Patent Document ID: 5481642
Application ID: 08287636
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. In a communication system, a method for encoding an input signal to form a set of output signals, said method comprising the steps of: transducing an acoustic signal to generate said input signal; generating one or more predictor parameter signals, including one or more long term predictor parameter signals, for said input signal; generating a plurality of candidate signals, each of said candidate signals being synthesized by filtering a coded excitation signal in a filter characterized by said predictor parameter signals, each of said coded excitation signals having an associated index signal, and each of said coded excitation signals being amplitude adjusted in accordance with the value of a gain control signal prior to said filtering; comparing each of said candidate signals with said input signal to determine a degree of similarity therebetween; jointly selecting a coded excitation signal and a value for said gain signal such that said degree of similarity is maximized, subject to the constraint that said value for said gain signal be chosen such that a predefined first function of the level of the input signal relative to the candidate signal exceeds a predefined threshold function; for each of said input signals, selecting said predictor parameter signals, said index signal corresponding to said selected coded excitation signal and said selected value for said gain signal as said set of output signals which represent said input signal.