Receiver-Based Error Concealment for Voice Data Streams
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bit error concealment methods for voice communications are limited by high computational complexity, codec dependency, and power consumption, making them unsuitable for low power platforms and requiring substantial memory, especially in wireless VoIP and Bluetooth systems.
Innovation Solution
A method that selectively replaces damaged portions of a data stream based on a rate of replacement, using a weighted average of previous replacement rates and applying algorithms dependent on criteria such as degradation level and noise characteristics, without requiring access to the encoded bit stream or codec specifics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transmitter-based recovery techniques (retransmission, error correction coding) are used to combat bit errors, then signal integrity is improved, but power consumption and bandwidth requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces transmitter-based mechanical recovery mechanisms (retransmission protocols, error correction coding) with a receiver-based statistical approach. Instead of retransmitting packets or adding correction bits at the transmitter, the system uses soft decision source decoding at the receiver to statistically reconstruct the original signal from degraded packets, eliminating the need for power-intensive retransmission cycles and complex error correction encoders
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver autonomously handles error recovery through statistical modeling and soft decision decoding without requiring transmitter intervention. The system self-corrects bit errors by analyzing received signal characteristics and probabilistically reconstructing the original source signal, making the recovery process self-sufficient and eliminating dependency on transmitter-based recovery mechanisms
2Reliability
If pitch based waveform substitution techniques are used to conceal degraded packets, then output voice signal quality is improved, but the system is limited to low packet loss rates (less than 15%) and short packets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of error handling from deterministic waveform substitution to probabilistic statistical reconstruction. By using soft decision source decoding that operates on bit-level probabilities rather than fixed waveform parameters, the system adapts to varying packet loss rates and packet lengths, removing the 15% packet loss threshold limitation and enabling effective operation across diverse communication conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The statistical soft decision decoding approach serves multiple functions: it can handle both low and high packet loss rates, process packets of varying lengths, and work with different voice coding schemes. This universal approach replaces the specialized pitch-based technique that only works under specific conditions, providing versatile error concealment across the full range of operational scenarios
3Reliability
If soft decision source decoding is used to utilize information in damaged packets, then output voice signal quality is improved, but computational complexity and memory requirements increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential statistical parameters needed for soft decision decoding from the damaged packets, rather than performing complete signal reconstruction. By focusing on extracting key probability information and codec-specific parameters, the system achieves effective error concealment with reduced computational burden compared to full soft decision source decoding implementations
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses simplified statistical models and approximate decoding algorithms that require less computational resources and memory than full soft decision source decoding. These lightweight algorithms provide sufficient performance for low-power platforms, trading off some precision for dramatically reduced complexity and making error concealment viable on resource-constrained devices
4Measurement precision
If codec-specific error concealment methods are used, then error handling accuracy is improved, but the system becomes dependent on specific codec implementations and requires substantial memory for codec-specific data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal error concealment framework that works across multiple codec types without requiring codec-specific implementation details. By using generic statistical modeling and parameter extraction that adapts to different coding schemes, the system achieves codec independence while maintaining effective error handling, eliminating the need for separate error concealment algorithms for each codec
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for selectively replacing damaged portions of a data stream. The method comprises analyzing the data stream to identify damaged portions therein; selecting a damaged portion for replacement; and replacing the selected damaged portion. The selected damaged portion is selected for replacement in dependence on a rate of replacement, the rate of replacement being that at which previous portions of the data stream have been replaced.