Method and Apparatus for Improving the Quality of Speech Signals
First Claim
1. A network device comprising:
- an input interface;
a generation unit configured to generate a bandwidth extended signal derived from a far-end speech communication signal received at the input interface; and
an output interface to which the bandwidth extended signal is provided.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to extend the bandwidth of a speech communication to yield a perceived higher quality speech communication for an enhanced user experience. In one aspect of the invention, for example, methods and apparatus can be used to extend the bandwidth of a speech communication beyond a band-limited region defined by the lowest limit and highest limit of the frequency spectrum by which such speech communication is otherwise characterized absent such bandwidth extension. In another aspect of the invention, for example, methods and apparatus can be used to substitute for corrupt, missing or lost components of a given speech communication, or to otherwise enhance the perceived quality of a speech communication, by extending the speech communication to include one or more artificially created points within the region defined by the lowest limit and highest limit of the frequency spectrum by which such speech communication is characterized. The result is a speech communication that is perceived to be of higher quality. The various aspects of the present invention can be applied, for example, to network devices or to end-terminal devices.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A network device comprising:
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an input interface; a generation unit configured to generate a bandwidth extended signal derived from a far-end speech communication signal received at the input interface; and an output interface to which the bandwidth extended signal is provided. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A network device based method for bandwidth extension, the method comprising:
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receiving a signal including a far-end speech communication; generating a bandwidth extended signal derived from the received signal; and providing the bandwidth extended signal to an output of the network device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A network device based method, the method comprising:
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receiving an input signal; generating an output signal, the output signal representing a wider bandwidth version of a speech communication represented by the input signal; and providing the output signal to an output of the network device. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A network device based method, the method comprising:
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receiving an input signal at an input interface of the network device; decoding the input signal; determining an interval in the input signal when speech is not present in the input signal; generating a derivative signal having at least one component at a frequency that is outside a bandwidth of the input signal, the at least one component being derived from the decoded input signal; determining a gain for the derivative signal to generate a gain-determined derivative signal, a lower level of gain being determined for the derivative signal during the interval as compared to a level of gain applied to the derivative signal prior to the interval; delaying the decoded input signal to generate a delayed input signal;
combining the gain-determined derivative signal with the delayed input signal to generate an output signal, the output signal representing a wider bandwidth version of a speech communication represented by the input signal;encoding the output signal; and providing the encoded output signal to an output interface of the network device.
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Specification