IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,296,156
Granted Patent B2
US 8,296,156 · App. 12/278,776 · Granted Oct 23, 2012

Apparatus and method for encoding/decoding signal

Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,296,156
App. No.
12/278,776
Granted
Oct 23, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An encoding method and apparatus and a decoding method and apparatus are provided. The decoding method includes extracting a compatible down-mix signal optimized for a first multi-channel decoder from the input bitstream, converting the compatible down-mix signal to be optimized for a second multi-channel signal by performing a compatibility processing operation on the compatible down-mix signal, and generating a three-dimensional (3D) down-mix signal by performing a 3D rendering operation on the converted down-mix signal. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently encode multi-channel signals with 3D effects and to adaptively restore and reproduce audio signals with optimum sound quality according to the characteristics of an audio reproduction environment.

Claims (27)

1. A method for decoding a signal, comprising:

receiving a down-mix signal from an input bitstream;

receiving spatial information and down-mix identification information from the input bitstream, the down-mix identification information indicating whether the down-mix signal is a compatible down-mix signal optimized for a first multi-channel decoder;

if the down-mix identification information indicates that the down-mix signal is the compatible down-mix signal,

converting the compatible down-mix signal into a down-mix signal optimized for a second multi-channel decoder by performing a compatibility processing operation on the compatible down-mix signal; and

generating a three-dimensional (3D) down-mix signal by performing a 3D rendering operation on the converted down-mix signal using a head related transfer function (HRTF) and the spatial information,

wherein the spatial information includes at least one of a channel level difference (CLD) which indicates level differences between two channels, a channel prediction coefficient (CPC) which is a prediction coefficient used to generate a 3-channel signal based on a 2-channel signal, and inter-channel correlation (ICC) which indicates the amount of correlation between two channels.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the converting of the compatible down-mix signal comprises:

converting the compatible down-mix signal from a first domain to a second domain;

converting the compatible down-mix signal in the second domain into a down-mix signal optimized for the second multi-channel decoder using compatibility information; and,

converting the down-mix signal optimized for the second multi-channel decoder from the second domain to the first domain.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the 3D down-mix signal comprises:

converting the converted down-mix signal to a 3D rendering domain; and,

performing a 3D rendering operation on the converted down-mix signal in the 3D rendering domain.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a multi-channel signal using the converted down-mix signal and the spatial information.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a computer program for executing the decoding method of claim 1 .

6. An apparatus for decoding a signal, comprising:

a bit unpacking unit receiving a down-mix signal, spatial information and down-mix identification information from an input bitstream, the down-mix identification information indicating whether the down-mix signal is a compatible down-mix signal optimized for a first multi-channel decoder;

if the down-mix identification information indicates that the down-mix signal is the compatible down-mix signal, a down-mix compatibility processing unit converting the compatible down-mix signal into a down-mix signal optimized for a second multi-channel decoder by performing a compatibility processing operation on the compatible down-mix signal; and

a 3D rendering unit generating a three-dimensional (3D) down-mix signal by performing a 3D rendering operation on the converted compatible down-mix signal using a head related transfer function (HRTF) and the spatial information,

wherein the spatial information includes at least one of a channel level difference (CLD) which indicates level differences between two channels, a channel prediction coefficient (CPC) which is a prediction coefficient used to generate a 3-channel signal based on a 2-channel signal, and inter-channel correlation (ICC) which indicates the amount of correlation between two channels.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the down-mix compatibility processing unit comprises;

a first domain conversion unit converting the compatible down-mix signal from a first domain to a second domain;

a compatibility processor converting the compatible down-mix signal in the second domain into a down-mix signal optimized for the second multi-channel decoder using compatibility information; and,

a second domain conversion unit converting the down-mix signal optimized for the second multi-channel decoder from the second domain to the first domain.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the 3D rendering unit converts the converted down-mix signal to a 3D rendering domain, and performs a 3D rendering operation on the converted down-mix signal in the 3D rendering domain.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a multi-channel decoder generating a multi-channel signal using the converted down-mix signal and the spatial information.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 26, 2008
From: JUNG, YANG WON; PANG, HEE SUK; OH, HYUN O; KIM, DONG SOO; LIM, JAE HYUN
To: LG ELECTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 021898/0088 →
Continuity (9)
Provisional Application 60793653 · Apr 21, 2006
Provisional Application 60792329 · Apr 17, 2006
Provisional Application 60782519 · Mar 16, 2006
Provisional Application 60781750 · Mar 14, 2006
Provisional Application 60775775 · Feb 23, 2006
Provisional Application 60773337 · Feb 15, 2006
Provisional Application 60771471 · Feb 9, 2006
Provisional Application 60765747 · Feb 7, 2006
Related Publication 20090012796A1 · Jan 8, 2009