US4045616A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Vocoder system
Assignee: TIME DATA CORP
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Filing: 1975-05-23
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Granted: 1977-08-30
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Expires: 1995-05-23
Abstract
Abstract The Laplace transform (s-plane) is obtained for contiguous or overlapping frames of speech (or other signals) and polepair parameters (frequency, damping, magnitude and phase) are selected for transmission so as to preserve maximum energy. Speech is reconstructed from the transmitted parameters, using, for example, a damped sine wave as the equivalent of a pole pair. No separate pitch determination is made, nor is a voiced/unvoiced decision required.
Inventors
- 👤 Edwin A. Sloane
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:09
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10L; G10L25/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A vocoder system comprising: input means for receiving an input signal; time-domain to frequency-domain transformation means for determining s-plane pole locations and residues for said input signal coupled to said input means and for providing an output signal representative of such pole locations and residues; and synthesizing means for synthesizing a signal from said output signal representative of such pole locations and residues, coupled to said transformation means; whereby a signal representative of voice or the like may be stored or transmitted in the form of s-plane parameters.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
A vocoder system comprising: input means for receiving an input signal; time-domain to frequency-domain transformation means for determining s-plane pole locations and residues for said input signal coupled to said input means and for providing an output signal representative of such pole locations and residues; and synthesizing means for synthesizing a signal from said output signal representative of such pole locations and residues, coupled to said transformation means; whereby a signal representative of voice or the like may be stored or transmitted in the form of s-plane parameters.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
74 words
A system for transmitting an input signal in a coded form comprising: Laplace transform means for computing the Laplace transform of said input signal and for providing an output signal representative of the pole-pairs of said input signal; and thresholding means, coupled to said Laplace transform means for selecting pole-pairs from said output signal of said Laplace transform means for transmission; whereby said input signal may be transmitted in the form of selected pole-pairs.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
74 words
A system for transmitting an input signal in a coded form comprising: Laplace transform means for computing the Laplace transform of said input signal and for providing an output signal representative of the pole-pairs of said input signal; and thresholding means, coupled to said Laplace transform means for selecting pole-pairs from said output signal of said Laplace transform means for transmission; whereby said input signal may be transmitted in the form of selected pole-pairs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system defined by claim 2 wherein said thresholding means selects pole-pairs, the energy content of which exceeds a predetermined level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system defined by claim 2 wherein said thresholding means determines the energy content associated with said pole-pairs and selects a predetermined number of said pole-pairs having the highest energy content.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
106 words
An analyzer for vocoding an input signal comprising: input means for receiving said input signal and for ordering it into a plurality of frames; Laplace transform means for determining the frequency, damping rate, phase angle and amplitude of the s-plane poles for each of said frames, coupled to said input means; energy computation means for determining the energy associated with each pole coupled to said Laplace transform means; selection means for selecting poles from each frame so as to preserve maximum energy content, coupled to said energy computation means; whereby the characteristics of those poles associated with the highest energy are preserved for transmission or recording.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
106 words
An analyzer for vocoding an input signal comprising: input means for receiving said input signal and for ordering it into a plurality of frames; Laplace transform means for determining the frequency, damping rate, phase angle and amplitude of the s-plane poles for each of said frames, coupled to said input means; energy computation means for determining the energy associated with each pole coupled to said Laplace transform means; selection means for selecting poles from each frame so as to preserve maximum energy content, coupled to said energy computation means; whereby the characteristics of those poles associated with the highest energy are preserved for transmission or recording.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The analyzer defined by claim 5 wherein said Laplace transform means includes means for obtaining a Fourier transform of a signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The analyzer defined by claim 6 including function generation means and multiplication means for multiplying each frame by a predetermined function and wherein the results of said multiplication are coupled to said Fourier transform means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The analyzer defined by claim 7 wherein said Laplace transform means includes peak detection means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The analyzer defined by claim 8 wherein said predetermined function is a sine function.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for coding an analog signal for transmission or recording comprising the steps of: converting said analog to a plurality of periodic frames of digital signals by an analog-to-digital converter; transforming each of said frames of digital signals to an s-plane representation by a Laplace transform means; determining the energy associated with the poles of said s-plane representation for each frame of said digital signal by comparator means; and selecting for transmission or recording those poles having the highest energy content for each frame of said digital signal by a comparator means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for coding an analog signal for transmission or recording comprising the steps of: converting said analog to a plurality of periodic frames of digital signals by an analog-to-digital converter; transforming each of said frames of digital signals to an s-plane representation by a Laplace transform means; determining the energy associated with the poles of said s-plane representation for each frame of said digital signal by comparator means; and selecting for transmission or recording those poles having the highest energy content for each frame of said digital signal by a comparator means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined by claim 10 wherein said transforming of said frames of digital signal is performed by computations employing finite differencing.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for vocoding an input signal for transmission and synthesizing an output signal from the transmitted information comprising: input means for converting said input signal into a plurality of periodic frames of digital signals; pole-pair computer means for determining the pole-pair characteristics in the s-plane for said pole-pairs of each frame of said digital signal, said pole-pair computer means being coupled to said input means; energy detector means, coupled to said pole-pair computer means for selecting for transmission the pole-pair for each frame having the highest energy content; synthesizing means for receiving said characteristics of said transmitted pole-pair for each frame of said digital signal and for synthesizing an output signal representative of said input signal; whereby said input signal is transmitted in the form of a plurality of pole-pairs.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for vocoding an input signal for transmission and synthesizing an output signal from the transmitted information comprising: input means for converting said input signal into a plurality of periodic frames of digital signals; pole-pair computer means for determining the pole-pair characteristics in the s-plane for said pole-pairs of each frame of said digital signal, said pole-pair computer means being coupled to said input means; energy detector means, coupled to said pole-pair computer means for selecting for transmission the pole-pair for each frame having the highest energy content; synthesizing means for receiving said characteristics of said transmitted pole-pair for each frame of said digital signal and for synthesizing an output signal representative of said input signal; whereby said input signal is transmitted in the form of a plurality of pole-pairs.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system defined by claim 12 wherein said synthesizing means includes at least one recursive filter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system defined by claim 13 wherein said synthesizing means includes smoothing means for smoothing the output signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system defined by claim 12 wherein said characteristics of a predetermined number of pole-pairs are transmitted for each frame of said digital signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system defined in claim 15 wherein the frequency, phase angle, amplitude and damping rate are used to characterize each of said pole-pairs.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system defined by claim 6 wherein a plurality of recursive filters are employed in said synthesizing means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system defined by claim 17 wherein the number of recursive filters employed by said synthesizing means equals the predetermined number of pole-pairs selected for transmission for each frame of said digital signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system defined by claim 12 wherein said input means includes gain normalization means for normalizing the amplitudes of said input signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
119 words
A vocoder system comprising: input means for receiving an input signal; time-domain to frequency-domain transformation means coupled to said input means for determining s-plane pole locations and residues for said input signal and for providing an output signal containing said pole locations and residues; selection means coupled to said transformation means for selecting pole locations from said output signal and for providing an output signal containing said selected pole locations and the residues associated therewith; and synthesizing means coupled to said selection means for synthesizing a signal from said output signal containing said selected pole locations and residues; whereby a signal representative of voice or the like may be stored or transmitted in the form of selected s-plane parameters.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
119 words
A vocoder system comprising: input means for receiving an input signal; time-domain to frequency-domain transformation means coupled to said input means for determining s-plane pole locations and residues for said input signal and for providing an output signal containing said pole locations and residues; selection means coupled to said transformation means for selecting pole locations from said output signal and for providing an output signal containing said selected pole locations and the residues associated therewith; and synthesizing means coupled to said selection means for synthesizing a signal from said output signal containing said selected pole locations and residues; whereby a signal representative of voice or the like may be stored or transmitted in the form of selected s-plane parameters.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 20 wherein said selection means includes thresholding means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 21 wherein said thresholding means selects pole locations whose energy content exceed a predetermined level.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 21 wherein said thresholding means determines the energy content associated with said pole locations and selects a predetermined number of said pole locations having the highest energy content.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
84 words
A system for transmitting an input system in a coded form comprising: input means for receiving said input signal; time-domain to frequency-domain transformation means coupled to said input means for determining s-plane pole locations and residues for said input signal and for providing an output signal containing said pole locations and residues; and selection means coupled to said transformation means for selecting pole locations from said output signal for transmission; whereby said input signal may be transmitted in the form of selected s-plane parameters.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
84 words
A system for transmitting an input system in a coded form comprising: input means for receiving said input signal; time-domain to frequency-domain transformation means coupled to said input means for determining s-plane pole locations and residues for said input signal and for providing an output signal containing said pole locations and residues; and selection means coupled to said transformation means for selecting pole locations from said output signal for transmission; whereby said input signal may be transmitted in the form of selected s-plane parameters.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 24 further comprising synthesizing means coupled to said selection means for synthesizing a signal from said selected s-plane parameters.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 24 wherein said selection means includes thresholding means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 26 wherein said thresholding means selects pole locations whose energy content exceed a predetermined level.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 26 wherein said thresholding means determines the energy content associated with said pole locations and selects a predetermined number of said pole locations having the highest energy content.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 24 wherein said input means includes means for ordering said input signal into a plurality of frames and said transformation and selection means operate on the portion of said signal contained within each of said frames.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 24 wherein said system is a vocoder system an said input signal is representative of voice or the like.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
59 words
A method for coding a signal for transmission or recording comprising the steps of: ordering said signal into a plurality of frames; transforming each of said frames of signals to an s-plane representation by a Laplace transform means; and selecting for transmission or recording certain ones of the poles of said s-plane representation for each frame of said signal.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
59 words
A method for coding a signal for transmission or recording comprising the steps of: ordering said signal into a plurality of frames; transforming each of said frames of signals to an s-plane representation by a Laplace transform means; and selecting for transmission or recording certain ones of the poles of said s-plane representation for each frame of said signal.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of determining the energy associated with the poles of said s-plane representation for each frame of said signal, said poles having the highest energy content being selected for transmission or recording.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-29 | 1981-02-28 | 1981-08-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-29 | 1985-02-28 | 1985-08-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-29 | 1989-02-28 | 1989-08-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |