Innovations in phase quantization during speech encoding and phase reconstruction during speech decoding are described. For example, to encode a set of phase values, a speech encoder omits higher-frequency phase values and/or represents at least some of the phase values as a weighted sum of basis functions. Or, as another example, to decode a set of phase values, a speech decoder reconstructs at least some of the phase values using a weighted sum of basis functions and/or reconstructs lower-frequency phase values then uses at least some of the lower-frequency phase values to synthesize higher-frequency phase values. In many cases, the innovations improve the performance of a speech codec in low bitrate scenarios, even when encoded data is delivered over a network that suffers from insufficient bandwidth or transmission quality problems.

Innovations in phase quantization during speech encoding and phase reconstruction during speech decoding are described. For example, to encode a set of phase values, a speech encoder omits higher-frequency phase values and/or represents at least some of the phase values as a weighted sum of basis functions. Or, as another example, to decode a set of phase values, a speech decoder reconstructs at least some of the phase values using a weighted sum of basis functions and/or reconstructs lower-frequency phase values then uses at least some of the lower-frequency phase values to synthesize higher-frequency phase values. In many cases, the innovations improve the performance of a speech codec in low bitrate scenarios, even when encoded data is delivered over a network that suffers from insufficient bandwidth or transmission quality problems.

The invention provides methods and devices for stereo encoding and decoding using complex prediction in the frequency domain. In one embodiment, a decoding method, for obtaining an output stereo signal from an input stereo signal encoded by complex prediction coding and comprising first frequency-domain representations of two input channels, comprises the upmixing steps of: (i) computing a second frequency-domain representation of a first input channel; and (ii) computing an output channel on the basis of the first and second frequency-domain representations of the first input channel, the first frequency-domain representation of the second input channel and a complex prediction coefficient. The upmixing can be suspended responsive to control data.

The invention provides methods and devices for stereo encoding and decoding using complex prediction in the frequency domain. In one embodiment, a decoding method, for obtaining an output stereo signal from an input stereo signal encoded by complex prediction coding and comprising first frequency-domain representations of two input channels, comprises the upmixing steps of: (i) computing a second frequency-domain representation of a first input channel; and (ii) computing an output channel on the basis of the first and second frequency-domain representations of the first input channel, the first frequency-domain representation of the second input channel and a complex prediction coefficient. The upmixing can be suspended responsive to control data.

An ear-wearable electronic device is operable to apply a low-pass filter to the digitized voice signal to remove a high-frequency component and obtain a low-frequency component. Speech enhancement is applied to the low-frequency component. Blind bandwidth extension is applied to the enhanced low-frequency component to recover or synthesize an estimate of at least part of the high frequency component. An enhanced speech signal is output that is a combination of the enhanced low-frequency component and the bandwidth-extended high frequency component.

An audio signal is transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver in a hearing device, particularly a hearing aid. A communication facility configured for transmitting and/or receiving the audio signal. A hearing device system has two hearing devices configured to transmit audio signals between the two hearing devices by way of their communication facilities in accordance with the method.

A method and apparatus for providing signal processing coefficients for processing an input signal at a predetermined signal processing sampling rate, wherein the input signal is received at an input signal sampling rate, the method comprising the steps of computing a correlation or covariance function based on the received input signal at the input signal sampling rate to provide correlation or covariance coefficients at the input signal sampling rate, re-sampling the computed correlation or covariance coefficients having the input signal sampling rate to provide correlation or covariance coefficients at the predetermined signal processing sampling rate, and calculating the signal processing coefficients based on the correlation or covariance coefficients at the predetermined signal processing sampling rate.

A method and apparatus for providing signal processing coefficients for processing an input signal at a predetermined signal processing sampling rate, wherein the input signal is received at an input signal sampling rate, the method comprising the steps of computing a correlation or covariance function based on the received input signal at the input signal sampling rate to provide correlation or covariance coefficients at the input signal sampling rate, re-sampling the computed correlation or covariance coefficients having the input signal sampling rate to provide correlation or covariance coefficients at the predetermined signal processing sampling rate, and calculating the signal processing coefficients based on the correlation or covariance coefficients at the predetermined signal processing sampling rate.

A method transmits an audio signal from a transmitter to a receiver and a hearing device, particularly a hearing aid, contains a communication facility which is provided and configured for transmitting and/or receiving an audio signal according to the method. A hearing device system has two hearing devices and is provided and configured to transmit audio signals between the two hearing devices by their communication facilities according to the method.

A method of accessing a dial-up service is disclosed. An example method of providing access to a service includes receiving a first speech signal from a user to form a first utterance; recognizing the first utterance using speaker independent speaker recognition; requesting the user to enter a personal identification number; and when the personal identification number is valid, receiving a second speech signal to form a second utterance and providing access to the service.