Multichannel Audio PCA Encoding with Frequency Sub-Band Energy Compaction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for coding multi-channel audio signals, such as PCA, do not provide a fine characterization of signals, leading to insufficient energy compaction in the main component, making it difficult to transmit high-quality audio at low bit rates over various networks.

Innovation Solution

A method involving principal component analysis (PCA) in the frequency domain using frequency sub-bands, which decomposes audio signals into main and residual components, allowing for better energy compaction and transmission of high-quality audio signals over low-speed networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If PCA is performed in the time domain, then the coding process is simple, but the energy compaction in the main component is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoding process complexityVSAvoidenergy compaction
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The audio signal is segmented into multiple frequency sub-bands using Fourier transform, and PCA is applied independently to each sub-band. This segmentation allows better energy compaction within each frequency region while maintaining computational feasibility through localized processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from time-domain PCA to frequency-domain PCA by applying Fourier transform. This dimensionality change from time to frequency domain enables superior energy compaction characteristics while the modular sub-band structure keeps the overall complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Loss of energy

If frequency sub-band decomposition is applied, then energy compaction improves, but the coding process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy compactionVSAvoidcoding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The frequency spectrum is segmented into multiple sub-bands, and PCA is applied independently to each sub-band. This segmentation strategy improves energy compaction within each band while reducing the overall computational complexity compared to applying PCA to the entire frequency spectrum at once.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying full PCA to all frequency components simultaneously, the method applies PCA partially to each sub-band separately. This partial action approach achieves sufficient energy compaction for each frequency region while keeping the computational load manageable through distributed processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If more channels are transmitted, then audio quality improves, but transmission bandwidth requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio qualityVSAvoidtransmission bandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple audio channels are merged into a smaller number of principal components through PCA transformation. The main component contains the majority of the signal energy and can be transmitted at lower bit rates, while residual components capture the remaining information, achieving efficient bandwidth utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the representation parameters of the audio signal from original channel representations to principal component representations. This parameter transformation concentrates the essential audio information into fewer components with better energy compaction, reducing the transmission bandwidth required for maintaining audio quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2005420B1Device and method for encoding by principal component analysis a multichannel audio signal
Publication Date: 2011.10.26 ORANGE SA
  • EP2005420B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2005420B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2005420B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention concerns a system for encoding by principal component analysis (PCA) a multichannel audio signal including the following steps: breaking down at least two channels (L, R) of said audio signal into a plurality of frequency sub-bands (I(b1),..., I(bN), r(b1),..., r(bN)); calculating at least one transformation parameter (?(b1),..., ?(bN)) based on at least part of said plurality of frequency sub-bands; transforming at least part of said plurality of frequency sub-bands into a plurality of frequency sub-components based on at least one transformation parameter (?(b1),..., ?(bN)), said plurality of frequency sub-components comprising frequency principal sub-components (CP(b1),..., CP(bN)); combining at least part of frequency principal sub-components (CP(b1),..., CP(bN)) to form a principal component (CP); and defining an encoded audio signal (SC) representing said multichannel audio signal (C1,...,CM), said encoded audio signal (SC) comprising said principal component (CP) and at least one transformation parameter (?(b1),..., ?(bN)).