VOCODER

n. speech analyzing device that uses filters to divide the speech spectrum into separate bands (also known as a voice coder)

A vocoder or voder (a portmanteau of voice and encoder) is a speech analyzer and synthesizer. It was originally developed as a speech coder for telecommunications applications in the 1930s, the idea being to code speech for transmission. Its primary use in this fashion is for secure radio communication, where voice has to be digitized, encrypted and then transmitted on a narrow, voice-bandwidth channel. The vocoder has also been used extensively as an electronic musical instrument.
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n. vocoder, a system encoding speech for transmission, speech analyser and synthesizer

Abbreviation for voice-coder. A device that usually consists of a speech analyzer, which converts analog speech waveforms into narrowband digital signals, and a speech synthesizer, which converts the digital signals into artificial speech sounds. (188 ) Note 1: For COMSEC purposes, a vocoder may be used in conjunction with a key generator and a modulator-demodulator to transmit digitally encrypted speech signals over narrowband voice communications channels. These devices are used to reduce the bandwidth requirements for transmitting digitized speech signals. Note 2: Some analog vocoders move incoming signals from one portion of the spectrum to another portion.

<communications> Hardware or software which implements a compression algorithm particular to voice.
For example Qualcomm uses a vocoding algorithm to compresses voice data in digital communication systems such as wireless CDMA and Eudora voice attach.
(1998-04-29)