Voice Codec Encoder Background Noise Recalculation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current scalable coding methods for broadband speech codecs lack efficient implementation of discontinuous transmission (DTX) with comfort noise generation, leading to issues with maintaining connection quality and accurate background noise reconstruction during speech pauses.

Innovation Solution

The encoder recalculates background noise parameters, including averaged energy and autocorrelation function, after a determined idle period, allowing for updated SID frame transmission without energy threshold comparison, and separates narrowband and broadband noise components for separate encoding and processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If discontinuous transmission (DTX) is implemented with energy threshold comparison for SID frame transmission, then data transmission rate is reduced during speech pauses, but connection reliability deteriorates due to idle channel detection and additional data exchange requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission rateVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic transmission of SID frames based on time intervals rather than continuous transmission. The encoder transmits SID frames at predetermined periodic intervals during speech pauses, ensuring connection maintenance while reducing overall data transmission rate. This periodic action eliminates the need for energy threshold comparisons and idle channel detection, resolving the contradiction between data rate reduction and connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Measurement precision

If background noise parameters are continuously updated and transmitted during speech pauses, then comfort noise synthesis accuracy is improved, but data transmission rate increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackground noise characterization accuracyVSAvoiddata transmission rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by updating and transmitting background noise parameters only at predetermined periodic intervals rather than continuously. This partial updating strategy maintains sufficient accuracy for comfort noise synthesis while significantly reducing the data transmission rate during speech pauses, resolving the contradiction between noise characterization accuracy and data rate efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If energy threshold comparison is used to decide SID frame transmission, then data transmission rate is reduced, but manufacturing precision (coding accuracy) deteriorates due to insufficient background noise updates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission rateVSAvoidbackground noise coding accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary determination of background noise parameters at regular intervals before actual transmission decisions are needed. By pre-calculating and storing updated noise parameters at predetermined times, the system ensures accurate noise characterization is always available when needed, eliminating the need for energy threshold comparisons and preventing accuracy deterioration while maintaining low data rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2245620B1Method and means for encoding background noise information
Publication Date: 2017.08.30 UNIFY GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2245620B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The inventive method provides for an encoder in a voice codec to be designed such that after a particular idle time ("Idle Period") it recalculates the averaged energy and the autocorrelation function. Administrative points in the network inform the encoder about the idle time which has been set in the transmission network.