Harmonic speech coding arrangement

Claim 2

In a harmonic speech coding arrangement, a method of processing speech comprising determining a magnitude spectrum from said speech, calculating a set of parameters modeling said determined magnitude spectrum as a continuous magnitude spectrum, and communicating said parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 3

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said speech comprises frames of speech, wherein said determining comprises determining a magnitude spectrum from a present one of said frames, and wherein said calculating comprises calculating a set of parameters modeling said determined magnitude spectrum as a continuous magnitude spectrum comprising a sum of a plurality of functions, one of said functions being a magnitude spectrum for a previous one of said frames.

Claim 4

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said continuous magnitude spectrum comprises a sum of a plurality of functions.

Claim 5

A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein at least one of said functions is a magnitude spectrum of a periodic pulse train.

Claim 6

A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein one of said functions is a magnitude spectrum of a first periodic pulse train and another one of said functions is a magnitude spectrum of a second periodic pulse train.

Claim 7

A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein one of said functions is a vector chosen from a codebook.

Claim 8

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said calculating comprises calculating said parameter set to fit said continuous magnitude spectrum to said determined magnitude spectrum in accordance with a minimum mean squared error criterion.

Claim 9

A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining a phase spectrum from said speech, calculating a second set of parameters modeling said determined phase spectrum, and communicating said second parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 10

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said last-mentioned calculating comprises calculating said second parameter set modeling said determined phase spectrum as a sum of a plurality of functions.

Claim 11

A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein one of said functions is a vector chosen from a codebook.

Claim 12

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said last-mentioned calculating comprises calculating said second parameter set using pole-zero analysis to model said determined phase spectrum.

Claim 13

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said last-mentioned calculating comprises calculating said second parameter set using all pole analysis to model said determined phase spectrum.

Claim 14

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said last-mentioned calculating comprises using pole-zero analysis to model said determined phase spectrum, using all pole analysis to model said determined phase spectrum, selecting one of said pole-zero analysis and said all pole analysis, and determining said second parameter set based on said selected analysis.

Claim 15

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said speech comprises frames of speech, said method further comprising determining a phase spectrum from a present one of said frames, calculating a second set of parameters modeling said determined phase spectrum by prediction from at least one of said frames other than said present frame, and communicating said second parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 16

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said speech comprises frames of speech, wherein said determining comprises determining one magnitude spectrum from a present one of said frames, and determining another magnitude spectrum from one of said frames other than said present frame, and wherein said method further comprises determining one plurality of sinusoids from said one magnitude spectrum, determining another plurality of sinusoids from said another magnitude spectrum, matching ones of said one plurality of sinusoids with ones of said another plurality of sinusoids based on sinusoidal frequency, determining a phase spectrum from said present frame, calculating a second set of parameters modeling said determined phase spectrum by prediction based on said matched ones of said one and said another pluralities of sinusoids, and communicating said second parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 17

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said speech comprises frames of speech, wherein said determining comprises determining one magnitude spectrum from a present one of said frames, and determining another magnitude spectrum from one of said frames other than said present frame, and wherein said method further comprises determining one plurality of sinusoids from said one magnitude spectrum, determining another plurality of sinusoids from said another magnitude spectrum, matching ones of said one plurality of sinusoids with ones of said another plurality of sinusoids based on sinusoidal frequency and amplitude, determining a phase spectrum from said present frame, calculating a second set of parameters modeling said determining phase spectrum by prediction based on said matched ones of said one and said another pluralities of sinusoids, and communicating said second parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 18

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said speech comprises frames of speech, wherein said determining comprises determining one magnitude spectrum from a present one of said frames, and determining another magnitude spectrum from one of said frames other than said present frame, and wherein said method further comprises determining one plurality of sinusoids from said one magnitude spectrum, determining another plurality of sinusoids from said another magnitude spectrum, determining a ratio of a pitch of said present frame and a pitch of said frame other than said present frame, matching ones of said one plurality of sinusoids with ones of said another plurality of sinusoids based on sinusoidal frequency and said determined ratio, determining a phase spectrum from said present frame, calculating second set of parameters modeling said determined phase spectrum by prediction based on said matched ones of said one and said another pluralities of sinusoids, and communicating said second parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 19

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said speech comprises frames of speech, wherein said determining comprises determining one magnitude spectrum from a present one of said frames, and determining another magnitude spectrum from one of said frames other than said present frame, and wherein said method further comprises determining one plurality of sinusoids from said one magnitude spectrum, determining another plurality of sinusoids from said another magnitude spectrum, determining a ratio of a pitch of said present frame and a pitch of said frame other than said present frame, matching ones of said one plurality of sinusoids with ones of said another plurality of sinusoids based on sinusoidal frequency and amplitude and said determined ratio, determining a phase spectrum from said present frame, calculating a second set of parameters modeling said determined phase spectrum by prediction based on said matched ones of said one and said another pluralities of sinusoids, and communicating said second parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 20

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said speech comprises frames of speech, said method further comprising determining a phase spectrum from a present one of said frames, obtaining a first phase estimate by parametric analysis of said present frame, obtaining a second phase estimate by prediction from at least one of said frames other than said present frame, selecting one of said first and second phase estimates, determining a second set of parameters, said second parameter set being associated with said selected phase estimate and modeling said determined phase spectrum, and communicating said second parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 21

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said speech comprises frames of speech, said method further comprising determining a plurality of sinusoids from said determined magnitude spectrum, determining a phase spectrum from a present one of said frames, obtaining a first phase estimate by parametric analysis of said present frame, obtaining a second phase estimate by prediction from at least one of said frames other than said present frame, selecting one of said first and second phase estimates in accordance with an error criterion at the frequencies of said determined sinusoids, determining a second set of parameters, said second parameter set being associated with said selected phase estimate and modeling said determined phase spectrum, and communicating said second parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 22

A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining a plurality of sinusoids from said determined magnitude spectrum, determining a phase spectrum from said speech, calculating a second set of parameters modeling said determined phase spectrum at the frequencies of said determined sinusoids, and communicating said second parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 23

In a harmonic speech coding arrangement, a method of synthesizing speech comprising receiving a set of parameters, determining a spectrum from said parameter set, determining a plurality of sinusoids from said spectrum, the sinusoidal frequency of at least one of said sinusoids being determined based on amplitude values of said spectrum, and synthesizing speech as a sum of said sinusoids.

Claim 24

In a harmonic speech coding arrangement, a method of synthesizing speech comprising receiving a set of parameters, determining a spectrum from said parameter set, determining a plurality of sinusoids from said spectrum, the sinusoidal frequency of at least one of said sinusoids being determined based on amplitude values of said spectrum, and synthesizing speech as a sum of said sinusoids.

Claim 25

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said speech comprises frames of speech wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining an estimated magnitude spectrum for a present one of said frames as a sum of a plurality of functions, one of said functions being an estimated magnitude spectrum for a previous one of said frames.

Claim 26

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining an estimated magnitude spectrum as a sum of a plurality of functions.

Claim 27

A method in accordance with claim 24 wherein at least one of said functions is a magnitude spectrum of a periodic pulse train, the frequency of said pulse train being defined by said received parameter set.

Claim 28

A method in accordance with claim 24 wherein one of said functions is a magnitude spectrum of a first periodic pulse train and another one of said functions is a magnitude spectrum of a second periodic pulse train, the frequencies of said first and second pulse trains being defined by said received parameter set.

Claim 29

A method in accordance with claim 24 wherein one of said functions is a vector from a codebook, said vector being identified by an index defined by said received parameter set.

Claim 30

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining an estimated phase spectrum as a sum of a plurality of functions.

Claim 31

A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein one of said functions is a vector from a codebook, said vector being identified by an index defined by said received parameter set.

Claim 32

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining an estimated phase spectrum using a pole-zero model and said received parameter set.

Claim 33

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining an estimated phase spectrum using an all pole model and said received parameter set.

Claim 34

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said receiving comprises receiving said parameter set for a present frame of speech, and wherein said determining a spectrum comprises in response to a first value of one parameter of said parameter set, determining an estimated phase spectrum for said present frame using a parametric model and said parameter set, and in response to a second value of said one parameter, determining an estimated phase spectrum for said present frame using a prediction model based on a frame of speech other than said present frame.

Claim 35

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining an estimated magnitude spectrum, wherein said determining a plurality of sinusoids comprises finding a peak in said estimated magnitude spectrum, subtracting from said estimated magnitude spectrum a spectral component associated with said peak, and repeating said finding and said subtracting until the estimated magnitude spectrum is below a threshold for all frequencies.

Claim 36

A method in accordance with claim 33 wherein said spectral component comprises a wide magnitude spectrum window.

Claim 37

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining an estimated magnitude spectrum, and determining an estimated phase spectrum, wherein said determining a plurality of sinusoids comprises determining a sinusoidal amplitude and frequency for each of said sinusoids based on said estimated magnitude spectrum, and determining sinusoidal phase for each of said sinusoids based on said estimated phase spectrum.

Claim 38

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said receiving comprises receiving one set of parameters for one frame of speech and another set of parameters for another frame of speech, wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining one spectrum from said one parameter set and another spectrum from said another parameter set, wherein said determining a plurality of sinusoids comprises determining one plurality of sinusoids from said one spectrum and another plurality of sinusoids from said another spectrum, wherein said method further comprises matching ones of said one plurality of sinusoids with ones of said another plurality of sinusoids based on sinusoidal frequency, and wherein said synthesizing comprises interpolating between matched ones of said one and said another pluralities of sinusoids.

Claim 39

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said receiving comprises receiving one set of parameters for one frame of speech and another set of parameters for another frame of speech, wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining one spectrum from said one parameter set and another spectrum from said another parameter set, wherein said determining a plurality of sinusoids comprises determining one plurality of sinusoids from said one spectrum and another plurality of sinusoids from said another spectrum, wherein said method further comprises matching ones of said one plurality of sinusoids with ones of said another plurality of sinusoids based on sinusoidal frequency and amplitude, and wherein said synthesizing comprises interpolating between matched ones of said one and said another pluralities of sinusoids.

Claim 40

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said receiving comprises receiving one set of parameter for one frame of speech and another set of parameters for another frame of speech, wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining one spectrum from said one parameter set and another spectrum from said another parameter set, wherein said determining a plurality of sinusoids comprises determining one plurality of sinusoids from said one spectrum and another plurality of sinusoids from said another spectrum, wherein said method further comprises determining a ratio of a pitch of said one frame and a pitch of said another frame, and matching ones of said one plurality of sinusoids with ones of said another plurality of sinusoids based on sinusoidal frequency and said determined ratio, and wherein said synthesizing comprises interpolating between matched ones of said one and said another pluralities of sinusoids.

Claim 41

A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said receiving comprises receiving one set of parameters for one frame of speech and another set of parameters for another frame of speech, wherein said determining a spectrum comprises determining one spectrum from said one parameter set and another spectrum from said another parameter set, wherein said determining a plurality of sinusoids comprises determining one plurality of sinusoids from said one spectrum and another plurality of sinusoids from said another spectrum, wherein said method further comprises determining a ratio of a pitch of said one frame and a pitch of said another frame, and matching ones of said one plurality of sinusoids with ones of said another plurality of sinusoids based on sinusoidal frequency and amplitude and said determined ratio, and wherein said synthesizing comprises interpolating between matched ones of said one and said another pluralities of sinusoids.

Claim 42

In a harmonic speech coding arrangement, a method of processing speech comprising determining a magnitude spectrum for said speech, calculating a set of parameters modeling said determined magnitude spectrum as a continuous magnitude spectrum, determining a spectrum from said parameter set, determining a plurality of sinusoids from said last-mentioned spectrum, and synthesizing speech as a sum of said sinusoids.

Claim 43

In a harmonic speech coding arrangement, a method of processing speech comprising determining a magnitude spectrum for said speech, calculating a set of parameters modeling said determined magnitude spectrum as a continuous magnitude spectrum, determining a spectrum from said parameter set, determining a plurality of sinusoids from said last-mentioned spectrum, and synthesizing speech as a sum of said sinusoids.

Claim 44

In a harmonic speech coding arrangement, a speech analyzer comprising means responsive to speech for determining a magnitude spectrum, means responsive to said determining means for calculating a set of parameters modeling said determined magnitude spectrum as a continuous magnitude spectrum, and means for communicating said parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 45

In a harmonic speech coding arrangement, a speech analyzer comprising means responsive to speech for determining a magnitude spectrum, means responsive to said determining means for calculating a set of parameters modeling said determined magnitude spectrum as a continuous magnitude spectrum, and means for communicating said parameter set for use in speech synthesis.

Claim 46

In a harmonic speech coding arrangement, a speech synthesizer comprising means responsive to receipt of a set of parameters for determining a spectrum, means for determining a plurality of sinusoids from said spectrum, the sinusoidal frequency of at least one of said sinusoids being determined based on amplitude values of said spectrum, and means for synthesizing speech as a sum of said sinusoids.

Claim 47

In a harmonic speech coding arrangement, a speech synthesizer comprising means responsive to receipt of a set of parameters for determining a spectrum, means for determining a plurality of sinusoids from said spectrum, the sinusoidal frequency of at least one of said sinusoids being determined based on amplitude values of said spectrum, and means for synthesizing speech as a sum of said sinusoids.