ADPCM Audio Codec State Feedback for Wireless Packet Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current audio transmission systems face challenges in achieving low latency while maintaining high-quality digital audio transmission over wireless networks, especially in environments prone to packet loss, which often result in increased latency or artifacts.

Innovation Solution

The proposed method involves an ADPCM encoding scheme that includes additional data bits representing internal values of adaptive quantization and prediction, allowing the decoder to adapt to transmission errors and packet loss, thereby reducing artifacts and maintaining low latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If compression algorithms are used to reduce latency, then transmission speed is improved, but audio quality deteriorates with more artifacts caused by packet loss

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovelatencyVSAvoidaudio quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The encoder transmits side information about internal decoder state (quantizer state, predictor coefficients) in advance within the same packet or previous packets. This preliminary transmission of state information enables the decoder to quickly recover from packet loss without requiring lengthy re-synchronization, thus maintaining both low latency and high reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback by transmitting encoder state information (quantizer state, predictor coefficients) to the decoder. This feedback mechanism allows the decoder to maintain accurate internal state even when packets are lost, enabling rapid recovery and maintaining audio quality without increasing latency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If more bits per sample are used to improve audio quality, then SNR is improved, but transmission bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio qualityVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The audio coding information is segmented into essential ADPCM data and supplementary side information (quantizer state, predictor coefficients). This segmentation allows the system to transmit only the necessary state information rather than redundant audio data, maintaining audio quality while optimizing bandwidth usage in wireless transmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts transmission parameters by sending side information about internal decoder state only when necessary for recovery. This parameter change approach allows adaptive bandwidth consumption - using more bits only when packet loss occurs and recovery is needed, rather than continuously transmitting at high bitrate

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If packet loss handling mechanisms are added to improve robustness, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverobustness against packet lossVSAvoiddecoder complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The decoder uses its own internal state information (quantizer state, predictor coefficients) that was transmitted by the encoder to automatically recover from packet loss. This self-service approach enables robust packet loss handling without requiring complex external correction mechanisms or additional processing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3642839B1Audio signal encoding and decoding
Publication Date: 2022.04.13 RTX AS CO
  • EP3642839B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3642839B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3642839B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

An audio codec suitable for robust wireless transmission of high quality audio with low latency, still at a moderate bit rate. The encoding and decoding methods are based on ADPCM and in addition to the encoded output bits APM, additional data QB are included in output data blocks, namely data QB representing an internal value of the adaptive quantization ADQ of the ADPCM encoding algorithm, especially a scaling factor encoded and truncated to such as 8 bits. Further, output data blocks preferably include data CFB representing an internal value of the predictor PR of the ADPCM encoding algorithm, especially data CFB representing coefficients of a lattice prediction FIR filter which, truncated to such as 8 bits, can be sequentially included in output data blocks. These additional data QB, CFB regarding internal values of the ADPCM encoding algorithm can be utilized at the encoder side to increase robustness against loss of data blocks in wireless transmission. Especially, the decoding algorithm may comprise comparing its current internal ADPCM decoding values corresponding to the received internal values QB, CFB from the encoder, and in case there is a difference, the decoder can adapt or overwrite its internal values to the ones received QB, CFB. This helps to ensure fast recovery after lost data blocks, thereby ensuring robustness against artefacts in the reconstructed signal, e.g. clicks in case of audio.