An apparatus for determining an estimated pitch lag is provided. The apparatus includes an input interface for receiving a plurality of original pitch lag values, and a pitch lag estimator for estimating the estimated pitch lag. The pitch lag estimator is configured to estimate the estimated pitch lag depending on a plurality of original pitch lag values and depending on a plurality of information values, wherein for each original pitch lag value of the plurality of original pitch lag values, an information value of the plurality of information values is assigned to the original pitch lag value.

A system and method for masking an identity of a speaker of natural language speech, such as speech clips to be labeled by humans in a system generating voice transcriptions for training an automatic speech recognition model. The natural language speech is morphed prior to being presented to the human for labeling. In one embodiment, morphing comprises pitch shifting the speech randomly either up or down, then frequency shifting the speech, then pitch shifting the speech in a direction opposite the first pitch shift. Labeling the morphed speech comprises at least one or more of transcribing the morphed speech, identifying a gender of the speaker, identifying an accent of the speaker, and identifying a noise type of the morphed speech.

A system and method for masking an identity of a speaker of natural language speech, such as speech clips to be labeled by humans in a system generating voice transcriptions for training an automatic speech recognition model. The natural language speech is morphed prior to being presented to the human for labeling. In one embodiment, morphing comprises pitch shifting the speech randomly either up or down, then frequency shifting the speech, then pitch shifting the speech in a direction opposite the first pitch shift. Labeling the morphed speech comprises at least one or more of transcribing the morphed speech, identifying a gender of the speaker, identifying an accent of the speaker, and identifying a noise type of the morphed speech.

An audio signal transmission device for encoding an audio signal includes an audio encoding unit that encodes an audio signal and a side information encoding unit that calculates and encodes side information from a look-ahead signal. An audio signal receiving device for decoding an audio code and outputting an audio signal includes: an audio code buffer that detects packet loss based on a received state of an audio packet, an audio parameter decoding unit that decodes an audio code when an audio packet is correctly received, a side information decoding unit that decodes a side information code when an audio packet is correctly received, a side information accumulation unit that accumulates side information obtained by decoding a side information code, an audio parameter missing processing unit that outputs an audio parameter upon detection of audio packet loss, and an audio synthesis unit that synthesizes decoded audio from the audio parameter.

An audio signal transmission device for encoding an audio signal includes an audio encoding unit that encodes an audio signal and a side information encoding unit that calculates and encodes side information from a look-ahead signal. An audio signal receiving device for decoding an audio code and outputting an audio signal includes: an audio code buffer that detects packet loss based on a received state of an audio packet, an audio parameter decoding unit that decodes an audio code when an audio packet is correctly received, a side information decoding unit that decodes a side information code when an audio packet is correctly received, a side information accumulation unit that accumulates side information obtained by decoding a side information code, an audio parameter missing processing unit that outputs an audio parameter upon detection of audio packet loss, and an audio synthesis unit that synthesizes decoded audio from the audio parameter.

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.

Described are an encoder for coding speech-like content and/or general audio content, wherein the encoder is configured to embed, at least in some frames, parameters in a bitstream, which parameters enhance a concealment in case an original frame is lost, corrupted or delayed, and a decoder for decoding speech-like content and/or general audio content, wherein the decoder is configured to use parameters which are sent later in time to enhance a concealment in case an original frame is lost, corrupted or delayed, as well as a method for encoding and a method for decoding.

Embodiments of the invention relate to an error concealment unit for providing an error concealment audio information for concealing a loss of an audio frame in an encoded audio information. The error concealment unit provides a first error concealment audio information component for a first frequency range using a frequency domain concealment. The error concealment unit also provides a second error concealment audio information component for a second frequency range, which includes lower frequencies than the first frequency range, using a time domain concealment. The error concealment unit also combines the first error concealment audio information component and the second error concealment audio information component, to obtain the error concealment audio information. Other embodiments of the invention relate to a decoder including the error concealment unit, as well as related encoders, methods, and computer programs for decoding and/or concealing.

Embodiments of the invention relate to an error concealment unit for providing an error concealment audio information for concealing a loss of an audio frame in an encoded audio information. The error concealment unit provides a first error concealment audio information component for a first frequency range using a frequency domain concealment. The error concealment unit also provides a second error concealment audio information component for a second frequency range, which includes lower frequencies than the first frequency range, using a time domain concealment. The error concealment unit also combines the first error concealment audio information component and the second error concealment audio information component, to obtain the error concealment audio information. Other embodiments of the invention relate to a decoder including the error concealment unit, as well as related encoders, methods, and computer programs for decoding and/or concealing.

An audio decoder for providing a decoded audio information on the basis of an encoded audio information. The audio decoder has an error concealment configured to provide an error concealment audio information for concealing a loss of an audio frame, wherein the error concealment is configured to modify a time domain excitation signal obtained for one or more audio frames preceding a lost audio frame, in order to obtain the error concealment audio information.