Apparatus and Method for Audio Signal Envelope Encoding, Processing and Decoding by Modelling a Cumulative Sum Representation Employing Distribution Quantization and Coding

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent introduces a new method and apparatus for encoding, processing, and decoding audio signal envelopes by using a cumulative sum representation with distribution quantization and coding. Rather than traditional methods like linear predictive coding (LPC), it models the energy or mass distribution across the frequency or time domain, dividing the envelope into blocks of equal energy (or other metrics), and encoding the positions that divide these blocks (splitting points). The decoding reconstructs the envelope by interpolating between these splitting points. The approach offers a smooth, accurate, yet bit-efficient and computationally manageable way to represent audio spectral or temporal envelopes.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Audio codecs for streaming and broadcasting (e.g., in MPEG, AAC, USAC, or similar standards) to achieve high-quality compression at low bitrates.
• Speech coding for telecommunications and voice-over-IP (VoIP) applications.
• Music and multimedia storage or transmission requiring efficient audio data representation.
• Hearing aids or assistive listening devices to deliver high-fidelity sound with limited data rates.
• Real-time audio processing in mobile or embedded systems with limited computational resources.
• Applications needing bandwidth extension, such as spectral band replication in audio upscaling.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Produces smooth and precise spectral or temporal envelopes for audio, improving audio quality.
• Enables bit-efficient coding of the audio envelope, reducing bandwidth or storage requirements.
• Applicable to both frequency-domain and time-domain envelopes for flexible use-cases.
• Low computational complexity allows efficient implementation in real-time or resource-constrained environments.
• Adaptive and flexible: supports different envelope resolutions, representations (energy, magnitude), and block numbers.
• Allows stable audio quality with built-in envelope smoothing/stabilization to counteract quantization noise.
• Compatible with both hardware and software implementations, and can be integrated in various audio codecs.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

An apparatus for generating an audio signal envelope from one or more coding values is provided. The apparatus comprises an input interface (1610) for receiving the one or more coding values, and an envelope generator (1620) for generating the audio signal envelope depending on the one or more coding values. The envelope generator (1620) is configured to generate an aggregation function depending on the one or more coding values, wherein the aggregation function comprises a plurality of aggregation points, wherein each of the aggregation points comprises an argument value and an aggregation value, wherein the aggregation function monotonically increases, and wherein each of the one or more coding values indicates at least one of an argument value and an aggregation value of one of the aggregation points of the aggregation function. Moreover, the envelope generator (1620) is configured to generate the audio signal envelope such that the audio signal envelope comprises a plurality of envelope points, wherein each of the envelope points comprises an argument value and an envelope value, and wherein an envelope point of the audio signal envelope is assigned to each of the aggregation points of the aggregation function such that the argument value of said envelope point is equal to the argument value of said aggregation point. Furthermore, the envelope generator (1620) is configured to generate the audio signal envelope such that the envelope value of each of the envelope points of the audio signal envelope depends on the aggregation value of at least one aggregation point of the aggregation function.