[0001] The present invention relates to a method for speech coding and to a voice-coder,
particularly to a method for speech coding and to a voice-coder which can achieve
high coding quality with a relatively small operation at bit rates not greater than
8 kbit/s.
[0002] As a speech coding system to be applied to vector quantization of excitation signals
at low bit rates by using a excitation codebook comprising random numbers, a CELP
system described in a paper (hereinafter referred to as literature 1) titled "CODE-EXCITED
LINEAR PREDICTION (CELP): HIGH-QUALITY SPEECH AT VERY LOW BIT RATES" (Proc. ICASSP,
pp. 937-940, 1985) by Manfred R. Shroeder and Bishnu S. Atal is known. There is also
a CELP system using an adaptive codebook described in a paper (hereinafter referred
to as literature 2) titled "IMPROVED SPEECH QUALITY AND EFFICIENT VECTOR QUANTIZATION
IN SELP" (Proc. ICASSP, pp. 155-158, 1988) by W. B. Kleijin, D. J. Krasinski and R.
H. Ketchum. The CELP system using the adaptive codebook receives speech signals divided
into frames spaced with a constant interval. The CELP utilizes a linear predictive
analyzer for obtaining spectral parameters of input speech signals, the adaptive codebook
having excitation signals determined in the past, the excitation codebook comprising
random numbers to be used for vector quantization of the excitation signals of said
input speech signals. The CELP selects an adaptive codevector by using the input speech
signal and the synthesized signal of the adaptive codevector for every subframe made
by equally dividing the frame. Subsequently, CELP performs selection of excitation
codevectors by using the input signals, the synthesized signal of the selected adaptive
codevector and said excitation codevector.
[0003] However, the CELP systems have the following disadvantage, in that a quite large
operation is required for searching the excitation codebook. Moreover since the adaptive
codebook is determined independently of the excitation codebook, it is impossible
to get a high SN (signal to noise) ratio. Further in the above CELP system, although
the adaptive codebook and the excitation codebook are each searched by using gains
not quantized, it becomes possible to obtain a higher SN ratio when the adaptive codebook
and the excitation codebook are searched for all the quantization value of gains.
Furthermore, it is impossible to obtain sufficiently good speech quality with low
bit rates such as 8 kbit/s or less because of the too small size of the excitation
codebook.
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for speech coding which
can solve the above problem of the conventional method and achieve high quality speech
by a relatively small operation even at the low bit rates such as less than 8 kbit/s.
[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a voice-coder which can solve
the above problem of the conventional method and achieve high quality speech by a
relatively small operation even at low bit rates such as less than 8 kbit/s.
[0006] The object of the present invention can be achieved by a method for speech coding
for coding speech signals divided into frames spaced with a constant interval, wherein
an adaptive codebook storing excitation signals determined in the past and a plurality
of excitation codebooks for multi-stage vector quantization of an excitation signal
of the input speech signal are prepared; a spectral parameter of said input speech
signal is obtained; said frame is divided into subframes; a candidate of a first fixed
number of adaptive codevectors is selected for every said subframe from said adaptive
codebook by using said input speech signal and said spectral parameter; candidates
of a second fixed number of excitation codevectors are selected for every said subframe
from said excitation codebooks, respectively, by using said input speech signal, said
spectral parameter and the candidate of said adaptive codevector; and a combination
of the adaptive vector and each of the excitation codevectors forming an excitation
signal of said subframe is selected from the candidates of said adaptive codevector
and each of said excitation codevector by using said input speech signal and said
spectral parameter.
[0007] Another object of the present invention is achieved by a voice-coder for coding speech
signals divided into frames spaced with a constant interval, comprising: linear prediction
analysis means for outputting spectral parameters of input speech signals; an adaptive
codebook for storing excitation signals determined in the past; a plurality of excitation
codebooks provided for multi-stage vector quantization of the excitation signal of
said input speech signals; wherein, in case of searching for a combination of the
adaptive codevector and each of the excitation codevectors for every subframe prepared
by further division of said frame, from said adaptive codebook and each of said excitation
codebooks, respectively, said combination of the adaptive codevector and each of the
excitation codevectors forming an excitation signal of said subframe; a candidate
of a first predetermined number of adaptive codevectors is selected from said adaptive
codebook by using said input speech signal and said spectral parameter; candidates
of each predetermined number of excitation codevectors are selected from a plurality
of said excitation codebooks respectively by using said input speech signal, said
spectral parameter and the candidate of said adaptive codevector; and a candidate
of the adaptive codevector and each of excitation codevectors forming the excitation
signal of said subframe is selected from the candidate of said adaptive codevector
and each of said excitation codevectors by using said input speech signal and said
spectral parameter.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is also achieved by a voice-coder for coding
speech signals divided into frames spaced with a constant interval, comprising: linear
prediction analysis means for outputting spectral parameters of input speech signals;
an adaptive codebook storing excitation signals determined in the past; a plurality
of excitation codebooks provided for multi-stage vector quantization of an excitation
signal of said input speech signals; subframe division means for generating subframe
signals by dividing said frame into subframes; first selection means for selecting
a candidate of a first fixed number of adaptive codevectors from said adaptive codebook
in accordance with said subframe signal and said spectral parameter; second selection
means provided for every said excitation codebook for selecting the candidate of the
excitation codevectors of the number predetermined for every excitation codebook,
from the corresponding excitation codebook in accordance with said subframe signal,
said spectral parameter and the candidate of said adaptive codevector; and means for
searching the candidate of the adaptive vector and each of the excitation codevectors
which forms the excitation signal of said subframe, from the candidate of said adaptive
codevector and the candidate of each of said excitation codevectors in accordance
with said input aural signal and said spectral parameter.
[0009] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will
be apparent from the following description referring to the accompanying drawings
which illustrate examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
[0010] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a voice-coder of a first embodiment
of the present invention.
[0011] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of a voice-coder of a second embodiment
of the present invention.
[0012] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the structure of a voice-coder of a third embodiment
of the present invention.
[0013] Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the structure of a voice-coder of a fourth embodiment
of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
[0014] A first preferable embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference
to Fig. 1. In the voice-coder shown in Fig.1, there are provided adaptive codebook
175, gain codebook 220 and two kinds of excitation codebooks 180, 190.
[0015] Speech input circuit 100 is provided for receiving speech signals divided into frames
spaced with a constant interval. Subframe division circuit 120 and linear prediction
analysis circuit 110 are provided on the output side of speech input circuit 100.
Subframe division circuit 120 outputs subframes by equally dividing the frame, and
linear prediction analysis circuit 110 performs linear prediction analyses of speech
signals composing frames for obtaining spectral parameters of the speech signals.
On the output side of subframe division circuit 120, weighting filter 130 is provided
for performing perceptual weighting by receiving subframes and spectral parameters.
On the output side of weighting filter 130, influence signal subtracter 140 is provided
for subtracting weighted influence signal from the preceding subframe and outputting
the results thereof.
[0016] Adaptive codebook 175 stores excitation signals decided in the past as adaptive codevectors.
Corresponding to adaptive codebook 175, adaptive codebook candidate selection circuit
150 is provided for selecting the previously fixed number of adaptive codevectors
and for outputting thereof as candidates of adaptive codevectors. Adaptive codebook
candidate selection circuit 150 performs selection of the candidate according to the
spectral parameter and the output signal of influence signal subtracter 140.
[0017] First and second excitation codebooks 180, 190 operate for multi-stage vector quantization
of the excitation signal, and store the first and second excitation codevectors, respectively.
Corresponding to first and second excitation codebooks 180, 190, candidate selection
circuits 160, 170 for the first and second excitation codebooks are provided respectively.
Candidate selection circuits 160, 170 select the previously fixed number of excitation
codevectors from corresponding respective excitation codebooks 180, 190 and output
thereof as the candidates of the excitation codevectors. Spectral parameters, output
signals of the influence signal subtracter and candidates of adaptive codevectors
are inputted into each of candidate selection circuits 160, 170 for the excitation
codebook.
[0018] Optimum combination search circuit 200 is provided for candidates selected by candidate
selection circuits 150, 160, 170 for the corresponding codebooks in order to search
the optimum combination of candidates. Further, gain codebook search circuit 210 and
multiplexer 230 are provided. Optimum combination search circuit 200 is structured
so as to output to multiplexer 230 the delay (to the adaptive codevector) or index
(to each excitation codevector) with reference to each of the respective optimum adaptive
codevectors, to the first and second excitation codevectors according to the results
of the search, and to the output weighted synthetic signals of the above vectors to
gain codebook search circuit 210, respectively. Gain codebook search circuit 210 searches
for the optimum gain codevector from gain codebook 220 which stores gain codevectors,
and outputs the index of thus searched optimum gain codevector. Multiplexer 230 is
structured so as to receive delay or indices from optimum combination search circuit
200 or gain codebook search circuit 210, and output codes which correspond to input
speech signals according to delay or indices.
[0019] Next, description will be made with reference to selection or search algorithm of
each candidate selection circuit 150, 160, 170 or optimum combination search circuit
200 of the present embodiment. Under these algorithms, the excitation signal is processed
by two-stage vector quantization by using two kinds of excitation codebooks 180, 190.
[0020] First, in adaptive codebook candidate selection circuit 150, the predetermined number
L₀ of the adaptive codevectors is selected, in order, from the one with smaller error
E₀ expressed by equation (1):
where, z is a signal obtained by subtracting an influence signal from a perceptually
weighted input signal, sa
d a perceptually weighted synthetic signal of adaptive codevector a
d with delay d, β₀ a sequential optimum gain of an adaptive codevector, ∥ ∥ Euclid
norm. The sequential optimum gain β₀ of the adaptive codevector is given by:

By substituting above equation (2) into equation (1), the next equation is obtained.

where, 〈, 〉 represents an inner product.
[0021] In candidate selection circuit 160 for the first excitation codebook, candidates
of predetermined number L₁ of the first excitation codevectors are selected for each
L₀ piece of the adaptive codevectors selected by candidate selection circuit 150 for
the adaptive codebook, in order, from the one with smaller error E₁ expressed by equation
(4):
where se
i¹ is a perceptually weighted synthesized signal of first excitation codevector e
i¹ with index i, γ₀ a sequential optimum gain of the first excitation codevector, and
za = z - β₀ sa
d.
[0022] Therefore:

By substituting above equation (5) into equation (4), equation (6) below is obtained:

In the same way as described above, in candidate selection circuit 170 for the
second excitation codebook, the candidates of predetermined number L₂ of the second
excitation codevectors are selected for each L₀ piece of adaptive codevectors selected
by candidate selection circuit 150 for the adaptive codebook, in order, from the one
with smaller error E₂ expressed by the next equation:
where se
j² is a perceptually weighted synthesized signal of second excitation codevector e
j² with index j, and δ₀ a sequential optimum gain of the second excitation codevector.
Therefore:

By substituting equation (8) into equation (7), following equation (9) is obtained.

In optimum combination search circuit 200, error E is calculated by the following
equation for all the combinations of candidates of the selected adaptive codevectors,
and the first and second excitation codevectors, and then the combination of the candidates
with minimum E is searched.
where β, γ, δ are simultaneous optimum gains of an adaptive codevector, the first
and second excitation codevectors, respectively. Therefore:

However, R is to satisfy the following equation:

By substituting equation (11) into equation (10), thus obtained,

When above error E is calculated, it is acceptable to assign a particular limitation
to simultaneous optimum gains γ, δ of each excitation codevector. For example, with
the limitation that γ and δ are equal, error E is given by,

where,

Next, description will be made with reference to operation of the voice-coder of
the present embodiment.
[0023] Speech input circuit 100 receives speech signals divided into each frame (e.g., 40
ms in width), which signals are outputted to linear prediction analysis circuit 110
and subframe division circuit 120. In linear prediction analysis circuit 110, linear
prediction analysis of the inputted speech signal is performed for calculating the
spectral parameter. This spectral parameter is outputted to weighting filter 130,
to influence signal subtracter 140, to candidate selection circuit 150 for the adaptive
codebook, to candidate selection circuit 160 for the first excitation codebook, to
candidate selection circuit 170 for the second excitation codebook, and to multiplexer
230. Separately, a frame is divided into subframes (e.g., 8 ms in width) by subframe
division circuit 120. Speech signals divided into subframes are inputted into weighting
filter 130. Weighting filter 130 performs perceptual weighting of inputted speech
signals, and outputs the results to influence signal subtracter 140. Influence signal
subtracter 140 subtracts the weighted influence signal from the preceding subframe,
and outputs the result to candidate selection circuit 150 for the adaptive codebook,
to candidate selection circuit 160 for the first excitation codebook, to candidate
selection circuit 170 for the second excitation codebook, and to gain codebook search
circuit 210.
[0024] Subsequently, candidate selection circuit 150 for the adaptive codebook selects the
candidate of L₀ pieces of adaptive codevectors from adaptive codebook 175 according
to equation (3). Candidate selection circuit 150 for the adaptive codebook outputs
the weighted synthetic signal of the candidate of the selected adaptive codevectors
and delay d which constitutes the index of the candidate of adaptive codevectors,
to candidate selection circuits 160, 170 for the first and second excitation codebooks
and to optimum combination search circuit 200.
[0025] Candidate selection circuit 160 for the first excitation codebook selects the candidate
of L₁ pieces of the first excitation codevector from first excitation codebook 180,
according to the output of the influence signal subtracter, the spectral parameter
and the candidate of the adaptive codevector by using equation (6). Candidate selection
circuit 160 for the first excitation codebook outputs the weighted synthetic signal
and index of the candidate of the selected first excitation codevector to optimum
combination search circuit 200. In the same manner, candidate selection circuit 170
for the second excitation codebook selects the candidate of the second excitation
codevector from the second excitation codebook according to equation (9), and outputs
the weighted synthetic signal and index of the selected second excitation codevector
to optimum combination search circuit 200.
[0026] Optimum combination search circuit 200 searches for the combination of the optimum
candidates according to equation (14), and outputs the delay of the adaptive codevector
and the indices of the first and second excitation codevectors to multiplexer 230,
and weighted synthetic signals of each codevector to gain codebook search circuit
210. Gain codebook search circuit 210 searches for the optimum gain codevector from
gain codebook 220 according to each of the inputted weighted synthetic signals, and
outputs the index of thus obtained gain codevector to multiplexer 230.
[0027] Finally, multiplexer 230 assembles and outputs the code for the speech signal divided
into subframes according to the delay and index outputted from optimum combination
search circuit 200 and to the index outputted from gain codebook search circuit 210.
By carrying out the above process, speech coding of every subframe is completed.
[0028] According to the present embodiment, the candidates are selected first from the adaptive
codebook and each of excitation codebooks, and then the optimum combination is selected
from the combination of each of thus selected candidates, so that a sufficiently good
speech quality can be obtained with a relatively small operation. In addition, since
the gain codebook which stores the quantized gain vectors is used for selecting the
optimum combination from combinations of the candidates, SN ratio is further improved.
[0029] The second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
Fig. 2. In the voice-coder shown in Fig. 2, each block attached with the same reference
numeral as that in Fig. 1 has the same function as that in Fig. 1.
[0030] The voice-coder in Fig. 2, when compared with the voice-coder in Fig. 1, differs
in that it has no gain codebook search circuit and optimum combination search circuit,
but has instead gain-including optimum combination search circuit 300. Gain-including
optimum combination search circuit 300 receives candidates of the adaptive codevectors,
candidates of the first and second excitation codevectors, and outputs of influence
signal subtracter 140, and selects the optimum combination from all of the combinations
of the candidates and gain codevectors by searching for gain codebook 220. Gain-including
optimum combination search circuit 300 is structured so as to output the delay or
index of each codevector composing the selected combination to multiplexer 230 according
to the selected combination.
[0031] The search algorithm which controls gain-including optimum combination search circuit
300 will next be described.
[0032] Gain-including optimum combination search circuit 300 searches for the combination
of candidates which has the minimum value of error E by calculating E for all of the
combinations of candidates of the selected adaptive codevectors, the selected first
and second excitation codevectors, and all of the gain codevectors, where E is calculated
by the following equation:
where Qβ
k, Qγ
k, Qδ
k are each gain codevector.
[0033] It is acceptable to use, in place of above Qβ
k, Qγ
k, Qδ
k, not the gain codevector itself, but gain codevectors converted by the matrix to
be calculated from the quantized power of the weighted input signal, the weighted
synthetic signal of the adaptive codevector and the weighted synthetic signals of
the first and second excitation codevectors. Since it requires large operation to
search for the minimum value of E by calculating it against all the gain codevectors,
it is also possible to perform a preliminary selection of the gain codebook to reduce
the operation. The preliminary selection of the gain codebook is performed, for example,
by selecting the predetermined fixed number of gain codevectors whose first components
are close to the sequential optimum gain of the adaptive codevector.
[0034] The operation of this voice-coder will be described. It is the same as that of the
voice-coder shown in Fig. 1 except that the candidates of vectors are outputted from
each of candidate selection circuits 150, 160 and 170. These candidates of codevectors
are inputted into gain-including optimum combination search circuit 300, whereby the
optimum combination of candidates is searched according to equation (16). Then consulting
the searched combination, the delay of the adaptive codevector and indices of the
first and second excitation codevectors and gain codevectors are inputted into multiplexer
230, from which speech signal codes are outputted.
[0035] Next, the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference
to Fig. 3. In the voice-coder shown in Fig. 3, each block attached with the same reference
numeral as that in Fig. 1 has the same function as that in Fig. 1.
[0036] This voice-coder differs from the one shown in Fig. 1 in that the second excitation
codebook is composed of excitation super codebook 390. A super codebook means a codebook
which stores codevectors with the number of bits larger than the number of bits to
be transmitted. Index i of the candidate of the first excitation codevector is outputted
from first excitation codebook selection circuit 160 to second excitation super codebook
390. The selection of the candidate of the second excitation codevectors from second
excitation super codebook 390 is carried out by searching codevectors from a portion
of second excitation super codebook 390, the portion being expressed by set F₂(i)
of indices to be determined according to index i of the first excitation codevector.
[0037] When searching of the candidates of the first and second codevectors is finished,
then the optimum combination of candidates is searched in optimum combination search
circuit 200 according to equation (14) as searched in the first embodiment. In the
present embodiment, it is possible to modify so as to output all the second excitation
codevectors which correspond to set of indices F₂(i) without performing selection
of candidates of the second excitation codevectors in candidate selection circuit
170 of the second excitation codebook. In this case, optimum combination search circuit
200 can search the optimum combination from the combination of the candidate of the
adaptive codevectors, the candidate of the first excitation codevectors, and all of
the second excitation codevectors corresponding to set F₂(i).
[0038] As described above in the third embodiment of the present invention, by applying
the super codebook in the embodiment, it becomes possible to obtain speech quality
as substantially good as the case with a excitation codebook of an increased codebook
size without increasing the bit rates.
[0039] The fourth embodiment of the present invention will nest be described with reference
to Fig. 4. In the voice-coder shown in Fig. 4, each block attached with the same reference
numeral as that in Fig. 2 has the same function as that in Fig. 2.
[0040] This voice-coder uses second excitation super codebook 390 instead of the second
excitation codebook, differently from the voice-coder in Fig. 2. Super codebook 390
is similar to the super codebook in the voice-coder shown in Fig. 3. The candidate
of the second excitation codevector to be selected from second excitation super codebook
390 is also selected in the same way as in the third embodiment, and other operations
are conducted in the same manner as in the second embodiment. In this case, it is
also possible to modify candidate selection circuit 170 for the second excitation
codevectors so as to output all of the second excitation codevectors which correspond
to set of indices F₂(i) without selecting the candidate of the second excitation codevectors.
[0041] Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the operation
of each embodiment can be modified in such a way that auto-correlation 〈se
i, se
i〉 of weighted synthetic signal se
i of the excitation codevector is obtained according to the following equation for
the purpose of reducing the operation:

where hh is an auto-correlation function of the impulse response of a weighting
synthesis filter, ee
i an auto-correlation function of the excitation code vector with index i, and im a
length of the impulse response.
[0042] As well, cross-correlation between weighted synthetic signal se
i of the excitation codevector and arbitrary vector v can be calculated according to
the following equation to reduce the operation:
where H is an impulse response matrix of the weighting synthesis filter.
[0043] Cross-correlation between weighted synthetic signal sa
d of the adaptive codevector and arbitrary vector v can be obtained according to the
following equation in the same way:
Further, in the case of searching for the optimum combination in the optimum combination
search circuit of the first and third embodiments, although a particular limitation
(γ = δ ) is now assigned to gains γ, δ of the first and second excitation codevectors
as described above, it is possible to provide limitations other than γ = δ or to provide
no limitation.
[0044] Further, it is also possible to apply a delayed decision system in each embodiment
in such a way that the combination of candidates is selected so as to have the minimum
cumulative error for the whole frames without uniquely determining the adaptive codevector,
the first and second excitation codevectors and the gain codevector for each subframe
while leaving the candidates undetermined.
[0045] It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the method for speech
coding and of the voice-coder disclosed herein will be evident to those skilled in
the art. It is intended that all such modifications and variations be included within
the scope of the appended claims.
1. A method for speech coding for coding speech signals divided into frames spaced with
a constant interval, wherein,
an adaptive codebook storing excitation signals determined in the past and a plurality
of excitation codebooks for multi-stage vector quantization of an excitation signal
of the input speech signal are prepared;
a spectral parameter of said input speech signal is obtained;
said frame is divided into subframes;
a candidate of a first fixed number of adaptive codevectors is selected for every
said subframe from said adaptive codebook by using said input speech signal and said
spectral parameter;
candidates of a second fixed number of excitation codevectors are selected for
every said subframe from said excitation codebooks, respectively, by using said input
speech signal, said spectral parameter and the candidate of said adaptive codevector;
and
a combination of the adaptive codevector and each of the excitation codevectors
forming an excitation signal of said subframe is selected from the candidates of said
adaptive codevector and each of said excitation codevectors by using said input speech
signal and said spectral parameter.
2. A method for speech coding according to Claim 1, wherein selection of the candidates
of the adaptive codevector and each of the excitation codevectors are performed, respectively,
in order, from the selection of the candidate with a smaller error.
3. A method for speech coding according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein,
a gain codebook is used for performing quantization of gains of said adaptive codebook
and each of said excitation codebooks, respectively; and
a gain codevector is determined by using said gain codebook when selection of a
combination of the adaptive codevector and each of the excitation codevectors forming
the excitation signal of said subframe from the candidates of said adaptive codevector
and said excitation codevector is performed.
4. A method for speech coding according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein,
at least one or more of excitation super codebooks is included in said plurality
of excitation codebooks, said super codebook comprising bits with the number of bits
larger than the number of bits to be transmitted; and
selection of the candidate of the excitation codevector from said excitation super
codebook is performed corresponding to the candidate of the excitation codevector
already selected.
5. A method for speech coding according to Claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the
combination of the adaptive codevector and each of the excitation codevectors forming
the excitation signal of said subframe from the candidates of said adaptive codevector
and said excitation codevector, further comprising the steps of:
determining the optimum gain codevector from said gain codebook; and
reflecting said gain codevector on said adaptive codevector and each of said excitation
codevectors forming said excitation signal.
6. A method for speech coding according to Claim 5, wherein,
at least one or more of excitation super codebooks is included in said plurality
of excitation codebooks, said super codebook comprising bits with the number of bits
larger than the number of bits to be transmitted; and
selection of the candidate of the excitation codevector from said excitation super
codebook is performed corresponding to the candidate of the excitation codevector
already selected.
7. A voice-coder for coding speech signals divided into frames spaced with a constant
interval, comprising:
linear prediction analysis means for outputting spectral parameters of input speech
signals;
an adaptive codebook for storing excitation signals determined in the past;
a plurality of excitation codebooks provided for multi-stage vector quantization
of the excitation signal of said input speech signals;
wherein, in case of searching for a combination of the adaptive codevector and
each of the excitation codevectors for every subframe prepared by further division
of said frame from said adaptive codebook and each of said excitation codebooks, respectively,
said combination of the adaptive codevector and each of the excitation codevectors
forming an excitation signal of said subframe:
a candidate of a first predetermined number of adaptive codevectors is selected
from said adaptive codebook by using said input speech signal and said spectral parameter;
candidates of each predetermined number of excitation codevectors are selected
from a plurality of said excitation codebooks, respectively, by using said input speech
signal, said spectral parameter and the candidate of said adaptive codevector; and
a candidate of said adaptive codevector and each of said excitation codevectors
forming the excitation signal of said subframe is selected from the candidate of said
adaptive codevector and each of said excitation codevectors by using said input speech
signal and said spectral parameter.
8. A voice-coder according to Claim 7, further comprising:
a gain codebook for quantization of each gain of said adaptive codebook and each
of said excitation codebooks; wherein
said input speech signal, said spectral parameter and said gain codebook are used
for searching a combination of the adaptive codevector and each of the excitation
codevectors which forms the excitation signal of said subframe, from the candidates
of said adaptive codevector and said excitation codevectors.
9. A voice-coder according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein,
at least one or more of excitation super codebooks is included in said plurality
of excitation codebooks, said super codebook comprising bits with the number of bits
larger than the number of bits to be transmitted; and
selection of the candidate of the excitation codevector from said excitation super
codebook is performed corresponding to the candidate of the excitation codevector
already selected.
10. A voice-coder for coding speech signals divided into frames spaced with a constant
interval, comprising:
linear prediction analysis means for outputting spectral parameters of input speech
signals;
an adaptive codebook storing excitation signals determined in the past;
a plurality of excitation codebooks provided for multi-stage vector quantization
of an excitation signal of said input speech signals;
subframe division means for generating subframe signals by dividing said frame
into subframes;
first selection means for selecting a candidate of a first fixed number of adaptive
codevectors from said adaptive codebook in accordance with said subframe signal and
said spectral parameter;
second selection means provided for every said excitation codebook for selecting
the candidate of the excitation codevectors of the number predetermined for every
excitation codebook, from the corresponding excitation codebook in accordance with
said subframe signal, said spectral parameter and the candidate of said adaptive codevector;
and
means for searching the candidate of said adaptive codevector and each of said
excitation codevectors which forms the excitation signal of said subframe, from the
candidate of said adaptive codevector and the candidate of each of said excitation
codevectors in accordance with said input speech signal and said spectral parameter.
11. A voice-coder according to Claim 10, wherein,
first and second selecting means select each corresponding candidate, in order,
from the candidate with a smaller error;
said search means searches the candidate of said codevector on the condition of
whose error is lowest.
12. A voice-coder according to Claim 10, further comprising:
a gain codebook for quantization of each gain of said adaptive codebook and each
of said excitation codebooks; wherein
said search means searches the candidate of said codevector by further consulting
said gain codebook.
13. A voice-coder according to Claim 11, further comprising:
a gain codebook for quantization of each gain of said adaptive codebook and each
of said excitation codebooks; wherein
said search means further determines the optimum gain codevector from said gain
codebook by consulting said gain codebook, and reflects said gain codevector on the
adaptive codevector and each of the excitation codevector which forms said excitation
signal.
14. A voice-coder according to any of Claims 10 to 13, wherein, at least one or more of
excitation super codebooks is included in said plurality of excitation codebooks,
said super codebook comprising bits with the number of bits larger than the number
of bits to be transmitted; and
said second selection means corresponding to said excitation super codebook performs
selection of the candidate of the excitation codevector from said excitation super
codebook according to the candidate of the excitation codevector already selected.