Apparatus and Method for Encoding and Decoding Plurality of Digital Data Sets

Abstract

Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding a plurality of digital data sets, a digital data set having a data frame structure, in which a data frame corresponds to a time period, the number of bits per time period being variable, the plurality of digital data sets being ordered in a time sequence, comprising a means for aggregating the plurality of digital data sets in a content packet and a means for aggregating sequence information on the time sequence in an additional packet, the sequence information being such that a rendering relation of two digital data sets can be derived from the sequence information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed using the Figs. attached, in which

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus for encoding;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus for decoding;

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of another embodiment of an apparatus for decoding;

FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment of an inventive method for decoding;

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of an apparatus for decoding;

FIG. 6 shows two embodiments of inventive data packets for storage or transmission;

FIG. 7 illustrates the state of the art decoding a delay; and

FIG. 8 shows an exemplary set of digital data sets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of an apparatus 100 for encoding a plurality of digital data sets is depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus 100 for decoding, comprising a means 110 for aggregating the plurality of digital data sets and a means 120 for aggregating the sequence information. The means 110 for aggregating the plurality of digital data sets has an output 130 for a content packet. The means 120 for aggregating the sequence information has an output 140 for an additional packet. The means 110 for aggregating the plurality of digital data sets and the means 120 for aggregating the sequence information are interconnected and have an input 150 for a plurality of digital data sets, a digital data set having a data frame structure, in which a data frame corresponds to a time period, the number of bits per time period being variable and the plurality of digital data sets being ordered in a time sequence. In one embodiment of the present A invention, the input 150 corresponds to the content of an audio CD. From the original content of the audio CD provided through input 150, the means 110 for aggregating the plurality of digital data sets generates a content file at its output 130, containing the particular tracks of the audio CD, however, utilizing a compression format, for example AAC or MP3. By providing compressed data, which may be psycho-acoustically compressed, a potential decoding delay will be introduced once the plurality of digital data sets is decoded and played-back. Therefore, the means 120 for aggregating the sequence information stores the original sequence information from e.g. an audio CD. In one embodiment of the present invention this corresponds to the starting points of several tracks. In another embodiment, the durations and times of pauses or gaps between the tracks on the original CODs are stored or provided ontop of the starting points. The means 120 for aggregating the sequence information provides an additional packet at its output 140 containing the sequence information. The sequence information allow for derivation of a rendering relation of two digital data sets. The block diagram of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 shows the means 110 for aggregating the plurality of digital data sets and the means 120 for aggregating the sequence information being connected through their input 150. In another embodiment of the present invention, the input of an original plurality of digital data sets is not common between the means 110 for aggregating the plurality of digital data sets and the means 120 for aggregating the sequence information but they could be interconnected, anyone of them having an input for the original plurality of digital data sets.

Other information may be provided by the means 120 for aggregating the sequence information with the sequence information is information on a coding type, a coding rate, a coding delay, or a code itself. Embodiments of the present invention include all kinds of digital data sets as, for example, audio data, video data, any kind of meta-data as office documents, etc. in the content packet.

Another embodiment of the present invention the means 120 for aggregating the sequence information includes information on addresses or on logical pointers to the starting points of the digital data sets within the content packet in the sequence information. In yet another embodiment further information on time stamps, timing information, or timing offsets of starting points could be included by the means 120 for aggregating the sequence information. In another embodiment of the present invention, the means 120 for aggregating the sequence information additionally includes meta-data into the additional packet or respectively generates a meta-data packet comprising information on for example one of or a combination of the group of a loudness, an equalization setting, a display setting, playback options of digital data sets or any other meta-data. In another embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus 100 for encoding the plurality of digital data sets further comprises a means for aggregating a meta-data packet.

Additional information that can be provided by other embodiments of the present invention further comprises information on meta-data, instrumentation, lyrics, title, name, song, clip information, place of origin, author, group, singer, interpreter, location of recording, genre, booklets, labels, covers, etc.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the inventive apparatus for decoding the plurality of digital data sets. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the apparatus 200 for decoding the plurality of digital data sets, a digital data set having a data frame structure, in which a data frame corresponds to a time period, the number at bits per time period being variable, the decoded plurality of digital data sets being ordered in a time sequence, from a content packet and an additional packet. The content packet comprising the plurality of digital data sets, the additional packet having sequence information on the time sequence, the sequence information being such that a rendering relation of two digital data sets can be derived from the sequence information. The apparatus 200 for decoding comprises a means 210 for reading the content packet and the additional packet. The apparatus 200 for decoding further comprises a controller 220 for extracting the plurality of digital data sets from the content packet, for extracting the sequence information from the additional packet, and for ordering the digital data sets based on the sequence information. The means 210 for reading the content packet and the additional packet is coupled with the controller in order to provide the content packet and the additional packet. In FIG. 2 this is illustrated by the two connections between the means 210 for reading and the controller 220. Embodiments of the present invention may have only a single physical coupling between the means 210 for reading and the controller 220.

FIG. 3 shows the block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. Similar compared to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of the inventive apparatus 200 for decoding, comprising a means 210 for reading and a controller 220. Additionally, FIG. 3 shows a decoder 230, which is coupled to the controller 220. As mentioned above, the controller 220 extracts the digital data sets and provides the digital data sets to the decoder 230 for decoding, taken into account the sequence information from the additional packet. From the additional packet and the sequence information the controller 220 can derive, for example, the decoding delays as they were explained earlier.

FIG. 4 illustrates how the controller can prevent decoding delays from happening when, for example, playing-back audio tracks or video tracks. FIG. 4 shows a first diagram 400, which illustrates the digital data set (DDS) provided from the controller 220 to the decoder 230. The controller 220 derived from the sequence information contained in the additional packet, that a coding delay ΔT_Dec will occur when the decoder 230 decodes a digital data set. Therefore, the controller 220 can consider the decoding delay and provide the digital data set early. This is shown in the diagram 400 in FIG. 4. After the decoder has decoded the digital data set at its output, the decoded digital data set is available in time as indicated in the diagram 410 in FIG. 4. From the diagram 410 it can be seen that the controller can compensate for the decoding delay ΔT_Dec by providing the digital data set to the decoder early. Early provision of the digital data set plus the decoding delay compensate each other so that the decoded data is available at the proper time T_DDS.

Another embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 5. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 5 relates to the case when overlapping digital data sets occur, i.e. decoded data is overlapping in the time domain, and it also covers the case when a decoder has an initialisation period, evoking the coding delay even if two encoded digital data sets are provided right after each other to the same decoder. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of an inventive apparatus 200 for decoding. The apparatus 200 comprises a means 210 for reading coupled to a controller 220. Similar to the explanation of FIG. 4, the controller is coupled to a decoder 230 for provision of encoded digital data sets. In FIG. 5, the controller 220 is coupled to an additional decoder 235 also for providing encoded digital data sets. By having two decoders 230 and 235 at its disposal, the controller 220 can coordinate even overlapping data sets and compensate for initialisation periods that certain codes employ. In another embodiment of the present invention, the controller 220 further extracts meta-data as the data mentioned above.

FIG. 6 shows two embodiments of inventive data files. At the top of FIG. 6, an embodiment of a data file 600 is depicted comprising a content packet 610 and an additional packet 620. At the bottom of FIG. 6, another data file 630, comprising a content packet 640, an additional packet 650, and a meta-data packet 660. The meta-data 660 packet contains any meta-data as mentioned above, however, both data files 600 and 630 depicted in FIG. 6 may contain meta-data, however, the data file 600 may have meta-data in the additional packet 620. In one embodiment of the present invention, the data files as depicted in FIG. 6 are used for data storage or transmission.

The meta-data comprises one of or a combination of a group of, for example loudness settings, equalization settings, display settings, playback options, instrumentation, lyrics, title, names, song names, clip information, places of origin, author, group, singer, interpreter, location of recording, genre, cover, booklet, label, or any other meta-data.

One embodiment of the present invention is a novel storage format that could be an extension to the already established stream format such as MPEG-4 systems, ISO-IEC 14496-1 (IEC=International Electrotechnical Community). In this embodiment even the deciding systems have no knowledge about the inventive approach and could still benefit from being able to decode or play-out the stream but with no extra features to be added.

An important advantage of embodiments of the present invention is the additional packet, which describes the exact time information of the original digital data sets, or input tracks, as well as any additional timing offset inside those digital data sets or tracks. The additional packet can be accompanied with optional additional information about the coding system delay so that on the decoder side it is possible to reconstruct the signal without any delay or timing mismatch between the decoded digital data sets and the original, cf. FIG. 4.

Furthermore, an embodiment of the present invention aggregates all input audio tracks in a single, continuous audio stream stored in the target stream, which enables to achieve a maximum compatibility, even if the underlying system such as MPEG-4 systems is capable of storing multiple audio tracks, most of the decoders in a market will not be able to understand multiple tracks stored separately in the MPEG-4 file, for example. Therefore, only the first track would be played-back with the backward compatible device.

Optionally, embodiments of the present invention provide additional information about the audio programs covered in an interval, which can be done for each interval defined, such as meta-data as lyrics, song names, etc. It is also possible to define this data globally, for the all-stored audio video programs, and this would correspond to, for example, album or concert meta-data, such as an album name, author, genre, etc.

Moreover, embodiments of the present invention also store loudness data per audio program or video program, respectively globally, i.e. for the entire collection, for example. This information could be used in a decoding device to equalize the loudness and to prevent any hearing damage that would arise because of sudden loudness changes.

Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also provide image art work such as covers or booklets, usually found in audio CDs or video DVDs, in bitmap form, so that this data could be either displayed and/or printed on the decoding side of transmission.

The present invention further provides an apparatus and a method of encapsulating multiple audio programs, tracks, or streams in a single, continuous master program and aggregated stream, preserving the exact duration and offsets of the original audio programs even after the optional process of lossy audio compression by methods known in the state-of-the-art. Moreover, the invention creates a method of storing, on storage device, at least one packet of information about the aggregated stream in form of the logical structure defining the time-mapping properties of the optional audio coding apparatus involved in the coding process such as coding system algorithmic delay and time information about the duration of the original (non coded) audio programs that are aggregated in the stream. Alternatively, only the information package necessary for identifying the coding system is stored, so that the decoding device apparatus could deduct the time-mapping properties of the aggregated stream by using information stored in its own memory and related to the said coding system.

Optionally a single or a plurality of packets of information about the aggregated stream can be stored, in form of the logical structure defining the additional time-mapping properties of the audio programs, such as time information about specific events in the aggregated audio streams. Optionally, the logical structure defining the naming of the single or the plurality of aggregated audio streams, the logical structure containing information about the audio signal loudness of the single or plurality of audio programs stored in the aggregated stream or the logical structure containing information about the additional data related to the single or plurality of audio programs stored in the aggregated stream such as Artist, Genre, Tempo, Mood, Lyrics can be stored. Another data that can optionally be stored are the logical structure containing information about additional data related to the single or plurality of audio programs stored in the aggregated stream such as bitmap representation of the artwork associated with the original audio programs.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises transferring the packets from the storage medium as arranged in the logical structure across the transport medium to a destination computer.

In one embodiment the apparatus for preparing the aggregated stream comprises a means to receive original input audio programs and related meta-data, process them and store them. It can further comprise means to obtain the loudness of single or plurality of audio streams and store them in the aggregated stream. Another embodiment additionally represents an apparatus for parsing and decoding the aggregated stream and to store them. In yet another embodiment the apparatus further comprises a means to restore the original audio program time information, such as length, and eliminate any delays introduced by the coding process by altering the decoded audio signal and using information stored. Optionally it may further comprise a means to alter the loudness of the decoded audio signal by using the information stored.

Depending on certain implementation requirements of the inventive methods, the inventive methods can be implemented in hardware or software. The implementation can be performed using a digital storage medium, and particularly a disc, DVD or a CD having electronically readable control signals stored thereon, which cooperate with the programmable computer system such that the inventive methods are performed. Generally, the present invention is, therefore, a computer program product with a program code stored on a machine-readable carrier, the program code being operative for performing the inventive methods when the computer program product runs on a computer. In other words, the inventive methods are, therefore, a computer program having a program code for performing at least one of the inventive methods, when the computer program runs on a computer.

REFERENCE LIST

• 100 Apparatus for encoding
• 110 Means for aggregating digital data sets
• 120 Means for aggregating sequence information
• 130 Output for content packet
• 140 Output for additional packet
• 150 Input for original data
• 200 Apparatus for decoding
• 210 Means for reading
• 220 Controller
• 230 Decoder
• 235 Second decoder
• 400 Time diagram coded digital data set
• 410 Time diagram decoded digital data set
• 600 Data file
• 610 Content packet
• 620 Additional packet
• 630 Data file
• 640 Content packet
• 650 Additional packet
• 660 Meta-data packet

Claims

1. Apparatus for encoding a plurality of digital data sets, a digital data set having a data frame structure, in which a data frame corresponds to a time period, the number of bits per time period being variable, the plurality of digital data sets being ordered in a time sequence, the apparatus comprising: a means for aggregating the plurality of digital data sets in a content packet; anda means for aggregating sequence information on the time sequence in an additional packet, the sequence information being such that a rendering relation of two digital data sets can be derived from the sequence information.

2. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for aggregating the sequence information is adapted for including information on an address or on a logical pointer to a starting point of a digital data set within the content packet and the sequence information.

3. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for aggregating the sequence information is adapted for including information on time stamps, timing information, or timing offsets of starting points of digital data sees within the content packet in the sequence information.

4. Apparatus of one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the means for aggregating the sequence information is adapted for including further information on one of or a combination of the group of a coding type, a coding rate, a coding delay or a code in the sequence information.

5. Apparatus of one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the apparatus for encoding further comprises a means for aggregating meta-data including further information on one of or a combination of the group of loudness, equalization settings, display settings, or playback options of the digital data sets in an additional packet.

6. Apparatus of claim 5, wherein the means for aggregating meta-data is adapted for including further information on one of or a combination of the group of meta-data, instrumentation, lyrics, title, name, song name, clip information, place of origin, author group, singer, interpreter, location of recording or genre of digital data sets in the meta-data packets.

7. Apparatus of one of the claims 5 or 6, wherein the means for aggregating meta-data is adapted for including further information on one of or a group of a cover, a booklet, or a label of a digital data set in the meta-data packet.

8. Apparatus of one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the apparatus is further adapted for aggregating the content packet, the additional packet, or the meta-data packet into an aggregated packet for transmission or storage.

9. Apparatus of one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein a digital data set comprises an audio or video track.

10. Apparatus of claim 9, wherein a digital data set is a psycho-acoustically encoded audio track.

11. Apparatus of claim 9 wherein a digital data set is a lossy encoded data packet.

12. Method for encoding a plurality of digital data sets, a digital data set having a data frame structure, in which a data frame corresponds to a time period, the number of bits per time period being variable, the plurality of digital data sets being ordered in a time sequence, comprising the steps of: aggregating the plurality of digital data sets in a content packet; andaggregating sequence information on the time sequence in an additional packet, the sequence information being such that the rendering relation of two digital data sets can be derived from the sequence information.

13. Apparatus for decoding a plurality of digital data sets, a digital data set having a data frame structure, in which a data frame corresponds to a time period, the number of bits per time period being variable, the decoded plurality of digital data sets being ordered in a time sequence, from a content packet and an additional packet, the content packet comprising a plurality of digital data sets, the additional packet having sequence information on the time sequence, the sequence information being such that a rendering relation of two digital data sets can be derived from the sequence information, the apparatus comprising: means for reading the content packet and the additional packet; anda controller for extracting the plurality of digital data sets on the content packet, for extracting the sequence information from the additional packet, and for ordering the digital data sets based on the sequence information.

14. Apparatus of claim 131 further comprising a decoder for decoding digital data sets, the decoder being coupled to the controller, the controller being adapted for providing digital data sets to the decoder such that the decoded digital data sets are ordered in the time sequence.

15. Apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a second decoder for decoding digital data sets, the second decoder being coupled to the controller, the controller being adapted for providing digital data sets to the second decoder such that the decoded digital data sets from the decoder and the second decoder are ordered in the time sequence.

16. Apparatus of one of the claims 13 to 15, wherein the controller is adapted for extracting information on an address or on a logical pointer to a starting point of a digital data set within the content packet from the sequence information.

17. Apparatus of one of the claims 13 to 16, wherein the controller is adapted for extracting information on a time stamp, timing information or timing offsets of starting points of digital data sets within the content packets from the sequence information.

18. Apparatus of one of the claims 13 to 17, wherein the controller is adapted for extracting one of or a combination of the group of a coding type, a coding rate, a coding delay, or a code from the additional packet.

19. Apparatus of one of the claims 13 to 18, wherein the controller is adapted for extracting further information on one of or a combination of the group of loudness, equalization settings, display settings, playback options, instrumentation, lyrics, title name, song name, clip information, place of origin, author, group, singer, interpreter, location of recording, genre, cover, booklet, label or any meta-data from an additional packet.

20. Apparatus of one of the claims 13 to 19, wherein the controller is adapted for extracting an audio or video track from the content packet.

21. Apparatus of one of the claims 14 to 20, wherein the decoder is adapted for decoding psycho-acoustically encoded digital data sets or lossy encoded digital data sets.

22. Method for decoding a plurality of digital data sets, a digital data set having a data frame structure, in which a data frame corresponds to a time period, the number of bits per time period being variable, the plurality of digital data sets being ordered in a time sequence, from a content packet and an additional packet, the content packet comprising the plurality of digital data sets, the additional packet having sequence information oh the time sequence, the sequence information being such that the rendering relation of two digital data sets can be derived from the sequence information, comprising the steps of: extracting the plurality of digital data sets from the content packet;extracting the sequence information from the additional packet; andordering the digital data sets based on the sequence information.

23. Data file comprising a content packet and an additional packet, the content packet having information on a plurality of digital data sets, a digital data set having a data frame structure, in which a data frame corresponds to a time period, the number of bits per time period being variable, the additional packet having sequence information on a time sequence of the plurality of digital data sets, the sequence information having information on a rendering relation of two digital data sets.

24. Data file of claim 23, further comprising information on one of or a combination of the group of loudness, equalization settings, display settings, playback options, instrumentation, lyrics, title name, song name, clip information, place of origin, author, group, singer, interpreter, location of recording, genre, cover, booklet, label or any meta-data.

25. Data file of one of the claims 23 or 24, wherein a digital data set comprises psycho-acoustically encoded audio data or lossy encoded data.

26. Data file of one of the claims 23 to 25, wherein a digital data set comprises video data.

27. Computer program having a program code for performing the methods of claim 12 or claim 22 when a program code runs on a computer.