Variable-Data-Rate Speech Encoder

A variable-data-rate (VDR) speech encoder has been designed to be interoperable with, and eventually to supplant, the many different voice encoders now used in military communication systems. Because these older systems were designed to utilize specific radio links with fixed and limited channel capacities, these systems utilize many different voice compression algorithms operating at various fixed rates. The incompatibility of these systems is an obstacle to interoperability. Emerging net-centric communication systems promise to provide connectivity to all military users, but compatible encoding will be necessary for interoperability, and encryption will be necessary for secure communications.