Audio signal encoder and audio signal decoder

1. An audio signal decoder which decodes a first coded stream and outputs audio signals, comprising:

a processor;

an extraction unit configured to extract, from the first coded stream, a second coded stream representing at least one mixed signal having less than a plurality of pre-mixing audio signals mixed into the mixed signal, and to extract, from the first coded stream, supplementary information for reverting the mixed signal to the pre-mixing audio signals, said extraction unit using said processor to extract the second coded stream and the supplementary information;

a decoding unit configured to decode the second coded stream representing the mixed signal;

a signal separating unit configured to separate the mixed signal generated by said decoding unit based on the extracted supplementary information, and to generate a plurality of audio signals which are acoustically approximate to the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals; and

a reproducing unit configured to reproduce the decoded mixed signal or the plurality of audio signals generated by said signal separating unit,

wherein the supplementary information includes linear prediction coefficients for representing at least one of the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals as a function of the mixed signal,

wherein said signal separating unit includes a no-correlation signal calculating unit configured to calculate a no-correlation signal representing, as a function of the mixed signal, a reference signal that is one of the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals by using the linear prediction coefficients in the supplementary information,

wherein the supplementary information includes a flag indicating a degree of correlation between the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals, and

wherein, in a case where the flag included in the supplementary information indicates that the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals have a low correlation, said signal separating unit is configured to generate the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals other than the reference signal by removing the no-correlation signal from the mixed signal.

2. The audio signal decoder according to claim 1 ,

wherein the linear prediction coefficients define a linear prediction filter passing the mixed signal as an input signal by using a function, and the linear prediction coefficients are derived so that an output of the linear prediction filter represents the at least one the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals mixed into the mixed signal.

3. The audio signal decoder according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals are audio signals including multi-channel signals, and the mixed signal is a downmix signal generated by downmixing the multi-channel signals,

said decoding unit is configured to generate the downmix signal by decoding the second coded stream representing the mixed signal, and

said signal separating unit is configured to generate the plurality of audio signals which are acoustically approximate to the multi-channel signals before being downmixed.

4. An audio signal encoder which encodes a mixed signal into which a plurality of pre-mixing audio signals have been mixed, said encoder comprising:

a processor;

a mixed signal generating unit configured to generate, using said processor, the mixed signal representing at least one audio signal having less than the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals by mixing the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals;

a supplementary information generating unit configured to generate supplementary information including linear prediction coefficients for calculating, from at least one of the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals, a no-correlation signal representing, as a function of the mixed signal, a reference signal that is one of the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals, and (ii) a flag indicating a degree of correlation between the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals, wherein, in a case where the flag indicates that the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals have a low correlation, the supplementary information indicates that a plurality of audio signals, which are acoustically approximate to the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals other than the reference signal, are generated from the mixed signal by removing the calculated no-correlation signal from the mixed signal;

a coding unit configured to code the mixed signal; and

a coded stream generating unit configured to generate a first coded stream including the coded mixed signal and the generated supplementary information.

5. The audio signal encoder according to claim 4 ,

wherein the linear prediction coefficients define a linear prediction filter passing the mixed signal as an input signal by using a function, and the linear prediction coefficients are derived so that an output of the linear prediction filter represents the at least one of the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals mixed into the mixed signal.

6. An audio signal decoding method for decoding a first coded stream and outputting audio signals, comprising:

extracting, using a processor, a second coded stream, from the first coded stream, representing at least one mixed signal having less than a plurality of pre-mixing audio signals mixed into the mixed signal;

extracting, from the first coded stream, supplementary information for reverting the mixed signal back to the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals, the supplementary information including (i) linear prediction coefficients for representing at least one of the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals as a function of the mixed signal, and (ii) a flag indicating a degree of correlation between the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals;

decoding the second coded stream representing the mixed signal;

calculating a no-correlation signal representing, as a function of the mixed signal, a reference signal that is one of the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals by using the linear prediction coefficients in the supplementary information in a case where the flag included in the supplementary information indicates that the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals have a low correlation,

separating the mixed signal generated by said decoding by removing the no-correlation signal from the mixed signal, and generating a plurality of audio signals which are acoustically approximate to the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals other than the reference signal; and

reproducing the decoded mixed signal or the plurality of audio signals separated from the mixed signal.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored thereon a program for use in an audio signal decoder which decodes a first coded stream and outputs audio signals, wherein when executed, said program causes a computer to perform a method comprising:

extracting, from the first coded stream, a second coded stream representing at least one mixed signal having less than a plurality of pre-mixing audio signals mixed into the mixed signal;

extracting, from the inputted first coded stream, supplementary information for reverting the mixed signal back to the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals, the supplementary information including (i) linear prediction coefficients for representing at least one of the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals as a function of the mixed signal, and (ii) a flag indicating a degree of correlation between the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals;

decoding the second coded stream representing the mixed signal;

calculating a no-correlation signal representing, as a function of the mixed signal, a reference signal that is one of the plurality of pre-mixing signals by using the linear prediction coefficients in the supplementary information in a case where the flag included in the supplementary information indicates that the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals have a low correlation,

separating the mixed signal generated by said decoding by removing the no-correlation signal from the mixed signal, and generating a plurality of audio signals which are acoustically approximate to the plurality of pre-mixing audio signals other than the reference signal; and

reproducing the decoded mixed signal or the plurality of audio signals separated from the mixed signal.