Abstract: Parametric stereo coders use perceptually relevant parameters of the input signal to describe spatial properties. One of these parameters is the phase difference between the input signals (ITD or IPD). This time difference only determines the relative time difference between the input signals, without any information about how these time differences should be divided over the output signals in the decoder. An additional parameter is included in the encoded signal that describes how the ITD or IPD should be distributed between the output channels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a record carrier carrying a stereo signal and a data signal. The data signal comprises a first portion and a remaining portion. A first channel on the record carrier comprises a composite signal. The composite signal is obtained by combining the stereo signal and the first portion of the data signal, preferably by using buried data techniques. A second channel on the record carrier comprises the remaining portion of the data signal. The invention further relates to a method, a recording apparatus and a reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing the stereo signal and the data signal on a record carrier.

Abstract: A data stream contains segments with reproducible signal data that has been encoded with a variable length encoding scheme. Each segment also contains first and second information about the length of the signal data in the segment, stored at predetermined relative positions with respect to the start and end of the signal data in the particular segment. During replay access locations are computed for accessing a next succeeding or preceding segment adjacent to a particular segment when a forward and backward direction of replay are selected respectively. The access location is computed from the first information from the particular segment or the second information from the adjacent segment that precedes the particular segment, dependent on whether the forward or backward direction is selected respectively.

Abstract: The invention relates to a signal encoding system (100). A pre-encoder (103) encodes a signal and generates a pre-encoded signal. In addition the pre-encoder (103) generates encoding assistance data which is stored in a signal storage (105) together with the pre-encoded signal. When the signal is retrieved from the signal storage (105), it is decoded in a decoder (111) and a watermark is inserted in the decoded signal to generate a watermarked signal. The watermarked signal is then re-encoded, possibly at a different encoding rate, in a re-encoder (117). The re-encoder (117) is operable to re-encode the watermarked signal in response to the encoding assistance data. Thus, encoding assistance data may be generated at encoding prior to storage and the encoding assistance data may be used to facilitate re-encoding of a watermarked signal when retrieved.

Abstract: There is provided a method of allocating optimal payload space in a watermarking system. The method includes steps of: (a) obtaining identification parameters relating to programme data content (PC), said identification parameters including at least one or more user identifiers (UID) and one or 5 more programme content identifiers (CID); (b) storing said identification parameters (UID, CID) in one or more databases (30); (c) generating one or more transaction numbers (nTR) capable of being uniquely mapped to corresponding identification parameters (UID, CID) stored in the one or more 10 databases (30); and (d) generating watermark information for carrying said one or more transaction numbers (nTR) and embedding said watermark information as an optimized payload (OPL) into said programme data content (PC) to generate corresponding watermarked data content (WPC).

Abstract: Parametric stereo coders use perceptually relevant parameters of the input signal to describe spatial properties. One of these parameters is the phase difference between the input signals (ITD or IPD). This time difference only determines the relative time difference between the input signals, without any information about how these time differences should be divided over the output signals in the decoder. An additional parameter is included in the encoded signal that describes how the ITD or IPD should be distributed between the output channels. To this goal the delay between a computed monaural signal and one of the input signals is used.

Abstract: Modeling a target spectrum (S) is provided by determining (21) filter parameters (pi,qi) of a filter which has a frequency response approximating the target spectrum (S), wherein the target spectrum is split in at least a first part and a second part, a first modeling operation is used on the first part of the target spectrum to obtain auto-regressive parameters, a second modeling operation is used on the second part of the target spectrum to obtain moving-average parameters, and the auto-regressive parameters and the moving-average parameters are combined to obtain the filter parameters. The invention is preferably applied in audio coding, wherein a spectrum of a noise component (S) in the signal (A) is modeled.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, devices, a media signal as well as a recorded medium relating to a media signal having audio samples including a buried data channel (30, 32, 34, 36). The buried data channel (30, 32, 34, 36) provided in the audio samples of a media signal includes information about the spectral shape of the buried data channel (30, 32, 34, 36). In this way data in the buried data channel (30, 32, 34, 36) can be updated in a simple manner without having to analyse the media signal.

Abstract: Multi-channel audio signals are coded into a monaural audio signal and information allowing to recover the multi-channel audio signal from the monaural audio signal and the information. The information is generated by determining a first portion of the information for a first frequency region of the multi-channel audio signal, and by determining a second portion of the information for a second frequency region of the multi-channel audio signal. The second frequency region is a portion of the first frequency region and thus is a sub-range of the first frequency region. The information is multi-layered enabling a scaling of the decoding quality versus bit rate.

Abstract: Coding (1) of an audio signal is provided including estimating (110) a position of a transient signal component in the audio signal, matching (111,112) a shape function on the transient signal component in case the transient signal component is gradually declining after an initial increase, which shape function has a substantially exponential initial behavior and a substantially logarithmic declining behavior; and including (15) the position and shape parameters describing the shape function in an audio stream (AS).

Abstract: In binaural stereo coding, only one monaural channel is encoded. An additional layer holds the parameters to retrieve the left and right signal. An encoder is disclosed which links transient information extracted from the mono encoded signal to parametric multi-channel layers to provide increased performance. Transient positions can either be directly derived from the bit-stream or be estimated from other encoded parameters (e.g. window-switching flag in mp3).

Abstract: Sum/difference coding of a compatible signal, typically in case of a dominant centre signal or dominant surround situation of a multi-channel audio stream to be decoded by both a stereo decoder and by a multi-channel decoder, to provide improved encoding of multiple input signals employing compatibility matrixing.

Abstract: Coding a signal is provided, wherein a first set of values is provided related to subsequent times in a first time interval of the signal, a second set of values is provided related to subsequent times in a second time interval of the signal, the first time interval having an overlap with the second time interval, the overlap including at least two subsequent times of the second interval, wherein at least one of the values of the second set related to the at least two subsequent times in the overlap is encoded with reference to a value of the first set which is closer in time to the at least one value of the second set than any other value in the second set.

Abstract: A method using sources in a multi-channel audio coding system for encoding a set of audio signals wherein correlated components are present. The method comprises the step of determining, from the relation between said audio signals, a composition of said sources, the composition being such that the sources in said composition are substantially uncorrelated, so that said composition of sources synthesizes said components in a relation-preserved way. The method may further comprise the step of encoding the sources, by determining for each source a set of parameters for synthesizing said source and a set of transformation parameters for generating said composition of sources.

Abstract: A method using synthetic noise sources in a multi-channel audio coding system for encoding a set of audio signal wherein correlated noise components are present. The method comprises the step of determining, from the relation between said audio signals, a composition of noise sources, the composition being such that the noise sources in said composition are mutually uncorrelated, so that said composition of noise sources synthesizes said noise components in a relation-preserved way. The method may further comprise the step of encoding die noise sources, by determining for each noise source a set of noise parameters for synthesizing said source and a set of transformation parameters for generating said composition of noise sources.