Signal processing apparatus, signal processing method, and computer program

• US 8,719,040 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Mitsunori, Tanaka, Mamoru, Mitsuno, Makoto, Ohta, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Desir, Pierre-Louis
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAKER, MATTHEW H
• Application Number:
  US11/904,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,415 Days
• Field of Search: 704500-504
• US Class Current: 704/500
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/173 Transcoding, i.e. converting between two coded representations avoiding cascaded coding-decoding

Abstract

A signal processing apparatus may include a decoder that decodes a compressed audio stream encoded by a predetermined codec, a signal processing unit that applies predetermined signal processing to an audio stream obtained by decoding the compressed audio stream with the decoder, a first acquisition unit that acquires at least one of information described in a header of the compressed audio stream and management information for contents including the compressed audio stream, a setting unit that discriminates, on the basis of the information, a type of the codec used for the encode of the compressed audio stream and sets a codec used for encode of the audio stream, and an encoder that encodes, in accordance with the setting by the setting unit, the audio stream subjected to the signal processing by the signal processing unit and outputs the audio stream to an external apparatus that has a decoder.

Claims

1. A signal processing apparatus comprising a processor for implementing:

a decoder that receives a compressed audio stream encoded by a predetermined codec and decodes the compressed audio stream;

a signal processing unit that applies predetermined signal processing to an audio stream obtained by decoding the compressed audio stream with the decoder;

a first acquisition unit that acquires at least one of information described in a header of the compressed audio stream and management information for contents including the compressed audio stream;

a second acquisition unit that acquires information concerning an external apparatus that has a decoder;

a setting unit that discriminates, on the basis of the information acquired by the first acquisition unit, a type of the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream and sets a codec used for encoding of the audio stream subjected to the signal processing by the signal processing unit based on the information acquired by the first acquisition unit and the information acquired by the second acquisition unit; and

an encoder that encodes, in accordance with the setting by the setting unit, the audio stream subjected to the signal processing by the signal processing unit and outputs the audio stream to the external apparatus,

wherein

when the encoder is applicable to encode in a given codec that is one of (i) the same type as the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, (ii) compatible with the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, and (iii) alternative to the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, and the decoder of the external apparatus is applicable to decode in the given codec, the encoder encodes the audio stream subjected to the signal processing using the given codec, and

when the encoder is not applicable to encode in a given codec that is any of (i) the same type as the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, (ii) compatible with the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, and (iii) alternative to the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, the encoder does not encode the audio stream subjected to the signal processing.

2. A signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit applies signal processing for changing an audio stream to a stream, in which audio combined with other audio is outputted, to the audio stream obtained by decoding the compressed audio stream with the decoder.

3. A signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the codec set by the setting unit is a higher-order codec obtained by extending a function of the codec used for the encode of the compressed audio stream or a lower-order codec obtained by reducing the function.

4. A signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first acquisition unit further acquires parameters used for the encode of the compressed audio stream, and the setting unit sets the encoder such that the encode of the audio stream subjected to the signal processing by the signal processing unit is performed in accordance with parameters same as the parameters acquired by the first acquisition unit.

5. A signal processing method comprising:

decoding a compressed audio stream encoded by a predetermined codec;

applying predetermined signal processing to an audio stream obtained by decoding the compressed audio stream;

acquiring first information including at least one of information described in a header of the compressed audio stream and management information for contents including the compressed audio stream;

acquiring second information concerning an external apparatus that has a decoder;

discriminating, on the basis of the acquired information, a type of the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream and setting a codec used for encoding of the audio stream subjected to the signal processing based on the first information and the second information; and

encoding by use of an encoder, in accordance with the setting, the audio stream subjected to the signal processing and outputting the audio stream to the external apparatus,

wherein

when the encoder is applicable to encode in a given codec that is one of (i) the same type as the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, (ii) compatible with the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, and (iii) alternative to the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, and the decoder of the external apparatus is applicable to decode in the given codec, the encoder encodes the audio stream subjected to the signal processing using the given codec, and

when the encoder is not applicable to encode in a given codec that is any of (i) the same type as the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, (ii) compatible with the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, and (iii) alternative to the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, the encoder does not encode the audio stream subjected to the signal processing.

6. A non-transitory recording medium having stored thereon a computer program for causing a computer to execute processing including:

decoding a compressed audio stream encoded by a predetermined codec;

applying predetermined signal processing to an audio stream obtained by decoding the compressed audio stream;

acquiring first information including at least one of information described in a header of the compressed audio stream and management information for contents including the compressed audio stream;

acquiring second information concerning an external apparatus that has a decoder;

discriminating, on the basis of the acquired information, a type of the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream and setting a codec used for encoding of the audio stream subjected to the signal processing based on the first information and the second information; and

encoding by use of an encoder, in accordance with the setting, the audio stream subjected to the signal processing and outputting the audio stream to the external apparatus,

wherein

when the encoder is applicable to encode in a given codec that is one of (i) the same type as the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, (ii) compatible with the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, and (iii) alternative to the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, and the decoder of the external apparatus is applicable to decode in the given codec, the encoder encodes the audio stream subjected to the signal processing using the given codec, and

when the encoder is not applicable to encode in a given codec that is any of (i) the same type as the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, (ii) compatible with the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, and (iii) alternative to the codec used for the encoding of the compressed audio stream, the encoder does not encode the audio stream subjected to the signal processing.