Audio Decoding with Priority-Based Channel Selection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current audio codecs, such as MPEG-D USAC, face challenges in reducing the calculation amount required for decoding, especially when dealing with multiple channels and objects, leading to difficulties in real-time decoding on devices with limited calculation capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A decoding device and method that utilize priority information to selectively decode audio signals based on priority levels, allowing for reduced calculation by prioritizing channels and objects for decoding and adjusting gain values accordingly, and storing this information in a bit stream.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all channels and objects are decoded to maintain audio quality, then sound quality is preserved, but calculation load increases making real-time decoding difficult on mobile devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal into multiple channels and objects, assigning priority levels to each. The decoding device selectively decodes only those channels and objects with priority levels meeting a threshold, rather than decoding all channels. This segmentation allows mobile devices to reduce calculation load by processing only essential audio components while maintaining acceptable audio quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality levels to different audio channels based on their priority information. High-priority channels (such as foreground sound objects) are decoded with full quality, while low-priority channels (such as background ambient sounds) are either decoded with reduced quality or skipped entirely. This local quality approach ensures that critical audio elements maintain high fidelity while non-critical elements consume minimal processing resources.
2Productivity
If priority information is encoded for all channels and objects, then selective decoding is enabled, but encoding complexity and data size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by encoding priority information only for channels and objects that require selective processing, rather than encoding comprehensive metadata for all audio elements. The priority information includes essential parameters such as priority level and time frame indicators, omitting less critical details. This partial encoding approach enables selective decoding efficiency while keeping encoding complexity and bitstream size manageable for mobile device compatibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sets of priority information are provided for different calculation capabilities, then adaptability to various devices is improved, but information overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability by providing multiple sets of priority information corresponding to different calculation capability levels (e.g., first set for high-capability devices, second set for mobile devices with limited capability). The decoding device dynamically selects the appropriate priority information set based on its own calculation capabilities. This dynamic approach allows the same audio bitstream to be efficiently decoded across diverse devices from high-end desktop systems to resource-constrained mobile phones, with each device using the priority information optimized for its processing power.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a decoding device including at least one circuit configured to acquire one or more encoded audio signals including a plurality of channels and/or a plurality of objects and priority information for each of the plurality of channels and/or the plurality of objects, and to decode the one or more encoded audio signals according to the priority information.