An audio encoder has a first information sink oriented encoding branch such as a spectral domain encoding branch, a second information source or SNR oriented encoding branch such as an LPC-domain encoding branch, and a switch for switching between the first and second encoding branches, the second encoding branch having a converter into a specific domain different from the spectral domain such as an LPC analysis stage generating an excitation signal, and the second encoding branch having a specific domain coding branch such as LPC domain processing branch, and a specific spectral domain coding branch such as LPC spectral domain processing branch, and an additional switch for switching between the specific domain coding branch and the specific spectral domain coding branch. An audio decoder has a first domain decoder, a second domain decoder, and a third domain decoder as well as two cascaded switches for switching between the decoders.

An audio encoder has a first information sink oriented encoding branch such as a spectral domain encoding branch, a second information source or SNR oriented encoding branch such as an LPC-domain encoding branch, and a switch for switching between the first and second encoding branches, the second encoding branch having a converter into a specific domain different from the spectral domain such as an LPC analysis stage generating an excitation signal, and the second encoding branch having a specific domain coding branch such as LPC domain processing branch, and a specific spectral domain coding branch such as LPC spectral domain processing branch, and an additional switch for switching between the specific domain coding branch and the specific spectral domain coding branch. An audio decoder has a first domain decoder, a second domain decoder, and a third domain decoder as well as two cascaded switches for switching between the decoders.

A frame loss compensation processing method and apparatus is presented, where the method includes, when a i.sup.th frame is a lost frame, estimating a spectrum frequency parameter, a pitch period, and a gain of the i.sup.th frame according to at least one of an inter-frame relationship between first N frames of the i.sup.th frame or an intra-frame relationship between first N frames of the i.sup.th frame. A parameter of the i.sup.th frame is determined using the signal correlation between the first N frames, the signal energy stability between the first N frames, intra-frame signal correlation of each frame, and intra-frame signal energy stability of each frame.

An audio encoder has a first information sink oriented encoding branch such as a spectral domain encoding branch, a second information source or SNR oriented encoding branch such as an LPC-domain encoding branch, and a switch for switching between the first and second encoding branches, the second encoding branch having a converter into a specific domain different from the spectral domain such as an LPC analysis stage generating an excitation signal, and the second encoding branch having a specific domain coding branch such as LPC domain processing branch, and a specific spectral domain coding branch such as LPC spectral domain processing branch, and an additional switch for switching between the specific domain coding branch and the specific spectral domain coding branch. An audio decoder has a first domain decoder, a second domain decoder, and a third domain decoder as well as two cascaded switches for switching between the decoders.

An audio encoder has a first information sink oriented encoding branch such as a spectral domain encoding branch, a second information source or SNR oriented encoding branch such as an LPC-domain encoding branch, and a switch for switching between the first and second encoding branches, the second encoding branch having a converter into a specific domain different from the spectral domain such as an LPC analysis stage generating an excitation signal, and the second encoding branch having a specific domain coding branch such as LPC domain processing branch, and a specific spectral domain coding branch such as LPC spectral domain processing branch, and an additional switch for switching between the specific domain coding branch and the specific spectral domain coding branch. An audio decoder has a first domain decoder, a second domain decoder, and a third domain decoder as well as two cascaded switches for switching between the decoders.

An audio encoder has a first information sink oriented encoding branch such as a spectral domain encoding branch, a second information source or SNR oriented encoding branch such as an LPC-domain encoding branch, and a switch for switching between the first and second encoding branches, the second encoding branch having a converter into a specific domain different from the spectral domain such as an LPC analysis stage generating an excitation signal, and the second encoding branch having a specific domain coding branch such as LPC domain processing branch, and a specific spectral domain coding branch such as LPC spectral domain processing branch, and an additional switch for switching between the specific domain coding branch and the specific spectral domain coding branch. An audio decoder has a first domain decoder, a second domain decoder, and a third domain decoder as well as two cascaded switches for switching between the decoders.

An audio encoder has a first information sink oriented encoding branch such as a spectral domain encoding branch, a second information source or SNR oriented encoding branch such as an LPC-domain encoding branch, and a switch for switching between the first and second encoding branches, the second encoding branch having a converter into a specific domain different from the spectral domain such as an LPC analysis stage generating an excitation signal, and the second encoding branch having a specific domain coding branch such as LPC domain processing branch, and a specific spectral domain coding branch such as LPC spectral domain processing branch, and an additional switch for switching between the specific domain coding branch and the specific spectral domain coding branch. An audio decoder has a first domain decoder, a second domain decoder, and a third domain decoder as well as two cascaded switches for switching between the decoders.

An audio encoder has a first information sink oriented encoding branch such as a spectral domain encoding branch, a second information source or SNR oriented encoding branch such as an LPC-domain encoding branch, and a switch for switching between the first and second encoding branches, the second encoding branch having a converter into a specific domain different from the spectral domain such as an LPC analysis stage generating an excitation signal, and the second encoding branch having a specific domain coding branch such as LPC domain processing branch, and a specific spectral domain coding branch such as LPC spectral domain processing branch, and an additional switch for switching between the specific domain coding branch and the specific spectral domain coding branch. An audio decoder has a first domain decoder, a second domain decoder, and a third domain decoder as well as two cascaded switches for switching between the decoders.

An apparatus for determining an estimated pitch lag is provided. The apparatus includes an input interface for receiving a plurality of original pitch lag values, and a pitch lag estimator for estimating the estimated pitch lag. The pitch lag estimator is configured to estimate the estimated pitch lag depending on a plurality of original pitch lag values and depending on a plurality of information values, wherein for each original pitch lag value of the plurality of original pitch lag values, an information value of the plurality of information values is assigned to the original pitch lag value.

An apparatus for determining an estimated pitch lag is provided. The apparatus includes an input interface for receiving a plurality of original pitch lag values, and a pitch lag estimator for estimating the estimated pitch lag. The pitch lag estimator is configured to estimate the estimated pitch lag depending on a plurality of original pitch lag values and depending on a plurality of information values, wherein for each original pitch lag value of the plurality of original pitch lag values, an information value of the plurality of information values is assigned to the original pitch lag value.