Multi-Channel Encoder Residual Signal for Transparent Audio
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional parametric multi-channel encoders are limited by a maximum quality threshold below transparent quality, and conventional waveform-based encoders require higher bitrates to achieve transparent quality, while parametric multi-channel encoders struggle to increase quality beyond this threshold despite increased bitrates.
Innovation Solution
A combined encoding/decoding scheme that incorporates both parametric and waveform-based encoding, using a scaled data stream with an encoded parameter representation and an encoded residual signal, allowing for improved quality between the cross-over bitrate and transparent quality, and efficiently utilizing processing power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional parametric multi-channel encoders are used, then bitrate efficiency is improved, but quality is limited to a maximum threshold below transparent quality
Solution Approach 1:
The encoding system is segmented into two independent parts: a parametric encoder for high bitrate efficiency and a waveform-based encoder for high quality. The residual signal captures the differences between parametric reconstruction and original signal, allowing each component to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges parametric encoding and waveform-based encoding into a unified system. The combined encoder processes both the original multi-channel signal through parametric encoding and through waveform encoding, then combines the results by encoding the residual signal, achieving both bitrate efficiency and transparent quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional waveform-based encoders are used, then quality approaching transparent quality is achieved, but bitrate requirement increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using full waveform encoding for everything (excessive action), the system uses waveform encoding only for the residual signal that contains the most important quality information. The parametric encoder handles the bulk of the signal representation, reducing the bitrate requirement while maintaining quality.
3Quantity of substance
If parametric multi-channel encoders increase bitrate, then quality improvement is limited and cannot cross the parametric quality threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The residual signal acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between parametric encoding limitations and waveform encoding quality. It captures the information that parametric encoding misses, allowing the system to exceed the parametric quality threshold while maintaining bitrate efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-channel encoder/decoder scheme additionally preferably generates a waveform-type residual signal. This residual signal is transmitted together with one or more multi-channel parameters to a decoder. In contrast to a purely parametric multi-channel decoder, the enhanced decoder generates a multi-channel output signal having an improved output quality because of the additional residual signal.