System and method for validating codec software

A system for evaluating the QoS (quality of speech) of real-time audio data, the system comprising:

• a target system comprising a first endpoint and a second endpoint engaged in a real-time audio session, each of the endpoints coupled to an audio coder configured to receive an encoder input data and produce an encoder output data and to receive a decoder input data and produce a decoder output data, the encoder input data comprising a real-time digital audio sample and the decoder input data comprising a real-time digital encoded audio sample;
• a data network routing a plurality of packetized data among the endpoints of the target system and among the target system and a validation server;
• and
• the validation server comprising a database and a speech quality evaluator and during the session the evaluator configured to receive a duplicate of the encoder output data of the first endpoint and the decoder input data of the second endpoint, wherein the decoder input data of the second endpoint is the encoder output data of the first endpoint after transmission across the data network, and the speech quality evaluator configured to evaluate the speech quality of the data and to transmit a real-time QoS rating for the first endpoint.

A method for validating codec software during a real-time audio session of a target system, the target system comprising a first endpoint and a second endpoint engaged in live audio communication, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a remote validation server from the first endpoint, an encoder input data comprising a real-time digital audio sample of the first endpoint and an encoder output data comprising the digital audio sample encoded for digital transmission;
• receiving, at-the validation server, a decoder input data comprising a real-time digital encoded digital sample of the second endpoint and the decoder output data comprising the digital sample of the second endpoint decoded by the first endpoint;
• comparing the received encoder output data to a pre-tested reference encoder output;
• comparing the received decoder output data to a pre-tested reference decoder output;
• continuing the comparing for all received data;
• and
• transmitting an error message to an alert device indicating a mismatch between the reference output and the output datas.