Audio Compression Packets for Variable Bit Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio compression standards, such as AES3-1992, are inefficient in accommodating signals with different resolutions and do not allow for the easy adaptation of the number and resolution of audio channels or the transportation of additional data.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that divide audio signals into compression packets with configuration information, enabling the compression and decoding of audio and other data to accommodate 16-, 20-, and 24-bit resolutions, and transmit up to eight channels of audio information by tagging specific bits for configuration and packing data accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed transport length audio sub-frames are used according to AES standard, then compatibility with existing AES equipment is maintained, but bandwidth efficiency deteriorates when transmitting signals with different resolutions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the transport length variable rather than fixed. The system can dynamically adjust the number of bits used for audio data based on the signal resolution (16-bit, 20-bit, or 24-bit), allowing efficient bandwidth utilization while maintaining compatibility with existing AES equipment through configurable packet structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of transport length from a fixed value to a variable parameter that can be configured based on audio resolution requirements. This allows the system to adapt the bit length of audio sub-frames to match the actual signal resolution, improving bandwidth efficiency while maintaining AES standard compatibility through proper framing and synchronization mechanisms.
2Loss of energy
If audio compression is applied to increase transmission rate, then bandwidth efficiency is improved, but the ability to accommodate different resolutions and transmit additional data is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a compression system that can handle multiple audio resolutions (16-bit, 20-bit, 24-bit) and accommodate additional data types (auxiliary data, metadata, time code) within a single unified packet structure. The configuration field allows the system to adapt to different resolutions and data requirements without requiring separate compression schemes for each case.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the audio data into compression packets with distinct fields: audio data field, configuration field, and auxiliary data field. This segmentation allows the system to efficiently compress audio while preserving the ability to accommodate different resolutions and additional data by properly allocating and interpreting each field according to the configuration parameters.
3Productivity
If previous apt-X compression implementations are used, then compression ratio of 4:1 is achieved, but the number and resolution of signals must be determined in advance and cannot be easily changed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the compression system adaptable rather than static. The configuration field in each packet allows the number and resolution of signals to be changed dynamically during transmission, enabling the system to switch between different audio resolutions and channel configurations without requiring predetermined settings, while maintaining the 4:1 compression ratio.
4Device complexity
If fixed audio sub-frame format is used, then decoding complexity at receiving station is reduced, but the ability to embed additional data and accommodate variable resolutions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by including configuration information in the packet header before the audio data. This configuration field预先 specifies the resolution, channel configuration, and data embedding format, allowing the receiving station to decode the variable-resolution audio and embedded data efficiently without complex analysis, thus reducing decoding complexity while maintaining high adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for compressing digital data, particularly audio and other data, in a way that the packing method used can be automatically detected and decoded at the receiving station. The audio signal is divided into compression packets consisting of four word pairs of left and right words. The first word pair in each compression packet is tagged with an identifier to indicate the start of a new compression packet, and is provided with configuration information which, over an entire compression block of 48 compression packets, constructs a 48-bit word specifying the manner in which the compressed audio and other data is packed. The method and apparatus of the invention is able to compress digital audio and other data to accommodate 16-, 20-and 24-bit resolutions and transmit up to eight channels of audio information in a variety of formats, and makes more efficient use of available bandwidth in the 16-, 20-or 24-bit output by allowing other information to be embedded into the least significant bits of the remaining available compression packet space which would otherwise be dropped.