Voice enhancement system and method

A method for providing voice enhancement in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:

• determining the average power of an input voice-band signal;
• determining a scaling factor in response to the average power of the input voice-band signal;
• equalizing the input voice-band signal by attenuating a predetermined portion of the input voice-band signal;
• scaling the equalized input voice-band signal with the scaling factor;
• measuring the power of the input voice-band signal above and below a predetermined frequency;
• comparing the power measurements to power measurements expected for a previously scaled signal;
• coupling the scaled voice-band signal to an output or decoupling the scaled voice-band signal from the output in response to said comparing step;
• and
• detecting voice-band data in the input signal and decoupling the scaled voice-band signal from the output.

A system for providing enhancement to a voice-band signal in a telecommunications network, comprising:

• a power averager for determining the average power of the voice-band signal;
• an equalizer for attenuating a predetermined portion of the voice-band signal;
• an output scaler for scaling the equalized voice-band signal with a scaling factor in response to the determined average power;
• a tandem voice enhancement detector for detecting when the voice-band signal has been previously scaled, wherein the tandem voice enhancement detector
• measures the power in the voice-band signal above and below a predetermined frequency,
• compares the power measurements to power measurements expected for a previously scaled signal, and
• prevents the equalizer and the output scaler from equailizing and scaling the voice-band signal in response to the comparison.

A system for providing enhancement to a voice-band signal in a telecommunications network, comprising:

• an input for accepting the voice-band signal;
• an output for receiving a signal;
• and
• a coupling between said input and output including a voice enhancer, said voice enhancer comprising:
• a power averager for determining the average power of the voice-band signal;
• an equalizer for attenuating a predetermined portion of the voice-band signal;
• an output scaler coupled to said output for scaling the equalized voice-band signal with a scaling factor in response to the determined average power and providing the scaled signal to said output;
• and
• a tandem voice enhancement detector for detecting when the voice-band signal has been previously scaled, wherein the tandem voice enhancement detector
• measures the power in the voice-band signal above and below a predetermined frequency,
• compares the power measurements to power measurements expected for a previously scaled signal, and
• decouples said output scaler from said output in response to said comparing step.