Audio coding

1. A spatial decoder for producing a pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb) using spatial parameters (sp) and a single audio input channel (s), said spatial decoder comprising:

a parameter conversion unit for converting the spatial parameters (sp) into binaural parameters (bp) using parametrized perceptual transfer functions (hp), the binaural parameters depending on both the spatial parameters and the parametrized perceptual transfer functions;

a single transform unit for transforming the single audio input channel (s) into a transformed audio channel (S);

a decorrelation unit for decorrelating the transformed audio channel (S) to generate a transformed decorrelated signal (D);

a spatial synthesis unit for synthesizing a pair of transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) by applying the binaural parameters (bp) to the transformed audio channel (S) and the transformed decorrelated signal (D); and

a pair of inverse transform units for inversely transforming the transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) into the pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb).

2. The spatial decoder according to claim 1 where the parameter conversion unit is arranged for combining in the parameter domain, in order to determine the binaural parameters, perceptual transfer function contributions that the audio input channels would make to the binaural channels.

3. The spatial decoder according to claim 1 where the parameter conversion unit is arranged for processing channel level (CLD), channel coherence (ICC) and/or phase (IPD) parameters.

4. The spatial decoder according to claim 1 comprising a stereo reverberation unit arranged for operating in the time domain.

5. The spatial decoder according to claim 1 comprising a stereo reverberation unit arranged for operating in a transform domain or sub-band domain.

6. The spatial decoder according to claim 1 where the parameter conversion unit is adapted to:

determine relative powers for a plurality of virtual audio channels in response to the spatial parameters (sp) and the single audio input channel (s);

estimate statistical properties of the binaural output channels (lb, rb) in response to the determined relative powers for the plurality of virtual audio channels; and

determine the binaural parameters (bp) in response to the estimated statistical properties of the binaural output channels (lb, rb).

7. The spatial decoder according to claim 6 where the estimated statistical properties comprise an average energy of the transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb), an average phase difference of the transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) and a coherence of the transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb).

8. A spatial decoder for producing a pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb) from an input bitstream (bs), said spatial decoder comprising:

a demultiplexer unit for demultiplexing the input bitstream into a single downmix audio input channel (s) and spatial parameters (sp);

a downmix decoder unit for decoding the single downmix channel (s);

a parameter conversion unit for converting the spatial parameters (sp) into binaural parameters (bp) using parametrized perceptual transfer functions (hp), the binaural parameters depending on both the spatial parameters and the parametrized perceptual transfer functions;

a single transform unit for transforming the single downmix audio input channel (s) into a transformed audio channel (S);

a decorrelation unit for decorrelating the transformed audio channel (S) to generate a transformed decorrelated signal (D);

a spatial synthesis unit for synthesizing a pair of transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) by applying the binaural parameters (bp) to the transformed audio channel (S) and the transformed decorrelated signal (D); and

a pair of inverse transform units for inversely transforming the transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) into the pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb).

9. The spatial decoder according to claim 8 said spatial decoder including a reverberation unit.

10. An audio system comprising a spatial decoder for producing a pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb) using spatial parameters (sp) and a single audio input channel (s), said spatial decoder comprising:

a parameter conversion unit for converting the spatial parameters (sp) into binaural parameters (bp) using parametrized perceptual transfer functions (hp), the binaural parameters depending on both the spatial parameters and the parametrized perceptual transfer functions;

a single transform unit for transforming the single audio input channel (s) into a transformed audio channel (S);

a decorrelation unit for decorrelating the transformed audio channel (S) to generate a transformed decorrelated signal (D);

a spatial synthesis unit for synthesizing a pair of transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) by applying the binaural parameters (bp) to the transformed audio channel (S) and the transformed decorrelated signal (D); and

a pair of inverse transform units for inversely transforming the transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) into the pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb).

11. A consumer device comprising a spatial decoder for producing a pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb) using spatial parameters (sp) and a single audio input channel (s), said spatial decoder comprising:

a parameter conversion unit for converting the spatial parameters (sp) into binaural parameters (bp) using parametrized perceptual transfer functions (hp), the binaural parameters depending on both the spatial parameters and the parametrized perceptual transfer functions;

a single transform unit for transforming the single audio input channel (s) into a transformed audio channel (S);

a decorrelation unit for decorrelating the transformed audio channel (S) to generate a transformed decorrelated signal (D);

a spatial synthesis unit for synthesizing a pair of transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) by applying the binaural parameters (bp) to the transformed audio channel (S) and the transformed decorrelated signal (D); and

a pair of inverse transform units for inversely transforming the transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) into the pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb).

12. A method of producing a pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb) using spatial parameters (sp) and a single audio input channel (s), the method comprising the steps of:

converting the spatial parameters (sp) into binaural parameters (bp) using parameterized perceptual transfer functions (hp), the binaural parameters depending on both the spatial parameters and the parametrized perceptual transfer functions;

transforming the single audio input channel (s) into a transformed audio channel (S);

decorrelating the transformed audio channel (S) to generate a transformed decorrelated signal (D);

synthesizing a pair of transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) by applying the binaural parameters (bp) to the transformed audio channel (S) and the transformed decorrelated signal (D); and

inversely transforming the transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) into the pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb).

13. A computer program embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium for producing a pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb) using spatial parameters (sp) and a single audio input channel (s), the method comprising the steps of:

converting the spatial parameters (sp) into binaural parameters (bp) using parameterized perceptual transfer functions (hp), the binaural parameters depending on both the spatial parameters and the parametrized perceptual transfer functions;

transforming the single audio input channel (s) into a transformed audio channel (S);

decorrelating the transformed audio channel (S) to generate a transformed decorrelated signal (D);

synthesizing a pair of transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) by applying the binaural parameters (bp) to the transformed audio channel (S) and the transformed decorrelated signal (D); and

inversely transforming the transformed binaural channels (Lb, Rb) into the pair of binaural output channels (lb, rb).

14. The spatial decoder according to claim 5 where the stereo reverberation unit is adapted for operating in the QMF domain.