A flexible low-delay TDMA frame structure

A low-delay TDMA (time division multiple access) frame structure is proposed to support low-delay speech coders in a 2-wire loop environment without requiring echo cancelers. When incorporated into a superframe structure, the low-delay TDMA architecture can support medium-delay speech codecs and also lends flexibility to the system. The performance of a code for joint burst synchronization and error detection to support the shorter burst is analyzed. Guard time considerations and portable transmitter and receiver timing are also investigated for the shorter burst. The proposed frame structure is consistent with the advantages of TDMA radio technology. Avoiding echo cancelers makes TDMA even more acceptable for early deployment in the loop plant