OA18726A - Decoding audio bitstreams with enhanced spectral band replication metadata in at least one fill element. - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments relate to an audio processing unit that includes a buffer, bitstream payload deformatter, and a decoding subsystem. The buffer stores at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream. The block includes a fill element that begins with an identifier followed by fill data. The fill data includes at least one flag identifying whether enhanced spectral band replication (eSBR) processing is to be performed on audio content of the block. A corresponding method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream is also provided.

Description

DECODING AUDIO BITSTREAMS WITH ENHANCED SPECTRAL BAND REPLICATION METADATA IN AT LEAST ONE FILL ELEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention pertains to audio signal processing. Some embodiments pertain to encoding and decoding of audio bitstreams (e.g., bitstreams having an MPEG-4 AAC format) including metadata for controlling enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR). Other embodiments pertain to decoding of such bitstreams by legacy decoders which are not configured to perform eSBR processing and which ignore such metadata, orto decoding of an audio bitstream which does not include such metadata including by generating eSBR control data in response to the bitstream.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A typical audio bitstream includes both audio data (e.g., encoded audio data) indicative of one or more channels of audio content, and metadata indicative of at least one characteristic ofthe audio data or audio content. One well known format for generating an encoded audio bitstream is the MPEG-4 Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) format, described in the MPEG standard ISO/IEC 14496-3:2009. In the MPEG-4 standard, AAC dénotés “advanced audio coding” and HE-AAC dénotés “high-efficiency advanced audio coding.”

The MPEG-4 AAC standard defines several audio profiles, which determine which objects and coding tools are present in a complaint encoder or décoder. Three of these audio profiles are (1) the AAC profile, (2) the HE-AAC profile, and (3) the HE-AAC v2 profile. The AAC profile includes the AAC low complexity (or “AAC-LC) object type. The AAC-LC object is the counterpart to the MPEG-2 AAC low complexity profile, with some adjustments, and includes neither the spectral band réplication (“SBR”) object type nor the parametric stéréo (“PS”) object type. The HE-AAC profile is a superset of the AAC profile and additionally includes the SBR object type. The HE-AAC v2 profile is a superset ofthe HE-AAC profile and additionally includes the PS object type.

The SBR object type contains the spectral band réplication tool, which is an important coding tool that significantly improves the compression efficiency of perceptual audio codées. SBR reconstructs the high frequency components of an audio signal on the receiver side (e.g., in the décoder). Thus, the encoder needs to only encode and transmit low frequency components, allowing for a much higher audio

-1 18726 quality at low data rates. SBR is based on réplication of the sequences of harmonies, previously truncated in order to reduce data rate, from the available bandwidth limited signal and control data obtained from the encoder. The ratio between tonal and noiselike components is maintained by adaptive inverse filtering as well as the optional addition of noise and sinusoidals. In the MPEG-4 AAC standard, the SBR tool performs spectral patching, in which a number of adjoining Quadrature Mirror Filter (QMF) subbands are copied from a transmitted lowband portion of an audio signal to a highband portion ofthe audio signal, which is generated in the décoder.

Spectral patching may not be idéal for certain audio types, such as musical content with relatively low cross over frequencies. Therefore, techniques for improving spectral band réplication are needed.

Brief Description of Embodiments ofthe Invention

A first class of embodiments relates to audio processing units that include a memory, bitstream payload deformatter, and decoding subsystem. The memory is configured to store at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream (e.g., an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream). The bitstream payload deformatter is configured to demultiplex the encoded audio block. The decoding subsystem is configured to décodé audio content of the encoded audio block. The encoded audio block includes a fill element with an identifier indicating the start of the fill element, and fill data after the identifier. The fill data includes at least one flag identifying whether enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR) processing is to be performed on audio content ofthe encoded audio block.

A second class of embodiments relates to methods for decoding an encoded audio bitstream. The method includes receiving at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream, demultiplexing at least some portions of the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream, and decoding at least some portions of the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream. The at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream includes a fill element with an identifier indicating a start of the fill element and fill data after the identifier. The fill data includes at least one flag identifying whether enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR) processing is to be performed on audio content ofthe at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream.

Other classes of embodiments relate to encoding and transcoding audio bitstreams containing metadata identifying whether enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR) processing is to be performed.

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Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a system which may be configured to perform an embodiment ofthe inventive method.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an encoder which is an embodiment of the inventive audio processing unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system including a décoder which is an embodiment ofthe inventive audio processing unit, and optionally also a post-processor cou pied thereto.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a décoderwhich is an embodiment ofthe inventive audio processing unit.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a décoder which is another embodiment of the inventive audio processing unit.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of anotherembodiment ofthe inventive audio processing unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a block of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream, including segments into which it is divided.

Notation and Nomenclature

Throughout this disclosure, including in the claims, the expression performing an operation “on” a signal or data (e.g., filtering, sealing, transforming, or applying gain to, the signal or data) is used in a broad sense to dénoté performing the operation directly on the signal or data, or on a processed version of the signal or data (e.g., on a version of the signal that has undergone preliminary filtering or pre-processing prior to performance of the operation thereon).

Throughout this disclosure, including in the claims, the expression “audio processing unit” is used in a broad sense, to dénoté a system, device, or apparatus, configured to process audio data. Examples of audio processing units include, but are not limited to encoders (e.g., transcoders), decoders, codées, pre-processing Systems, post-processing Systems, and bitstream processing Systems (sometimes referred to as bitstream processing tools). Virtually ail consumer electronics, such as mobile phones, télévisions, laptops, and tablet computers, contain an audio processing unit.

Throughout this disclosure, including in the claims, the term “couples” or “coupled” is used in a broad sense to mean either a direct or indirect connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection, or through an indirect connection via other devices and connections.

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Moreover, components that are integrated into or with other components are also coupled to each other.

Detailed Description of Embodiments ofthe Invention

The MPEG-4 AAC standard contemplâtes that an encoded MPEG-4 AAC bitstream includes metadata indicative of each type of SBR processing to be applied (if any is to be applied) by a décoder to décodé audio content of the bitstream, and/or which Controls such SBR processing, and/or is indicative of at least one characteristic or parameter of at least one SBR tool to be employed to décodé audio content of the bitstream. Herein, we use the expression “SBR metadata” to dénoté metadata of this type which is described or mentioned in the MPEG-4 AAC standard.

The top level of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream is a sequence of data blocks (“raw_data_block” éléments), each of which is a segment of data (herein referred to as a “block”) that contains audio data (typically for a time period of 1024 or 960 samples) and related information and/or other data. Herein, we use the term “block” to dénoté a segment of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream comprising audio data (and corresponding metadata and optionally also other related data) which détermines or is indicative of one (but not more than one) “raw_data_block” element.

Each block of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream can include a number of syntactic éléments (each of which is also materialized in the bitstream as a segment of data). Seven types of such syntactic éléments are defined in the MPEG-4 AAC standard. Each syntactic element is identified by a different value ofthe data element “id_syn_ele. Examples of syntactic éléments include a “single_channel_element(),” a “channel_pair_element(),” and a “fill_element().” A single channel element is a container including audio data of a single audio channel (a monophonie audio signal). A channel pair element includes audio data of two audio channels (that is, a stéréo audio signal).

A fill element is a container of information including an identifier (e.g., the value of the above-noted element “id_syn_ele) followed by data, which is referred to as “fill data.” Fill éléments hâve historically been used to adjust the instantaneous bit rate of bitstreams that are to be transmitted over a constant rate channel. By adding the appropriate amount of fill data to each block, a constant data rate may be achieved.

In accordance with embodiments on the invention, the fill data may include one or more extension payloads that extend the type of data (e.g., metadata) capable of being transmitted in a bitstream. A décoder that receives bitstreams with fill data

-4.

containing a new type of data may optionally be used by a device receiving the bitstream (e.g., a décoder) to extend the functionality of the device. Thus, as can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, fill éléments are a spécial type of data structure and are different from the data structures typically used to transmit audio data (e.g., audio payloads containing channel data).

In some embodiments of the invention, the identifier used to identity a fill element may consist of a three bit unsigned integer transmitted most significant bit first (“uimsbf’) having a value of 0x6. In one block, several instances of the same type of syntactic element (e.g., several fill éléments) may occur.

Another standard for encoding audio bitstreams is the MPEG Unified Speech and Audio Coding (USAC) standard (ISO/IEC 23003-3:2012). The MPEG USAC standard describes encoding and decoding of audio content using spectral band réplication processing (including SBR processing as described in the MPEG-4 AAC standard, and also including other enhanced forms of spectral band réplication processing). This processing applies spectral band réplication tools (sometimes referred to herein as “enhanced SBR tools” or “eSBR tools”) of an expanded and enhanced version ofthe set of SBR tools described in the MPEG-4 AAC standard. Thus, eSBR (as defined in USAC standard) is an improvement to SBR (as defined in MPEG-4 AAC standard).

Herein, we use the expression “enhanced SBR processing” (or “eSBR processing”) to dénoté spectral band réplication processing using at least one eSBR tool (e.g., at least one eSBR tool which is described or mentioned in the MPEG USAC standard) which is not described or mentioned in the MPEG-4 AAC standard.

Examples of such eSBR tools are harmonie transposition, QMF-patching additional preprocessing or “pre-flattening,” and inter-subband sample Temporal Envelope Shaping or “inter-TES.”

A bitstream generated in accordance with the MPEG USAC standard (sometimes referred to herein as a “USAC bitstream”) includes encoded audio content and typically includes metadata indicative of each type of spectral band réplication processing to be applied by a décoder to décodé audio content of the USAC bitstream, and/or metadata which Controls such spectral band réplication processing and/or is indicative of at least one characteristic or parameter of at least one SBR tool and/or eSBR tool to be employed to décodé audio content of the USAC bitstream.

Herein, we use the expression “enhanced SBR metadata” (or “eSBR metadata”) to dénoté metadata indicative of each type of spectral band réplication processing to be applied by a décoder to décodé audio content of an encoded audio bitstream (e.g., a

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USAC bitstream) and/or which Controls such spectral band réplication processing, and/or is indicative of at least one characteristic or parameter of at least one SBR tool and/or eSBR tool to be employed to décodé such audio content, but which is not described or mentioned in the MPEG-4 AAC standard. An example of eSBR metadata is the metadata (indicative of, or for controlling, spectral band réplication processing) which is described or mentioned in the MPEG USAC standard but not in the MPEG-4 AAC standard. Thus, eSBR metadata herein dénotés metadata which is not SBR metadata, and SBR metadata herein dénotés metadata which is not eSBR metadata.

A USAC bitstream may include both SBR metadata and eSBR metadata. More specifically, a USAC bitstream may include eSBR metadata which Controls the performance of eSBR processing by a décoder, and SBR metadata which Controls the performance of SBR processing by the décoder. In accordance with typical embodiments ofthe present invention, eSBR metadata (e.g., eSBR-specific configuration data) is included (in accordance with the present invention) in an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream (e.g., in the sbr_extension() container at the end of an SBR payload).

Performance of eSBR processing, during decoding of an encoded bitstream using an eSBR tool set (comprising at least one eSBR tool), by a décoder regenerates the high frequency band of the audio signal, based on réplication of sequences of harmonies which were truncated during encoding. Such eSBR processing typically adjusts the spectral envelope of the generated high frequency band and applies inverse filtering, and adds noise and sinusoïdal components in order to recreate the spectral characteristics ofthe original audio signal.

In accordance with typical embodiments of the invention, eSBR metadata is included (e.g., a small number of control bits which are eSBR metadata are included) in one or more of metadata segments of an encoded audio bitstream (e.g., an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream) which also includes encoded audio data in other segments (audio data segments). Typically, at least one such metadata segment of each block ofthe bitstream is (or includes) a fill element (including an identifier indicating the start ofthe fill element), and the eSBR metadata is included in the fill element after the identifier.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary audio processing chain (an audio data processing system), in which one or more of the éléments of the system may be configured in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention. The system includes the following éléments, coupled together as shown: encoder 1, delivery subsystem 2, décoder 3, and post-processing unit 4. In variations on the system shown,

-618726 one or more ofthe éléments are omitted, or additional audio data processing units are included.

In some implémentations, encoder 1 (which optionally includes a pre-processing unit) is configured to accept PCM (time-domain) samples comprising audio content as input, and to output an encoded audio bitstream (having format which is compilant with the MPEG-4 AAC standard) which is indicative ofthe audio content. The data ofthe bitstream that are indicative ofthe audio content are sometimes referred to herein as “audio data” or “encoded audio data.” If the encoder is configured in accordance with a typical embodiment ofthe present invention, the audio bitstream outputfrom the encoder includes eSBR metadata (and typically also other metadata) as well as audio data.

One or more encoded audio bitstreams output from encoder 1 may be asserted to encoded audio delivery subsystem 2. Subsystem 2 is configured to store and/or deliver each encoded bitstream output from encoder 1. An encoded audio bitstream output from encoder 1 may be stored by subsystem 2 (e.g., in the form of a DVD or Blu ray dise), or transmitted by subsystem 2 (which may implement a transmission link or network), or may be both stored and transmitted by subsystem 2.

Decoder 3 is configured to décodé an encoded MPEG-4 AAC audio bitstream (generated by encoder 1) which it receives via subsystem 2. In some embodiments, decoder 3 is configured to extract eSBR metadata from each block of the bitstream, and to décodé the bitstream (including by performing eSBR processing using the extracted eSBR metadata) to generate decoded audio data (e.g., streams of decoded PCM audio samples). In some embodiments, decoder 3 is configured to extract SBR metadata from the bitstream (but to ignore eSBR metadata included in the bitstream), and to décodé the bitstream (including by performing SBR processing using the extracted SBR metadata) to generate decoded audio data (e.g., streams of decoded PCM audio samples).Typically, decoder 3 includes a buffer which stores (e.g., in a non-transitory manner) segments ofthe encoded audio bitstream received from subsystem 2.

Post-processing unit 4 of Fig. 1 is configured to accept a stream of decoded audio data from decoder 3 (e.g., decoded PCM audio samples), and to perform post processing thereon. Post-processing unit may also be configured to render the postprocessed audio content (or the decoded audio received from decoder 3) for playback by one or more speakers.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an encoder (100) which is an embodiment of the inventive audio processing unit. Any of the components or éléments of encoder 100 -718726 may be implemented as one or more processes and/or one or more circuits (e.g., ASICs, FPGAs, or other integrated circuits), in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Encoder 100 includes encoder 105, stuffer/formatter stage 107, metadata génération stage 106, and buffer memory 109, connected as shown. Typically also, encoder 100 includes other processing éléments (not shown). Encoder 100 is configured to convert an input audio bitstream to an encoded output MPEG-4 AAC bitstream.

Metadata generator 106 is coupled and configured to generate (and/or pass through to stage 107) metadata (including eSBR metadata and SBR metadata) to be included by stage 107 in the encoded bitstream to be output from encoder 100.

Encoder 105 is coupled and configured to encode (e.g., by performing compression thereon) the input audio data, and to assert the resulting encoded audio to stage 107 for inclusion in the encoded bitstream to be output from stage 107.

Stage 107 is configured to multiplex the encoded audio from encoder 105 and the metadata (including eSBR metadata and SBR metadata) from generator 106 to generate the encoded bitstream to be output from stage 107, preferably so that the encoded bitstream has format as specified by one ofthe embodiments ofthe présent invention.

Buffer memory 109 is configured to store (e.g., in a non-transitory manner) at least one block ofthe encoded audio bitstream outputfrom stage 107, and a sequence ofthe blocks ofthe encoded audio bitstream is then asserted from buffer memory 109 as output from encoder 100 to a delivery system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system including décoder (200) which is an embodiment ofthe inventive audio processing unit, and optionally also a post-processor (300) coupled thereto. Any of the components or éléments of décoder 200 and postprocessor 300 may be implemented as one or more processes and/or one or more circuits (e.g., ASICs, FPGAs, or other integrated circuits), in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Décoder 200 comprises buffer memory 201, bitstream payload deformatter (parser) 205, audio decoding subsystem 202 (sometimes referred to as a “core” decoding stage or “core” decoding subsystem), eSBR processing stage 203, and control bit génération stage 204, connected as shown. Typically also, décoder 200 includes other processing éléments (not shown).

Buffer memory (buffer) 201 stores (e.g., in a non-transitory manner) at least one block of an encoded MPEG-4 AAC audio bitstream received by décoder 200. In

-818726 operation of décoder 200, a sequence of the blocks of the bitstream is asserted from buffer 201 to deformatter 205.

In variations on the Fig. 3 embodiment (or the Fig. 4 embodiment to be described), an APU which is not a décoder (e.g., APU 500 of FIG. 6) includes a buffer memory (e.g., a buffer memory identical to buffer 201) which stores (e.g., in a nontransitory manner) at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream (e.g., an MPEG-4 AAC audio bitstream) ofthe same type received by buffer 201 of Fig. 3 or Fig. 4 (i.e., an encoded audio bitstream which includes eSBR metadata).

With reference again to Fig. 3, deformatter 205 is coupled and configured to demultiplex each block ofthe bitstream to extract SBR metadata (including quantized envelope data) and eSBR metadata (and typically also other metadata) therefrom, to assert at least the eSBR metadata and the SBR metadata to eSBR processing stage 203, and typically also to assert other extracted metadata to decoding subsystem 202 (and optionaîly also to control bit generator 204). Deformatter 205 is also coupled and configured to extract audio data from each block ofthe bitstream, and to assert the extracted audio data to decoding subsystem (decoding stage) 202.

The system of FIG. 3 optionaîly also includes post-processor 300. Postprocessor 300 includes buffer memory (buffer) 301 and other processing éléments (not shown) including at least one processing element coupled to buffer 301. Buffer 301 stores (e.g., in a non-transitory manner) at least one block (orframe) ofthe decoded audio data received by post-processor 300 from décoder 200. Processing éléments of post-processor 300 are coupled and configured to receive and adaptively process a sequence of the blocks (or trames) of the decoded audio output from buffer 301, using metadata output from decoding subsystem 202 (and/or deformatter 205) and/or control bits output from stage 204 of décoder 200.

Audio decoding subsystem 202 of décoder 200 is configured to décodé the audio data extracted by parser 205 (such decoding may be referred to as a “core” decoding operation) to generate decoded audio data, and to assert the decoded audio data to eSBR processing stage 203. The decoding is performed in the frequency domain and typically includes inverse quantization followed by spectral processing. Typically, a final stage of processing in subsystem 202 applies a frequency domain-to-time domain transform to the decoded frequency domain audio data, so that the output of subsystem is time domain, decoded audio data. Stage 203 is configured to apply SBR tools and eSBR tools indicated by the eSBR metadata and the eSBR (extracted by parser 205) to the decoded audio data (i.e., to perform SBR and eSBR processing on the output of

-9 18726 decoding subsystem 202 using the SBR and eSBR metadata) to generate the fully decoded audio data which is output (e.g., to post-processor 300) from décoder 200. Typically, décoder 200 includes a memory (accessible by subsystem 202 and stage 203) which stores the deformatted audio data and metadata output from deformatter 205, and stage 203 is configured to access the audio data and metadata (including SBR metadata and eSBR metadata) as needed during SBR and eSBR processing. The SBR processing and eSBR processing in stage 203 may be considered to be postprocessing on the output of core decoding subsystem 202. Optionally, décoder 200 also includes a final upmixing subsystem (which may apply parametric stéréo (“PS”) tools defined in the MPEG-4 AAC standard, using PS metadata extracted by deformatter 205 and/or control bits generated in subsystem 204) which is coupled and configured to perform upmixing on the output of stage 203 to generated fully decoded, upmixed audio which is output from décoder 200. Alternatively, post-processor 300 is configured to perform upmixing on the output of décoder 200 (e.g., using PS metadata extracted by deformatter 205 and/or control bits generated in subsystem 204).

In response to metadata extracted by deformatter 205, control bit generator 204 may generate control data, and the control data may be used within décoder 200 (e.g., in a final upmixing subsystem) and/or asserted as output of décoder 200 (e.g., to postprocessor 300 for use in post-processing). In response to metadata extracted from the input bitstream (and optionally also in response to control data), stage 204 may generate (and assert to post-processor 300) control bits indicating that decoded audio data output from eSBR processing stage 203 should undergo a spécifie type of postprocessing. In some implémentations, décoder 200 is configured to assert metadata extracted by deformatter 205 from the input bitstream to post-processor 300, and postprocessor 300 is configured to perform post-processing on the decoded audio data output from décoder 200 using the metadata.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an audio processing unit (“APU”) (210) which is anotherembodiment ofthe inventive audio processing unit. APU 210 is a legacy décoder which is not configured to perform eSBR processing. Any of the components or éléments of APU 210 may be implemented as one or more processes and/or one or more circuits (e.g., ASICs, FPGAs, or other integrated circuits), in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. APU 210 comprises buffer memory 201, bitstream payload deformatter (parser) 215, audio decoding subsystem 202 (sometimes referred to as a “core” decoding stage or “core” decoding subsystem), and SBR

-1018726 processing stage 213, connected as shown. Typically also, APU 210 includes other processing éléments (not shown).

Eléments 201 and 202 of APU 210 are identical to the identically numbered éléments of décoder 200 (of Fig. 3) and the above description of them will not be repeated. In operation of APU 210, a sequence of blocks of an encoded audio bitstream (an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream) received by APU 210 is asserted from buffer 201 to deformatter 215.

Deformatter215 is coupled and configured to demultiplex each block ofthe bitstream to extract SBR metadata (including quantized envelope data) and typically also other metadata therefrom, but to ignore eSBR metadata that may be included in the bitstream in accordance with any embodiment ofthe présent invention. Deformatter 215 is configured to assert at least the SBR metadata to SBR processing stage 213. Deformatter 215 is also coupled and configured to extract audio data from each block of the bitstream, and to assert the extracted audio data to decoding subsystem (decoding stage) 202.

Audio decoding subsystem 202 of décoder 200 is configured to décodé the audio data extracted by deformatter 215 (such decoding may be referred to as a “core” decoding operation) to generate decoded audio data, and to assert the decoded audio data to SBR processing stage 213. The decoding is performed in the frequency domain. Typically, a final stage of processing in subsystem 202 applies a frequency domain-totime domain transform to the decoded frequency domain audio data, so that the output of subsystem is time domain, decoded audio data. Stage 213 is configured to apply SBR tools (but not eSBR tools) indicated by the SBR metadata (extracted by deformatter 215) to the decoded audio data (i.e., to perform SBR processing on the output of decoding subsystem 202 using the SBR metadata) to generate the fully decoded audio data which is output (e.g., to post-processor 300) from APU 210. Typically, APU 210 includes a memory (accessible by subsystem 202 and stage 213) which stores the deformatted audio data and metadata output from deformatter 215, and stage 213 is configured to access the audio data and metadata (including SBR metadata) as needed during SBR processing. The SBR processing in stage 213 may be considered to be post-processing on the output of core decoding subsystem 202. Optionally, APU 210 also includes a final upmixing subsystem (which may apply parametric stéréo (“PS”) tools defined in the MPEG-4 AAC standard, using PS metadata extracted by deformatter 215) which is coupled and configured to perform upmixing on the output of stage 213 to generated fully decoded, upmixed audio which is

- n 18726 output from APU 210. Altematively, a post-processor is configured to perform upmixing on the output of APU 210 (e.g., using PS metadata extracted by deformatter 215 and/or control bits generated in APU 210).

Various implémentations of encoder 100, décoder 200, and APU 210 are configured to perform different embodiments of the inventive method.

In accordance with some embodiments, eSBR metadata is included (e.g., a small number of control bits which are eSBR metadata are included) in an encoded audio bitstream (e.g., an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream), such that legacy decoders (which are not configured to parse the eSBR metadata, or to use any eSBR tool to which the eSBR metadata pertains) can ignore the eSBR metadata but nevertheless décodé the bitstream to the extent possible without use of the eSBR metadata or any eSBR tool to which the eSBR metadata pertains, typically without any significant penalty in decoded audio quality. However, eSBR decoders configured to parse the bitstream to identity the eSBR metadata and to use at least one eSBR tool in response to the eSBR metadata, will enjoy the benefits of using at least one such eSBR tool. Therefore, embodiments of the invention provide a means for efficiently transmitting enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR) control data or metadata in a backward-compatible fashion.

Typically, the eSBR metadata in the bitstream is indicative of (e.g., is indicative of at least one characteristic or parameter of) one or more of the following eSBR tools (which are described in the MPEG USAC standard, and which may or may not hâve been applied by an encoder during génération of the bitstream):

• Harmonie transposition;

• QMF-patching additional pre-processing (pre-flattening); and • Inter-subband sample Temporal Envelope Shaping or “inter-TES.”

For example, the eSBR metadata included in the bitstream may be indicative of values of the parameters (described in the MPEG USAC standard and in the présent disclosure): harmonicSBR[ch], sbrPatchingMode[ch], sbrOversamplingFlag[ch], sbrPitchlnBins[ch], sbrPitchlnBins[ch], bs_interTes, bs_temp_shape[ch][env], bs_inter_temp_shape_mode[ch][env], and bs_sbr_preprocessing.

Herein, the notation X[ch], where X is some parameter, dénotés that the parameter pertains to channel (“ch”) of audio content of an encoded bitstream to be decoded. For simplicity, we sometimes omit the expression [ch], and assume the relevant parameter pertains to a channel of audio content.

Herein, the notation X[ch][env], where X is some parameter, dénotés that the parameter pertains to SBR envelope (“env”) of channel (“ch”) of audio content of an

- 1218726 encoded bitstream to be decoded. For simplicity, we sometimes omit the expressions [env] and [ch], and assume the relevant parameter pertains to an SBR envelope of a channel of audio content.

As noted, the MPEG USAC standard contemplâtes that a USAC bitstream includes eSBR metadata which Controls the performance of eSBR processing by a décoder. The eSBR metadata includes the following one-bit metadata parameters: harmonicSBR; bsJnterTES; and bs_pvc.

The parameter “harmonicSBR” indicates the use of harmonie patching (harmonie transposition) for SBR. Specifically, harmonicSBR = 0 indicates non-harmonie, spectral patching as described in Section 4.6.18.6.3 ofthe MPEG-4 AAC standard; and harmonicSBR = 1 indicates harmonie SBR patching (ofthe type used in eSBR, as described Section 7.5.3 or 7.5.4 ofthe MPEG USAC standard). Harmonie SBR patching is not used in accordance with non-eSBR spectral band réplication (i.e., SBR that is not eSBR). Throughout this disclosure, spectral patching is referred to as a base form of spectral band réplication, whereas harmonie transposition is referred to as an enhanced form of spectral band réplication.

The value ofthe parameter“bsJnterTES” indicates the use ofthe inter-TES tool of eSBR.

The value of the parameter “bs_pvc” indicates the use of the PVC tool of eSBR.

During decoding of an encoded bitstream, performance of harmonie transposition during an eSBR processing stage ofthe decoding (foreach channel, “ch”, of audio content indicated by the bitstream) is controlled by the following eSBR metadata parameters: sbrPatchingMode[ch]: sbrOversamplingFlag[ch]; sbrPitchlnBinsFlag[ch]; and sbrPitchlnBinsfch].

The value “sbrPatchingMode[ch]” indicates the transposer type used in eSBR: sbrPatchingMode[ch] = 1 indicates non-harmonie patching as described in Section 4.6.18.6.3 ofthe MPEG-4 AAC standard; sbrPatchingMode[ch] = 0 indicates harmonie SBR patching as described in Section 7.5.3 or 7.5.4 ofthe MPEG USAC standard.

The value “sbrOversamplingFlag[ch]” indicates the use of signal adaptive frequency domain oversampling in eSBR in combination with the DFT based harmonie SBR patching as described in Section 7.5.3 ofthe MPEG USAC standard. This flag Controls the size of the

DFTs that are utilized in the transposer: 1 indicates signal adaptive frequency domain oversampling enabled as described in Section 7.5.3.1 ofthe MPEG USAC standard; 0

- 1318726 indicates signal adaptive frequency domain oversampling disabled as described in Section 7.5.3.1 of the MPEG USAC standard.

The value “sbrPitchlnBinsFlag[ch]” Controls the interprétation of the sbrPitchlnBins[ch] parameter: 1 indicates that the value in sbrPitchlnBins[ch] is valid and greater than zéro; 0 indicates that the value of sbrPitchlnBins[ch] is set to zéro.

The value “sbrPitchlnBins[ch]” Controls the addition of cross product terms in the SBR harmonie transposer. The value sbrPitchinBins[ch] is an integer value in the range [0,127] and represents the distance measured in frequency bins for a 1536-line DFT acting on the sampling frequency of the core coder.

In the case that an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream is indicative of an SBR channel pair whose channels are not coupled (ratherthan a single SBR channel), the bitstream is indicative of two instances of the above syntax (for harmonie or non-harmonie transposition), one for each channel of the sbr_channel_pair_element().

The harmonie transposition of the eSBR tool typicaîly improves the quality of decoded musical signais at relatively low cross over frequencies. Non-harmonie transposition (that is, legacy spectral patching) typicaîly improves speech signais. Hence, a starting point in the decision as to which type of transposition is préférable for encoding spécifie audio content is to select the transposition method depending on speech/music détection with harmonie transposition be employed on the musical content and spectral patching on the speed content.

Performance of pre-flattening during eSBR processing is controlled by the value of a one-bit eSBR metadata parameter known as “bs_sbr_preprocessing”, in the sense that pre-flattening is either performed or not performed depending on the value of this single bit. When the SBR QMF-patching algorithm, as described in Section 4.6.18.6.3 of the MPEG-4 AAC standard, is used, the step of pre-flattening may be performed (when indicated by the “bs_sbr_preprocessing” parameter) in an effort to avoid discontinuities in the shape of the spectral envelope of a high frequency signal being input to a subséquent envelope adjuster (the envelope adjuster perforais another stage of the eSBR processing). The pre-flattening typicaîly improves the operation of the subséquent envelope adjustment stage, resulting in a highband signal that is perceived to be more stable.

Performance of inter-subband sample Temporal Envelope Shaping (the “interTES” tool), during eSBR processing in a décoder, is controlled by the following eSBR metadata parameters for each SBR envelope (“env”) of each channel (“ch”) of audio

- 1418726 content of a USAC bitstream which is being decoded: bs_temp_shape[ch][env]; and bs_inter_temp_shape_mode[ch][env].

The inter-TES tool processes the QMF subband samples subséquent to the envelope adjuster. This processing step shapes the temporal envelope ofthe higher frequency band with a finer temporal granularity than that of the envelope adjuster. By applying a gain factor to each QMF subband sample in an SBR envelope, inter-TES shapes the temporal envelope among the QMF subband samples.

The parameter “bs_temp_shape[ch][env]” is a flag which signais the usage of inter-TES. The parameter “bs_inter_temp_shape_mode[ch][env]” indicates (as defined in the MPEG USAC standard) the values ofthe parameter y in inter-TES.

The overall bitrate requirement for including in an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream eSBR metadata indicative ofthe above-mentioned eSBRtools (harmonietransposition, preflattening, and inter_TES) is expected to be on the order of a few hundreds of bits per second because only the differential control data needed to perform eSBR processing is transmitted in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Legacy decoders can ignore this information because it is included in a backward compatible manner (as will be explained later). Therefore, the detrimental effect on bitrate associated with of inclusion of eSBR metadata is negligible, for a number of reasons, including the following:

• The bitrate penalty (due to including the eSBR metadata) is a very small fraction of the total bitrate because only the differential control data needed to perform eSBR processing is transmitted (and not a simulcast of the SBR control data);

• The tuning of SBR related control information does typically not dépend of the details of the transposition; and • The inter-TES tool (employed during eSBR processing) performs a single ended post-processing of the transposed signal.

Thus, embodiments ofthe invention provide a means forefficiently transmitting enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR) control data or metadata in a backwardcompatible fashion. This efficient transmission ofthe eSBR control data reduces memory requirements in decoders, encoders, and transcoders employing aspects of the invention, while having no tangible adverse effect on bitrate. Moreover, the complexity and processing requirements associated with performing eSBR in accordance with embodiments ofthe invention are also reduced because the SBR data needs to be

- 1518726 processed only once and not simulcast, which would be the case if eSBR was treated as a completely separate object type in MPEG-4 AAC instead of being integrated into the MPEG-4 AAC codée in a backward-compatible manner.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, we describe éléments of a block (“raw_data_block”) of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream in which eSBR metadata is included in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram of a block (a “raw_data_block”) ofthe MPEG-4 AAC bitstream, showing some ofthe segments thereof.

A block of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream may include at least one “single_channel_element()” (e.g., the single channel element shown in Fig. 7), and/or at least one “channel_pair_element()” (not specifically shown in Fig. 7 although it may be present), including audio data for an audio program. The block may also include a number of “fill_elements” (e.g., fill element 1 and/or fill element 2 of Fig. 7) including data (e.g., metadata) related to the program. Each “single_channel_element()” includes an identifier (e.g., “ID1” of Fig. 7) indicating the start of a single channel element, and can include audio data indicative of a different channel of a multi-channel audio program. Each “channel_pair_element includes an identifier (not shown in Fig. 7) indicating the start of a channel pair element, and can include audio data indicative of two channels ofthe program.

A fill_element (referred to herein as a fill element) of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream includes an identifier (“ID2” of Fig. 7) indicating the start of a fill element, and fill data after the identifier. The identifier ID2 may consist of a three bit unsigned integer transmitted most signifîcant bit first (“uimsbf’) having a value of 0x6. The fill data can include an extension_payload() element (sometimes referred to herein as an extension payload) whose syntax is shown in Table 4.57 ofthe MPEG-4 AAC standard. Several types of extension payloads exist and are identified through the “extension_type” parameter, which is a four bit unsigned integer transmitted most signifîcant bit first (“uimsbf’).

The fill data (e.g., an extension payload thereof) can include a header or identifier (e.g., “headerl” of Fig. 7) which indicates a segment of fill data which is indicative of an SBR object (i.e., the header initializes an “SBR object” type, referred to as sbr_extension_data() in the MPEG-4 AAC standard). For example, a spectral band réplication (SBR) extension payload is identified with the value of ‘1101’ or ‘1110’ for the extension_type field in the header, with the identifier ‘1101’ identifying an extension

-1618726 payload with SBR data and ‘1110’ identifying and extension payload with SBR data with a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) to verify the correctness of the SBR data..

When the header (e.g., the extension_type field) initializes an SBR object type, SBR metadata (sometimes referred to herein as “spectral band réplication data,” and referred to as sbr_data() in the MPEG-4 AAC standard) follows the header, and at least one spectral band réplication extension element (e.g., the “SBR extension element of fill element 1 of Fig. 7) can follow the SBR metadata. Such a spectral band réplication extension element (a segment of the bitstream) is referred to as an “sbr_extension()” container in the MPEG-4 AAC standard. A spectral band réplication extension element optionally includes a header (e.g., “SBR extension header” of fill element 1 of Fig. 7).

The MPEG-4 AAC standard contemplâtes that a spectral band réplication extension element can include PS (parametric stéréo) data for audio data of a program. The MPEG-4 AAC standard contemplâtes that when the header of a fill element (e.g., of an extension payload thereof) initializes an SBR object type (as does “headerl” of Fig. 7) and a spectral band réplication extension element of the fill element includes PS data, the fill element (e.g., the extension payload thereof) includes spectral band réplication data, and a “bs_extension_id” parameter whose value (i.e., bs_extension_id = 2) indicates that PS data is included in a spectral band réplication extension element of the fill element.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, eSBR metadata (e.g., a flag indicative of whether enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR) processing is to be performed on audio content of the block) is included in a spectral band réplication extension element of a fill element. For example, such a flag is indicated in fill element 1 of Fig. 7, where the flag occurs after the header (the “SBR extension header” of fill element 1) of “SBR extension element” offill element 1. Optionally, such a flag and additional eSBR metadata are included in a spectral band réplication extension element after the spectral band réplication extension element’s header (e.g., in the SBR extension element offill element 1 in Fig. 7, afterthe SBR extension header). In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a fill element which includes eSBR metadata also includes a “bs_extension_id” parameter whose value (e.g., bs_extension_id = 3) indicates that eSBR metadata is included in the fill element and that eSBR processing is to be performed on audio content of the relevant block.

In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, eSBR metadata is included in a fill element (e.g., fill element 2 of Fig. 7) of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream other than in a spectral band réplication extension element (SBR extension element) of

-1718726 the fill element. This is because fill éléments containing an extension_payload() with SBR data or SBR data with a CRC do not contain any other extension payload of any other extension type. Therefore, in embodiments where eSBR metadata is stored its own extension payload, a separate fill element is used to store the eSBR metadata. Such a fill element includes an identifier (e.g., “ID2” of Fig. 7) indicating the start of a fill element, and fill data after the identifier. The fill data can include an extension_payload() element (sometimes referred to herein as an extension payload) whose syntax is shown in Table 4.57 of the MPEG-4 AAC standard. The fill data (e.g., an extension payload thereof) includes a header (e.g., “header2” of fill element 2 of Fig. 7) which is indicative of an eSBR object (i.e., the header initializes an enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR) object type), and the fill data (e.g., an extension payload thereof) includes eSBR metadata after the header. For example, fill element 2 of Fig. 7 includes such a header (“header2”) and also includes, after the header, eSBR metadata (i.e., the “flag” in fill element 2, which is indicative of whether enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR) processing is to be performed on audio content of the block). Optionally, additional eSBR metadata is also included in the fill data of fill element 2 of Fig. 7, after header2. In the embodiments being described in the present paragraph, the header (e.g., header2 of Fig. 7) has an identification value which is not one of the conventional values specified in Table 4.57 of the MPEG-4 AAC standard, and is instead indicative of an eSBR extension payload (so that the header’s extension_type field indicates that the fill data includes eSBR metadata).

In a first class of embodiments, the invention is an audio processing unit (e.g., a décoder), comprising:

a memory (e.g., buffer 201 of Fig. 3 or 4) configured to store at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream (e.g., at least one block of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream);

a bitstream payload deformatter (e.g., element 205 of Fig. 3 or element 215 of Fig. 4) coupled to the memory and configured to demultiplex at least one portion of said block of the bitstream; and a decoding subsystem (e.g., éléments 202 and 203 of Fig. 3, or éléments 202 and 213 of Fig. 4), coupled and configured to décodé at least one portion of audio content of said block of the bitstream, wherein the block includes:

a fill element, including an identifier indicating a start of the fill element (e.g., the “id_syn_ele” identifier having value 0x6, of Table 4.85 of the MPEG-4 AAC standard), and fill data after the identifier, wherein the fill data includes:

- 1818726 at least one flag identifying whether enhanced spectral band réplication (eSBR) processing is to be performed on audio content ofthe block (e.g., using spectral band réplication data and eSBR metadata inciuded in the block).

The flag is eSBR metadata, and an example of the flag is the sbrPatchingMode flag. Another example of the flag is the harmonicSBR flag. Both of these flags indicate whether a base form of spectral band réplication or an enhanced form of spectral réplication is to be performed on the audio data ofthe block. The base form of spectral réplication is spectral patching, and the enhanced form of spectral band réplication is harmonie transposition.

In some embodiments, the fill data also includes additional eSBR metadata (i.e., eSBR metadata other than the flag).

The memory may be a buffer memory (e.g., an implémentation of buffer 201 of Fig. 4) which stores (e.g., in a non-transitory manner) the at least one block ofthe encoded audio bitstream.

It is estimated that the complexity of performance of eSBR processing (using the eSBR harmonie transposition, pre-flattening, and inter_TES tools) by an eSBR décoder during decoding of an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream which includes eSBR metadata (indicative of these eSBR tools) would be as follows (for typical decoding with the indicated parameters):

• Harmonie transposition (16 kbps, 14400/28800 Hz) o DFT based: 3.68 WMOPS (weighted million operations per second);

o QMF based: 0.98 WMOPS;

• QMF-patching pre-processing (pre-flattening): 0.1 WMOPS; and • Inter-subband-sample Temporal Envelope Shaping (inter-TES): At most 0.16 WMOPS.

It is known that DFT based transposition typically performs better than the QMF based transposition for transients.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a fill element (of an encoded audio bitstream) which includes eSBR metadata also includes a parameter (e.g., a “bs_extension_id” parameter) whose value (e.g., bs_extension_id = 3) signais that eSBR metadata is inciuded in the fill element and that eSBR processing is to be performed on audio content ofthe relevant block, and/or or a parameter (e.g., the same “bs_extension_id” parameter) whose value (e.g., bs_extension_id = 2) signais that an sbr_extension() container of the fill element includes PS data. For example, as indicated in Table 1 below, such a parameter having the value bs_extension_id = 2 may signal

-1918726 that an sbr_extension() container of the fill element includes PS data, and such a parameter having the value bs_extension_id = 3 may signal that an sbr_extension() containerofthe fill element includes eSBR metadata:

Table 1

bs_extension_id	Meaning
0	Reserved
1	Reserved
2	EXTENSION_ID_PS
3	EXTENSION_ID_ESBR

In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, the syntax of each spectral band réplication extension element which includes eSBR metadata and/or PS data is as indicated in Table 2 below (in which “sbr_extension()” dénotés a container 10 which is the spectral band réplication extension element, “bs_extension_id” is as described in Table 1 above, “ps_data” dénotés PS data, and “esbr_data” dénotés eSBR metadata):

Table 2

sbr_extension(bs_extensionjd, num_bits_left)
{
switch (bs_extension_id) {
case EXTENSIONJD-PS:
num_bits_left -= ps_data();		Note 1
break;
case EXTENSIONJD-ESBR:
num_bits_left -= esbr_data();		Note 2
break;
default:
bs_fill_bits;	Note 3
num_bits_left = 0;
break;
}
}

-2018726

Note 1 : ps_data() returns the number of bits read.
Note 2: esbr_data() returns the number of bits read. Note 3: the parameter bs_fill_bits comprises N bits, where N = num_bits_left.

In an exemplary embodiment, the esbr_data() referred to in Table 2 above is indicative of values ofthe following metadata parameters:

1. each of the above-described one-bit metadata parameters “harmonicSBR”;

“bsJnterTES”; and “bs_sbr_preprocessing”;

2. for each channel (“ch”) of audio content of the encoded bitstream to be decoded, each of the above-described parameters: “sbrPatchingMode[ch]”;

“sbrOversamplingFlag[ch]”; “sbrPitchlnBinsFlag[ch]”; and “sbrPitchlnBins[ch]”; and

3. for each SBR envelope (“env”) of each channel (“ch”) of audio content ofthe encoded bitstream to be decoded, each of the above-described parameters: “bs_temp_shape[ch][env]”; and “bs_inter_temp_shape_mode[ch][env].”

For example, in some embodiments, the esbr_data() may hâve the syntax indicated in Table 3, to indicate these metadata parameters:

Table 3

esbr_data()
{
harmonicSBR;	1
bs_interTes;	1
bs_sbr_preprocessing;	1
if (harmonicSBR) {
if (sbrPatchingMode[0] == 0) {	1
sbrOversamplingFlag[0];	1
if (sbrPitchlnBinsFlag[O])	1
sbrPitchlnBins[O];	7
Else
sbrPitchlnBins[O] = 0;
} else {

-21 18726

sbrOversamplingFlag[0] = 0;
sbrPitchlnBins[O] = 0;
}
}
if (bsJnterTes) {
/* a loop over ch and env is implemented */
bs_temp_shape[ch][env];	1
if (bs_temp_shape[ch][env]) {
bs_inter_temp_shape_mode[ch][env];	2
}
}
}

The above syntax enables an efficient implémentation of an enhanced form of spectral band réplication, such as harmonie transposition, as an extension to a legacy décoder. Specifically, the eSBR data of Table 3 includes only those parameters needed to perform the enhanced form of spectral band réplication that are not either already supported in the bitstream or directly derivable from parameters already supported in the bitstream. Ail other parameters and processing data needed to perform the enhanced form of spectral band réplication are extracted from pre-existing parameters in already-defined locations in the bitstream.

For example, an MPEG-4 HE-AAC or HE-AAC v2 compilant décoder may be extended to include an enhanced form of spectral band réplication, such as harmonie transposition. This enhanced form of spectral band réplication is in addition to the base form of spectral band réplication already supported by the décoder. In the context of an MPEG-4 HE-AAC or HE-AAC v2 compilant décoder, this base form of spectral band réplication is the QMF spectral patching SBR tool as defined in Section 4.6.18 of the MPEG-4 AAC Standard.

When performing the enhanced form of spectral band réplication, an extended HE-AAC décoder may reuse many of the bitstream parameters already included in the SBR extension payload of the bitstream. The spécifie parameters that may be reused include, for example, the various parameters that determine the master frequency band

-2218726 table. These parameters include bs_start_freq (parameter that détermines the start of master frequency table parameter), bs_stop_freq (parameter that détermines the stop of master frequency table), bs_freq_scale (parameter that détermines the number of frequency bands per octave), and bs_alter_scale (parameter that alters the scale of the frequency bands). The parameters that may be reused also include parameters that détermine the noise band table (bs_noise_bands) and the limiter band table parameters (bs_limiter_bands). Accordingly, in various embodiments, at least some ofthe équivalent parameters specified in the USAC standard are omitted from the bitstream, thereby reducing control overhead in the bitstream. Typically, where a parameter specified in the AAC standard has an équivalent parameter specified in the USAC standard, the équivalent parameter specified in the USAC standard has the same name as the parameter specified in the AAC standard, e.g. the envelope scalefactor EorigMapped- However, the équivalent parameter specified in the USAC standard typically has a different value, which is “tuned” for the enhanced SBR processing defined in the USAC standard ratherthan for the SBR processing defined in the AAC standard.

In addition to the numerous parameters, other data éléments may also be reused by an extended HE-AAC decoder when performing an enhanced form of spectral band réplication in accordance with embodiments of the invention. For example, the envelope data and noise floor data may also be extracted from the bs_data_env and bs_noise_env data and used during the enhanced form of spectral band réplication.

In essence, these embodiments exploit the configuration parameters and envelope data already supported by a legacy HE-AAC or HE-AAC v2 decoder in the SBR extension payload to enable an enhanced form of spectral band réplication requiring as little extra transmitted data as possible. Accordingly, extended decoders that support an enhanced form of spectral band réplication may be created in a very efficient manner by relying on already defined bitstream éléments (for example, those in the SBR extension payload) and adding only those parameters needed to support the enhanced form of spectral band réplication (in a fill element extension payload). This data réduction feature combined with the placement of the newly added parameters in a reserved data field, such as an extension container, substantially reduces the barriers to creating a decoder that supports an enhanced for of spectral band réplication by ensuring that the bitstream is backwards-compatible with legacy decoder not supporting the enhanced form of spectral band réplication.

In Table 3, the number in the center column indicates the numberof bits ofthe corresponding parameter in the left column.

-23 18726

In some embodiments, the invention is a method including a step of encoding audio data to generate an encoded bitstream (e.g., an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream), including by including eSBR metadata in at least one segment of at least one block of the encoded bitstream and audio data in at least one other segment ofthe block. In typical embodiments, the method includes a step of multiplexing the audio data with the eSBR metadata in each block ofthe encoded bitstream. In typical decoding ofthe encoded bitstream in an eSBR décoder, the décoder extracts the eSBR metadata from the bitstream (including by parsing and demultiplexing the eSBR metadata and the audio data) and uses the eSBR metadata to process the audio data to generate a stream of decoded audio data.

Another aspect of the invention is an eSBR décoder configured to perform eSBR processing (e.g., using at least one of the eSBR tools known as harmonie transposition, pre-flattening, or inter_TES) during decoding of an encoded audio bitstream (e.g., an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream) which does not include eSBR metadata. An example of such a décoder will be described with reference to Fig. 5.

The eSBR décoder (400) of Fig. 5 includes buffer memory 201 (which is identical to memory 201 of Figs. 3 and 4), bitstream payload deformatter 215 (which is identical to deformatter 215 of Fig. 4), audio decoding subsystem 202 (sometimes referred to as a “core” decoding stage or “core” decoding subsystem, and which is identical to core decoding subsystem 202 of Fig. 3), eSBR control data génération subsystem 401, and eSBR processing stage 203 (which is identical to stage 203 of Fig. 3), connected as shown. Typically also, décoder 400 includes other processing éléments (not shown).

In operation of décoder 400, a sequence of blocks of an encoded audio bitstream (an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream) received by décoder 400 is asserted from buffer 201 to deformatter 215.

Deformatter 215 is coupled and configured to demultiplex each block ofthe bitstream to extract SBR metadata (including quantized envelope data) and typically also other metadata therefrom. Deformatter 215 is configured to assert at least the SBR metadata to eSBR processing stage 203. Deformatter 215 is also coupled and configured to extract audio data from each block of the bitstream, and to assert the extracted audio data to decoding subsystem (decoding stage) 202.

Audio decoding subsystem 202 of décoder 400 is configured to décodé the audio data extracted by deformatter 215 (such decoding may be referred to as a “core” decoding operation) to generate decoded audio data, and to assert the decoded audio data to eSBR processing stage 203. The decoding is performed in the frequency

-2418726 domain. Typically, a final stage of processing in subsystem 202 applies a frequency domain-to-time domain transform to the decoded frequency domain audio data, so that the output of subsystem is time domain, decoded audio data. Stage 203 is configured to apply SBR tools (and eSBR tools) indicated by the SBR metadata (extracted by deformatter 215) and by eSBR metadata generated in subsystem 401, to the decoded audio data (i.e., to perform SBR and eSBR processing on the output of decoding subsystem 202 using the SBR and eSBR metadata) to generate the fully decoded audio data which is output from décoder 400. Typically, décoder 400 includes a memory (accessible by subsystem 202 and stage 203) which stores the deformatted audio data and metadata output from deformatter 215 (and optionally also subsystem 401), and stage 203 is configured to access the audio data and metadata as needed during SBR and eSBR processing. The SBR processing in stage 203 may be considered to be postprocessing on the output of core decoding subsystem 202. Optionally, décoder 400 also includes a final upmixing subsystem (which may apply parametric stéréo (“PS”) tools defined in the MPEG-4 AAC standard, using PS metadata extracted by deformatter 215) which is coupled and configured to perform upmixing on the output of stage 203 to generated fully decoded, upmixed audio which is output from APU 210.

Control data génération subsystem 401 of Fig. 5 is coupled and configured to detect at least one property ofthe encoded audio bitstream to be decoded, and to generate eSBR control data (which may be or include eSBR metadata of any of the types included in encoded audio bitstreams in accordance with other embodiments of the invention) in response to at least one resuit ofthe détection step. The eSBR control data is asserted to stage 203 to trigger application of individual eSBR tools or combinations of eSBR tools upon detecting a spécifie property (or combination of properties) of the bitstream, and/or to control the application of such eSBR tools. For example, in order to control performance of eSBR processing using harmonie transposition, some embodiments of control data génération subsystem 401 would include: a music detector (e.g., a simplified version of a conventional music detector) for setting the sbrPatchingMode[ch] parameter (and asserting the set parameter to stage 203) in response to detecting that the bitstream is or is not indicative of music; a transient detector for setting the sbrOversamplingFlag[ch] parameter (and asserting the set parameter to stage 203) in response to detecting the presence or absence of transients in the audio content indicated by the bitstream; and/or a pitch detector for setting the sbrPitchlnBinsFlag[ch] and sbrPitchlnBins[ch] parameters (and asserting the set parameters to stage 203) in response to detecting the pitch of audio content

-2518726 indicated by the bitstream. Other aspects of the invention are audio bitstream decoding methods performed by any embodiment ofthe inventive décoder described in this paragraph and the preceding paragraph.

Aspects of the invention include an encoding or decoding method of the type which any embodiment of the inventive APU, system or device is configured (e.g., programmed) to perform. Otheraspects ofthe invention include a system ordevice configured (e.g., programmed) to perform anyembodiment ofthe inventive method, and a computer readable medium (e.g., a dise) which stores code (e.g., in a non-transitory manner) for implementing any embodiment ofthe inventive method or steps thereof. For example, the inventive system can be or include a programmable general purpose processor, digital signal processor, or microprocessor, programmed with software or firmware and/or otherwise configured to perform any of a variety of operations on data, including an embodiment ofthe inventive method orstepsthereof. Such a general purpose processor may be or include a computer system including an input device, a memory, and processing circuitry programmed (and/or otherwise configured) to perform an embodiment of the inventive method (or steps thereof) in response to data asserted thereto.

Embodiments ofthe present invention may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination of both (e.g., as a programmable logic array). Unless otherwise specified, the algorithms or processes included as part of the invention are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. In particular, various general-purpose machines may be used with programs written in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may be more convenient to construct more specialized apparatus (e.g., integrated circuits) to perform the required method steps. Thus, the invention may be implemented in one or more computer programs executing on one or more programmable computer Systems (e.g., an implémentation of any ofthe éléments of Fig. 1, or encoder 100 of Fig. 2 (or an element thereof), or décoder 200 of Fig. 3 (or an element thereof), or décoder 210 of Fig. 4 (or an element thereof), or décoder 400 of Fig. 5 (or an element thereof)) each comprising at least one processor, at least one data storage system (including volatile and non-volatile memory and/or storage éléments), at least one input device or port, and at least one output device or port. Program code is applied to input data to perform the functions described herein and generate output information. The output information is applied to one or more output devices, in known fashion.

-2618726

Each such program may be implemented in any desired computer language (including machine, assembly, or high level procédural, logical, or object oriented programming languages) to communicate with a computer system. In any case, the language may be a compiled or interpreted language.

For example, when implemented by computer software instruction sequences, various functions and steps of embodiments of the invention may be implemented by multithreaded software instruction sequences running in suitable digital signal processing hardware, in which case the various devices, steps, and functions of the embodiments may correspond to portions of the software instructions.

Each such computer program is preferabiy stored on or downloaded to a storage media or device (e.g., solid State memory or media, or magnetic or optical media) readable by a general or spécial purpose programmable computer, for configuring and operating the computer when the storage media or device is read by the computer system to perform the procedures described herein. The inventive system may also be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium, configured with (i.e., storing) a computer program, where the storage medium so configured causes a computer system to operate in a spécifie and predefined manner to perform the functions described herein.

A numberof embodiments ofthe invention hâve been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Numerous modifications and variations ofthe present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Any reference numerals contained in the following claims are for illustrative purposes only and should not be used to construe or limit the claims in any manner whatsoever.

Claims (10)

1. An audio Processing unit comprising:

a buffer configured to store at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream;

a bitstream payload deformatter coupled to the buffer and configured to demultiplex at least a portion of the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream; and a decoding subsystem coupled to the bitstream payload deformatter and configured to décodé at least a portion of the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream, wherein the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream includes:

a fill element with an identifier indicating a start of the fill element and fill data after the identifier, wherein the fill data includes:

a first flag identifying whether a base form of spectral band réplication Processing or an enhanced form of spectral band réplication Processing is to be performed on audio content of the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream, and if the first flag identifies the enhanced form of spectral band réplication Processing, a second flag identifying whether signal adaptive frequency domain oversampling is enabled or disabled.

2. The audio processing unit of claim 1 wherein the audio Processing unit is an audio décoder, and the identifier is a three bit unsigned integer transmitted most significant bit first and having a value of 0x6.

3. The audio processing unit of claims 1 or 2, wherein the fill data includes an extension payload, the extension payload includes spectral band réplication extension data, and the extension payload is identified with a four bit unsigned integer transmitted most significant bit first and having a value of ‘1101 ’ or ‘1110’, and, wherein the spectral band réplication extension data includes:

an optional spectral band réplication header, spectral band réplication data after the header, and a spectral band réplication extension element after the spectral band réplication data, wherein the first flag is included in the spectral band réplication extension element.

4. The audio processing unit of claims 1 or 2, wherein the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream includes a first fill element and a second fill element, and

-28 18726 spectral band réplication data is included in the first fill element and the first flag, but not spectral band réplication data, is included in the second fill element.

5. The audio processing unit of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the enhanced form of spectral band réplication processing includes harmonie transposition, the base form of spectral band réplication processing includes spectral patching, one value of the first flag indicates that said enhanced form of spectral band réplication processing should be performed on audio content of the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream, and another value ofthe firstflag indicatesthat spectral patching but not said harmonie transposition should be performed on audio content of the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream.

6. The audio processing unit of any one of claims 4-5, wherein the spectral band réplication extension element includes enhanced spectral band réplication metadata other than the first flag and wherein the enhanced spectral band réplication metadata includes a parameter indicating whether to perform pre-flattening.

7. The audio processing unit of any one of claims 4-5, wherein the spectral band réplication extension element includes enhanced spectral band réplication metadata other than the first flag and the second flag and wherein the enhanced spectral band réplication metadata includes a parameter indicating whether to perform inter-subband sample temporal envelope shaping.

8. The audio processing unit of any one of the preceding claims further comprising an enhanced spectral band réplication processing subsystem configured to perform enhanced spectral band réplication processing using the first flag, wherein the enhanced spectral band réplication includes harmonie transposition.

9. A method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream, the method comprising: receiving at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream;

demultiplexing at least a portion ofthe at least one block ofthe encoded audio bitstream; and decoding at least a portion ofthe at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream, wherein the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream includes: ,

-2918726 a fill element with an identifier indicating a start of the fill element and fill data after the identifier, wherein the fill data includes:

a first flag identifying whether a base form of spectral band réplication processing or an enhanced form of spectral band réplication processing is to be performed on audio content of the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream, and if the first flag identifies the enhanced form of spectral band réplication processing, a second flag identifying whether signal adaptive frequency domain oversampling is enabled or disabled.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the identifier is a three bit unsigned integer transmitted most significant bit first and having a value of 0x6.

11 .The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein the fill data includes an extension payload, the extension payload includes spectral band réplication extension data, and the extension payload is identified with a four bit unsigned integer transmitted most significant bit first and having a value of ‘1101’ or ‘1110’, and wherein the spectral band réplication extension data includes:

an optional spectral band réplication header, spectral band réplication data after the header, an spectral band réplication extension element after the spectral band réplication data, and wherein the first flag is included in the spectral band réplication extension element.

12. The method of any one of claims 9-11, wherein the enhanced form of spectral band réplication processing is harmonie transposition, the base form of spectral band réplication processing is spectral patching, one value ofthe firstflag indicates that said enhanced form spectral band réplication processing should be performed on audio content of the at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream, and another value of the first flag indicates that spectral patching but not said harmonie transposition should be performed on audio content ofthe at least one block of the encoded audio bitstream.

13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein the spectral band réplication extension element includes enhanced spectral band réplication metadata other than the first flag and wherein the enhanced spectral band réplication metadata includes a parameter indicating whether to perform pre-flattening, or

-3018726 wherein the spectral band réplication extension element includes enhanced spectral band réplication metadata other than the first flag and wherein the enhanced spectral band réplication metadata includes a parameter indicating whether to perform intersubband sample temporal envelope shaping.

14. The method of any one of daims 9-13 further comprising performing enhanced spectral band réplication processing using the first flag and the second flag, wherein the enhanced spectral band réplication includes harmonie transposition.

10 15.The method of any one of daims 9-14, or the audio processing unit of any one of daims 1-8, wherein the encoded audio bitstream is an MPEG-4 AAC bitstream.