Hierarchical approach to formant detection and tracking through instantaneous frequency estimation

Formant frequencies, represented by major peaks in the spectrum of speech signals, convey important information about speech. The authors propose a method for detecting the formants of voiced speech through 'instantaneous frequency' (IF) estimation using a recursive least square (RLS) algorithm. The accuracy of the technique is assessed by comparing it with conventional formant detection techniques. This method is also analysed from the viewpoint of phonetic conformity using 'temporal decomposition'.