DETAILED ACTION
1. This action is responsive to Application no.18/405,402 filed 1/5/24. All claims have been examined and are currently pending.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
4. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Drawings
5. The drawings are objected to because fig 1C does not include the labels. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
6. Claims 15-19 are objected to and should be checked for dependency and antecedent basis issues.
For example, Claim 15 recites limitations such as “the derivative of the band-wise combined spectrum” and “spectrum-time converter”; where the language comes from claim 14. The claim however recites: The decoder according to claim 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this claim. It appears the claim should read: The decoder according to claim 14.
Claim 19 should probably read: according to claim 15, as it recites “the spectrum shaper”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
8. 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
9. Claims 1-13, 16-18, 20-25, 28-29, 31-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Eksler (2012/0146831).
Regarding claim 1 Eksler (2012/0146831) teaches An encoder for encoding a spectral representation of audio signal divided into a plurality of sub-bands, wherein the spectral representation comprises frequency bins or of frequency coefficients and wherein at least one sub-band comprises more than one frequency bin (figure 1, 16; para: 0028: method for coding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands; 0034: The SHB signal is transformed into the MDCT domain resulting in 80 SHB MDCT spectral coefficients in every frame. In the processing of the SWB layers, 64 (out of 80) SHB MDCT coefficients corresponding to the 8-14.4 kHz frequency band are encoded. The 64 SHB MDCT coefficients are divided into 8 sub-bands (sub-vectors) each with 8 spectral coefficients.), the encoder comprising:
a quantizer configured to generate a quantized representation of the spectral representation of audio signal divided into the plurality sub-bands (fig 1 quantizer; 0028: quantizing the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands);
a band-wise parametric coder configured to provide a coded parametric representation of the spectral representation depending on the quantized representation, wherein the coded parametric representation comprises parameters describing the spectral representation in the sub-bands or coded versions of the parameters describing the spectral representation in the sub-bands
(fig 1; [0028] In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector quantizing method for coding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands, comprising: quantizing the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands, quantizing the spectral coefficients comprising using a plurality of codebooks each including a plurality of vectors and coding quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; and coding supplemental information usable to improve, at a dequantizer, decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands.; 0039: Coders 103 and 104 code the quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands, including the codebook numbers n.sub.i and the vector indexes I.sub.i, respectively, in the respective sub-bands i.);
wherein there are at least two sub-bands being different and the parameters describing the spectral representation in the at least two sub-bands being different wherein the parameters describe the energy in the sub-bands (0028; 0035: Thus in every frame there is at least one sub-band where AVQ is not applied or the AVQ quantized output vector is formed of zero spectral coefficients. These sub-bands are called "zero sub-bands" as the AVQ quantized output vector is zero for these sub-bands and can be processed differently using herein presented optimization techniques.; 0059: In the reconstructed spectrum, SHB zero sub-bands are filled using an adjusted spectral envelope attenuated (multiplied) by an attenuation factor .gamma.);
wherein at least one sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands is quantized to zero or wherein a spectral representation for at least one sub-band of the plurality of sub- bands is zero in the quantized representation (0035: Thus in every frame there is at least one sub-band where AVQ is not applied or the AVQ quantized output vector is formed of zero spectral coefficients. These sub-bands are called "zero sub-bands" as the AVQ quantized output vector is zero for these sub-bands and can be processed differently using herein presented optimization techniques).
Regarding claim 2 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the band-wise parametric coder determines the at least one sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands in the quantized representation quantized to zero and wherein the band-wise parametric coder codes the at least one sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands quantized to zero in the quantized representation (0035: Thus in every frame there is at least one sub-band where AVQ is not applied or the AVQ quantized output vector is formed of zero spectral coefficients. These sub-bands are called "zero sub-bands" as the AVQ quantized output vector is zero for these sub-bands and can be processed differently using herein presented optimization techniques); or
wherein the parameters describe the energy in the sub-bands that are quantized to zero.
Regarding claim 3 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the coded parametric representation uses variable number of bits or wherein the number of bits used for representing the coded parametric representation is dependent on the spectral representation of audio signal ([0036] The actual bit budget used to encode AVQ indices in SWBL1 and SWBL2 varies from frame to frame and the difference between the allocated 36, respectively 40, bits and the actually used bits is called "AVQ unused bits". ); or
wherein coded representation uses variable number of bits or wherein the number of bits used for representing the coded representation is dependent on the spectral representation of audio signal (36); or
wherein coded representation uses entropy coding with variable number of bits; or
wherein the required number of bits for the entropy coding of the coded parametric representation is calculated; or
wherein the number of bits used for representing the coded parametric representation and a coded representation is below a predetermined threshold.
Regarding claim 4 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a spectrum coder configured to generate a coded representation of the quantized representation (28-29); or
wherein the band-wise parametric coder together with a spectrum coder forms a joint coder; or
wherein the band-wise parametric coder together with a spectrum coder are configured to jointly acquire a coded version of the spectral representation of audio signal
([0028] In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector quantizing method for coding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands, comprising: quantizing the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands, quantizing the spectral coefficients comprising using a plurality of codebooks each including a plurality of vectors and coding quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; and coding supplemental information usable to improve, at a dequantizer, decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands.).
Regarding claim 5 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a time-spectrum converter or an MDCT converter configured for converting an audio signal comprising a sampling rate into the spectral representation to acquire the spectral representation ([0034] The SHB signal is processed the same way for both the G.722 and G.711.1 core codecs. The SHB signal is transformed into the MDCT domain resulting in 80 SHB MDCT spectral coefficients in every frame. In the processing of the SWB layers, 64 (out of 80) SHB MDCT coefficients corresponding to the 8-14.4 kHz frequency band are encoded.).
Regarding claim 6 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 1 for encoding an audio signal, wherein the spectral representation is perceptually flattened (0050); or
further comprising a spectral shaper which is configured for providing a perceptually flattened spectral representation from the spectral representation; or
wherein the perceptually flattened spectral representation is divided into sub-bands of different or higher frequency resolution than a coded spectral shape used for spectral flattening; or
further comprising a processor for processing an input signal of a time-spectrum converter or an MDCT converter with an LP filter in order to spectrally flatten the audio signal
(0050: Before performing the AVQ, the quantizer portion 102 comprises a per-sub-band normalizer 951 (FIG. 9B) to normalize the input spectrum S(k) to be quantized per sub-band (operation 901 of FIG. 9A) using the spectral envelope information from layer SWBL0. In this manner, the spectrum is made as flat as possible. The AVQ is then able to encode more sub-bands because the AVQ codebook numbers n.sub.i differ less from sub-band to sub-band than is the case for a non-normalized spectrum.).
Regarding claim 7 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a rate-distortion loop configured for determining an optimal quantization step or for estimating an optimal quantization step (36-37); or
further comprising a rate-distortion loop, wherein the rate distortion loop is configured to perform at least two iteration steps or at least two iteration steps for two quantization steps; or
further comprising a rate-distortion loop, wherein the rate distortion loop is configured to adapt a quantization step dependent on previous quantization steps or to adapt the quantization step dependent on previous quantization steps so as to determine an optimal quantization step
([0036] The actual bit budget used to encode AVQ indices in SWBL1 and SWBL2 varies from frame to frame and the difference between the allocated 36, respectively 40, bits and the actually used bits is called "AVQ unused bits". The AVQ unused bits are further employed to refine the zero sub-bands. The zero sub-bands are reconstructed depending on coding mode and flag selection. When there are no AVQ unused bits in coding mode.noteq.1, the zero sub-bands are replaced by the SWBL0 output spectrum that is derived from the LB+HB spectrum with adjusted energy envelope. The spectral coefficients of the SWBL0 output spectrum are almost random and do not match well the original SHB spectrum. This is especially true in spectra with dominant spectral peaks (i.e., when the maximum energy of a sample in the sub-band is substantial compared to the average energy in this sub-band). When there are no AVQ unused bits in coding mode 1, the zero sub-bands are replaced by the spectral envelope with the signs of the spectral coefficients corresponding to the signs of the SWBL0 output spectral coefficients (again, these signs are almost random). Consequently the fine structure of the SHB spectrum is lost. In coding mode 1, even the zero spectral coefficients in AVQ coded sub-bands are replaced by the spectral envelope with the signs of the spectral coefficients corresponding to the signs of the SWBL0 output spectral coefficients. When there are some AVQ unused bits available, the processing is different and described later with herein presented optimization techniques.
[0037] Techniques for optimizing AVQ in the G.722/G.711.1 SWB extension framework are related to the enhancement in SHB spectrum for both SWB codecs. Such techniques change SWBL1 and SWBL2 related bitstream and affect quality in G.722 at 96 kb/s and in G.711.1 at 112 kb/s. Further an optimization of HB spectrum for the G.711.1 core codec is presented which changes the G711EL0 quality and bitstream. These optimization techniques are described separately in the following Sections 2.5. 2.6, 2.7 and 3.2, but they are all based on coding supplemental information in the bitstream using a multi-rate algebraic vector quantizer with coding of supplemental information. Also some additional optimization techniques used in the G.722/G.711.1 SWB extension framework are presented in the following Sections 2.1, 2.2 and 2.8.; 0039).
Regarding claim 8 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 7, wherein the rate distortion loop comprises a bit counter configured to estimate bits used for coding and a recoder configured to recode the parameters describing the spectral representation (28-29; 0036: bit budget; [0039] Referring to FIG. 1, the multi-rate algebraic vector quantizer 100 includes a quantizer portion 102 which quantizes the input spectral coefficients 101 representative of the various frequency sub-bands with a different number of bits (i.e. with a different bit rate). ).
Regarding claim 9 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the number of the parameters describing the spectral representation depends on the quantized representation ([0028] In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector quantizing method for coding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands, comprising: quantizing the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands, quantizing the spectral coefficients comprising using a plurality of codebooks each including a plurality of vectors and coding quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; and coding supplemental information usable to improve, at a dequantizer, decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands).
Regarding claim 10 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 4, further comprising a spectrum coder decision entity configured for providing a decision if a joint coding of a coded representation of the quantized representation; and the coded parametric representation fulfills a constraint that a total number of bits for the joint coding is below a predetermined threshold; or
wherein both the coded representation of the quantized spectrum and the coded representation of the parametric representation are based on a variable number of bits dependent on the spectral representation, or dependent on a derivative of the perceptually flattened spectral representation, and the quantization step (28-29; 0036: bit budget; [0039] Referring to FIG. 1, the multi-rate algebraic vector quantizer 100 includes a quantizer portion 102 which quantizes the input spectral coefficients 101 representative of the various frequency sub-bands with a different number of bits (i.e. with a different bit rate). ).
Regarding claim 11 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a modifier configured to adaptively set at least a sub-band in the quantized spectrum to zero, dependent on a content of the sub-band in the quantized spectrum and in the spectral representation of audio signal
(0035: Thus in every frame there is at least one sub-band where AVQ is not applied or the AVQ quantized output vector is formed of zero spectral coefficients. These sub-bands are called "zero sub-bands" as the AVQ quantized output vector is zero for these sub-bands and can be processed differently using herein presented optimization techniques).
Regarding claim 12 Eksler teaches The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the parameters describe the energy in the sub-bands and wherein the band-wise parametric coder comprises two stage, wherein in the first stage of the two stages the band-wise parametric coder is configured to provide individual parametric representations of the sub-bands above a frequency, and where the second stage of the two stages provides an additional average parametric representation for sub-bands above the frequency where the individual parametric representation is zero and for sub-bands below the frequency
([0002] The present disclosure relates to a multi-rate algebraic vector quantizer and corresponding method for coding spectral coefficients of a plurality of sub-bands of an input spectrum, including coding of supplemental information.;
0003: superwideband (SWB) extension framerwork;
0006: lower-band, higher band, super higher band;
8: The principal quantization technique used in the SWB extension framework is the algebraic vector quantization (AVQ);
[0028] In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector quantizing method for coding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands, comprising: quantizing the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands, quantizing the spectral coefficients comprising using a plurality of codebooks each including a plurality of vectors and coding quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; and coding supplemental information usable to improve, at a dequantizer, decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands.;
[0033] In the SWB extension framework, the HB signal in the G.711.1 core codec is transformed into the Modified Discrete Cosine Transform (MDCT) domain resulting in 40 HB MDCT spectral coefficients in every frame. These 40 HB MDCT spectral coefficients are coded by the G.711.1 core codec;
[0034] The SHB signal is processed the same way for both the G.722 and G.711.1 core codecs. The SHB signal is transformed into the MDCT domain resulting in 80 SHB MDCT spectral coefficients in every frame. In the processing of the SWB layers, 64 (out of 80) SHB MDCT coefficients corresponding to the 8-14.4 kHz frequency band are encoded. The remaining 16 MDCT coefficients corresponding to the 14.4-16 kHz frequency band are discarded. The 64 SHB MDCT coefficients are divided into 8 sub-bands (sub-vectors) each with 8 spectral coefficients. The principal quantization technique used in the SWB extension framework is the algebraic vector quantization (AVQ). An optimization technique related to coding or the SHB signal is dealt with further in Section 2;
0035-36
Where Eksler teaches providing representations for sub-bands at different frequency ranges (bands and layers) using the adaptive vector quantization and bits).
Regarding claim 13 Eksler teaches A decoder for decoding an encoded audio signal, the encoded audio signal comprising at least a coded representation of spectrum and a coded parametric representation, wherein the encoded audio signal further comprises a quantization step (figure 1; [0030] In accordance with a further illustrative embodiment, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector dequantizing method for decoding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands, comprising: decoding received, coded quantizer parameters identifying codebooks and vectors of the codebooks used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; decoding received, coded supplemental information usable to improve the decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; and dequantizing the decoded quantizer parameters and the decoded supplemental information to produce the decoded spectral coefficients.;
[0040] Still referring to FIG. 1, on the receiver side, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector dequantizer 107 for decoding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands of the spectrum. The multi-rate algebraic vector dequantizer 107 comprises a demultiplexer 108 for demultiplexing the received coded quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors of these codebooks used for coding the spectral coefficients, these quantizer parameters including the codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i transmitted through the communication channel 106. Decoders 109 and 110 decode the demultiplexed coded codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i, respectively, in the respective sub-bands i. A dequantizer portion 111 is supplied with the decoded codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i and uses the respective codebooks and vector indexes to dequantize and produce on an output decoded output spectral coefficients 112 corresponding to the input spectral coefficients 101.), the decoder comprising:
a spectral domain decoder configured for generating a decoded and dequantized spectrum from the coded representation of spectrum and quantization step, wherein the decoded and dequantized spectrum is divided into sub-bands (fig 1; 30-31; 0040 there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector dequantizer 107 for decoding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands of the spectrum);
a band-wise parametric decoder is configured to identify zero sub-bands in a decoded spectrum or the decoded and dequantized spectrum and to decode a parametric representation of the zero sub-bands based on the coded parametric representation (fig 1; 30-31; 0035;
0036: The actual bit budget used to encode AVQ indices in SWBL1 and SWBL2 varies from frame to frame and the difference between the allocated 36, respectively 40, bits and the actually used bits is called "AVQ unused bits". The AVQ unused bits are further employed to refine the zero sub-bands. The zero sub-bands are reconstructed depending on coding mode and flag selection. When there are no AVQ unused bits in coding mode.noteq.1, the zero sub-bands are replaced by the SWBL0 output spectrum that is derived from the LB+HB spectrum with adjusted energy envelope. The spectral coefficients of the SWBL0 output spectrum are almost random and do not match well the original SHB spectrum. This is especially true in spectra with dominant spectral peaks (i.e., when the maximum energy of a sample in the sub-band is substantial compared to the average energy in this sub-band). When there are no AVQ unused bits in coding mode 1, the zero sub-bands are replaced by the spectral envelope with the signs of the spectral coefficients corresponding to the signs of the SWBL0 output spectral coefficients (again, these signs are almost random). ),
wherein the parametric representation comprises parameters describing the energy in the zero sub-bands and wherein there are at least two sub-bands being different and, thus, parameters in at least two sub-bands being different and wherein the coded parametric representation is represented by use of a variable number of bits and wherein the number of bits used for representing the coded parametric representation is dependent on the coded representation of spectrum
(30-31; 35; 0036: The actual bit budget used to encode AVQ indices in SWBL1 and SWBL2 varies from frame to frame and the difference between the allocated 36, respectively 40, bits and the actually used bits is called "AVQ unused bits". The AVQ unused bits are further employed to refine the zero sub-bands. The zero sub-bands are reconstructed depending on coding mode and flag selection. When there are no AVQ unused bits in coding mode.noteq.1, the zero sub-bands are replaced by the SWBL0 output spectrum that is derived from the LB+HB spectrum with adjusted energy envelope. The spectral coefficients of the SWBL0 output spectrum are almost random and do not match well the original SHB spectrum. This is especially true in spectra with dominant spectral peaks (i.e., when the maximum energy of a sample in the sub-band is substantial compared to the average energy in this sub-band). When there are no AVQ unused bits in coding mode 1, the zero sub-bands are replaced by the spectral envelope with the signs of the spectral coefficients corresponding to the signs of the SWBL0 output spectral coefficients (again, these signs are almost random).
[0040] Still referring to FIG. 1, on the receiver side, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector dequantizer 107 for decoding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands of the spectrum. The multi-rate algebraic vector dequantizer 107 comprises a demultiplexer 108 for demultiplexing the received coded quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors of these codebooks used for coding the spectral coefficients, these quantizer parameters including the codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i transmitted through the communication channel 106. Decoders 109 and 110 decode the demultiplexed coded codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i, respectively, in the respective sub-bands i. A dequantizer portion 111 is supplied with the decoded codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i and uses the respective codebooks and vector indexes to dequantize and produce on an output decoded output spectral coefficients 112 corresponding to the input spectral coefficients 101.
[0043] On the receiver side, the demultiplexer 108 demultiplexes the received supplemental information and the received coded quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors of these codebooks used for coding the spectral coefficients, these quantizer parameters including the codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i transmitted through the communication channel 106. As described hereinabove, the decoders 109 and 110 decode the demultiplexed coded codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i, respectively, in the respective sub-bands i. A decoder 114 decodes the supplemental information from the demultiplexer 108. Finally, the dequantizer portion 111 dequantizes received coded codebook numbers n.sub.i, vector indexes I.sub.i and supplemental information to produce the decoded output spectral coefficients 112 corresponding to the quantized input spectral coefficients 101.
[0044] In general, the supplemental information that is coded can be used in a number of ways. The herein disclosed techniques focus on structuring the supplemental information for improving the AVQ zero sub-bands. In the G.722/G.711.1 SWB extension framework, this can be achieved basically by three different optimization techniques presented in the following description (two optimization techniques for SHB, one optimization technique for HB). Obviously, these optimization techniques are used where applicable, i.e. only in frames with a non-zero number of AVQ unused bits.).
Regarding claim 16 Eksler teaches The decoder according to claim 13, wherein the band-wise parametric decoder is configured to decode a parametric representation of the zero sub-bands based on the encoded audio signal using a quantization step (30-31; 35-36; 40-41); or
wherein the parametric representation comprises parameters describing energy in sub-bands and wherein there are at least two sub-bands being different and, thus, parameters describing energy in at least two sub-bands being different; or
wherein the parametric representation comprises parameters describing energy in sub-bands; or
wherein energy of individual zero lines in non-zero sub-bands is estimated and not coded explicitly; or
wherein zero sub-bands are defined by a decoded spectrum or the decoded and dequantized spectrum output of the spectrum decoder; or
wherein the coded parametric representation is coded by use of a variable number of bits and wherein the number of bits used for representing the coded parametric representation is dependent on the coded representation of spectrum; or
wherein a number of sub-bands for which there is the parametric representation depends on the coded representation of spectrum.
Regarding claim 17 Eksler teaches The decoder according to claim 13,
wherein value of the parametric representation of the zero sub-bands is decoded depending on a quantization step gQ (30-31; 35-36; 40-41); or
wherein parametric representation depends on the coded representation of spectrum (30-31; 35-36; 40-41).
Regarding claim 18 Eksler teaches The decoder according to claim 13, wherein the band-wise parametric decoder is configured to decode the parametric representation of the zero sub-bands based on the encoded audio signal using an information of an output of the spectral domain decoder or using the decoded and dequantized spectrum (30-31; 35-36; 40-41).
Regarding claim 20 Eksler teaches The decoder according to claim 13, further comprising a band-wise parametric spectrum generator configured to generate a spectrum to acquire a generated spectrum that is added to the decoded and dequantized spectrum or to a combination of a predicted spectrum and the decoded and dequantized spectrum, where the generated spectrum is band-wise acquired from a source spectrum, the source spectrum being one of:
- a second prediction spectrum; or
- a random noise spectrum; or
- the already generated parts of the generated spectrum; or
- the decoded and dequantized spectrum or the combination of the predicted spectrum and the decoded and dequantized spectrum; or
- a combination of one or two of the above (which appears to recite/disclose acquiring additional sub-bands of the spectral information, and is taught by Eksler, which can encode/decode spectral information and parameters of the audio signal, and additional components (additional bands, zero sub-bands, supplemental information) of the signal based on available bits
[0028] In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector quantizing method for coding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands, comprising: quantizing the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands, quantizing the spectral coefficients comprising using a plurality of codebooks each including a plurality of vectors and coding quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; and coding supplemental information usable to improve, at a dequantizer, decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands.;
[0030] In accordance with a further illustrative embodiment, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector dequantizing method for decoding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands, comprising: decoding received, coded quantizer parameters identifying codebooks and vectors of the codebooks used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; decoding received, coded supplemental information usable to improve the decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; and dequantizing the decoded quantizer parameters and the decoded supplemental information to produce the decoded spectral coefficients.;
[0036] The actual bit budget used to encode AVQ indices in SWBL1 and SWBL2 varies from frame to frame and the difference between the allocated 36, respectively 40, bits and the actually used bits is called "AVQ unused bits". The AVQ unused bits are further employed to refine the zero sub-bands. The zero sub-bands are reconstructed depending on coding mode and flag selection. ;
[0042] Therefore, by rewriting the code, some bits, complexity, memory and length of the code can be saved. The AVQ unused bits in relevant frames can be used for another purpose. This leads to a multi-rate quantizer 100 (FIG. 1) with supplemental coding, more specifically with a coder 113 of supplemental information usable to improve, at the dequantizer 107, decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands. ).
Regarding claim 21 Eksler teaches A band-wise parametric spectrum generator configured to generate a spectrum to acquire a generated spectrum that is added to a decoded and dequantized spectrum or to a combination of a predicted spectrum and the decoded and dequantized spectrum, where the generated spectrum is band-wise acquired from a source spectrum, the source spectrum being one of:
- a second prediction spectrum; or
- a random noise spectrum; or
- the already generated parts of the generated spectrum ; or
- the decoded and dequantized spectrum or the combination of the predicted spectrum and the decoded and dequantized spectrum; or
- a combination of one or two of the above
wherein at least one sub-band is acquired using the already generated parts of the generated spectrum
(which appears to recite/disclose acquiring additional sub-bands of the spectral information, and is taught by Eksler, which can encode/decode spectral information and parameters of the audio signal, and additional components (additional bands, zero sub-bands, supplemental information) of the signal based on available bits:
[0028] In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector quantizing method for coding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands, comprising: quantizing the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands, quantizing the spectral coefficients comprising using a plurality of codebooks each including a plurality of vectors and coding quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; and coding supplemental information usable to improve, at a dequantizer, decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands.;
[0030] In accordance with a further illustrative embodiment, there is provided a multi-rate algebraic vector dequantizing method for decoding spectral coefficients of a plurality of frequency sub-bands, comprising: decoding received, coded quantizer parameters identifying codebooks and vectors of the codebooks used for coding the spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; decoding received, coded supplemental information usable to improve the decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands; and dequantizing the decoded quantizer parameters and the decoded supplemental information to produce the decoded spectral coefficients.;
[0036] The actual bit budget used to encode AVQ indices in SWBL1 and SWBL2 varies from frame to frame and the difference between the allocated 36, respectively 40, bits and the actually used bits is called "AVQ unused bits". The AVQ unused bits are further employed to refine the zero sub-bands. The zero sub-bands are reconstructed depending on coding mode and flag selection. ;
[0042] Therefore, by rewriting the code, some bits, complexity, memory and length of the code can be saved. The AVQ unused bits in relevant frames can be used for another purpose. This leads to a multi-rate quantizer 100 (FIG. 1) with supplemental coding, more specifically with a coder 113 of supplemental information usable to improve, at the dequantizer 107, decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands. ).
[0043] On the receiver side, the demultiplexer 108 demultiplexes the received supplemental information and the received coded quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors of these codebooks used for coding the spectral coefficients, these quantizer parameters including the codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i transmitted through the communication channel 106. As described hereinabove, the decoders 109 and 110 decode the demultiplexed coded codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i, respectively, in the respective sub-bands i. A decoder 114 decodes the supplemental information from the demultiplexer 108. Finally, the dequantizer portion 111 dequantizes received coded codebook numbers n.sub.i, vector indexes I.sub.i and supplemental information to produce the decoded output spectral coefficients 112 corresponding to the quantized input spectral coefficients 101.).
Regarding claim 22 Eksler teaches The decoder according to claim 13, wherein a source spectrum is weighted based on an energy parameter of zero sub-bands (0056-0061;
[0057] The problem A in FIG. 6 is caused because the zero sub-band in the SWBL2 spectrum is filled using the SWBL0 output spectrum. As the SWBL0 output spectrum is derived from the LB+HB spectrum that contains strong peaks, these peaks are transformed to the SHB spectrum. The problems B in FIG. 6 are caused by wrong energy estimation in zero sub-bands reconstruction caused by limitations in the frequency envelope quantization. The sub-bands with wrong energy estimation are further called "problematic zero sub-bands".
[0058] As mentioned in Section 1, the AVQ unused bits in relevant frames can be used to improve the codec performance. In SHB, the AVQ unused bits can be used for improving the zero sub-bands when full bit-rate is received (i.e. the highest bit-rate is received). The improvement is based on two different techniques.).
Regarding claim 23 Eksler teaches The band-wise parametric spectrum generator according to claim 21, wherein the source spectrum is weighted based on the energy parameters of zero sub-bands (0056-0061).
Regarding claim 24 Eksler teaches The decoder according to claim 20, wherein a choice of the source spectrum for a sub-band is dependent on at least one of: the sub-band position, tonality information, power spectrum estimation, energy parameter, pitch information or temporal information (0056-0061).
Regarding claim 25 Eksler teaches The band-wise parametric spectrum generator according to claim 21, wherein a choice of the source spectrum for a sub-band is dependent on at least one of: the sub-band position, tonality information, power spectrum estimation, energy parameter, pitch information or temporal information (0056-0061).
Claim 28 recites limitations similar to claim 1 and is rejected for similar rationale and reasoning
Claim 29 recites limitations similar to claim 13 and is rejected for similar rationale and reasoning
Claim 31 recites limitations similar to claim 21 and is rejected for similar rationale and reasoning
Claim 32 recites limitations similar to claim 1 and is rejected for similar rationale and reasoning
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
10. 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.
11. Claims 14-15, 19, 26-27, 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eksler in view of Disch et al (2016/0133265).
Regarding claim 14 Eksler teaches A decoder for decoding an encoded audio signal (fig 1; 30; 40), comprising:
a spectral domain decoder configured for generating a decoded and dequantized spectrum dependent on the encoded audio signal, wherein the decoded and dequantized spectrum is divided into sub-bands (30-31; 40);
a band-wise parametric decoder configured to identify zero sub-bands in a decoded spectrum or a decoded and dequantized spectrum and to decode a parametric representation of the zero sub-bands based on the encoded audio signal (0035-36; 40);
a band-wise spectrum generator configured to generate a band-wise generated spectrum dependent on the parametric representation of the zero sub-bands (0035-36; 40-44);
a combiner configured to provide a band-wise combined spectrum (30-31; 35-36; 40-44);
where the band- wise combined spectrum comprises a combination of the band-wise generated spectrum and the decoded and dequantized spectrum or a combination of the band- wise generated spectrum and a combination of a predicted spectrum and the decoded and dequantized spectrum (30-31; 35-36; 40-44) and
[a spectrum-time converter configured for converting the band-wise combined spectrum or a derivative of the band-wise combined spectrum into a time representation]
([0042] Therefore, by rewriting the code, some bits, complexity, memory and length of the code can be saved. The AVQ unused bits in relevant frames can be used for another purpose. This leads to a multi-rate quantizer 100 (FIG. 1) with supplemental coding, more specifically with a coder 113 of supplemental information usable to improve, at the dequantizer 107, decoded spectral coefficients of the sub-bands. The supplemental information is quantized in the quantizer portion 102, coded in the coder 113 and multiplexed with the coded codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i in the multiplexer 105 for transmission through the communication channel 106.
[0043] On the receiver side, the demultiplexer 108 demultiplexes the received supplemental information and the received coded quantizer parameters identifying the codebooks and vectors of these codebooks used for coding the spectral coefficients, these quantizer parameters including the codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i transmitted through the communication channel 106. As described hereinabove, the decoders 109 and 110 decode the demultiplexed coded codebook numbers n.sub.i and vector indexes I.sub.i, respectively, in the respective sub-bands i. A decoder 114 decodes the supplemental information from the demultiplexer 108. Finally, the dequantizer portion 111 dequantizes received coded codebook numbers n.sub.i, vector indexes I.sub.i and supplemental information to produce the decoded output spectral coefficients 112 corresponding to the quantized input spectral coefficients 101.).
Rejected for similar rationale and reasoning as claim 13
And does not specifically teach where Disch teaches
a spectrum-time converter configured for converting the band-wise combined spectrum or a derivative of the band-wise combined spectrum into a time representation (Fig 1B spectrum time converter).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate Disch for an improved system, allowing the signal to be converted to the time domain for proper acoustic audio output; while presenting a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 15 Eksler does not specifically teach where Disch teaches The decoder according to claim 13, wherein the derivative of the band-wise combined spectrum comprises a reshaped spectrum reshaped by use of a spectrum shaper or a noise shaper; or
further comprising a processor configured to acquire a time domain signal from an output of a spectrum-time converter (fig 1B; 340), or a spectral shaper configured to spectrally shape a time domain signal (derived from an output of a spectrum-time converter) by processing with an LP filter; or
wherein a band-wise combined spectrum or a reshaped spectrum is converted using a spectrum-time converter to the time domain signal (fig 1B).
Rejected for similar rationale and reasoning as claim 14
Regarding claim 19 Eksler does not specifically teach where Disch teaches The decoder according to claim 14, where the spectrum shaper is configured to spectrally shape the band-wise combined spectrum or the derivative of the band-wise combined spectrum using a spectral shape acquired from a coded spectral shape (fig 6c spectral shaper; 143);
wherein the coded spectral shape uses a different or lower frequency resolution than the sub-band division (117; 0185; 202 - different resolution for different set of spectral portions).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate Disch for an improved system for proper and more efficient decoding, now shapes the spectrum using envelope information transmitted in the bitstream and the spectrally shaped data are then applied to the spectral prediction filter 616 finally generating a frame of full spectral values using the filter information 607 transmitted from the encoder to the decoder via the bitstream (Disch 143).
Regarding claim 26 Eksler does not specifically teach where Disch teaches The decoder according to claim 24, wherein the tonality information is phiH, or pitch information is
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, or a temporal information is the information if TNS is active or not (0087; 88; 104 TNS; 117 tonality detector).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate Disch for an improved system for proper encoding and decoding of tonal components (in accordance with psycho-acoustic module) (Disch 0087).
Regarding claim 27 Eksler does not specifically teach where Disch teaches The band-wise parametric spectrum generator according to claim 25, wherein the tonality information is phiH, or pitch information is
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or a temporal information is the information if TNS is active or not.
Rejected for similar rationale and reasoning as claim 26
Regarding claim 30 Eksler and Disch teach A method for decoding an encoded audio signal, the method comprising:
generating a decoded and dequantized spectrum based on an encoded audio signal, wherein the decoded and dequantized spectrum is divided into sub-bands;
identifying zero sub-bands in a decoded spectrum or the decoded and dequantized spectrum and to decode a parametric representation of the zero sub-bands based on the encoded audio signal;
generating a band-wise generated spectrum dependent on the parametric representation of the zero sub-band;
providing a band-wise combined spectrum;
where the band-wise combined spectrum comprises a combination of the band-wise generated spectrum and the decoded and dequantized spectrum or a combination of the band-wise generated spectrum and a combination of a predicted spectrum and the decoded and dequantized spectrum; and
converting the band-wise combined spectrum or a derivative of the band-wise combined spectrum into a time representation.
Claim recites limitations similar to claim 14 and is rejected for similar rationale and reasoning
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: See PTO-892.
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