Quality assessment tool

This invention relates to a new parameter suitable for use in non-intrusive speech quality assessment system. The invention provides a method of generating a parameter from a signal comprising a sequence of values measured from voiced portions of said signal at a sampling frequency, said parameter suitable for use in a quality assessment tool, said method comprising the steps of a) selecting a sectionof said signal; b) performing a frequency transform on said section to provide a sequence of frequency values;c) generating a pitch frequency estimate; d) selecting a plurality of portions of said sequence of frequency values in dependence upon said pitch frequency estimate, said portions having a frequency range and a central frequency; e) generating an average value for each of said plurality of portions;f) generating a section parameter in dependence upon the difference between the average value for one portion of said sequence of frequency values and the average valuefor a subsequent portion of said sequence of frequency values;g) repeating steps a) - f) to provide a plurality of said section parameters and generating said parameter by generating anaverage in dependence upon said plurality of said section parameters. <IMAGE>