Speech transcoding in packet networks

A method, comprising:

• receiving a packet at a packet loss detector of a transcoder;
• omitting jitter buffering before decoding in the transcoder and omitting bad frame handling in a decoding stage of the transcoder;
• decoding the packet into a decoded packet;
• encoding the decoded packet into a re-encoded packet;
• transmitting the re-encoded packet from the transcoder;
• monitoring for a received packet;
• freezing a decoder and an encoder of the transcoder when a packet is not received;
• sending packet loss information from the decoder to the encoder when a packet loss is detected;
• and
• setting an outgoing packet stream to permit detection of missing packets by a downstream decoder upon receiving a valid packet after the packet is not received.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a packet loss detector configured to receive a packet at the packet loss detector, wherein the apparatus is configured to omit jitter buffering before decoding and to omit bad frame handling in a decoding stage;
• a decoder configured to decode the packet into a decoded packet;
• an encoder configured to encode the decoded packet into a re-encoded packet;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the re-encoded packet from the transcoder,
• wherein the packet loss detector is further configured to monitor for a received packet;
• and
• freeze the decoder and the encoder when a packet is not received,
• wherein the decoder is configured to send packet loss information to the encoder when a packet loss is detected, and
• wherein the encoder is configured to set an outgoing packet stream to permit detection of missing packets by a downstream decoder upon receiving a valid packet after the packet is not received.

An apparatus, comprising:

• receiving means for receiving a packet at a packet loss detector of a transcoder, wherein the apparatus is configured to omit jitter buffering before decoding and to omit bad frame handling in a decoding stage;
• decoding means for decoding the packet into a decoded packet;
• encoding means for encoding the decoded packet into a re-encoded packet;
• and
• transmitting means for transmitting the re-encoded packet from the transcoder;
• monitoring means for monitoring for a received packet;
• freezing means for freezing a decoder and an encoder of the transcoder when a packet is not received;
• sending means for sending packet loss information from the decoder to the encoder when a packet loss is detected;
• and
• setting means for setting an outgoing packet stream to permit detection of missing packets by a downstream decoder upon receiving a valid packet after the packet is not received.