Glottal-synchronous speech processing

Glottal-synchronous speech processing is a field of speech science where the pseudoperiodicity of voiced speech is exploited. Traditionally, speech processing involves segmenting and processing short speech frames of predefined length; this may fail to exploit the inherent periodic structure of voiced speech which glottal-synchronous speech frames have the potential to harness. Glottal-synchronous frames are often derived from the glottal closure instants (GCIs) and glottal opening instants (GOIs). The SIGMA algorithm was developed for the detection of GCIs and GOIs from the Electroglottograph signal with a measured accuracy of up to 99.59%. For GCI and GOI detection from speech signals, the YAGA algorithm provides a measured accuracy of up to 99.84%. Multichannel speech-based approaches are shown to be more robust to reverberation than single-channel algorithms. The GCIs are applied to real-world applications including speech dereverberation, where SNR is improved by up to 5 dB, and to prosodic manipulation where the importance of voicing detection in glottal-synchronous algorithms is demonstrated by subjective testing. The GCIs are further exploited in a new area of data-driven speech modelling, providing new insights into speech production and a set of tools to aid deployment into real-world applications. The technique is shown to be applicable in areas of speech coding, identification and artificial bandwidth extension of telephone speec

A novel framework for high-quality voice source analysis and synthesis

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The analysis, parameterization and modeling of voice source estimates obtained via inverse filtering of recorded speech are some of the most challenging areas of speech processing owing to the fact humans produce a wide range of voice source realizations and that the voice source estimates commonly contain artifacts due to the non-linear time-varying source-filter coupling. Currently, the most widely adopted representation of voice source signal is Liljencrants-Fant's (LF) model which was developed in late 1985. Due to the overly simplistic interpretation of voice source dynamics, LF model can not represent the fine temporal structure of glottal flow derivative realizations nor can it carry the sufficient spectral richness to facilitate a truly natural sounding speech synthesis. In this thesis we have introduced Characteristic Glottal Pulse Waveform Parameterization and Modeling (CGPWPM) which constitutes an entirely novel framework for voice source analysis, parameterization and reconstruction. In comparative evaluation of CGPWPM and LF model we have demonstrated that the proposed method is able to preserve higher levels of speaker dependant information from the voice source estimates and realize a more natural sounding speech synthesis. In general, we have shown that CGPWPM-based speech synthesis rates highly on the scale of absolute perceptual acceptability and that speech signals are faithfully reconstructed on consistent basis, across speakers, gender. We have applied CGPWPM to voice quality profiling and text-independent voice quality conversion method. The proposed voice conversion method is able to achieve the desired perceptual effects and the modified speech remained as natural sounding and intelligible as natural speech. In this thesis, we have also developed an optimal wavelet thresholding strategy for voice source signals which is able to suppress aspiration noise and still retain both the slow and the rapid variations in the voice source estimate

Detection of faults in a scaled down doubly-fed induction generator using advanced signal processing techniques.

The study ventures into the development of a micro-based doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) test rig for fault studies. The 5kW wound rotor induction machine (WRIM) that was used in the test rig was based on a scaled-down version of a 2.5MW doubly fed induction generator (DFIG). The micromachine has been customized to make provision for implementing stator inter-turn short-circuit faults (ITSCF), rotor ITSCF and static eccentricity (SE) faults in the laboratory environment. The micromachine has been assessed under the healthy and faulty states, both before and after incorporating a converter into the rotor circuit of the machine. In each scenario, the fault signatures have been characterised by analyzing the stator current, rotor current, and the DFIG controller signals using the motor current signature analysis (MCSA) and discrete wavelet transform (DWT) analysis techniques to detect the dominant frequency components which are indicative of these faults. The purpose of the study is to evaluate and identify the most suitable combination of signals and techniques for the detection of each fault under steady-state and transient operating conditions. The analyses of the results presented in this study have indicated that characterizing the fault indicators independent of the converter system ensured clarity in the fault diagnosis process and enabled the development of a systematic fault diagnosis approach that can be applied to a controlled DFIG. It has been demonstrated that the occurrence of the ITSCFs and the SE fault in the micro-WRIM intensifies specific frequency components in the spectral plots of the stator current, rotor current, and the DFIG controller signals, which may then serve as the dominant fault indicators. These dominant components may be used as fault markers for classification and have been used for pattern recognition under the transient condition. In this case, the DWT and spectrogram plots effectively illustrated characteristic patterns of the dominant fault indicators, which were observed to evolve uniquely and more distinguishable in the rotor current signal compared to the stator current signal, before incorporating the converter in the rotor circuit. Therefore, by observing the trends portrayed in the decomposition bands and the spectrogram plots, it is deemed a reliable method of diagnosing and possibly quantifying the intensity of the faults in the machine. Once the power electronic converter was incorporated into the rotor circuit, the DFIG controller signals have been observed to be best suited for diagnosing faults in the micro-DFIG under the steady-state operating condition, as opposed to using the terminal stator or rotor current signals. The study also assessed the impact of undervoltage conditions at the point of common coupling (PCC) on the behaviour of the micro-DFIG. In this investigation, a significant rise in the faulted currents was observed for the undervoltage condition in comparison to the faulty cases under the rated grid voltage conditions. In this regard, it could be detrimental to the operation of the micro-DFIG, particularly the faulted phase windings, and the power electronic converter, should the currents exceed the rated values for extended periods

The application of advanced signal processing techniques to the condition monitoring of electrical machine drive systems

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-129).The thesis examines the use of two time-frequency domain signal processing tools in its application to condition monitoring of electrical machine drive systems. The mathematical and signal processing tools which are explored are wavelet analysis and a non-stationary adaptive signal processing algorithm. Four specific applications are identified for the research. These applications were specifically chosen to encapsulate important issues in condition monitoring of variable speed drive systems. The main aim of the project is to highlight the need for fault detection during machine transients and to illustrate the effectiveness of incorporating and adapting these new class of algorithms to detect faults in electrical machine drive systems during non-stationary conditions

Unifying Amplitude and Phase Analysis: A Compositional Data Approach to Functional Multivariate Mixed-Effects Modeling of Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is characterized by being a tonal language; the pitch (or $F_0$) of its utterances carries considerable linguistic information. However, speech samples from different individuals are subject to changes in amplitude and phase which must be accounted for in any analysis which attempts to provide a linguistically meaningful description of the language. A joint model for amplitude, phase and duration is presented which combines elements from Functional Data Analysis, Compositional Data Analysis and Linear Mixed Effects Models. By decomposing functions via a functional principal component analysis, and connecting registration functions to compositional data analysis, a joint multivariate mixed effect model can be formulated which gives insights into the relationship between the different modes of variation as well as their dependence on linguistic and non-linguistic covariates. The model is applied to the COSPRO-1 data set, a comprehensive database of spoken Taiwanese Mandarin, containing approximately 50 thousand phonetically diverse sample $F_0$ contours (syllables), and reveals that phonetic information is jointly carried by both amplitude and phase variation.Comment: 49 pages, 13 figures, small changes to discussio

Basic spline wavelet transform and pitch detection of a speech signal

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1994.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-133).by Ken Wenchian Lee.M.S

Wind Power Integration into Power Systems: Stability and Control Aspects

Power network operators are rapidly incorporating wind power generation into their power grids to meet the widely accepted carbon neutrality targets and facilitate the transition from conventional fossil-fuel energy sources to clean and low-carbon renewable energy sources. Complex stability issues, such as frequency, voltage, and oscillatory instability, are frequently reported in the power grids of many countries and regions (e.g., Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and South Australia) due to the substantially increased wind power generation. Control techniques, such as virtual/emulated inertia and damping controls, could be developed to address these stability issues, and additional devices, such as energy storage systems, can also be deployed to mitigate the adverse impact of high wind power generation on various system stability problems. Moreover, other wind power integration aspects, such as capacity planning and the short- and long-term forecasting of wind power generation, also require careful attention to ensure grid security and reliability. This book includes fourteen novel research articles published in this Energies Special Issue on Wind Power Integration into Power Systems: Stability and Control Aspects, with topics ranging from stability and control to system capacity planning and forecasting