Adjusting audio sampling used with wideband audio

1. A method of adjusting digital audio sampling used with wideband audio, comprising the steps of:

(a) performing audio sampling on an analog audio signal at a fixed sampling rate and an initial bit rate over a wideband audio frequency range;

(b) generating a digital audio signal based on the audio sampling based on a pitch frequency and a formant frequency;

(c) detecting a qualitative error between the analog audio signal and the digital audio signal;

(d) decreasing the initial bit rate for sampling subsequent analog audio when the qualitative error is below a threshold, wherein the initial bit rate is decreased over an upper portion of the wideband audio frequency range while the initial bit rate is maintained for a lower portion of the wideband audio frequency range, wherein the upper portion of the wideband audio frequency is above 4kHz while the lower portion of the wideband audio frequency is below 4kHz; and

(e) when the qualitative error is not below the threshold, carrying out step (b) based on a new pitch frequency and/or a new formant frequency and, then, carrying out steps (c) through (e).

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of identifying a frame in the analog audio signal containing silence and decreasing the initial bit rate based on the silence.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of decreasing the initial bit rate based on language.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fixed sampling rate is greater than 24 kHz and the initial bit rate is greater than 32 bits.

5. A method of adjusting digital audio sampling used with wideband audio, comprising the steps of:

(a) performing audio sampling on an analog audio signal at an initial sampling rate and an initial bit rate over a wideband audio frequency range;

(b) estimating a pitch frequency, a formant frequency, or both based on the audio sampling;

(c) generating a digital audio signal based on the estimated pitch frequency, formant frequency, or both;

(d) determining a qualitative error value between the analog audio signal and the digital audio signal;

(e) when the qualitative error value is below a threshold: (e1) reducing the initial sampling rate, the initial bit rate, or both to obtain a reduced initial sampling rate, a reduced initial bit rate, or both; and (e2) sampling subsequent audio using the estimated pitch frequency, the estimated formant frequency, or both, and the reduced initial sampling rate, the reduced initial bit rate, or both, wherein the initial sampling rate, the initial bit rate, or both are reduced over an upper portion of the wideband audio frequency range while the initial sampling rate, the initial bit rate, or both are maintained for a lower portion of the wideband audio frequency range, wherein the upper portion of the wideband audio frequency range is above 4 kHz while the lower portion of the wideband audio frequency range is below 4 kHz; and

(f) when the qualitative error value is not below the threshold, carrying out one or more further iterations of steps (b) through (e) until the qualitative error value is below the threshold, wherein the one or more further iterations of steps (b) and (e) are carried out so that a new pitch frequency, a new formant frequency, or both are estimated and a new qualitative error value is determined, and so that the initial sampling rate, the initial bit rate, or both are then decreased when the new qualitative error value is below the threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of identifying a frame in the analog audio signal containing silence and decreasing the initial sampling rate, the initial bit rate, or both based on the silence.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of decreasing the initial sampling rate, the initial bit rate, or both based on language.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the initial sampling rate is greater than 24 kHz and the initial bit rate is greater than 32 bits.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining a spoken language in which the analog audio signal corresponds to, and wherein the upper portion of the wideband audio frequency range is selected based on the spoken language.