Audio Encoding with Scalar-Vector Quantization Residuals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing quantization methods struggle to effectively reduce the amount of audio information in encoding processes.

Innovation Solution

A method combining scalar quantization and vector quantization is applied, where a scale factor is used to generate residual signals, followed by scalar and vector quantization and lossless encoding, with decoding involving scalar and vector dequantization to reconstruct the audio signal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If existing quantization methods are used, then the encoding process is simple, but the amount of audio information cannot be effectively reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveamount of audio informationVSAvoidencoding process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The encoding process is segmented into multiple stages: first scalar quantization of the original signal, then vector quantization of the residual signal. This segmentation allows each quantization method to operate on different types of data with appropriate complexity, achieving effective compression while managing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines scalar quantization and vector quantization methods into a unified encoding framework. Scalar quantization handles the primary signal compression, while vector quantization processes the residual information, merging their advantages to achieve effective reduction of audio information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Loss of substance

If aggressive quantization is applied to reduce information, then the data amount decreases, but sound quality distortion increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata amountVSAvoidsound quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A residual signal acts as an intermediary between the original signal and the final compressed representation. The residual signal captures the difference between the original and scalar-quantized signals, allowing vector quantization to preserve important quality information that would otherwise be lost in aggressive compression.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter representation from direct scalar values to vector-based residual representations. This parameter transformation allows for more efficient encoding of the signal characteristics while maintaining sound quality by preserving the essential variations in the audio signal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12614556B2Encoding method, encoding device, decoding method, and decoding device using scalar quantization and vector quantization

Publication Date: 2026.04.28 ELECTRONICS & TELECOMM RES INST

AI summary

Provided are an encoding method, an encoding device, a decoding method, and a decoding device using a scalar quantization and a vector quantization. The encoding method includes converting an input signal of a time domain into a frequency domain, generating a first residual signal from an input signal of a frequency domain by using a scale factor, performing a scalar quantization of the first residual signal, generating a second residual signal from the scalar-quantized first residual signal, performing a lossless encoding of the scalar-quantized first residual signal, performing a vector quantization of the second residual signal, and transmitting a bitstream including the lossless-encoded first residual signal and the vector-quantized second residual signal.