Efficient bit allocation for an arbitrary set of quantizers [speech coding]

A bit allocation algorithm that is capable of efficiently allocating a given quota of bits to an arbitrary set of different quantizers is proposed. This algorithm is useful in any coding scheme which uses bit allocation or, more generally, codebook allocation. It produces an optimal or very nearly optimal allocation, while allowing the set of admissible bit allocation values to be constrained to nonnegative integers. It is particularly useful in cases where the quantizer performance versus rate is irregular and changing in time, a situation that cannot be handled by conventional allocation algorithms