James David Johnston

Perceptual coding of audio signals using entropy coding and/or multiple power spectra

A technique for the masking of quantizing noise in the coding of audio signals is usable with the types of channel coding known as noiseless or Huffman coding and with variable radix packing. In a multichannel environment, noise masking thresholds may be determined by combining sets of power spectra for each of the channels. The stereophonic embodiment eliminates redundancies in the sum and difference signals, so that the stereo coding uses significantly less than twice the bit rate of the comparable monaural signal. The technique can be used both in transmission of signals and in recording for reproduction, particularly recording and reproduction of music. Compatibility with the ISDN transmission rates known as 1B, 2B and 3B rates has been achieved.

Perceptual speaker directivity

Better reproduction of sound is achieved analyzing audio signals for perceptual soundfield imaging cues, and applying appropriate portions of the audio signal to a directional speaker and to a diffusing speaker, based on the analyzed audio signals. Specifically, the audio signal is applied to a critical band filter bank, and at the higher frequencies a detector detects leading edges in the signals envelope. Concurrently, the audio signal is applied to a delay element followed by a reconstruction filter bank. The output of each filter in the reconstruction filter bank is applied to a one-input/two-outputs soft switch (single pole, double throw) that is controlled by one or more of the detectors. One output of the switch is applied to a directional speaker, and the other output of the switch is applied to a diffusing speaker.