Audio Encoder Side Information Extraction for Low Bitrate Quality

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing audio signal encoding and decoding technologies face challenges in maintaining high audio quality at low bit rates due to issues like quantization noise and bandwidth limitations, which degrade the quality of restored audio signals.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using side information, specifically the energy of low-band signals, extracted by a convolutional neural network model to enhance audio quality during encoding and decoding, where the side information is combined with the encoded input signal to generate a bitstream and subsequently used to improve the decoded output signal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If encoding is performed at a low bit rate, then compression efficiency is improved, but audio quality of the decoded signal deteriorates due to quantization noise and bandwidth limitation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebit rateVSAvoidaudio quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts side information (energy characteristics of low-band signals) from the original audio signal before encoding and transmits it separately. This preliminary extraction allows the decoder to use this information to compensate for quality loss during low-bitrate encoding, thereby maintaining audio quality without increasing the main bit rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces side information as an intermediary element that carries essential audio characteristics (low-band energy) separately from the main encoded signal. This intermediary allows the decoder to reconstruct audio quality more accurately by combining the decoded signal with the transmitted side information, effectively bridging the quality gap at low bit rates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If encoding is performed at a high bit rate, then audio quality of the decoded signal is improved, but compression efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio qualityVSAvoidbit rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and separates the side information (energy characteristics) from the main audio signal. By taking out this critical information and transmitting it separately, the system can use a lower bit rate for the main encoded signal while still maintaining high audio quality through the contribution of the extracted side information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11783844B2Methods of encoding and decoding audio signal using side information, and encoder and decoder for performing the methods

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 ELECTRONICS & TELECOMM RES INST

AI summary

Disclosed are methods of encoding and decoding an audio signal using side information, and an encoder and a decoder for performing the methods. The method of encoding an audio signal using side information includes identifying an input signal, the input signal being an original audio signal, extracting side information from the input signal using a learning model trained to extract side information from a feature vector of the input signal, encoding the input signal, and generating a bitstream by combining the encoded input signal and the side information.