Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Audio signal bandwidth compression or expansion – With content reduction encoding
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-02
2004-06-29
Chawan, Vijay (Department: 2654)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Audio signal bandwidth compression or expansion
With content reduction encoding
C704S503000, C704S212000, C704S201000, C704S230000, C700S094000, C700S100000, C381S104000, C381S017000, C381S106000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06757659
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an audio signal encoding apparatus. This invention also relates to an optical recording medium. In addition, this invention relates to an audio signal decoding apparatus. Furthermore, this invention relates to a method of transmitting an audio signal, and a transmission medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Highly efficient encoding of an audio signal includes a step of compressing the audio signal. Highly efficient encoding techniques are classified into two types; the lossy encoding techniques and the lossless encoding techniques. Among the lossy encoding techniques, the “acoustic encoding” is well known as a technique which renders the data deterioration acoustically undetectable. On the other hand, according to the lossless encoding and decoding techniques, the recovered data are exactly the same as the original data.
In general, a sampled or uniformly quantized audio signal has significant redundancy. During the encoding of such an audio signal, the degree of the compression of the audio signal rises as redundancy is more effectively removed therefrom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of this invention to provide an improved audio signal encoding apparatus.
It is a second object of this invention to provide an improved optical recording medium.
It is a third object of this invention to provide an improved audio signal decoding apparatus.
It is a fourth object of this invention to provide an improved method of transmitting an audio signal.
It is a fifth object of this invention to provide an improved transmission medium.
A first aspect of this invention provides an audio signal encoding apparatus comprising means for compressing multiple-channel digital audio signals into compression-resultant multiple-channel signals respectively, the multiple-channel digital audio signals relating to a sampling frequency and a quantization bit number; and means for formatting the compression-resultant multiple-channel signals, a signal representative of the sampling frequency, and a signal representative of the quantization bit number into a formatting-resultant signal, the formatting-resultant signal containing a sub packet and a sync information portion, the sub packet containing at least portions of the compression-resultant multiple-channel signals, the sync information portion containing the signal representative of the sampling frequency and the signal representative of the quantization bit number.
A second aspect of this invention provides an optical recording medium storing a formatting-resultant signal containing a sub packet and a sync information portion, the sub packet containing at least portions of compression-resultant multiple-channel signals which result from compressing multiple-channel digital audio signals respectively, the sync information portion containing a signal representative of a sampling frequency related to the multiple-channel digital audio signals and a signal representative of a quantization bit number related to the multiple-channel digital audio signals.
A third aspect of this invention provides an audio signal decoding apparatus comprising means for separating a formatting-resultant signal into a sub packet and a sync information portion; means for extracting compression-resultant multiple-channel signals from the sub packet; means for expanding the extracted compression-resultant multiple-channel signals into multiple-channel digital audio signals respectively; means for extracting a signal representative of a sampling frequency and a signal representative of a quantization bit number from the sync information portion; and means for converting the multiple-channel digital audio signals into analog audio signals in response to the signal representative of the sampling frequency and the signal representative of the quantization bit number.
A fourth aspect of this invention provides a method of transmitting an audio signal. The method comprises the steps of compressing multiple-channel digital audio signals into compression-resultant multiple-channel signals respectively, the multiple-channel digital audio signals relating to a sampling frequency and a quantization bit number; formatting the compression-resultant multiple-channel signals, a signal representative of the sampling frequency, and a signal representative of the quantization bit number into a formatting-resultant signal, the formatting-resultant signal containing a sub packet and a sync information portion, the sub packet containing at least portions of the compression-resultant multiple-channel signals, the sync information portion containing the signal representative of the sampling frequency and the signal representative of the quantization bit number; and transmitting the formatting-resultant signal through a communication line.
A fifth aspect of this invention provides an audio signal encoding apparatus comprising means for compressing multiple-channel digital audio signals into compression-resultant multiple-channel signals respectively; and means for formatting the compression-resultant multiple-channel signals and an identifier into a formatting-resultant signal, the formatting-resultant signal containing a sub packet and a sync information portion, the sub packet containing at least portions of the compression-resultant multiple-channel signals, the sync information portion containing the identifier, the identifier representing that signals in the sub packet are compression-resultant signals.
A sixth aspect of this invention provides an optical recording medium storing a formatting-resultant signal containing a sub packet and a sync information portion, the sub packet containing at least portions of compression-resultant multiple-channel signals which result from compressing multiple-channel digital audio signals respectively, the sync information portion containing an identifier representing that signals in the sub packet are compression-resultant signals.
A seventh aspect of this invention provides an audio signal decoding apparatus comprising means for separating a formatting-resultant signal into a sub packet and a sync information portion; means for extracting compression-resultant multiple-channel signals from the sub packet; means for extracting an identifier from the sync information portion, the identifier representing that signals in the sub packet are compression-resultant signals; and means for expanding the extracted compression-resultant multiple-channel signals into multiple-channel digital audio signals in response to the extracted identifier, respectively.
An eighth aspect of this invention provides a method of transmitting an audio signal. The method comprises the steps of compressing multiple-channel digital audio signals into compression-resultant multiple-channel signals respectively; formatting the compression-resultant multiple-channel signals and an identifier into a formatting-resultant signal, the formatting-resultant signal containing a sub packet and a sync information portion, the sub packet containing at least portions of the compression-resultant multiple-channel signals, the sync information portion containing the identifier, the identifier representing that signals in the sub packet are compression-resultant signals; and transmitting the formatting-resultant signal through a communication line.
A ninth aspect of this invention provides a DVD-audio disc storing an audio pack loaded with a formatting-resultant signal containing a sub packet and a sync information portion, the sub packet containing at least portions of compression-resultant multiple-channel signals which result from compressing multiple-channel digital audio signals respectively, the sync information portion containing a signal representative of a sampling frequency related to the multiple-channel digital audio signals and a signal representative of a quantization bit number related to the multiple-channel digital audio signals.
A tenth aspect of this invention is based on the third aspect th
Fuchigami Norihiko
Tanaka Yoshiaki
Ueno Shoji
Chawan Vijay
Victor Company of Japan Ltd.
Woo Louis
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