Method and system for the arrangement of vocoder data for the masking of transmission channel induced errors

In a vocoding system in which a vocoder produces variable rate frames of parameter data and corresponding frame rate indication, a data packing system for assembling each frame of parameter data into a data packet comprising:

• parity check bit computation means for receiving a frame rate indication and predetermined portions of a frame of parameter data, said parity check bit computation means responsive to a highest frame rate indication for computing and providing an output of parity check bit data;
• and
• data packing means for receiving said frame rate indication, said frame of parameter data and said parity check bit data said data packing means responsive to said frame rate indication for organizing said frame of parameter data for output according to a predetermined format in a data packet, wherein at said highest frame rate indication said data packing means arranges said data packet such that a sequence of a portion of each parameter data of one parameter data type is provided in a beginning packet portion, and a sequence of a remaining portion of each parameter data of said one parameter data type is provided, exclusively within a remaining packet portion following said beginning packet portion, with remaining parameter data of said frame of parameter data and said parity check bit data.

In a vocoding system in which received variable rate frames of data contain vocoded speech parameter data, with the frame data formatted according to a predetermined format, and the parameter data is decoded into corresponding frames of speech samples, a system for reorganizing parameter data within each received variable rate frame of parameter data comprising:

• input means for receiving and storing a frame of data, and for providing an ordered sequence of data of said received frame of data in accordance with a control signal;
• and
• unpacking means for providing said control signal in accordance with a frame rate indication for said received frame of data.

A vocoder comprising:

• vocoder engine means for receiving a frame of speech samples and providing speech parameter data representing said frame of speech samples in accordance with a predetermined speech model;
• and
• ordering means for receiving said speech parameter data and providing a packet of speech parameter data wherein most perceptually significant portions of said speech parameters are provided in a first part of said packet followed by a second part of said packet within which remaining portions of said speech parameter data are exclusively provided, wherein portions of said remaining portions of speech parameter data are interleaved exclusively throughout said second part of said packet in accordance with at least one predetermined format.

In a communication system wherein data from a frame of data is reordered to provide more significant portions of said data in a first half of a transmission packet and wherein remaining portions of said data are provided exclusively in a second half of said transmission packet distinct from said first half of said transmission packet, and wherein portions of said remaining data are interleaved exclusively throughout said second half of said transmission packet, a subsystem for reordering said frame of data comprising:

• control means for providing a control signal based upon a frame rate associated with said transmission packet, said control signal being indicative of an unpacking order for said transmission packet;
• and
• input means for receiving said transmission packet and providing reordered data from said transmission packet in accordance with said control signal.

In a communication system wherein a frame of speech samples is encoded according to a speech model to provide a frame of parameter data and wherein said frame of parameter data is reordered to provide more significant portions of said parameter data in a first half of a transmission packet and wherein remaining portions of said parameter data are provided exclusively in a second half of said transmission packet distinct from said first half of said transmission packet and wherein portions of said remaining data are interleaved exclusively throughout said second half of said transmission packet, a system for providing an estimate of said speech data from said transmission packet comprising:

• ordering means for receiving said transmission packet and providing reconstructed estimates of said parameter data from said transmission packet, said reconstructed estimates of said parameter data being ordered in response to a frame rate associated with said transmission packet;
• and
• vocoder means for receiving said reconstructed estimates of said parameter data and decoding said reconstructed estimates of said parameter data in accordance with said speech model to provide an estimate of said frame of speech samples.

In a vocoding system, a method for formatting speech parameter data into a data packet for transmission, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating said speech parameter data in response to an input frame of speech samples wherein certain data of said speech parameter data is of greater relative importance than other data of said speech parameter data;
• providing a certain portion of said certain data within a beginning packet portion of a data packet, said beginning packet portion of said data packet including exclusively said certain portion of said certain data;
• providing interleaved data exclusively in a remaining packet portion of said data packet following said beginning packet portion, said interleaved data being formed by interleaving a remaining portion of said certain data with said other data.