Apparatus for high-speed recording compressed digital audio data with two dimensional blocks and its compressing parameters

• US 5,548,574 A
• Filed: 03/03/1994
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Hiroshi, Akagiri, Kenzo, Shimoyoshi, Osamu, Mitsuno, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHU, KIM KWOK
• Application Number:
  US08/205,319
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 369/124, 369/58, 369/275.3, 369/47, 369/48, 369/54, 369/86, 360/53, 360/32, 360/48, 381/37, 381/30, 381/36, 381/41, 381/31, 395/2.38, 395/3.95, 395/2.12, 395/2.14, 395/2.13, 341/51, 341/50, 341/54, 341/64
• US Class Current: 369/124.09
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/0208 Subband vocoders
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/022 Blocking, i.e. grouping of samples in time; Choice of analysis windows; Overlap factoring
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 9/025 frequency-dependent volume compression or expansion, e.g. multiple-band systems H03G9/10, H03G9/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/665 using psychoacoustic properties of the ear, e.g. masking effect

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving compressed data, and a recording medium therefor, utilize frequency dividing filters for dividing the frequency range of digital signals into plural frequency bands, orthogonal transform circuits for producing signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, an adaptive bit allocation and encoding circuit for quantizing and compressing the information for each two-dimensional block and a bit allocation and calculating circuit. When recording the information together with information compressing parameters for each two-dimensional block, the information compressing parameters for at least two two-dimensional blocks are recorded collectively to avoid complicacy in the structure of the sampling frequency signal generating circuits or the like otherwise caused in case of providing plural sampling frequencies as well as to prevent an increase in hardware scale.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving compressed data in which digital signals are separated into signal components of plural frequency bands to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the signal components being quantized and compressed for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency so as to be recorded or transmitted along with information compressing parameters for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and/or in which the information-compressed signal components within each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are reproduced or received using the information compressing parameters for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, wherein the improvement comprises:

means for grouping for use in common the information compressing parameters for at least two of said two-dimensional blocks, prior to at least one of recording, transmitting, reproducing and receiving.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in the time domain.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in and neighboring each other in the time domain.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in the frequency domain.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in and neighboring each other in the frequency domain.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claims 2 or 4, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in at least one of the frequency domain and the time domain.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in and neighboring each other on at least one of the frequency domain and the time domain.

35. A recording medium having compressed data recorded thereon by the compressed data recording apparatus, or the compressed data recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving method as claimed in claims 1, 8, 27 or 34.

36. The recording medium as claimed in claim 35, wherein the recording medium comprises:

an optical disc recording medium.

37. The recording medium as claimed in claim 35, wherein the recording medium comprises:

a semiconductor recording medium.

8. An apparatus having modes for recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving compressed data in which digital signals are separated into signal components of plural frequency bands to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the signal components being quantized and compressed for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency so as to be recorded or transmitted along with information compressing parameters for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and/or in which the information-compressed signal components within each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are reproduced or received using the information compressing parameters for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, wherein the improvement comprises:

means for changing the number of plural information bit rates, with the number of the information compressing parameters being changed based upon an information bit rate for a selected mode.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

means for increasing the number of information-compressing parameters in response to a higher information bit rate for a selected mode.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

means for decreasing the number of information-compressing parameters in response to a lower information bit rate for a selected mode.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

means for changing the number of the information-compressing parameters in proportion to the information bit rates for the selected modes.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the information-compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in at least one of the time scale and the frequency scale to achieve a reduction in the number of the information-compressing parameters.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the information-compressing parameters of at least two neighboring two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in at least one of the time scale and the frequency scale to achieve a reduction in the number of the information-compressing parameters.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the information compressing parameters become larger in number for those modes having a lower information bit rate.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the information compressing parameters increase in inverse proportion to the information bit rate for each mode.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

means for producing at least one two-dimensional block which is at least one of a block-floating block and a quantization noise generation suppressing block.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claims 7 or 16 wherein input signals are audio signals, further comprising:

means for setting the frequency width of at least a majority of the quantization noise suppressing blocks to be broader towards higher frequencies.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claims 7 or 16, further comprising:

means for dividing the digital signals into plural frequency components, the plural frequency components divided into plural bands to produce signal components in the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and for orthogonally transforming for each band each block to produce coefficient data; and

means for converting signals in the plural bands in the frequency domain into signals in the time domain by inverse orthogonally transforming, for each of the plural bands in the frequency domain, the signals in each the plural bands; and

means for synthesizing such inverse orthogonally transformed signals to produce synthesized signals in the time domain.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

means for selecting to be the same for two consecutive bands in the lowest frequency range at least one of the frequency width on division from time-domain signals prior to orthogonal transform into plural bands in the frequency domain and the frequency width on synthesis from plural bands in the frequency domain subsequent to inverse orthogonal transform into signals in the time domain.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claims 7 or 16, further comprising:

orthogonal transform means for dividing the digital signals into plural frequency components to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency; and

inverse orthogonal transform means for converting signals in the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency into digital signals in the time domain.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

means for varying the block size of at least one of the orthogonal transform or the inverse orthogonal transform.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

means for selecting to be broader towards higher frequencies frequency width of divisions for at least one of time-domain signals prior to orthogonal transform into plural bands in the frequency domain and synthesized time domain signals subsequent to inverse orthogonal transform into signals in the time domain.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the means for selecting selects orthogonal transform block size to be the same among all of the modes having different information bit rates.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23, further comprising:

means for converting compressed data between modes having different information bit rates, such conversion of effected on the signal components in the frequency domain.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the means for converting compressed data between-modes, when mode-converting compressed data from a mode having a higher information bit rate to a mode having a lower information bit rate, converts the compressed data in the frequency domain.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the means for converting compressed data, when mode-converting compressed data from a mode having a lower information bit rate to a mode having a higher information bit rate, converts the compressed data on encoded compressed data.

27. A method for recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving compressed data in which digital signals are divided into signal components of plural frequency bands to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the signal components being quantized and compressed for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency so as to be recorded or transmitted along with information compressing parameters for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and/or in which the information-compressed signal components within each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are reproduced or received using the information compressing parameters for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, wherein the improvement comprises the step of:

grouping for use in common the information compressing parameters for at least two of said two-dimensional blocks for at least one of recording, transmitting, reproducing and receiving.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in the time domain.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in and neighboring each other in the time domain.

30. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in and neighboring each other in at least one of the frequency domain and the time domain.

31. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in the frequency domain.

32. The method as claimed in claims 28 or 31, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in at least one of the frequency domain and the time domain.

33. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the information compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks are arrayed in and neighboring each other in the frequency domain.

45. The method as claimed in claims 30 or 44, wherein input signals are audio signals, further comprising the step of:

setting the frequency width of at least the majority of the quantization noise generation suppressing blocks to be broader towards higher frequencies.

46. The method as claimed in claims 30 or 44, further comprising the steps of:

utilizing an orthogonal transform to divide the digital signals into plural frequency components for producing signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency; and

utilizing an inverse orthogonal transform to convert signals in the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency into digital signals in the time domain.

47. The method as claimed in claim 46, further comprising the step of:

setting the block size of at least one of the orthogonal transform and the inverse orthogonal transform to be variable.

48. The method as claimed in claim 46, further comprising the steps of:

dividing the frequency range into plural bands, in each of which blocks are formed, each block composed of plural samples, orthogonally transforming each of the plural bands to produce coefficient data, to thereby produce signal components in the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency;

converting signals in the plural bands in the frequency domain into signals in the time domain, by inverse orthogonally transforming signals within each of the plural bands; and

synthesizing the inverse orthogonally transformed signals to produce signals in the time domain.

49. The method as claimed in claim 48, further comprising the step of:

selecting the frequency width of the plural bands to be the same for two consecutive bands in the lowest frequency range.

50. The method as claimed in claim 49, further comprising the step of:

selecting the frequency width to be broader towards higher frequencies.

51. The method as claimed in claim 50, further comprising the step of:

selecting the orthogonal transform block size to be the same among the all of the modes having different information bit rates.

52. The method as claimed in claim 51, wherein when converting compressed data between modes having different information bit rates, such conversion of the compressed data is effected on the signal components in the frequency domain.

53. The method as claimed in claim 52, wherein when mode-converting compressed data from a mode having a higher information bit rate to a mode having a lower information bit rate, the conversion of the compressed data is performed on the signal components in the frequency domain.

54. The method as claimed in claim 53, wherein when mode-converting compressed data from a mode having a lower information bit rate to a mode having a higher information bit rate, the conversion of the compressed data is performed on encoded compressed data.

34. A method for recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving compressed data in which digital signals are divided into signal components of plural frequency bands to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the signal components being quantized and compressed for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency so as to be recorded or transmitted along with information compressing parameters for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and/or in which the information-compressed signal components within each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are reproduced or received using the information compressing parameters for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, wherein the improvement comprises the step of:

changing the number of the information compressing parameters based upon information transfer bit rates for a selected mode, the selected mode being at least one of recording, reproducing, transmitting and receiving.

38. The method as claimed in claim 34, further comprising the step of:

decreasing the number of information-compressing parameters in response to a lower information bit rate for a selected mode.

39. The method as claimed in claim 34, further comprising the step of:

increasing the number of the information-compressing parameters in response to an increased information bit rate for a selected mode.

40. The method as claimed in claims 38 or 39, further comprising the step of:

changing the number of the information-compressing parameters in proportion to the information bit rates for each selected mode.

41. The method as claimed in claim 40, further comprising the step of:

grouping together information-compressing parameters of at least two two-dimensional blocks, arrayed in at least one of the time scale and the frequency-scale to thereby achieve a reduction in the number of the information-compressing parameters.

42. The method as claimed in claim 40, further comprising the step of:

grouping together information-compressing parameters of at least two neighboring two-dimensional blocks, arrayed in at least one of the time scale and the frequency scale to thereby achieve a reduction in the number of the information-compressing parameters.

43. The method as claimed in claim 42, further comprising the step of:

grouping together the information compressing parameters which become larger in number for the mode having a lower information bit rate in inverse proportion to the information bit rate for such mode.

44. The method as claimed in claim 43, wherein the two-dimensional block is at least one of a block-floating block and a quantization noise generation suppressing block.

55. The method as claimed in claim 34, further comprising the step of:

grouping together the information compressing parameters which become larger in number for the mode having a lower information bit rate.

56. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein input signals are audio signals and the frequency width of at least a majority of quantization noise generation control blocks is selected to be broader towards higher frequencies.

57. The method as claimed in claim 56, wherein the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency blocks for block floating and/or blocks for controlling the generation of quantization noise.

58. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein an orthogonal transform is employed for dividing the digital signals into plural frequency components for producing signal components in two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and an inverse orthogonal transform is employed for converting signals in the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency into digital signals in the time domain.

59. The method as claimed in claim 58, wherein the block size of the orthogonal transform or the inverse orthogonal transform is set so as to be variable.

60. The method as claimed in claim 58, wherein for dividing the digital signals into plural frequency components for producing signal components in the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the frequency range is divided into plural bands, in each of which blocks each composed of plural samples are formed and orthogonal transform is executed for each band to produce coefficient data, and for converting signals in the plural bands in the frequency domain into signals in the time domain an inverse orthogonal transform is executed for each band, and respective inverse orthogonal transformed outputs are synthesized to produce synthesized signals in the time domain.

61. The method as claimed in claim 60, wherein the frequency width for divisions of at least one of time-domain signals prior to orthogonal transform into plural bands in the frequency domain and the signals generated from synthesis from plural bands in the frequency domain subsequent to inverse orthogonal transform into signals in the time domain is selected to be the same for two consecutive bands in the lowest frequency range.

62. The method as claimed in claim 61, wherein the frequency width for divisions of one of time-domain signals prior to orthogonal transform into plural bands in the frequency domain and signals generated from synthesis from plural bands in the frequency domain subsequent to inverse orthogonal transform into signals in the time domain is selected to be broader substantially towards higher frequencies.

63. The method as claimed in claim 62, wherein modified discrete cosine transform and inverse modified discrete cosine transform are utilized for orthogonal transform and inverse orthogonal transform, respectively.

64. An apparatus for recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving compressed data in which digital signals are divided into signal components of plural frequency bands to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the signal components being quantized and compressed for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and in which information compressing parameters are set for each of two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency and at least two of the information compressing parameters are grouped together so as to be recorded or transmitted along with the compressed dam, and/or in which the compressed signal components within each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are reproduced or received using the compressed data and the information compressing parameters, wherein the improvement comprises:

means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters based upon at least one of a plurality of modes of division into the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency.

65. The apparatus as claimed in claim 64, wherein the means for changing the grouping changes the grouping of the information compressing parameters based upon the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale.

66. The apparatus as claimed in claim 64, wherein the means for changing the grouping changes the grouping of the information compressing parameters based upon the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the frequency scale.

67. The apparatus as claimed in claim 64, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters changes the grouping of the information compressing parameters based upon the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the frequency scale and the time scale.

68. The apparatus as claimed in claims 65, 66, or 67, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters, if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along at least one of the time scale and the frequency scale is a plural number, groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the time scale and along the frequency scale in adjacency to each other.

69. The apparatus as claimed in claims 65, 66 or 67, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters, if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale is zero, groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the time scale.

70. The apparatus as claimed in claim 67, wherein the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the frequency scale.

71. The apparatus as claimed in claims 65, 66 or 67, wherein if the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are formed only by division along the frequency domain, the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the frequency scale.

72. The apparatus as claimed in claim 71, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters groups information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the frequency scale.

73. The apparatus as claimed in claims 65, 66 or 67, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters, if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale is a plural number, groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the time scale.

74. The apparatus as claimed in claim 73, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters, groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the time scale in adjacency to each other.

75. The apparatus as claimed in claim 74, wherein means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the time scale and along the frequency scale in adjacency to each other.

120. A recording medium having recorded thereon the compressed data according to claims 64, 76, 88 or 89.

121. The recording medium having the compressed data recorded thereon according to claim 120 comprising;

an optical disc recording medium.

122. The medium having the compressed data recorded thereon according to claim 120 comprising:

a semiconductor.

76. An apparatus for recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving compressed data in which digital signals are divided into signal components of plural frequency bands to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the signal components being quantized and compressed for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and in which information compressing parameters are set for each of two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency and at least two of the information compressing parameters are grouped together so as to be recorded or transmitted along with the compressed data, there being plural recording and/or transmitting modes with plural different information bit rates, with the number of the information compressing parameters grouped together being the more the lower the information bit rate of the recording and/or transmitting mode, and/or in which the compressed signal components within each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are reproduced or received using the compressed data and the information compressing parameters, there being plural reproducing and/or receiving modes with plural different information bit rates, wherein the improvement comprises:

means for changing the grouping of the information compressing parameters which are to be used in common for at least two of said two-dimensional blocks based upon at least one of a plurality of modes of division into two-dimensional blocks for at least one mode of recording, transmitting, reproducing and receiving.

77. The apparatus as claimed in claim 76, wherein the means for changing the grouping the information compressing parameters changes the grouping based upon the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale.

78. The apparatus as claimed in claim 76, wherein the means for changing the grouping of the information compressing parameters changes the grouping based upon the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the frequency scale.

79. The apparatus as claimed in claim 76, wherein the means for changing the grouping of the information compressing parameters changes the grouping based upon the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the frequency scale and the time scale.

80. The apparatus as claimed in claims 77, 78 or 79, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters, if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale and/or the frequency scale is a plural number, groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the time scale and along the frequency scale.

81. The apparatus as claimed in claims 77, 78 or 79, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters, if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale is zero, groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the frequency scale.

82. The apparatus as claimed in claim 81, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters groups information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the frequency scale.

83. The apparatus as claimed in claims 77, 78 or 79, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters, if the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are constituted only by division along the frequency domain, groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the frequency scale.

84. The apparatus as claimed in claim 83, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters groups information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the frequency scale are grouped and recorded or transmitted and reproduced or received.

85. The apparatus as claimed in claims 77, 78 and 79, wherein the means for changing the grouping of the information compressing parameters, if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale is a plural number, groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the time scale.

86. The apparatus as claimed in claim 85, wherein the means for changing the grouping of the information compressing parameters groups a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each along the time scale.

87. The apparatus as claimed in claim 86, wherein the means for changing the grouping of information compressing parameters groups the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the time scale.

88. The apparatus as claimed in claim 85, further comprising:

orthogonal transform means for dividing the digital signals into plural frequency components to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency; and

inverse orthogonal transform means for converting signals in the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency into digital signals in the time domain.

89. The apparatus as claimed in claim 88, further comprising:

means for dividing the digital signals into plural frequency components to produce signal components in the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the frequency range is divided into plural bands, in each of which blocks each composed of plural samples are formed;

means for orthogonally transforming each band to produce coefficient data;

means for converting signals in the plural bands in the frequency domain into signals in the time domain by inverse orthogonally transforming each band; and

means for synthesizing the signals in the time domain to produce synthesized signals in the time domain.

90. The apparatus as claimed in claims 89, further comprising:

means for selecting the frequency width of divided plural bands to be the same for two consecutive bands in the lowest frequency range for at least one of the time-domain signals prior to orthogonal transformation into plural bands in the frequency domain and the synthesized signals subsequent to inverse orthogonal transformation of such synthesized signals.

91. The apparatus as claimed in claims 88 or 89, further comprising:

means for varying the block size of at least one of the orthogonal transform and the inverse orthogonal transform.

92. The apparatus as claimed in claim 91 further comprising:

means for selecting the frequency width of division to be broader toward higher frequencies.

93. The apparatus as claimed in claim 91, further comprising:

means for selecting the frequency width of divided plural bands to be the same for two consecutive bands in the lowest frequency range for at least one of the time-domain signals prior to orthogonal transformation into plural bands in the frequency domain and the synthesized signals subsequent to inverse orthogonal transformation of such synthesized signals.

94. The apparatus as claimed in claim 85, wherein input signals are audio signals, further comprising:

means for selecting the frequency width of at least a majority of quantization noise suppression control blocks to be broader towards higher frequencies.

95. The apparatus as claimed in claim 94, wherein the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are at least one of blocks for block floating and blocks for controlling the generation of quantization noise.

96. A method for recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving compressed data in which digital signals are divided into signal components of plural frequency bands to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the signal components being quantized and compressed for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and in which information compressing parameters are set for each of two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency and at least two of the information compressing parameters are grouped together so as to be recorded or transmitted along with the compressed data, and/or in which the compressed signal components within each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are reproduced or received using the compressed data and the information compressing parameters, wherein the improvement comprises the step of:

changing the grouping of the information compressing parameters which are to be used in common for at least two of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency based upon on a selection of at least one of a plurality of modes of division into the two-dimensional blocks for at least one of recording, transmitting, reproducing and receiving.

97. The method as claimed in claim 96, wherein the manner of grouping the information compressing parameters is changed based upon on the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the frequency scale and the time scale.

98. The method as claimed in claim 96, wherein the manner of grouping the information compressing parameters is changed based upon the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the frequency scale.

99. The method as claimed in claim 96, wherein the step of changing the grouping of information compression parameters is based upon on the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale.

100. The method as claimed in claims 99, 98 or 97, wherein if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale is a plural number, the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the time scale are grouped.

101. The method as claimed in claim 100, wherein the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the time scale in adjacency to each other.

102. The method as claimed in claim 101, wherein the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the time scale and along the frequency scale are grouped.

103. The method as claimed in claims 99, 98 or 97, wherein if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale and/or the frequency scale is a plural number, the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the time scale and along the frequency scale are grouped.

104. The method as claimed in claims 99, 98 or 97, wherein if the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are formed only by division along the frequency domain, the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the frequency scale are grouped.

105. The method as claimed in claim 104, wherein the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the frequency scale are grouped.

106. The method as claimed in claims 99, 98 or 97, wherein if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale is zero, the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the time scale are grouped.

107. The method as claimed in claim 106, wherein the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the frequency scale are grouped.

108. A method for recording, reproducing, transmitting and/or receiving compressed data in which digital signals are divided into signal components of plural frequency bands to produce signal components in plural two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, the signal components being quantized and compressed for each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency, and in which information compressing parameters are set for each of two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency and at least two of the information compressing parameters are grouped together so as to be recorded or transmitted along with the compressed data, there being plural recording and/or transmitting modes with plural different information transfer bit rates, with the number of the information compressing parameters grouped together being one of the greater and lesser of the information transfer bit rate of the recording and/or transmitting mode, and/or in which the compressed signal components within each of the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are reproduced or received using the compressed data and the information compressing parameters, there being plural reproducing and/or receiving modes with plural different information transfer bit rates, wherein the improvement comprises the step of:

changing the grouping the information compressing parameters to be used in common based upon a selected mode of division into the two-dimensional blocks, there being plural modes of division into the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency.

109. The method as claimed in claim 108, wherein the grouping the information compressing parameters is changed depending on the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the frequency scale and the time scale.

110. The method as claimed in claim 108, wherein the grouping the information compressing parameters is changed depending on the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale.

111. The method as claimed in claim 108, wherein the grouping the information compressing parameters is changed depending on the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the frequency scale.

112. The method as claimed in claims 110, 111 or 109, wherein if the two-dimensional blocks along time and frequency are formed only by division along the frequency domain, the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the frequency scale are grouped and at least one of recorded, transmitted, reproduced and received.

113. The method as claimed in claim 112, wherein the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the frequency scale are grouped and at least one of recorded, transmitted, reproduced and received.

114. The method as claimed in claims 110, 111 or 109, wherein if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale is zero, the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the frequency scale are grouped and at least one of recorded, transmitted, reproduced and received.

115. The method as claimed in claim 114, wherein the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the frequency scale are grouped and at least one of recorded, transmitted, reproduced and received.

116. The method as claimed in claims 110, 111 or 109, wherein if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale and/or the frequency scale is a plural number, the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the time scale and along the frequency scale are grouped and at least one of-recorded, transmitted, reproduced and received.

117. The method as claimed in claims 110, 111 or 109, wherein if the number of divisions into the two-dimensional blocks along the time scale is a plural number, the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed along the time scale are grouped and at least one of recorded, transmitted and reproduced and received.

118. The method as claimed in claim 117, wherein the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the time scale are grouped and at least one of recorded, transmitted, reproduced and received.

119. The method as claimed in claim 118, wherein the information compressing parameters of a plurality of the two-dimensional blocks arrayed adjacent to each other along the time scale and along the frequency scale to each other are grouped and at least one of recorded, transmitted, reproduced and received.