Abstract: A coding unit for coding an audio signal by using an adaptive orthogonal transformation and a coding method comprises calculating the sum total of power of an input audio signal in a time duration of an orthogonal transform length or over the length, adaptively controlling the minimum audible level as a threshold level corresponding to the power level on a frequency axis after the orthogonal transformation or on a time axis before the orthogonal transformation, excepting samples having a power level under the threshold level from orthogonally transformed samples and quantizing remaining samples. The threshold level of the minimum audible level is adaptively controlled corresponding to an observed level of an input audio signal. Even if the input audio signal has various power levels, it is possible to usually set the adaptively audible value (the threshold level), thereby effectively reducing a coding amount.

Abstract: A system for coding and decoding an audio signal by using an orthogonal and inverse orthogonal transformation of a block unit, includes a coding unit having a circuit for obtaining a power level of the audio signal of a segment unit having a predetermined time interval shorter than the block unit, a circuit for generating a gain control signal from the power level, a circuit for performing a predetermined adaptive gain control responsive to the gain control signal to generate and output the adaptive gain control signal to a decoding unit, thereby performing a pre-treatment, and a coding portion for coding the adaptive gain control signal by using the orthogonal transformation to generate and output a coded signal; and the decoding unit having a decoding portion for decoding the coded signal, dequantizing and inversely and orthogonally transforming a decoded audio signal, and a circuit for performing an inverse gain control for the decoded audio signal responsive to the adaptive gain control signal from the ad