Audio Signal Embedding for Wide-Band Compression

Solution Overview

Problem

Audio codecs are limited in encoding signals outside their designed frequency band, requiring methods like downsampling and bandwidth extension to handle wide frequency bands, which can result in inefficient compression and quality deterioration during decoding.

Innovation Solution

An encoding apparatus that embeds signal components of a second frequency band into a first frequency band with greater energy, generating additional information for encoding and decoding, allowing efficient compression and high-quality output by formatting the encoded signal into a bitstream.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If downsampling and bandwidth extension methods are used to encode wide frequency band signals, then the codec can handle signals outside its designed frequency band, but compression efficiency deteriorates and audio quality is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrequency band coverageVSAvoidaudio quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent embeds the second frequency band signal components into the first frequency band signal components, creating a nested structure where one signal is contained within another. This allows the narrow-band codec to represent wide-band signals by nesting the additional frequency information within the existing frequency band, thereby extending frequency coverage without sacrificing audio quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the first frequency band signal and the second frequency band signal into a single embedded audio signal. By merging these frequency bands and representing them together in one signal, the system achieves efficient compression while maintaining the quality of both frequency components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If downsampling and bandwidth extension methods are used to encode wide frequency band signals, then the codec can handle signals outside its designed frequency band, but compression efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrequency band coverageVSAvoidcompression efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent embeds the second frequency band signal components into the first frequency band signal components, creating a nested structure where one signal is contained within another. This allows the narrow-band codec to represent wide-band signals by nesting the additional frequency information within the existing frequency band, thereby extending frequency coverage without sacrificing audio quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the first frequency band signal and the second frequency band signal into a single embedded audio signal. By merging these frequency bands and representing them together in one signal, the system achieves efficient compression while maintaining the quality of both frequency components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20240233738A9Apparatus for encoding and decoding audio signals and method of operation thereof

Publication Date: 2024.07.11 ELECTRONICS & TELECOMM RES INST

AI summary

Provided is an encoding apparatus including a memory configured to store instructions and a processor electrically connected to the memory and configured to execute the instructions, wherein the processor may be configured to perform a plurality of operations, when the instructions are executed by the processor, wherein the plurality of operations may include obtaining an input audio signal, generating an embedded audio signal by embedding signal components of a second frequency band of the input audio signal in a first frequency band of the input audio signal, generating additional information associated with the first frequency band and the second frequency band, generating an encoded audio signal by encoding the embedded audio signal, and formatting the encoded audio signal and the additional information into a bitstream.