Time and frequency domain algorithms for speech coding

The promise of digital hardware economies (due to recent advances in VLSI technology), has focussed much attention on more complex and sophisticated speech coding algorithms which offer improved quality at relatively low bit rates. This thesis describes the results (obtained from computer simulations) of research into various efficient (time and frequency domain) speech encoders operating at a transmission bit rate of 16 Kbps. In the time domain, Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM) systems employing both forward and backward adaptive prediction were examined. A number of algorithms were proposed and evaluated, including several variants of the Stochastic Approximation Predictor (SAP). A Backward Block Adaptive (BBA) predictor was also developed and found to outperform the conventional stochastic methods, even though its complexity in terms of signal processing requirements is lower. A simplified Adaptive Predictive Coder (APC) employing a single tap pitch predictor considered next provided a slight improvement in performance over ADPCM, but with rather greater complexity. The ultimate test of any speech coding system is the perceptual performance of the received speech. Recent research has indicated that this may be enhanced by suitable control of the noise spectrum according to the theory of auditory masking. Various noise shaping ADPCM configurations were examined, and it was demonstrated that a proposed pre-/post-filtering arrangement which exploits advantageously the predictor-quantizer interaction, leads to the best subjective performance in both forward and backward prediction systems. Adaptive quantization is instrumental to the performance of ADPCM systems. Both the forward adaptive quantizer (AQF) and the backward oneword memory adaptation (AQJ) were examined. In addition, a novel method of decreasing quantization noise in ADPCM-AQJ coders, which involves the application of correction to the decoded speech samples, provided reduced output noise across the spectrum, with considerable high frequency noise suppression. More powerful (and inevitably more complex) frequency domain speech coders such as the Adaptive Transform Coder (ATC) and the Sub-band Coder (SBC) offer good quality speech at 16 Kbps. To reduce complexity and coding delay, whilst retaining the advantage of sub-band coding, a novel transform based split-band coder (TSBC) was developed and found to compare closely in performance with the SBC. To prevent the heavy side information requirement associated with a large number of bands in split-band coding schemes from impairing coding accuracy, without forgoing the efficiency provided by adaptive bit allocation, a method employing AQJs to code the sub-band signals together with vector quantization of the bit allocation patterns was also proposed. Finally, 'pipeline' methods of bit allocation and step size estimation (using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the input signal) were examined. Such methods, although less accurate, are nevertheless useful in limiting coding delay associated with SRC schemes employing Quadrature Mirror Filters (QMF)

Efficient Decision Support Systems

This series is directed to diverse managerial professionals who are leading the transformation of individual domains by using expert information and domain knowledge to drive decision support systems (DSSs). The series offers a broad range of subjects addressed in specific areas such as health care, business management, banking, agriculture, environmental improvement, natural resource and spatial management, aviation administration, and hybrid applications of information technology aimed to interdisciplinary issues. This book series is composed of three volumes: Volume 1 consists of general concepts and methodology of DSSs; Volume 2 consists of applications of DSSs in the biomedical domain; Volume 3 consists of hybrid applications of DSSs in multidisciplinary domains. The book is shaped upon decision support strategies in the new infrastructure that assists the readers in full use of the creative technology to manipulate input data and to transform information into useful decisions for decision makers

Aeronautical engineering: A special bibliography, supplement 29, March 1973

This special bibliography lists 410 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in February 1972

Summaries of FY 1995 geosciences research

The summaries in this document, prepared by the investigators, describe the scope of the individual programs. The Geosciences Research Program includes research in geophysics, geochemistry, resource evaluation, solar-terrestrial interactions, and their subdivisions including earth dynamics, properties of earth materials, rock mechanics, underground imaging, rock-fluid interactions, continental scientific drilling, geochemical transport, solar/atmospheric physics, and modeling, with emphasis on the interdisciplinary areas. All such research is related either direct or indirect to the Department of Energy`s long-range technological needs

Cumulative index to NASA Tech Briefs, 1970-1975

Tech briefs of technology derived from the research and development activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are presented. Abstracts and indexes of subject, personal author, originating center, and tech brief number for the 1970-1975 tech briefs are presented

Large-Scale Linear Programming

During the week of June 2-6, 1980, the System and Decision Sciences Area of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis organized a workshop on large-scale linear programming in collaboration with the Systems Optimization Laboratory (SOL) of Stanford University, and co-sponsored by the Mathematical Programming Society (MPS). The participants in the meeting were invited from amongst those who actively contribute to research in large-scale linear programming methodology (including development of algorithms and software). The first volume of the Proceedings contains five chapters. The first is an historical review by George B. Dantzig of his own and related research in time-staged linear programming problems. Chapter 2 contains five papers which address various techniques for exploiting sparsity and degeneracy in the now standard LU decomposition of the basis used with the simplex algorithm for standard (unstructured) problems. The six papers of Chapter 3 concern aspects of variants of the simplex method which take into account through basis factorization the specific block-angular structure of constraint matrices generated by dynamic and/or stochastic linear programs. In Chapter 4, five papers address extensions of the original Dantzig-Wolfe procedure for utilizing the structure of planning problems by decomposing the original LP into LP subproblems coordinated by a relatively simple LP master problem of a certain type. Chapter 5 contains four papers which constitute a mini-symposium on the now famous Shor-Khachian ellipsoidal method applied to both real and integer linear programs. The first chapter of Volume 2 contains three papers on non-simplex methods for linear programming. The remaining chapters of Volume 2 concern topics of present interest in the field. A bibliography a large-scale linear programming research completes Volume 2

Earth resources technology satellite operations control center and data processing facility. Book 2 - Systems studies Final report

Systems analysis for ERTS NASA Data Processing Facility system and subsystem