Audio coding based on block grouping
First Claim
1. A method for processing blocks of audio information arranged in frames, each block having content representing a respective time interval of audio information, wherein the method comprises:
- (a) receiving an input signal conveying the blocks of audio information;
(b) obtaining two or more measures of quality such that;
(1) each set in a plurality of sets of groups of the blocks in a respective frame has an associated measure of quality,(2) each group has one or more blocks,(3) each set of groups includes all blocks in the respective frame and no block is included in more than one group in each set, and(4) the measure of quality represents excellence in results obtainable by processing each block in a respective group according to one or more control parameters associated with the respective group;
(c) analyzing the measures of quality to identify a selected set of groups having a minimum number of groups such that a measure of processing performance obtained at least in part from the associated measure of quality is higher than a threshold; and
(d) processing each group of blocks in the selected set of groups according to the associated one or more control parameters to generate an output signal representing contents of the input signal and representing the associated control parameters for each group in the selected set.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Blocks of audio information are arranged in groups that share encoding control parameters to reduce the amount of side information needed to convey the control parameters in an encoded signal. The configuration of groups that reduces the distortion of the encoded audio information may be determined by any of several techniques that search for an optimal or near optimal solution. The techniques include an exhaustive search, a fast optimal search and a greed merge, which allow the search technique to tradeoff the reduction in distortion against the bit rate of the encoded signal and/or the computational complexity of the search technique.
14 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for processing blocks of audio information arranged in frames, each block having content representing a respective time interval of audio information, wherein the method comprises:
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(a) receiving an input signal conveying the blocks of audio information; (b) obtaining two or more measures of quality such that; (1) each set in a plurality of sets of groups of the blocks in a respective frame has an associated measure of quality, (2) each group has one or more blocks, (3) each set of groups includes all blocks in the respective frame and no block is included in more than one group in each set, and (4) the measure of quality represents excellence in results obtainable by processing each block in a respective group according to one or more control parameters associated with the respective group; (c) analyzing the measures of quality to identify a selected set of groups having a minimum number of groups such that a measure of processing performance obtained at least in part from the associated measure of quality is higher than a threshold; and (d) processing each group of blocks in the selected set of groups according to the associated one or more control parameters to generate an output signal representing contents of the input signal and representing the associated control parameters for each group in the selected set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for processing blocks of audio information arranged in frames, each block having content representing a respective time interval of audio information, wherein the method comprises:
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means for receiving an input signal conveying the blocks of audio information; means for obtaining two or more measures of quality such that; (1) each set in a plurality of sets of groups of the blocks in a respective frame has an associated measure of quality, (2) each group has one or more blocks, (3) each set of groups includes all blocks in the respective frame and no block is included in more than one group in each set, and (4) the measure of quality represents excellence in results obtainable by processing each block in a respective group according to one or more control parameters associated with the respective group; means for analyzing the measures of quality to identify a selected set of groups having a minimum number of groups such that a measure of processing performance obtained at least in part from the associated measure of quality is higher than a threshold; and means for processing each group of blocks in the selected set of groups according to the associated one or more control parameters to generate an output signal representing contents of the input signal and representing the associated control parameters for each group in the selected set. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-readable storage medium recording a program of instructions that is executable by a device to perform a method for processing blocks of audio information arranged in frames, each block having content representing a respective time interval of audio information, wherein the method comprises:
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(a) receiving an input signal conveying the blocks of audio information; (b) obtaining two or more measures of quality such that; (1) each set in a plurality of sets of groups of the blocks in a respective frame has an associated measure of quality, (2) each group has one or more blocks, (3) each set of groups includes all blocks in the respective frame and no block is included in more than one group in each set, and (4) the measure of quality represents excellence in results obtainable by processing each block in a respective group according to one or more control parameters associated with the respective group; (c) analyzing the measures of quality to identify a selected set of groups having a minimum number of groups such that a measure of processing performance obtained at least in part from the associated measure of quality is higher than a threshold; and (d) processing each group of blocks in the selected set of groups according to the associated one or more control parameters to generate an output signal representing contents of the input signal and representing the associated control parameters for each group in the selected set. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification