Wideband Voice Network Architecture for High-Fidelity Audio Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
The public switched telephone network (PSTN) experiences poor voice quality due to low bandwidth, leading to dropped sounds and reduced understanding in conversations, especially in human-human and human-computer interactions.
Innovation Solution
A high-quality voice network architecture that digitizes audio signals at sampling rates greater than 8000 samples per second and 8 bits per sample, negotiating voice transmission characteristics to convert and transmit high-bandwidth signals over existing copper or hybrid fiber-coaxial lines, using advanced codecs and packet networks for improved voice recognition and transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data compression is used to increase bandwidth of standard transmission lines, then network efficiency is improved, but voice quality deteriorates due to loss of sound nuances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sampling rate parameter from the standard 8 kHz to higher rates (16 kHz, 22.05 kHz, or 44.1 kHz), and increases the bit depth from 8 bits to 16 bits or higher. This parameter transformation allows the system to transmit more voice information over the same transmission lines, effectively increasing bandwidth while preserving voice quality through superior compression algorithms designed for wideband audio.
2Reliability
If 64 kbps DS0 channels are used for voice transmission, then network compatibility is maintained, but voice quality remains poor with dropped sounds and reduced dynamic range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the voice transmission process into multiple stages: capture at high quality (16 kHz or 44.1 kHz sampling), encoding with advanced codecs, packetization with error correction, and selective transmission. This segmentation allows the system to maintain compatibility with legacy 64 kbps networks while transmitting higher quality audio by utilizing available bandwidth more efficiently and employing robust error correction to prevent sound dropout.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite approach combining multiple technologies: wideband audio capture, advanced codec compression (such as AMR-WB, EVS, or Opus), error correction codes, and adaptive transmission. This composite system achieves both network compatibility and superior voice quality by layering multiple functional components that work together to overcome the limitations of standard 64 kbps channels.
3Loss of energy
If standard 8 kHz sampling rate is used, then transmission bandwidth is conserved, but voice recognition accuracy deteriorates due to insufficient frequency response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation where the system negotiates and adjusts the audio sampling rate and codec parameters based on network conditions, device capabilities, and application requirements. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize between bandwidth consumption and voice recognition accuracy, selecting higher sampling rates (16 kHz, 22.05 kHz, or 44.1 kHz) when network conditions permit and advanced voice recognition is needed, while falling back to lower rates when bandwidth is constrained.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention include a system and method for providing high quality voice/sound communications over a local loop of a telephone network. The method aspect of the invention comprises receiving a voice signal, digitizing the voice signal into a high quality voice signal, utilizing sampling rates greater than 8000 samples per second and/or sample sizes greater than 8 bits per sample, negotiating voice processing characteristics between a customer premises equipment and a network element such as a softswitch, receiving speech from a user at a customer premises equipment according to the negotiation, converting the received speech into high bandwidth signal and transmitting the high bandwidth signal to a telephone local loop, transmitting the high bandwidth signal from the local loop to wideband node that packetizes the high bandwidth signal for transmission to a packet network and receiving the packetized signal from the packet network at a switch that switches between an on-network or off-network status. A voice over IP platform may also be used to route packetized signals from the packet network to either the telephone network or another packet network.