Improving EVRC half rate by the algebraic VQ-CELP

This paper presents an algebraic vector quantized codebook excited linear prediction (AVQ-CELP) speech codec. The objective is to enhance the half rate mode of IS-127, the enhanced variable rate codec (EVRC). In AVQ-CELP scheme, only the perceptually important components are encoded, and the selection of the components is done in a way similar to the ACELP. An open-loop procedure is used to select the subvectors. The selected sub-vectors are concatenated and vector quantized. An analysis-by-synthesis strategy is used to determine the optimal excitation. The generalized Lloyd algorithm (GLA) is used to optimize the AVQ codebook. In order to improve the synthesis quality of voiced frames, a two-pulse version of ACELP is used in the strong voiced frames. The proposed algorithm was incorporated in the Nokia CDMA handset prototype. Under a joint collaboration effort with SK Telecom, a field-testing was performed in Korea to evaluate the performance of the proposed AVQ algorithm. The results indicate a considerable improvement relative to the standard EVRC operating at the maximum half-rate