Bruno Bessette

The adaptive multirate wideband speech codec (AMR-WB)

This paper describes the adaptive multirate wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec selected by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for GSM and the third generation mobile communication WCDMA system for providing wideband speech services. The AMR-WB speech codec algorithm was selected in December 2000 and the corresponding specifications were approved in March 2001. The AMR-WB codec was also selected by the International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Sector (ITU-T) in July 2001 in the standardization activity for wideband speech coding around 16 kb/s and was approved in January 2002 as Recommendation G.722.2. The adoption of AMR-WB by ITU-T is of significant importance since for the first time the same codec is adopted for wireless as well as wireline services. AMR-WB uses an extended audio bandwidth from 50 Hz to 7 kHz and gives superior speech quality and voice naturalness compared to existing second- and third-generation mobile communication systems. The wideband speech service provided by the AMR-WB codec will give mobile communication speech quality that also substantially exceeds (narrowband) wireline quality. The paper details AMR-WB standardization history, algorithmic description including novel techniques for efficient ACELP wideband speech coding and subjective quality performance of the codec.

AMR-WB+: a new audio coding standard for 3rd generation mobile audio services

Highly efficient low-rate audio coding methods are required for new compelling and commercially interesting applications of streaming, messaging and broadcasting services using audio media in 3rd generation mobile communication systems. After an audio codec selection phase, 3GPP has standardized the extended AMR-WB (AMR-WB+) codec that provides a unique performance at very low bit rates from below 10 kbps up to 24 kbps. This paper discusses the requirements imposed by mobile audio services and gives a technology overview of AMR-WB+ as a codec matching these requirements while providing outstanding audio quality.

Unified speech and audio coding scheme for high quality at low bitrates

Traditionally, speech coding and audio coding were separate worlds. Based on different technical approaches and different assumptions about the source signal, neither of the two coding schemes could efficiently represent both speech and music at low bitrates. This paper presents a unified speech and audio codec, which efficiently combines techniques from both worlds. This results in a codec that exhibits consistently high quality for speech, music and mixed audio content. The paper gives an overview of the codec architecture and presents results of formal listening tests comparing this new codec with HE-AAC(v2) and AMR-WB+. This new codec forms the basis of the reference model in the ongoing MPEG standardization activity for Unified Speech and Audio Coding.

Universal speech/audio coding using hybrid ACELP/TCX techniques

This paper presents a hybrid audio coding algorithm integrating an LP-based coding technique and a more general transform coding technique. ACELP is used in LP-based coding mode, whereas algebraic TCX is used in transform coding mode. The algorithm extends previously published work on ACELP/TCX coding in several ways. The frame length is increased to 80 ms, adaptive multi-length sub-frames are used with overlapping windowing, an extended multi-rate algebraic VQ is applied to the TCX spectrum to avoid quantizer saturation, and noise shaping is improved. Results show that the proposed hybrid coder has consistently high performance for both speech and music signals.

A wideband speech and audio codec at 16/24/32 kbit/s using hybrid ACELP/TCX techniques

A hybrid ACELP/TCX algorithm for coding speech and music signals at 16, 24, and 32 kbit/s is presented. The algorithm switches between algebraic code excited linear prediction (ACELP) and transform coded excitation (TCX) modes on a 20-ms frame basis. Applying TCX on 20 ms frames improved the quality for music signals. Special care was taken to alleviate the switching artifacts between the two modes resulting in a transparent switching process. Subjective test results showed that for speech signals, the performance at 16, 24, and 32 kbit/s, is equivalent to G.722 at 48, 56, and 64 kbit/s, respectively. For music signals, the quality at 24 kbit/s was found equivalent to G.722 at 56 kbit/s. However, at 16 kbit/s, the quality for music was slightly lower than G.722 at 48 kbit/s.

Low-complexity multi-rate lattice vector quantization with application to wideband TCX speech coding at 32 kbit/s

We present a new method, called Voronoi extension, for the design of low-complexity multi-rate lattice vector quantization (VQ). With this technique, lattice codebooks of arbitrarily large bit rates can be generated algorithmically and the problem of lattice codebook overload can be bypassed. We describe a practical multi-rate quantization system based on Voronoi extension and derived from the lattice RE/sub 8/. This system is applied to the TCX coding model using pitch prediction, so as to extend AMR-WB speech coding at high bit rates (in particular 32 kbit/s).

Description of ITU-T Recommendation G.729 Annex A: reduced complexity 8 kbit/s CS-ACELP codec

This paper describes the recently adopted ITU-T Recommendation G.729 Annex A (G.729A) for encoding speech signals at 8 kbit/s with low complexity. G.729A has been selected as the standard speech coding algorithm for multimedia digital simultaneous voice and data (DSVD). G.729A is bitstream interoperable with G.729; i.e., speech coded with G.729A can be decoded with G.729, and vice versa. As G.729, it uses the conjugate structure algebraic code excited linear prediction (CS-ACELP) algorithm with 10 ms frames. However, several algorithmic changes have been introduced into G.729 which resulted in 50% drop in its complexity, enabling a DSP implementation with a complexity of about 10-12 MIPS. This paper describes the algorithmic changes which have been introduced in order to achieve the low complexity goal while meeting the terms of reference. Subjective tests have been performed by ITU-T in both the selection phase and the characterization phase and the results showed that the performance of G.729A is equivalent to both G.729 and G.726 at 32 kbit/s in most operating conditions; however, it is slightly worse in case of three tandems and in the presence of background noise. A breakdown of the complexities of both G.729 and G.729A is given at the end of the paper.

The adaptive multi-rate wideband codec: history and performance

This paper gives the history and performance of the adaptive multi-rate wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec recently selected by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for GSM and the third generation mobile communication WCDMA system for providing wideband speech services. The AMR-WB speech codec algorithm was selected in December 2000, and the corresponding specifications were approved in March 2001. In July 2001, the AMR-WB codec was also selected by ITU-T in the standardization activity for wideband speech coding around 16 kbit/s. The adoption of AMR-WB by ITU-T is of significant importance since for the first time the same codec is adopted for wireless as well as wireline services. AMR-WB uses an extended audio bandwidth from 3.4 kHz to 7 kHz and gives superior speech quality and voice naturalness compared to 2/sup nd/ and 3/sup rd/ generation mobile communication systems.

An 8-12 Kbit/S Embedded CELP Coder Interoperable with ITU-T G.729 CIDER: First Stage of the New G.729.1 Standard

ITU-T G.729.1 is a scalable coder recently standardized in ITU-T for wideband telephony and voice over IP (VoIP) applications. Composed of three stages, this codec provides a scalable bitstream between 8 and 32 kbit/s both in narrowband and wideband. This paper describes the first stage which is a narrowband embedded CELP coder at 8 and 12 kbit/s. The 8 kbit/s layer ensures interoperability with ITU-T G.729 standard with a reduced complexity, and with a quality better than G.729 Annex A. At 12 kbit/s, G.729.1 reaches the quality level of the 11.8 kbit/s G.729 Annex E in spite of the embedded structure. The modifications brought to the original G.729 scheme to achieve this performance are explained and formal test results provided.

Efficient methods for high quality low bit rate wideband speech coding

This paper describes efficient encoding and decoding methods for achieving high quality wideband speech at low rates. CELP-based technologies have been successful in achieving high quality speech at low bit rates, however, new efficient techniques are needed to maintain high speech quality when the model is applied to wideband signals. This article discusses some techniques that improve the performance of the CELP model including efficient perceptual weighting and pitch codebook, and decoding techniques such as gain smoothing, periodicity enhancement, and high frequency generation. These techniques have been incorporated in the AMR-WB (adaptive multi-rate wideband) codec selected by 3GPP and ITU-T, where high quality wideband speech can be maintained at bit rates around 13 kbit/s.