High-frequency bandwidth extension in the time domain

• US 7,912,729 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: QNX Software Systems Company (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Hetherington, Phillip A., Nongpiur, Rajeev
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US11/809,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20080208572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 704/200, 704/223, 704/500, 381/23
• US Class Current: 704/500
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/038 using band spreading techniques

Abstract

A system extends the high-frequency spectrum of a narrow band audio signal in the time domain. The system extends the harmonics of vowels by introducing a non linearity in a narrow band signal. Extended consonants are generated by a random-noise generator. The system differentiates the vowels from the consonants by exploiting predetermined features of a speech signal.

Claims

1. A system that extends the high-frequency spectrum of a narrowband audio signal in the time domain comprising:

an interface configured to receive a narrowband audio signal;

a controller that extends the harmonics of vowels by introducing a non linearity in the received narrowband audio signal in the time domain; and

a random noise generator that generates consonants by introducing random-noise in the received narrowband audio signal in the time domain,

where the controller comprises a squaring circuit that squares a segment of the narrowband audio signal.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of filters that pass a portion of frequencies of the non-linearity and the random-noise, respectively.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of amplifiers that increase magnitudes of the non-linearity and the random-noise.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of mixers that select a portion of the non-linearity generated by the controller and a portion of the random-noise generated by the random-noise generator.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a summing circuit that sums a portion of the non-linearity generated by the controller and a portion of the random-noise generated by the random-noise generator.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a summing circuit that sums a portion of the non-linearity generated by the controller, a portion of the random-noise generated by the random-noise generator and the narrowband audio signal received through the interface.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising an adaptive filter configured to dampen a background noise detected in an upper frequency of the summed signal.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising an adaptive filter configured to vary the spectral shape of a portion of the summed signal.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of filters that pass a portion of frequencies of the non-linearity generated by the controller and the random-noise generated by the random-noise generator, respectively,

a plurality of amplifiers that increase magnitudes of the non-linearity and random-noise;

a plurality of mixers that select a portion of the non-linearity generated by the controller and a portion of the random-noise generated by the random-noise generator;

a first summing circuit that sums the portion of the non-linearity generated by the controller and the portion of the random-noise generated by the random-noise generator; and

a second summing circuit that sums the portion of the combined non-linearity and the random-noise with the narrowband audio signal.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a first adaptive filter configured to dampen a background noise detected in an upper frequency of the second summed signal; and

a second adaptive filter configured to vary the spectral shape of a portion of the second summed signal.

11. A method that extends a high-frequency spectrum of a narrowband signal comprising:

determining if a portion of a signal represents a vowel or a consonant;

generating a first portion of a high frequency spectrum in a time domain by squaring a portion of a narrow band signal if the that portion of the narrowband signal represents the vowel;

generating a second portion of the high frequency spectrum in the time domain by generating a random signal if the portion of the narrowband signal represents the consonant; and

filtering the generated high frequency signals to adjust spectral shapes and magnitude.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising combing the generated high frequency signals with the narrowband signal.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising conditioning the first portion of the high frequency spectrum and conditioning the second portion of the high frequency spectrum.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising dampening the background noise in the generated high frequency spectrums.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising adding the first portion of the high frequency spectrum to the second portion of the high frequency spectrum before filtering the summed signal.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

adding the first portion of the high frequency spectrum to the second portion of the high frequency spectrum;

conditioning the first portion of the high frequency spectrum and conditioning the second portion of the high frequency spectrum;

adding the conditioned first portion of the high frequency spectrum to the conditioned second portion of the high frequency spectrum; and

adding the combined first portion of the high frequency spectrum and the second portion of the high frequency spectrum to the narrowband signal.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising dampening at least a portion of the background noise in the combined high frequency spectrum and the narrowband signal.

18. A system that extends the high-frequency spectrum of a narrowband audio signal in the time domain comprising:

an interface configured to receive a narrowband audio signal;

a controller that extends the harmonics of vowels by introducing a non linearity in the received narrowband audio signal in the time domain;

a random noise generator that generates consonants by introducing random-noise in the received narrowband audio signal in the time domain,

a plurality of filters that pass a portion of frequencies of the non-linearity generated by the controller and the random-noise generated by the random-noise generator, respectively,

a plurality of amplifiers that increase magnitudes of the non-linearity and random-noise;

a plurality of mixers that select a portion of the non-linearity generated by the controller and a portion of the random-noise generated by the random-noise generator;

a first summing circuit that sums the portion of the non-linearity generated by the controller and the portion of the random-noise generated by the random-noise generator;

a second summing circuit that sums the portion of the combined non-linearity and the random-noise with the narrowband audio signal

a first adaptive filter configured to dampen a background noise detected in an upper frequency of the second summed signal; and

a second adaptive filter configured to vary the spectral shape of a portion of the second summed signal,

where the controller comprises a squaring circuit that squares a segment of the narrowband audio signal.