Method, system and product for modifying the bandwidth of subband encoded audio data

• US 5,845,251 A
• Filed: 12/20/1996
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MediaOne Group Inc. (Comcast Corporation), U S West Inc.
• Inventors: Case, Eliot M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZINTEL, HAROLD ALBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/771,792
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 704/208, 704/278, 704/233, 704/500, 704/501, 704/503, 704/504, 381/62, 381/119, 381/118
• US Class Current: 704/500
• 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

Abstract

A method, system and product are provided for selectively modifying an encoded audio signal. The method includes receiving the encoded audio signal, the encoded audio signal having a first frequency bandwidth, and identifying a delivery point for the encoded audio signal, the delivery point having a second frequency bandwidth. The method also includes selecting a plurality of subbands from the first frequency bandwidth based on the second frequency bandwidth, and modifying the encoded audio signal based on the plurality of subbands selected. The system includes control logic for performing the method. The product includes a storage medium having computer readable programmed instructions for performing the method.

Claims

1. A method for selectively modifying an encoded audio signal, the method comprising:

receiving the encoded audio signal, the encoded audio signal having a first frequency bandwidth;

identifying a delivery point for the encoded audio signal, the delivery point having a second frequency bandwidth;

selecting a plurality of subbands from the first frequency bandwidth based on the second frequency bandwidth; and

modifying the encoded audio signal based on the plurality of subbands selected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second frequency bandwidth is narrower than the first frequency bandwidth, each of the plurality of subbands selected has a frequency outside the second frequency bandwidth, and modifying the encoded audio signal includes eliminating from the encoded audio signal the plurality of subbands selected to create a modified encoded audio signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery point is a transmission network and modifying the encoded audio signal includes translating a first data format associated with the encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the transmission network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery point is a playback destination and modifying the encoded audio signal includes translating a first data format associated with the encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the playback destination.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery point is a storage medium and modifying the encoded audio signal includes translating a first data format associated with the encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the storage medium.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the delivery point is a transmission network, the method further comprising translating a first data format associated with the modified encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the transmission network.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the delivery point is a playback destination, the method further comprising translating a first data format associated with the modified encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the playback destination.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the delivery point is a storage medium, the method further comprising translating a first data format associated with the modified encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the storage medium.

9. A system for selectively modifying an encoded audio signal, the system comprising:

a receiver for receiving the encoded audio signal, the encoded audio signal having a first frequency bandwidth;

means for identifying a delivery point for the encoded audio signal, the delivery point having a second frequency bandwidth; and

control logic operative to select a plurality of subbands from the first frequency bandwidth based on the second frequency bandwidth, and modify the encoded audio signal based on the plurality of subbands selected.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the second frequency bandwidth is narrower than the first frequency bandwidth, each of the plurality of subbands selected has a frequency outside the second frequency bandwidth, and to modify the encoded audio signal the control logic is further operative to eliminate from the encoded audio signal the plurality of subbands selected to create a modified encoded audio signal.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the delivery point is a transmission network and, to modify the encoded audio signal, the control logic is operative to translate a first data format associated with the encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the transmission network.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the delivery point is a playback destination and, to modify the encoded audio signal, the control logic is operative to translate a first data format associated with the encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the playback destination.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the delivery point is a storage medium and, to modify the encoded audio signal, the control logic is operative to translate a first data format associated with the encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the storage medium.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the delivery point is a transmission network and the control logic is further operative to translate a first data format associated with the modified encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the transmission network.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the delivery point is a playback destination and the control logic is further operative to translate a first data format associated with the modified encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the playback destination.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the delivery point is a storage medium and the control logic is further operative to translate a first data format associated with the modified encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the storage medium.

17. A product for selectively modifying an encoded audio signal, the product comprising a storage medium having computer readable programmed instructions recorded thereon, the instructions operative to select a plurality of subbands from a first frequency bandwidth associated with the encoded audio signal based on a second frequency bandwidth associated with a delivery point, and modify the encoded audio signal based on the plurality of subbands selected.

18. The product of claim 17 wherein the second frequency bandwidth is narrower than the first frequency bandwidth, each of the plurality of subbands selected has a frequency outside the second frequency bandwidth, and to modify the encoded audio signal the instructions are further operative to eliminate from the encoded audio signal the plurality of subbands selected to create a modified encoded audio signal.

19. The product of claim 17 wherein the delivery point is a transmission network and, to modify the encoded audio signal, the instructions are operative to translate a first data format associated with the encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the transmission network.

20. The product of claim 17 wherein the delivery point is a playback destination and, to modify the encoded audio signal, the instructions are operative to translate a first data format associated with the encoded audio signal to a second data format associated with the playback destination.