An audio signal is coded, where a frequency spectrum of the audio signal is divided into first and second regions. Spectral peaks in the first region are encoded by a first coding method. For a segment of the audio signal, a relation between an energy of a band in the second region and an energy estimate of the first region is determined. A relation between the energy of the band in the second region and energy of neighboring bands in the second region is determined. A determination is made whether available bits are sufficient for encoding at least one non-peak segment of the first region and the band in the second region. Further, when the relations fulfill a respective criterion and the bits are sufficient, the band in the second region and the at least one segment of the first region are encoded using a second coding method.

The present invention proposes a new method and a new apparatus for enhancement of audio source coding systems utilising high frequency reconstruction (HFR). It utilises a detection mechanism on the encoder side to assess what parts of the spectrum will not be correctly reproduced by the HFR method in the decoder. Information on this is efficiently coded and sent to the decoder, where it is combined with the output of the HFR input.

The present invention proposes a new method and a new apparatus for enhancement of audio source coding systems utilising high frequency reconstruction (HFR). It utilises a detection mechanism on the encoder side to assess what parts of the spectrum will not be correctly reproduced by the HFR method in the decoder. Information on this is efficiently coded and sent to the decoder, where it is combined with the output of the HFR input.

An improved concept for coding sample values of a spectral envelope is obtained by combining spectrotemporal prediction on the one hand and context-based entropy coding the residuals, on the other hand, while particularly determining the context for a current sample value dependent on a measure of a deviation between a pair of already coded/decoded sample values of the spectral envelope in a spectrotemporal neighborhood of the current sample value. The combination of the spectrotemporal prediction on the one hand and the context-based entropy coding of the prediction residuals with selecting the context depending on the deviation measure on the other hand harmonizes with the nature of spectral envelopes.

An improved concept for coding sample values of a spectral envelope is obtained by combining spectrotemporal prediction on the one hand and context-based entropy coding the residuals, on the other hand, while particularly determining the context for a current sample value dependent on a measure of a deviation between a pair of already coded/decoded sample values of the spectral envelope in a spectrotemporal neighborhood of the current sample value. The combination of the spectrotemporal prediction on the one hand and the context-based entropy coding of the prediction residuals with selecting the context depending on the deviation measure on the other hand harmonizes with the nature of spectral envelopes.

A method and apparatus to encoding or decoding an audio signal is provided. In the method and apparatus, a noise-floor level to use in encoding or decoding a high frequency signal is updated according to the degree of a voiced or unvoiced sound included in the signal.

A method and apparatus to encoding or decoding an audio signal is provided. In the method and apparatus, a noise-floor level to use in encoding or decoding a high frequency signal is updated according to the degree of a voiced or unvoiced sound included in the signal.

An audio encoder for encoding an audio signal has: a first encoding processor for encoding a first audio signal portion in a frequency domain, having: a time frequency converter for converting the first audio signal portion into a frequency domain representation; an analyzer for analyzing the frequency domain representation to determine first spectral portions to be encoded with a first spectral resolution and second regions to be encoded with a second resolution; and a spectral encoder for encoding the first spectral portions with the first spectral resolution and encoding the second portions with the second resolution; a second encoding processor for encoding a second different audio signal portion in the time domain; a controller for analyzing and determining, which portion of the audio signal is the first audio signal portion encoded in the frequency domain and which portion is the second audio signal portion encoded in the time domain; and an encoded signal former for forming an encoded audio signal having a first encoded signal portion for the first audio signal portion and a second encoded signal portion for the second portion.

An audio encoder for encoding an audio signal has: a first encoding processor for encoding a first audio signal portion in a frequency domain, having: a time frequency converter for converting the first audio signal portion into a frequency domain representation; an analyzer for analyzing the frequency domain representation to determine first spectral portions to be encoded with a first spectral resolution and second regions to be encoded with a second resolution; and a spectral encoder for encoding the first spectral portions with the first spectral resolution and encoding the second portions with the second resolution; a second encoding processor for encoding a second different audio signal portion in the time domain; a controller for analyzing and determining, which portion of the audio signal is the first audio signal portion encoded in the frequency domain and which portion is the second audio signal portion encoded in the time domain; and an encoded signal former for forming an encoded audio signal having a first encoded signal portion for the first audio signal portion and a second encoded signal portion for the second portion.

An improved concept for coding sample values of a spectral envelope is obtained by combining spectrotemporal prediction on the one hand and context-based entropy coding the residuals, on the other hand, while particularly determining the context for a current sample value dependent on a measure of a deviation between a pair of already coded/decoded sample values of the spectral envelope in a spectrotemporal neighborhood of the current sample value. The combination of the spectrotemporal prediction on the one hand and the context-based entropy coding of the prediction residuals with selecting the context depending on the deviation measure on the other hand harmonizes with the nature of spectral envelopes.