Computational effectiveness enhancement of frequency domain pitch estimators

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein said calculating a preliminary utility function step comprises: computing an influence function respective to each of said selected spectral lines, wherein said influence function is periodic in a ratio of the frequency of said spectral line to any pitch frequency; and computing a superposition of said influence functions.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2 , wherein said computing an influence function step comprises computing a function of said ratio having maxima at integer values of said ratio and minima therebetween.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3 , wherein said computing an influence function step comprises computing values of a piecewise linear function c(f), having a maximum value in a first interval surrounding f=0, a minimum value in a second interval surrounding f=½, and a value that varies piecewise linearly in a transition interval between the first and second intervals.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 2 , wherein said influence functions are piecewise linear functions, and wherein said computing a superposition step comprises calculating values of said influence functions at their break points such that said preliminary utility function is determined by interpolation between said break points.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 5 , wherein said computing said influence function step comprises computing at least first and second influence functions for first and second spectral lines from among said selected spectral lines in succession, and wherein said computing a preliminary utility function step comprises: computing a partial utility function including said first influence function; and adding said second influence function to said preliminary utility function by calculating the values of said second influence function at the break points of said preliminary utility function and calculating the values of said preliminary utility function at the break points of said second influence function.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 6 , wherein said determining a pitch frequency candidate step comprises preferentially selecting a local maximum of said preliminary utility function that is near in frequency to a previously-estimated pitch frequency of a preceding frame of said speech signal.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 1 , wherein said calculating a final utility score step comprises: computing an influence function respective to each of said spectral lines, wherein said influence function is periodic in a ratio of the frequency of said spectral line to any pitch frequency; and computing a sum of said influence functions.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 8 , wherein said computing an influence function step comprises computing a function of said ratio having maxima at integer values of said ratio and minima therebetween.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 9 , wherein said computing the function of said ratio step comprises computing values of a piecewise linear function c(f), having a maximum value in a first interval surrounding f=0, a minimum value in a second interval surrounding f=½, and a value that varies piecewise linearly in a transition interval between the first and second intervals.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 1 wherein said selecting a pitch frequency step comprises preferentially selecting one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates that has a higher final utility score than another one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 1 , wherein said selecting a pitch frequency step comprises preferentially selecting one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates that has a higher frequency than another one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 1 , wherein said selecting a pitch frequency step comprises preferentially selecting one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates that is near in frequency to a previously-estimated pitch frequency of a preceding frame of said speech signal.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 1 , and further comprising determining whether said speech signal is voiced or unvoiced by comparing said final utility score of said estimated pitch frequency to a predetermined threshold.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 1 , and further comprising encoding said speech signal responsive to said estimated pitch frequency.

Claim 17

Apparatus for estimating a pitch frequency of a speech signal, comprising: means for determining a line spectrum of a frame of a speech signal, the spectrum comprising a plurality of spectral lines having respective line amplitudes and line frequencies; means for selecting a predefined number of said spectral lines having the highest amplitudes among said spectral lines, wherein the number of selected spectral lines is less then the total number of said plurality of spectral lines; means for calculating a preliminary utility function over a pitch frequency range using said selected spectral lines from among said plurality of spectral lines, thereby providing a preliminary utility function value for each pitch frequency in said range that is a measure of a compatibility of said selected spectral lines with said pitch frequency; means for identifying a predefined number of preliminary pitch frequency candidates at least partly responsive to said preliminary utility function, wherein each preliminary pitch frequency candidate is a local maximum of said preliminary utility function; means for calculating a final utility score for each of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates using all of said plurality of spectral lines; and means for selecting any of said plurality of preliminary pitch frequency candidates to be an estimated pitch frequency of said speech signal at least partly responsive to any of said final utility scores.

Claim 18

Apparatus for estimating a pitch frequency of a speech signal, comprising: means for determining a line spectrum of a frame of a speech signal, the spectrum comprising a plurality of spectral lines having respective line amplitudes and line frequencies; means for selecting a predefined number of said spectral lines having the highest amplitudes among said spectral lines, wherein the number of selected spectral lines is less then the total number of said plurality of spectral lines; means for calculating a preliminary utility function over a pitch frequency range using said selected spectral lines from among said plurality of spectral lines, thereby providing a preliminary utility function value for each pitch frequency in said range that is a measure of a compatibility of said selected spectral lines with said pitch frequency; means for identifying a predefined number of preliminary pitch frequency candidates at least partly responsive to said preliminary utility function, wherein each preliminary pitch frequency candidate is a local maximum of said preliminary utility function; means for calculating a final utility score for each of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates using all of said plurality of spectral lines; and means for selecting any of said plurality of preliminary pitch frequency candidates to be an estimated pitch frequency of said speech signal at least partly responsive to any of said final utility scores.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said means for calculating a preliminary utility function is operative to: compute an influence function respective to each of said selected spectral lines, wherein said influence function is periodic in a ratio of the frequency of said spectral line to any pitch frequency; and compute a superposition of said influence functions.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said means for computing an influence function is operative to compute a function of said ratio having maxima at integer values of said ratio and minima therebetween.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein said means for computing an influence function is operative to compute values of a piecewise linear function c(f), having a maximum value in a first interval surrounding f=0, a minimum value in a second interval surrounding f=½, and a value that varies piecewise linearly in a transition interval between the first and second intervals.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said influence functions are piecewise linear functions, and wherein said means for computing a superposition is operative to calculating values of said influence functions at their break points such that said preliminary utility function is determined by interpolation between said break points.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein said means for computing said influence function is operative to compute at least first and second influence functions for first and second spectral lines from among said selected spectral lines in succession, and wherein said means for computing a preliminary utility function is operative to: compute a partial utility function including said first influence function; and add said second influence function to said preliminary utility function by calculating the values of said second influence function at the break points of said preliminary utility function and calculating the values of said preliminary utility function at the break points of said second influence function.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said means for determining a pitch frequency candidate is operative to preferentially select a local maximum of said preliminary utility function that is near in frequency to a previously-estimated pitch frequency of a preceding frame of said speech signal.

Claim 25

Apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said means for calculating a final utility score is operative to: compute an influence function respective to each of said spectral lines, wherein said influence function is periodic in a ratio of the frequency of said spectral line to any pitch frequency; and compute a sum of said influence functions.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein said means for computing an influence function is operative to compute a function of said ratio having maxima at integer values of said ratio and minima therebetween.

Claim 27

Apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein said means for computing the function of said ratio is operative to compute values of a piecewise linear function c(f), having a maximum value in a first interval surrounding f=0, a minimum value in a second interval surrounding f=½, and a value that varies piecewise linearly in a transition interval between the first and second intervals.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said means for selecting a pitch frequency is operative to preferentially select one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates that has a higher final utility score than another one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates.

Claim 29

Apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said means for selecting a pitch frequency is operative to preferentially select one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates that has a higher frequency than another one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates.

Claim 30

Apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said means for selecting a pitch frequency is operative to preferentially select one of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates that is near in frequency to a previously-estimated pitch frequency of a preceding frame of said speech signal.

Claim 31

Apparatus according to claim 16 , and further comprising means for determining whether said speech signal is voiced or unvoiced by comparing said final utility score of said estimated pitch frequency to a predetermined threshold.

Claim 32

Apparatus according to claim 16 , and further comprising means for encoding said speech signal responsive to said estimated pitch frequency.

Claim 33

A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising: a first code segment operative to determine a line spectrum of a frame of a speech signal, the spectrum comprising a plurality of spectral lines having respective line amplitudes and line frequencies; a second code segment operative to select a predefined number of said spectral lines having the highest amplitudes among said spectral lines, wherein the number of selected spectral lines is less then the total number of said plurality of spectral lines; a third code segment operative to calculate a preliminary utility function over a pitch frequency range using said selected spectral lines from among said plurality of spectral lines, thereby providing a preliminary utility function value for each pitch frequency in said range that is a measure of a compatibility of said selected spectral lines with said pitch frequency; a fourth code segment operative to identify a predefined number of preliminary pitch frequency candidates at least partly responsive to said preliminary utility function, wherein each preliminary pitch frequency candidate is a local maximum of said preliminary utility function; a fifth code segment operative to calculate a final utility score for each of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates using all of said plurality of spectral lines; and a sixth code segment operative to select any of said plurality of preliminary pitch frequency candidates to be an estimated pitch frequency of said speech signal at least partly responsive to any of said final utility scores.

Claim 34

A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising: a first code segment operative to determine a line spectrum of a frame of a speech signal, the spectrum comprising a plurality of spectral lines having respective line amplitudes and line frequencies; a second code segment operative to select a predefined number of said spectral lines having the highest amplitudes among said spectral lines, wherein the number of selected spectral lines is less then the total number of said plurality of spectral lines; a third code segment operative to calculate a preliminary utility function over a pitch frequency range using said selected spectral lines from among said plurality of spectral lines, thereby providing a preliminary utility function value for each pitch frequency in said range that is a measure of a compatibility of said selected spectral lines with said pitch frequency; a fourth code segment operative to identify a predefined number of preliminary pitch frequency candidates at least partly responsive to said preliminary utility function, wherein each preliminary pitch frequency candidate is a local maximum of said preliminary utility function; a fifth code segment operative to calculate a final utility score for each of said preliminary pitch frequency candidates using all of said plurality of spectral lines; and a sixth code segment operative to select any of said plurality of preliminary pitch frequency candidates to be an estimated pitch frequency of said speech signal at least partly responsive to any of said final utility scores.