Bandwidth extension of narrowband speech

• US 7,546,237 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: QNX Software Systems Wavemakers Inc (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Li, Xueman, Hetherington, Phillip A., Nongpiur, Rajeev
• Primary Examiner(s): Chawan; Vijay B
• Application Number:
  US11/317,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 704/209, 704/264, 704500-504, 704/219
• US Class Current: 704/209
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0364 for improving intelligibility

Abstract

A system extends the bandwidth of a narrowband speech signal into a wideband spectrum. The system includes a high-band generator that generates a high frequency spectrum based on a narrowband spectrum. A background noise generator generates a high frequency background noise spectrum based on a background noise within the narrowband spectrum. A summing circuit linked to the high-band generator and the background noise generator combines the high frequency spectrum and narrowband spectrum and the high frequency background noise spectrum.

Claims

1. A system that extends the bandwidth of a narrowband speech signal comprising:

a high-band generator that generates a high frequency spectrum based on a narrowband spectrum;

a background noise generator that generates a high frequency background noise spectrum based on a background noise within the narrowband spectrum; and

a summer coupled to the high-band generator and background noise generator that combines the high frequency band and narrowband spectrum with high frequency background noise spectrum.

2. The system of claim 1, where the high-band generator comprises a narrowband spectrum extractor coupled to a narrowband extender.

3. The system of claim 2, where the high-band generator further comprises a phase adjuster that adjusts the phase of a portion of the high frequency spectrum when the narrowband spectrum falls below a predetermined threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, where the high-band generator further comprises an envelope extractor coupled to an envelope extender that generates a high frequency spectral envelope.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a parameter detector coupled to the envelope extender that identifies portions of the high frequency spectral envelope to be adjusted based on a detected parameter.

6. The system of claim 5, where the detected parameter comprises a consonant or a vowel.

7. The system of claim 6 where the envelope extender is configured to adjust the high frequency spectral envelope by a first adjustment when the consonant is detected and a second adjustment when a vowel is detected.

8. The system of claim 1, where the background noise generator comprises a noise envelope detector coupled to a spectral envelope extender coupled to the summer.

9. The system of claim 8, where the background noise generator further comprises a phase adjuster disposed between the spectral envelope detector and the summer.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of spectral masks coupled to the summer that have differing frequency responses.

11. The system of claim 1 where the high-band generator that generates a high frequency spectrum is configured to convolve the narrowband spectrum with itself.

12. The system of claim 1, where the high-band generator further comprises a first phase adjuster that adjusts the phase of a portion of the high frequency spectrum when the narrowband spectrum falls below a predetermined threshold and a second phase adjuster that adjusts the phase of a second portion of the high frequency spectrum when a consonant is detected.

13. The system of claim 12 where the second phase adjuster is configured to randomize the phase of the second portion of the high frequency spectrum when a parameter detector detects the consonant.

14. The system of claim 1, where the narrowband spectrum comprises a narrowband spectrum of the narrowband speech signal.

15. A system that extends the bandwidth of a narrowband speech signal comprising:

a spectrum extractor that obtains a narrowband speech spectrum from a narrowband spectrum;

a convolver configured to generate a high frequency spectrum by convolving the narrowband speech spectrum with itself;

a high frequency envelope generator configured to generate a high frequency spectral envelope from the narrowband spectrum;

a spectral envelope extender that estimates a high frequency background noise based on the narrowband spectrum; and

a summer configured to combine the narrowband spectrum, the high frequency spectrum, and the high frequency background noise.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a consonant or a vowel detector coupled to the high frequency envelope generator.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a first phase adjuster that adjusts the phase of the high frequency spectrum when the magnitude of the high frequency spectrum lies below a predetermined level.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising a gain adjuster configured to adjust the gain of the high frequency spectrum based on the high frequency spectral envelope.

19. The system of claim 15, where the narrowband spectrum comprises a narrowband spectrum of the narrowband speech signal.

20. A method of extending a narrowband speech signal into a wideband signal comprising:

extracting a narrowband spectrum that lies above a background noise band spectrum;

extending the narrowband spectrum into a high frequency band spectrum;

generating a high frequency band spectral envelope;

adjusting a portion of the energy of the high frequency band spectrum to a portion of the energy in the narrowband spectrum;

generating a high frequency background noise spectrum; and

adding the adjusted high frequency band spectrum to the narrowband spectrum and the generated background noise spectrum.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising adjusting the high frequency band spectral envelope when a consonant is detected.

23. The method of claim 20, where the narrowband spectrum comprises a narrowband spectrum of the narrowband speech signal.

24. The method of claim 20, where the act of generating the high frequency background noise spectrum comprises:

extracting a background noise envelope from the narrowband spectrum; and

extending the background noise envelope into a higher frequency range.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising introducing random phases to the high frequency background noise spectrum.

21. The method of 20 where the act of extending the narrowband spectrum comprises convolving the narrowband spectrum with itself.

26. A system that extends the bandwidth of a narrowband speech signal comprising:

a high-band generator that generates a high frequency spectrum based on a narrowband spectrum;

a background noise envelope extractor that determines a background noise envelope of the narrowband spectrum;

a background noise envelope extender that generates a high frequency background noise spectrum from the background noise envelope of the narrowband spectrum; and

a summer configured to combine the high frequency spectrum, the narrowband spectrum, and the high frequency background noise spectrum.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a phase adjuster that introduces random phases to the high frequency background noise spectrum.