s and comparable to that of 4.8 kbit/s CELP     

一种可变速率的LD—CELP编码的研究

设计了一种可变速率的低时延、码激励线性预测编码（ＬＤ－ＣＥＬＰ）的方案，它是通过修改码本来实现的。该方案工作在１１．２ｋｂｉｔ／ｓ。对其做了计算机仿真，并与１６ｋｂｉｔ／ｓ的ＬＤ－ＣＥＬＰ算法在信经（ＳＮＲ）、波形等方面进行了对比，仿真结果表明效果良好。     

Subjective Evaluation of Several Efficient Speech Coders

The voice quality of several 9.6 - 32 kbit/s coders is determined with an extensive set of subjective listening tests. Single encodings of μ255 PCM, adaptive differential PCM (ADPCM), subband coding (SBC), vocoder-driven adaptive transform coding (ATC), adaptive predictive coding (APC), and time domain harmonic scaling combined with SBC are compared in an idealized situation, that is, no added impairments. It is shown that single encodings of modest complexity 32 kbit/s coders such as ADPCM and SBC and more complex 24 kbit/s coders such as vocoder-driven ATC and APC offer quality nearly equivalent to 64 kbit/s μ255 PCM. However, these conclusions are drawn in the absence of a realistic telephone network where tandem encodings, delay limitations, and nonvoice signals exist. Tandem encodings of 64 kbit/s μ255 PCM, 32 kbit/s ADPCM, 16 kbit/s SBC, and 16 kbit/s APC are also evaluated. These 32 kbit/s and 16 kbit/s coders offer degraded tandem performance as compared to 64 kbit/s PCM, with the exception of synchronous tandeming of 32 kbit/s ADPCM with 64 kbit/s PCM where several encodings are subjectively equivalent to a single encoding of 32 kbit/s ADPCM.     

基于局部余弦变换的低比特变速率语音编码算法研究

提出将局部余弦变换(LCT)算法应用于语音编码中,系统设计了一个平均比特率近1.6kbit/s的低比特变速率语音编码器。在变比特率编码器设计中采用SVM算法进行VAD检测。激活语音帧的语音模式采用GSM半速率编码中的划分方法,但将其中的强浊音模式和中浊音模式合并为一个中强浊音模式。对各类语音模式和无声帧(背景噪声)的局部余弦变换系数采用分维矢量量化算法进行量化,码书设计采用LGB算法。编码中的码书搜索采用树形快速搜索算法。通过主观非正式听力测试表明设计的变比特率编码器编码的重建语音MOS约为3.15,与比特率为2.4kbit/s美国联邦声码器标准MELP的重建语音相当,具有较强的顽健性,适合于对存在各种环境噪声的语音进行编码。     

Digital Speech Interpolation for Variable Rate Coders with Application to Subband Coding

A theoretical method of evaluating degradations of variable rate coders in a multichannel digital speech interpolation (DSI) system is developed. Each of the coder outputs has a variable rate based on the algorithm. The DSI system multiplexes the outputs of these variable rate coders into a fixed bit rate channel. During periods of high activity all active users are served, but at a reduced rate depending on the demand. The degradation due to high activity is shared by all active users. This system avoids speech clipping and "freeze-out" distortion. Theoretical expressions of the system overload probability and the probability of degradation to a particular user in the DSI system are derived. Two types of variable rate coders, namely, a constant quality subband coder and a constant noise subband coder, are chosen and used as examples. Comparisons of the degradations are made between the theoretical results and computer simulated results for the two types of variable rate coders, and close agreement is observed. The theory is applicable to other variable rate coding algorithms as well. In this study, all of the simulations are made at 40 percent speech activity and the average rate of the variable rate coders is close to 16 kbits/s. Objective quality measures indicate that in a system with a trunk size larger than 40, the variable rate coder DSI system can achieve a 2:1 compression with a degradation of less than 1 dB compared to non-DSI variable rate coders. This corresponds to a total gain of 8:1 when compared to 64 kbit/s PCM.     

Implementation of a Multirate Speech Digitizer

In this paper, implementation of a compact and efficient multirate speech digitizer with variable transmission rates of 2.4, 4.8, 9.6, and 14.96 kbits/s is presented. The multirate algorithm has been made based on the residual-excited linear prediction (RELP) vocoder with a transmission rate of 9.6 kbits/s. The residual encoder employed in the RELP vocoder uses hybrid companding delta modulation (HCDM). This HCDM is also used as a 14.96 kbit/s coder. If the residual in the RELP system is down-sampled before encoding, a 4.8 kbit/s coder can be realized. If the residual encoder is not used, a 2.4 kbit/s linear predictive coder (LPC) can be realized by incorporating a pitch extractor. In the 4.8 and 9.6 kbit/s coders the pitch-implanted residual excitation method has been used to generate the excitation signal to the synthesis filter. The multirate speech digitizer algorithm has been implemented using 2900 series bit-slice microprocessors. The external memory is composed of 2K RAM's and 2K ROM's. The system design is a two-bus structure with a 204 ns cycle time. With efficient hardware and software design, the multirate speech digitizer requires almost the same hardware complexity as compared with the conventional 2.4 kblt/s LPC vocoder.     

一种基于低比特率语音算法的芯片设计与分析

介绍了一种低比特率语音算法,它是在MBE编码算法的基础上,利用线性预测谱代替了MBE中的傅里叶变换谱对MBE编码算法进行了改进,从而在保持语音质量的情况下使比特率更低,达到2 kbit/s.同时阐述了基于该算法的系统芯片设计,并对该算法中的基音周期参数、V/U等参数的提取进行详细的推导分析.最后对本算法与常用的码激励线性预测编码(CELP)的算法进行比较,并分析其中的原因.     

Improved postfiltering technique for block quantisation of speech

A modified comb filtering technique is proposed which can be used to reduce framing noise generated when speech signals are transform-coded or vector-quantised. Application of this filter to 9.6 kbit/s speech in a vector transform coder has been found to significantly improve the perceptual quality of the coded speech.     

Entropy coding of ITU G.728 speech parameters for low bit rateaudiovisual communications

Entropy coding principles are applied to the 16 kbit/s ITU G.728 speech codec. It is shown that the average bit rate can be reduced to 14.5 kbit/s without a significant increase in the codec complexity. In very low bit rate audiovisual communication applications such as the videophone, the saved bits can be used to improve the output video quality     

基于小波变换和音质模型的音频编码算法研究

音频编码要解决的问题是以最小感知失真用低速率表达音频信号.本文设计了一种基于正交小波变换和音质模型的自适应比特分配音频编码算法,它可以将1411.2kbit/s的双声道立体声高保真音频信号压缩成低至32kbit/s的速率,并保持很好的音频质量.     

Low bit-rate speech coders for multimedia communication

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has standardized three speech coders which are applicable to low-bit-rate multimedia communications. ITU Rec. G.729 8 kb/s CS-ACELP has a 15 ms algorithmic codec delay and provides network-quality speech. It was originally designed for wireless applications, but is applicable to multimedia communications as well. Annex A of Rec. G.729 is a reduced-complexity version of the CS-ACELP coder. It was designed explicitly for simultaneous voice and data applications that are prevalent in low-bit-rate multimedia communications. These two coders use the same bitstream format and can interoperate. The ITU Rec. G.723.1 6.3 and 5.3 kb/s speech coder for multimedia communications was designed originally for low-bit-rate videophones. Its frame size of 30 ms and one-way algorithmic codec delay of 37.5 ms allow for a further reduction in bit rate compared to the G.729 coder. In applications where low delay is important, the delay of G.723.1 may be too large. However, if the delay is acceptable, G.723.1 provides a lower-complexity alternative to G.729 at the expense of a slight degradation in quality. This article describes the attributes of speech coders such as bit rate, complexity, delay, and quality. Then it discusses the basic concepts of the three new ITU coders by comparing their specific attributes. The second part of this article describes the standardization process for each of these coders     

Codage algébrique de la parole : prédiction linéaire à excitation par code ternaire

This article presents new speech coding methods for real time application (telephone, videophone) or offline applications (storage). Speech quality is in the classical telephone range, with a 4 kHz bandwidth and a sampling at 8 kHz. An elementary approach leads to a 16 kbit/s codec and a 24 kbit/s codec, using integer codebooks and fast computations. The speech quality of the two codecs has been measured in comparison with more complex ones and in realistic conditions, with noisy telecommunication channels. The elementary approach is completed by a synthetic model, with a systematic generalization of the algorithms (e.g. for a generalized vselp). Some methods for channel protection, which are already known by the speech coding researchers, are summed up in the Appendix. A change of representation for low density codes (less than 1 bit/sample) is proposed.     

Predictive Coding of Speech at Low Bit Rates

Predictive coding is a promising approach for speech coding. In this paper, we review the recent work on adaptive predictive coding of speech signals, with particular emphasis on achieving high speech quality at low bit rates (less than 10 kbits/s). Efficient prediction of the redundant structure in speech signals is obviously important for proper functioning of a predictive coder. It is equally important to ensure that the distortion in the coded speech signal be perceptually small. The subjective loudness of quantization noise depends both on the short-time spectrum of the noise and its relation to the short-time spectrum of the Speech signal. The noise in the formant regions is partially masked by the speech signal itself. This masking of quantization noise by speech signal allows one to use low bit rates while maintaining high speech quality. This paper will present generalizations of predictive coding for minimizing subjective distortion in the reconstructed speech signal at the receiver. The quantizer in predictive coders quantizes its input on a sample-by-sample basis. Such sample-by-sample (instantaneous) quantization creates difficulty in realizing an arbitrary noise spectrum, particularly at low bit rates. We will describe a new class of speech coders in this paper which could be considered to be a generalization of the predictive coder. These new coders not only allow one to realize the precise optimum noise spectrum which is crucial to achieving very low bit rates, but also represent the important first step in bridging the gap between waveform coders and vocoders without suffering from their limitations.     

Algorithm of Adaptive Bit Allocation Wavelet Transform Audio Coding

ＡｌｇｏｒｉｔｈｍｏｆＡｄａｐｔｉｖｅＢｉｔＡｌｏｃａｔｉｏｎＷａｖｅｌｅｔＴｒａｎｓｆｏｒｍＡｕｄｉｏＣｏｄｉｎｇＭａＨｏｎｇｆｅｉＦａｎＣｈａｎｇｘｉｎＳｏｎｇＧｕｏｘｉａｎｇ（ＸｉｄｉａｎＵｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙ，Ｘｉ’ａｎ７１...     

Design and performance of robust embedded ADPCM coder

An embedded adaptive DPCM (EADPCM) speech coder is described which allows bit rate reductions to be achieved by progressive deletion of bits from output codewords. Optimised step size multipliers are given for a robust implementation using an improved algorithm for adaptive quantisation. Simulation shows that a graceful reduction in speech quality with bit rate is achieved in the range 16-48 kbit/s.<>     

A Comparison of Digital Speech Coding Methods for Mobile Radio Systems

Subjective quality measurements on three digital speech coders, simulated with mobile radio channel transmission, were performed using the "mean opinion score (MOS)" method. The three speech coding methods tested were: continuously variable slope deltamodulation (CVSD) coding, adaptive predictive coding (APC), and residually excited linear predictive (RELP) coding. Several versions of each coder, with transmission rates in the range of 7.3 to 16.1 kbits/s, were simulated. Five different channel conditions, including three derived from land mobile radio field experiments, were applied to the speech coders' encoded output to study the effects. The results show that of the three coders, the CVSD coder is the most robust to channel errors, but produces reconstructed output speech of unacceptable quality. The 14.4 kbit/s RELP coder produces relatively good Output speech quality, exhibits a mild degree of robustness to mobile radio channel errors, and is slightly less complex than the APC coder. Of the three digital speech coders tested, the RELP coder appears the most suitable for use with land mobile radio. However none of the three coders was able to produce speech of telephone toll quality in a mobile radio environment.     

Digital Transmission of Commentary-Grade (7 KHz) Audio at 56 or 64 Kbits/s

A two-band coding system has been constructed for the purpose of providing commentary grade (7 kHz bandwidth) speech or music transmission at 56 or 64 kbits/s. The lower band, 0-to-3650 Hz, is coded with 4 bit ADPCM and the upper band, 3600-to-6800 Hz, is coded with 3 bit or 4 bit/sample APCM. The quality of the coded signal makes the method useful for news and sports broadcasts, and possibly for AM remote music broadcasting. The audio sounds better than that produced by two conventional alternatives: 3200 Hz bandwidth with 8-bit/sample coding and 7000 Hz bandwidth with a single 4-bit/sample coder. The sample may be used in any place with access to a 56 kbit/s Dataphone Digital Service port or to other 56 or 64 kbit/s lines. The power consumption is approximately 12 W in the present form; it could be reduced by a factor of at least two by hardware optimization.