Conference bridge processing of speech in a packet network environment

• US 6,463,414 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2000
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WIAV Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Conexant Systems Incorporated (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thyssen, Jes, Gao, Yang, Shlomot, Eyal, Su, Huan-Yu, Benyassine, Adil
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Application Number:
  US09/547,832
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/200, 704/200.1, 704/207, 704/270.1, 704/201, 704/500
• US Class Current: 704/270.1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/173 Transcoding, i.e. converting between two coded representations avoiding cascaded coding-decoding

Abstract

There is provided a conference bridge or transcoder configured to intelligently handle multiple speech channels in the contest of a packet network, wherein various speech channels may adhere to variety of speech encoding standards. For example, the conference bridge establishes framing and alignment of multiple incoming speech channels associated with multiple participants, extracts parameters from the speech samples, mixes the parameters, and re-encodes the resulting speech samples for transmission to the participants. In one aspect, a speech processing method comprises decoding a first bitstream according to a first coding scheme to generate first speech samples and a first side information; generating second speech samples and a second side information using the first speech samples and the first side information, for use according to a second coding scheme; and creating a second bitstream, encoded based on the second coding scheme, using the second speech samples and the second side information.

Claims

1. A conference bridge apparatus for facilitating communication between a first participant, a second participant, and a third participant, said conference bridge comprising:

a first decoder having an input and an output, wherein said input is coupled to a packet network, and wherein said second decoder is configured to receive and decode speech information from said first participant;

a second decoder having an input and an output, wherein said input is coupled to said packet network, and wherein said second decoder is configured to receive and decode speech information from said second participant;

a first encoder having an input and an output, wherein said output is coupled to said packet network, and wherein said first encoder is configured to encode speech samples for transmission over said packet network;

a second encoder having an input and an output, wherein said output is coupled to said packet network, said wherein said second encoder is configured to encode speech samples for transmission over said packet network;

a first mixer having a first input, a second input, and an output, said first input of said first mixer coupled to said output of said second decoder, said second input of said first mixer configured to receive speech from said third participant, and said output of said first mixer coupled to said input of said first encoder;

a second mixer having a first input, a second input, and an output, said first input of said second mixer coupled to said output of said first decoder, said second input of said second configured to receive speech information from said third participant, and said output of said second mixer coupled to said input of said second encoder;

a third mixer having a first input, a second input, and an output, said first input of said third mixer coupled to said output of said first decoder, said second input of said third mixer coupled to said output of said second decoder, and said output of said third mixer configured to transmit speech information to said third participant;

wherein said first, second, and third mixers are configured to mix their respective inputs in accordance with a parameter extracted from said inputs.

2. A speech processing system for facilitating communication between a first participant and a second participant, said speech processing system comprising:

a first decoder capable of receiving a first bitstream of said first participant encoded based on a first coding scheme, decoding said first bitstream according to said first coding scheme and generating a plurality of first speech samples and a first side information;

an aligner capable of using said plurality of first speech samples and said first side information to generate a plurality of second speech samples and a second side information for use according to a second coding scheme;

an encoder capable of using said plurality of second speech samples and said second side information to generate a second bitstream encoded based on said second coding scheme for said second participant.

3. The speech processing system of claim 2, wherein said first side information includes a spectrum information.

4. The speech processing system of claim 2, wherein said first side information includes a pitch information.

5. The speech processing system of claim 2, wherein said first side information includes an energy information.

6. The speech processing system of claim 2, wherein said first coding scheme is characterized by a plurality of first frames of a first frame size and said second coding scheme is characterized by a plurality of second frames of a second frame size, and wherein said aligner buffers and aligns a plurality of parameters of said plurality of first frames to generate said plurality of second speech samples and said second side information for use according to said second coding scheme.

7. The speech processing system of claim 2 for further facilitating communication with a third participant, said speech processing system further comprising:

a second decoder capable of receiving a third bitstream of said third participant encoded based on a third coding scheme, decoding said third bitstream according to said third coding scheme and generating a plurality of third speech samples and a third side information;

wherein said aligner is capable of combining said plurality of first speech samples and said first side information with said plurality of third speech samples and said third side information to generate said plurality of second speech samples and said second side information.

8. A speech processing method for use in facilitating communication between a first participant and a second participant, said speech processing method comprising:

receiving a first bitstream of said first participant encoded based on a first coding scheme;

decoding said first bitstream according to said first coding scheme to generate a plurality of first speech samples and a first side information;

generating a plurality of second speech samples and a second side information, for use according to a second coding scheme, using said plurality of first speech samples and said first side information; and

creating a second bitstream, encoded based on said second coding scheme for said second participant, using said plurality of second speech samples and said second side information.

9. The speech processing method of claim 8, wherein said first side information includes a spectrum information.

10. The speech processing method of claim 8, wherein said first side information includes a pitch information.

11. The speech processing method of claim 8, wherein said first side information includes an energy information.

12. The speech processing method of claim 8, wherein said first coding scheme is characterized by a plurality of first frames of a first frame size and said second coding scheme is characterized by a plurality of second frames of a second frame size, and wherein in said generating a plurality of parameters of said plurality of first frames are buffered and aligned to generate said plurality of second speech samples and said second side information for use according to said second coding scheme.

13. The speech processing method of claim 12 for further use in facilitating communication with a third participant, said speech processing method further comprising:

receiving a third bitstream of said third participant encoded based on a third coding scheme;

decoding said third bitstream according to said third coding scheme to generate a plurality of third speech samples and a third side information;

wherein said generating includes combining said plurality of first speech samples and said first side information with said plurality of third speech samples and said third side information to generate said plurality of second speech samples and said second side information.

14. A conference bridge for facilitating communication between a first participant, a second participant and third participant, said conference bridge comprising:

a first decoder capable of receiving a first bitstream of said first participant, decoding said first bitstream and generating a first speech information;

a second decoder capable of receiving a second bitstream of said second participant, decoding said second bitstream and generating a second speech information;

a first mixer capable of combining said first speech information with said second speech information to generate a third speech information; and

a first encoder capable of using said third speech information to generate a third bitstream for said third participant;

wherein said first speech information includes a plurality of first speech samples and a first side information, said second speech information includes a plurality of second speech samples and a second side information and said third speech information includes a plurality of third speech samples and a third side information.

15. The conference bridge of claim 14, wherein said first side information, said second side information and said third side information include spectrum information.

16. The conference bridge of claim 14, wherein said first side information, said second side information and said third side information include pitch information.

17. The conference bridge of claim 14, wherein said first side information, said second side information and said third side information include energy information.

18. The conference bridge of claim 14 further comprising:

a third decoder capable of receiving a third bitstream of said third participant, decoding said third bitstream and generating a fourth speech information;

a second mixer capable of combining said first speech information with said fourth speech information to generate a fifth speech information; and

a second encoder capable of using said fifth speech information to generate a fourth bitstream for said second participant.

19. The conference bridge of claim 14, wherein said first mixer prioritizes first speech information with respect to said second speech information.

20. The conference bridge of claim 19, wherein said first mixer prioritizes based on one or more speech parameters.

21. The conference bridge of claim 19, wherein said first mixer prioritizes based on a predetermined participant.

22. The conference bridge of claim 14, wherein a noise suppression is applied after decoding said first bit stream.

23. A conferencing method for facilitating communication between a first participant, a second participant and third participant, said conferencing method comprising:

receiving a first bitstream of said first participant;

decoding said first bitstream to generate a first speech information;

receiving a second bitstream of said second participant;

decoding said second bitstream to generate a second speech information;

combining said first speech information with said second speech information to generate a third speech information; and

generating a third bitstream, for said third participant, using said third speech information;

wherein said first speech information includes a plurality of first speech samples and a first side information, said second speech information includes a plurality of second speech samples and a second side information and said third speech information includes a plurality of third speech samples and a third side information.

24. The conferencing method of claim 23, wherein said first side information, said second side information and said third side information include spectrum information.

25. The conferencing method of claim 23, wherein said first side information, said second side information and said third side information include pitch information.

26. The conferencing method of claim 23, wherein said first side information, said second side information and said third side information include energy information.

27. The conferencing method of claim 23 further comprising:

receiving a third bitstream of said third participant;

decoding said third bitstream to generate a fourth speech information;

combining said first speech information with said fourth speech information to generate a fifth speech information; and

generating a fourth bitstream, for said second participant, using said fifth speech information.

28. The conferencing method of claim 23, wherein said first mixer prioritizes first speech information with respect to said second speech information.

29. The conferencing method of claim 28, wherein said first mixer prioritizes based on one or more speech parameters.

30. The conferencing method of claim 28, wherein said first mixer prioritizes based on a predetermined participant.

31. The conferencing method of claim 23, wherein a noise suppression is applied after decoding said first bit stream.