Patent US 5,195,166

The pitch estimation method is improved. Sub-integer resolution pitch values are estimated in making the initial pitch estimate; the sub-integer pitch values are preferably estimated by interpolating intermediate variables between integer values. Pitch regions are used to reduce the amount of computation required in making the initial pitch estimate. Pitch-dependent resolution is used in making the initial pitch estimate, with higher resolution being used for smaller values of pitch. The accuracy of the voiced/unvoiced decision is improved by making the decision dependent on the energy of the current segment relative to the energy of recent prior segments; if the relative energy is low, the current segment favors an unvoiced decision; if high, it favors a voiced decision. Voiced harmonics are generated using a hybrid approach; some voiced harmonics are generated in the time domain, whereas the remaining harmonics are generated in the frequency domain; this preserves much of the computational savings of the frequency domain approach, while at the same time improving speech quality. Voiced harmonics generated in the frequency domin are generated with higher frequency accuracy; the harmonics are frequency sealed, transformed into the time domain with a Discrete Fourier Transform, interpolated and then time scaled.