Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
Examiner’s Comments
The 112 rejections have been withdrawn.
‘Combining’ as recited in claim 8 is read as a label for a function comprising the subsequently recited set and combine step.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-23,25-29, 32-38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Chebiyyam et al (US 20170270936 A1),.
As per claim 1, Chebiyyam discloses an audio decoder for decoding an encoded audio signal comprising multi-channel audio data comprising data for two or more audio channels and information on jointly encoded scale parameters (outputs from 302), the audio decoder comprising:
a scale parameter decoder (304) for decoding/configured to decode the information on the jointly encoded scale parameters of the encoded audio signal to acquire
a first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and a second group of jointly encoded scale parameters: combine a jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and a jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a first combination rule to acquire a scale parameter of a first set of scale parameters for a first channel of a decoded audio signal (using the M and S signals to get the L signal per para 67) and;
combine the jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and the jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a second combination rule being different from the first combination rule to acquire a scale parameter of a second set of scale parameters for a second channel of the decoded audio signal (using the M and S signals to get the R signal per para 67)
for applying/configured to apply the first set of scale parameters to a first channel representation (the gain parameters output from 4 applied via the multipliers) and
for applying the second set of scale parameters to a second channel representation ((as required to produce the scale factors bands (SFBs) cited in para. 15, as output from 3, further noting each band is defined by a relative gain or amplitude as defined by a band in this context;) derived from the multi-channel audio data (the encoded audio bitstream) to acquire the first channel and the second channel of the decoded audio signal (the left and right audio);
and a signal processor configured to decode the multi-channel audio data comprising data for two or more audio channels of the encoded audio signal to derive a first channel representation for the first channel and a second channel representation for the second channel (312,314,316 via 162);
apply the scale parameter of the first set of scale parameters to [[a]]the first channel representation derived from the multi-channel audio data in acquiring the first channel of the decoded audio signal from the first channel representation (the parameters applied to 356 in stage312);
and [[to]] apply the scale parameter of the second set of scale parameters to [[a]]the second channel representation derived from the multi-channel audio data to acquire in acquiring the first channel and the second channel of the decoded audio signal from the second channel representation (the parameters applied to 358 in stage 312);
As per claim 2, the audio decoder of claim 1, wherein the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters comprises mid scale parameters and the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters comprises side scale parameters and
wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to use, in the first combination rule, and addition
and to use, in the second combination rule, a subtraction (per the claim 1 rejection).
As per claim 3, the audio decoder of claim 1, wherein the encoded audio signal is organized in a sequence of frames (subframes para 3)), wherein a first frame comprises the multi-channel audio data and the information on the jointly encoded scale parameters (the portion of data being used per the claim 1 rejection) , and
wherein a second frame comprises separately encoded scale parameter information (via the left and right and mid and side channels in fig. 3), and
wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to detect that the second frame comprises the separately encoded scale parameter information and to calculate the first set of scale parameters and the second set of scale parameters for the second frame (the data exists in two separate logical and or physical stages of the system that are operating in a serial stream of frames/subframes decoded as shown in fig. 3, therefore must be detected as separately encoded parameter information, additionally the system operates on a frame by frame basis where the first and second set of scale parameters are calculated respectively for each frame of data ).
As per claim 4, the audio decoder of claim 3, wherein the first frame and the second frame each comprise a state side information indicating,
in a first state, that the first frame comprises the information on the jointly encoded scale parameters (when a parameter is available at 162) and,
in a second state, that the second frame comprises the separately encoded scale parameter information (when there is not currently a parameter at 162), and
wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to read the state side information of the second frame, to detect that the second frame comprises the separately encoded scale parameter information based on the state side information read,
or
to read the state side information of the first frame, and to detect that the first frame comprises the information on the jointly encoded scale parameters using the state side information read.
(the processor reads stereo cues 162 which is state information, which may be there for a frame, or may not be there, where such parameter defined whether the received signals are are jointly encoded or separately encoded) (additionally, the interpolation function may occur or not occur on a frame by frame basis per para 54).
As per claim 5, the audio decoder of claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to
decode the multi-channel audio data to derive the first channel representation and the second channel representation (the left and right channels),
wherein the first channel representation and the second channel representation are spectral domain representations comprising spectral sampling values (356,358), and
wherein the signal processor is configured to apply each scale parameter of the first set and the second set to a corresponding plurality of the spectral sampling values to acquire a shaped spectral representation of the first channel and a shaped spectral representation of the second channel (312).
As per claim 6, the audio decoder of claim 5, wherein the signal processor is configured to convert the shaped spectral representation of the first channel and the shaped spectral representation of the second channel into a time domain to acquire a time domain representation of the first channel and a time domain representation of the second channel of the decoded audio signal (314,316).
As per claim 7, the audio decoder of claim 1, wherein the first channel representation comprises a first number of bands (bands via transform 308,309), wherein the first set of scale parameters comprises a second number of scale parameters (162), the second number being lower than the first number (1 is less than 2), and
wherein the signal processor is configured to interpolate the second number of scale parameters to acquire a number of interpolated scale parameters being greater than or equal to the first number of bands (interframe interpolation para 54), and
wherein the signal processor is configured to scale the first channel representation using the interpolated scale parameters (para 70: ecause the stereo cues may be generated based on the first windowing (applied by the encoder 114), the decoder 118 may generate adjusted stereo parameters to account for differences in the windowing schemes. For example, the decoder 114 (e.g., the stereo cue processor 312) may generate adjusted stereo parameters via interpolation (e.g., weighted sums) of the received stereo parameters.)
or
(the following is not mapped as recited in the alternative)
wherein the first channel representation comprises a first number of bands, wherein the information on the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters comprises a second number of jointly encoded scale parameters, the second number being lower than the first number, wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to interpolate the second number of jointly encoded scale parameters to acquire a number of interpolated jointly encoded scale parameters being greater than or equal to the first number of bands, and wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to process the interpolated jointly encoded scale parameters to determine the first set of scale parameters and the second set of scale parameters.
As per claim 8, the audio decoder of claim 1, wherein the encoded audio signal is organized in a sequence of frames (per the bitstream as shown in fig. 1),
wherein the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters comprises, in a certain frame, a zero side information (when there is no stereo cue in fig 3 for a particular frame or subframe),
wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to detect the zero side information to determine that the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters are all zero for the certain frame (per the detected value of there being no side information for a particular frame or subframe), and
wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured in combining the jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group and the jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group, to set the jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group to a zero value or a value being smaller than a noise threshold and to combine, the jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group and the zero values or the values being smaller than a noise threshold. (when there is no stereo presence or stereo parameters there will be no side signal, ie. Set to a zero value)
or
(the following is not mapped as recited in alternative and also noting)
to set, in the combining the jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group and the jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group, to zero values or values being smaller than a noise threshold.
As per claim 9, The audio decoder of claim 1, wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to de-quantize the information on the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a first de-quantization mode, and to de-quantize the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a second de-quantization mode, the second de- quantization mode being different from the first de-quantization mode (either of the interpolation function in para 86, or stage 314, 316 ).
As per claim 10, the audio decoder of claim 9, wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to use the second de-quantization mode having associated a lower or higher quantization precision than the first de-quantization mode (via the different windows for the stereo cues and encoded audio per para 91).
As per claim 11, the audio decoder of claim 9, wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to use, as the first de-quantization mode, a first de-quantization stage and a second de-quantization stage (314,316) and
a combiner (the subbands must be combined in order to form each of signals 364,366), the combiner receiving, as an input, a result of the first de-quantization stage and a result of the second de-quantization stage (the combiners for 364 and 366), and
to use, as the second de-quantization mode, the second de-quantization stage of the first de-quantization mode receiving, as an input, the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters (the windowing has an adaptive delay per para 92, which defines additional/second dequant modes).
As per claim 12, the audio decoder of claim 11, wherein:
the first de-quantization stage is a vector de-quantization stage and wherein the second de-quantization stage is an algebraic vector de-quantization stage, (this is not mapped)
or
wherein the first de-quantization stage is a fixed rate de-quantization stage and wherein the second de-quantization stage is a variable rate de-quantization stage (via the windowing and audio delay per para 91,92)).
As per claim 13, the audio decoder of claim 11, wherein the information on the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters comprises, for a frame of the encoded audio signal, two or more indexes and wherein the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters comprises a single index or a lower number of indexes or the same number of indexes as in the first group (the frames and subbands for each signal and stage as shown in fig. 3, in view of the adaptive windowing and interpolation cited above), and
wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to determine, in the first de- quantization stage (the values 162 used for a particular frame/subband), and
wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to calculate, in the second de-quantization stage, residual jointly encoded scale parameters of the first group (per the residual signal processing para 39, the predicted side signal)
and
to calculate, by the combiner the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters from the intermediate jointly encoded scale parameters of the first group and the residual jointly encoded scale parameters of the first group (per the residual signal processing para 39, the error signal)).
As per claim 14, the audio decoder of claim 11, wherein the first de-quantization stage comprises
using an index for a first codebook comprising a first number of entries (per the acelp processing required per the acelp coding cited in para 24)
Or
using an index representing a first precision (not mapped),
wherein the second de-quantization stage comprises
using an index for a second codebook comprising a second number of entries (required for the cited acelp coding)
or
using an index representing a second precision, and
wherein the second number is lower or higher than the first number or the second precision is lower or higher than the first precision (the precision is different based on the varying windows cited above between 162 and 164,166 ).
As per claim 15, the audio decoder of claim 1,
wherein the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters indicates that the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters:
are all zero
Or
at a certain value for a frame of the encoded audio signal (based on the value of 162), and
wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to use, in the combining using the first combination rule or the second combination rule, a jointly encoded scale parameter
being zero
or
being at the certain value
or
being a synthesized jointly encoded scale parameter, (the interpolated parameters cited above)
or
(the below limitation are not mapped)
wherein, for the frame comprising the all zero or certain value information, the scale parameter decoder is configured to determine the second set of scale parameters only using the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters without a combining operation.
As per claim 16, the audio decoder of claim 9, wherein the scale parameter decoder is configured to use, as the first de-quantization mode, the first de-quantization stage and the second de-quantization stage and the combiner (as shown in fig. 3 where there is stereo parameters 162),
the combiner receiving, as an input, a result of the first de-quantization stage and a result of the second de-quantization stage (the synthesis stages 314 and 316 must be synchronized via clocks/results from each stage in order to produce coherent left and right outputs), and
to use, as the second de-quantization stage, the first de-quantization stage of the first de-quantization mode (the dequant stage must be synchronized, ie use the same stage in order to output coherent left and right signals).
As per claim 17, Chebiyyam discloses an audio encoder for encoding a multi-channel audio signal comprising two or more channels, comprising: a scale parameter calculator configured to:
calculate a first set of scale parameters for a first channel of the multi-channel audio signal (fig. 2 output of 202);
calculate a second set of scale parameters for a second channel of the multi-channel audio signal (fig. 2 output of 204),
calculate an information on a first group of jointly encoded scale parameters from the first set of scale parameters for the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal and from the second set of scale parameters for the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal (206 as used by 208), and
calculate an information on a second group of jointly encoded scale parameters from [[a]]the first set of scale parameters for [[a]]the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal and from [[a]]the second set of scale parameters for [[a]]the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal ((206 as used by 212));
a signal processor configured
apply the first set of scale parameters to the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal[[,]] (208);
[[to]] apply the second set of scale parameters to the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal[[,]] (212); and
[[to]] derive multi-channel audio data from the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal and the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal (235,236); and
an encoded signal former configured to [[use]]form the encoded multi-channel audio signal from the multi-channel audio data,[[and]] the information on the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters (162,164,166 in fig. 2)
As per claim 18, the audio encoder of claim 17, wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured, in the applying,
to encode the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and to acquire the information on the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters,(per 208 and 212)
to encode the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters and the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters (as shown in fig. 2, 208 and 212),
where the signal processor is configured in the applying, to locally decode the information on the first and the second groups of jointly encoded scale parameters to acquire a locally decoded first set of scale parameters and a locally decoded second set of scale parameters (inputs to 208 and 212), and
to scale the first channel using the locally decoded first set of scale parameters and to scale the second channel using the locally decoded second set of scale parameters (via 208 and 212),
Or
wherein the signal processor is configured, in the applying, to quantize the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters to acquire a quantized first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and a quantized second group of jointly encoded scale parameters (the parameters used by stages 3 and 4 in fig. 1 must be quantized at the encoder for the purpose of forming the bitstream to be received by the decoder, noting they are quantized with different windows per the interpolation function cited at the decoder above, para 54),
to locally decode the quantized first and the second groups of jointly encoded scale parameters to acquire a locally decoded first set of scale parameters and a locally decoded second set of scale parameters (per 208 and 212) and
to scale the first channel using the locally decoded first set of scale parameters and to scale the second channel using the locally decoded second set of scale parameters (per inputs to 208 and 212).
As per claim 19, The audio encoder of claim 17, wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured to combine a scale parameter of the first set of scale parameters and a scale parameter of the second set of scale parameters using a first combination rule to acquire a jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters (one of 208 and 212) ), and
using a second combination rule different from the first combination rule to acquire a jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters (the other of 208 and 212).
As per claim 20, The audio encoder of claim 19, wherein the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters comprises mid scale parameters and the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters comprises side scale parameters, and wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured to use, in the first combination rule, an addition, and to use, in the second combination rule, a subtraction. (per the claim 19 rejection and as defined by mid and side relative to the left and right inputs).
As per claim 21, the audio encoder of claim 17,
wherein the scale parameters calculator is configured to process a sequence of frames of the multi-channel audio signal (the encoder functions on a stream of audio formatted in frames defined by the portions of data used by each particular processing stage in the encoder shown in fig. 2),
wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured to calculate first and second groups of jointly encoded scale parameters for a first frame of the sequence of frames (per fig. 2 on a frame by frame basis), and
to analyze a second frame of the sequence of frames to determine a separate encoding mode for the second frame (each new frame is a new mode based on where there is any stereo presence or not via the detected mid and side signals), and
wherein the encoded signal former is configured to introduce a state side information into the encoded multi-channel audio signal indicating a separate encoding mode for the second frame or a joint encoding mode for the first frame(via the stereo presence parameters) , and
information on the first set and the second set of separately encoded scale parameters for the second frame (the mid and side signals from 208 and 212).
As per claim 22, the audio encoder of claim 17, wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured to calculate the first set of scale parameters for the first channel and the second set of scale parameters for the second channel (fig. 2, 206),
to downsample the first and the second sets of scale parameters to acquire a downsampled first set and a downsampled second set (the outputs to 208 and 210, noting the interpolation required by the decoder is based on downsampling at the encoder which creates the varying windows, para 62)); and
to combine a scale parameter from the downsampled first set and the downsampled second set using different combination rules to acquire a jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group and a jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group (per 208 and 212),
wherein the jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group and the jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group represent the information on the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters since they are used in the same system as part of the signal processing being applied and as shown in fig. 2, the inputs to 206
or
(the alternative element below is not mapped)
wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured to calculate the first set of sale parameters for the first channel and the second set of scale parameters for the second channel, to combine a scale parameter from the first set and a scale parameter from the second set using different combination rules to acquire a jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group and a jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group, and to downsample the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters to acquire a downsampled first group of jointly encoded scale parameters, and to downsample the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters to acquire a downsampled second group of jointly encoded scale parameters, wherein the downsampled first group and the downsampled second group represent the information on the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters.
As per claim 23, the audio encoder of claim 21, wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured to
calculate a similarity of the first channel and the second channel in the second frame (a lack of stereo presence parameters based on the processing in fig. 2) and
to determine the separate encoding mode in case a calculated similarity is in a first relation to a threshold (there will be no stereo presence parameters formed if there is no stereo presence in fig. 2)
or
to determine the joint encoding mode in case the calculated similarity is in a different second relation to the threshold (ie, if there is a valid stereo presence signal).
As per claim 26, the audio encoder of claim 17, wherein the signal processor is configured to
quantize the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a single stage quantization function to acquire one or more quantization indexes as the single stage result (the encoder must quantize the first and second encoded scale parameters/single stage quant funct for the purpose of being formatted to fit within the bitstream and within a framing scheme based on clocking signals/quant indexes which are required to synchronize the bits and frames into a recognizeable format for the decoder, noting the varying windowing schemes cited per para 70),
or
(the alternative element below is not mapped)
wherein the signal processor is configured for quantizing the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters using at least a first stage quantization function and a second stage quantization function, and wherein the signal processor is configured for quantizing the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a single stage quantization function, wherein the single stage quantization function is selected from the first stage quantization function and the second stage quantization function.
As per claim 27, the scale parameter calculator is configured to quantize the first set of scale parameters using a first stage quantization function to acquire one or more first quantization indexes as a first stage result and to acquire an intermediate first set of scale parameters (a first windowing scheme per para 70), to calculate a residual first set of scale parameters from the first set of scale parameters and the intermediate first set of scale parameters per claim 25 rejection), and to quantize the residual first set of scale parameters using a second stage quantization function to acquire one or more quantization indexes as a second stage result (per the residual encoder in para 37),
As per claim 28, (first alternatives not mapped);
wherein a same amplification value is used for all scaling parameters of the residual first group of jointly encoded scaling parameters or the residual first or second set of scale parameters (an amplification of 1 is used for the residual scaling parameters as per para 70).
As per claim 29, The audio encoder of claim 25 wherein the first stage quantization function comprises at least one codebook with a first number of entries corresponding to a first size of the one or more quantization indexes, wherein the second stage quantization function or a single stage quantization function comprises at least one codebook with a second number of entries corresponding to a second size of the one or more quantization indexes, and wherein the first number is greater or lower than the second number or the first size is greater or lower than the second size (these alternatives not mapped),
or
wherein the first stage quantization function is a fixed rate quantization function (the generation of 164 and 166 into the bitstream must be fixed rate into order to synchronize into the bitsream) and wherein the second stage quantization function is a variable rate quantization function (the processing of the error signal is a variable rate because the error signal is not constant) .
As per claim 32, the audio encoder of claim 17,
wherein the signal processor is configured to further process a scaled first channel representation and a scaled second channel representation using a joint multi- channel processing to derive a multi-channel processed representation of the multi- channel audio signal (208 and 212),
(alternative element below not mapped)
Or wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured to quantize the second set of scale parameters using a first stage quantization function to acquire one or more first quantization indexes as a first stage result and to acquire an intermediate second set of scale parameters,to calculate a residual second set of scale parameters from the second set of scale parameters and the intermediate second set of scale parameters, andto quantize the residual second set of scale parameters using a second stage quantization function to acquire one or more quantization indexes as a second stage result.
As per claim 33, the audio encoder of claim 17, being configured to
determine, for a frame of the multi-channel audio signal, the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters as an all zero or all certain value information indicating the same value or a zero value for all jointly encoded scale parameters of the frame (when there is no stereo presence per the analysis in fig. 2 the stereo indicator will be zero because there will be no side signal) and
wherein the encoded signal former is configured to use the all zero or all certain value information to acquire the encoded multi-channel audio signal (per fig. 2 where there is no different between left and right channels).
As per claim 34, The audio encoder of claim 17,
wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured for calculating the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters for a first frame (the signals in fig. 2 are processed on a frame by frame or subframe by subframe basis),
for calculating the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters for a second frame, wherein, in the second frame, the jointly encoded scale parameters are not calculated or encoded (based on the frame interpolation required by the decoder to account for different windowing schemes in para 70), and
wherein the encoded signal former is configured to use a flag (the indication of the windowing scheme I for each signal and also the signaling to delineate each frame and subframe) as the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters indicating that, in the second frame, any jointly encoded scale parameters of the second group are not comprised in the encoded multichannel audio signal (based on the varying windowing schemes per para 70).
As per claim 35, (Currently Amended) A method of decoding an encoded audio signal comprising multi- channel audio data comprising data for two or more audio channels, and information on jointly encoded scale parameters, the method comprising:
decoding the information on the jointly encoded scale parameters of the encoded audio signal to acquire a first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and a second group of jointly encoded scale parameters;
combining a jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and a jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a first combination rule to acquire a scale parameter of a first set of scale parameters for a first channel of a decoded audio signal;[[and]]
combining the jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and the jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a second combination rule being different from the first combination rule to acquire a scale parameter of a second set of scale parameters for a second channel of the decoded audio signal;
[[and]] decoding the multi-channel audio data comprising data for two or more audio channels of the encoded audio signal to derive a first channel representation for the first channel and a second channel representation for the second channel;
applying the scale parameter of the first set of scale parameters to [[a]]the first channel representation derived from the multi-channel audio data in acquiring the first channel of the decoded audio signal from the first channel representation;and
applying the scale parameter of the second set of scale parameters to [[a]]the second channel representation in acquiring the second channel of the decoded audio signal from the second channel representation. (per the claim 1 rejection)
As per claim 25, the audio encoder of claim 17, wherein the signal processor is configured to quantize the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a first stage quantization function (the signaling required to define the frames and windows per the multiple windowing schemes per para 70) to acquire one or more first quantization indexes as a first stage result and
to acquire an intermediate first group of jointly encoded scale parameters (per fig. 2, 208,212) to calculate a residual first group of jointly encoded scale parameters from the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters (residual per para 37) and the intermediate first group of jointly encoded scale parameters, and to quantize the residual first group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a second stage quantization function to acquire one or more quantization indexes as a second stage result (the varying windowing schemes per para 70 require common clocking and signaling/quantization indices, since they must synchronize to be output to a bitstream).
As per claim 36,
A method of encoding a multi-channel audio signal comprising two or more channels, the method comprising: calculating a first set of scale parameters for a first channel of the multi-channel audio signal; calculating a second set of scale parameters for a second channel of the multi-channel audio signal; calculating an information on a first group of jointly encoded scale parameters from the first set of scale parameters for the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal and from the second set of scale parameters for the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal[[,]]; [[and]] calculating an information on a second group of jointly encoded scale parameters from [[a]]the first set of scale parameters for [[a]]the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal and from [[a]]the second set of scale parameters for [[a]]the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal; applying the first set of scale parameters to the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal;[[and]] applying the second set of scale parameters to the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal; and deriving multi-channel audio data from the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal and the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal; and using forming the encoded multi-channel audio signal from the multi-channel audio data,[[and]] the information on the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters, and the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters (per the claim 17 rejection)
As per claim 37, A non-transitory digital storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for performing a method of decoding an encoded audio signal comprising multi-channel audio data comprising data for two or more audio channels, andinformation on jointly encoded scale parameters, the method comprising:decoding the information on the jointly encoded scale parameters of the encoded audio signal to acquire a first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and a second group of jointly encoded scale parameters,combining a jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and a jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a first combination rule to acquire a scale parameter of a first set of scale parameters for a first channel of a decoded audio signal,[[and]] combining the jointly encoded scale parameter of the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters and the jointly encoded scale parameter of the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters using a second combination rule being different from the first combination rule to acquire a scale parameter of a second set of scale parameters for a second channel of the decoded audio signal; [[and]] decoding the multi-channel audio data comprising data for two or more audio channels of the encoded audio signal to derive a first channel representation for the first channel and a second channel representation for the second channel, applying the scale parameter of the first set of scale parameters to [[a]]the first channel representation derived from the multi-channel audio data in acquiring the first channel of the decoded audio signal from the first channel representation, andapplying the scale parameter of the second set of scale parameters to [[a]]the second channel representation derived from the multi-channel audio data to acquire the first channel and in acquiring the second channel of the decoded audio signal from the second channel representation,
the system of the claim 1,17,35,36 rejections requires a program on memory at each of the encoder and decoder to enable the steps per the claim 1 and 17 rejections in order to be implemented)
As per claim 38, A non-transitory digital storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for performing a method of encoding a multi-channel audio signal comprising two or more channels, the method comprising:calculating a first set of scale parameters for a first channel of the multi-channel audio signal;calculating a second set of scale parameters for a second channel of the multi-channel audio signal; calculating an information on a first group of jointly encoded scale parameters [[and]] from the first set of scale parameters for the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal and from the second set of scale parameters for the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal;calculating an information on a second group of jointly encoded scale parameters from [[a]]the first set of scale parameters for [[a]]the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal and from [[a]]the second set of scale parameters for [[a]]the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal;applying the first set of scale parameters to the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal;[[and]] applying the second set of scale parameters to the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal;[[and]] deriving multi-channel audio data from the first channel of the multi-channel audio signal and the second channel of the multi-channel audio signal; andusing forming the encoded multi-channel audio signal from the multi-channel audio data,[[and]] the information on the first group of jointly encoded scale parameters, and the information on the second group of jointly encoded scale parameters to acquire an encoded multi-channel audio signal,when said computer program is run by a computer. ((the system of the claim 1,17,35,36 rejections requires a program on memory at each of the encoder and decoder to enable the steps per the claim 1 and 17 rejections, in order to be implemented).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 30,31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chebiyyam et al (US 20170270936 A1) as applied to claim 17 above, and further in view of Purnhagen (US 20130030817 A1).
As per claim 30, Chebiyyam et al (US 20170270936 A1) discloses the encoded signal in fig. 4 which requires an encoder to calculate scale parameters with a scale parameter calculator, but does not specify the specifics of the encoder including:
wherein the scale parameter calculator is configured to receive a first MDCT representation for the first channel and a second MDCT representation for the second channel, to receive a first MDST representation for the first channel and a second MDST representation for the second channel, to calculate a first power spectrum for the first channel from the first MDCT representation and the first MDST representation and a second power spectrum for the second channel from the second MDCT representation and the second MDST representation, and to calculate the first set of scale parameters for the first channel from the first power spectrum and to calculate the second set of scale parameters for the second channel from the second power spectrum.
Purnhagen discloses an encoder and teaches that the encoder comprises:
wherein the scale parameter calculator 608, fig. 6 is configured
to receive a first MDCT representation for the first channel (output of 602) and a second MDCT representation (output of 604) for the second channel,
to receive a first MDST representation for the first channel (the signal from 603 going to 605) and a second MDST representation for the second channel (input to 607), to calculate a first power spectrum for the first channel from the first MDCT representation and the first MDST representation and a second power spectrum for the second channel from the second MDCT representation and the second MDST representation (the processing per para. 106 is performed on a frequency band basis which requires determinations of respective sets of bands which together form a power spectrum, of each MDCT and MDST signal), and
to calculate the first set of scale parameters for the first channel from the first power spectrum (the prediction parameters/coefficients per para. 107 to produce the mid signal M in the bitstream per fig. 6) and
to calculate the second set of scale parameters for the second channel from the second power spectrum (the prediction parameters/coefficients per para. 107 to produce the side signal in the bitstream per fig. 6).
Purnhagen teaches that this encoder implementation is computationally efficient (para. 8).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time of filing that the encoder in the CODEC of Chebiyyam et al (US 20170270936 A1) could use the signaling formats as taught by Purnhagen for the purpose of being computationally efficient.
As per claim 31, the audio encoder of claim 30, wherein the signal processor is configured to
scale the first MDCT representation using information derived from the first set of scale parameters, and
to scale the second MDCT representation using information derived from the second set of scale parameters.
(the first and second MDCT representations are scaled via the scale factor bands, which each comprise a respective scale factor per para. 105 of Purnhagen, noting 605,606 and 607 in fig. 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 24, is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable over the prior art of record if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
The submitted arguments have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER KRZYSTAN whose telephone number is 571-272-7498, and whose email address is alexander.krzystan@uspto.gov
The examiner can usually be reached on m-f 7:30-4:00 est.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone or email are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Fan Tsang can be reached on (571) 272-7547.
The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are 571-273-8300 for regular communications and 571-273-8300 for After Final communications.
/ALEXANDER KRZYSTAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2653
Examiner Alexander Krzystan
August 17, 2026
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