Jitter buffer control, audio decoder, method and computer program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9997167-B2
Application number	US-201514973729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Jun 21, 2013
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

A jitter buffer control for controlling a provision of a decoded audio content on the basis of an input audio content is configured to select a frame-based time scaling or a sample-based time scaling in a signal-adaptive manner. An audio decoder uses such a jitter buffer control.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An audio decoder for providing a decoded audio content on the basis of an input audio content, the audio decoder comprising:
a jitter buffer configured to buffer a plurality of audio frames representing blocks of audio samples;
a decoder core configured to provide blocks of audio samples on the basis of audio frames received from the jitter buffer;
a sample-based time scaler, wherein the sample based time scaler is configured to provide time-scaled blocks of audio samples on the basis of blocks of audio samples provided by the decoder core; and
a jitter buffer control for controlling the provision of the decoded audio content on the basis of the input audio content,
wherein the jitter buffer control is configured to select a frame-based time scaling or a sample-based time scaling in a signal-adaptive manner, such that a decision whether a frame-based time scaling or a sample-based time scaling is used is adapted to the characteristics of the audio signal,
wherein the jitter buffer control is implemented using a hardware apparatus, or using a computer, or using a combination of a hardware apparatus and a computer, and
wherein the jitter buffer control is configured to select a frame-based time scaling, which is performed by the jitter buffer, or a sample-based time scaling, which is performed by the sample-based time scaler, in a signal-adaptive manner.

2. The audio decoder according to claim 1 , wherein the jitter buffer is configured to drop or insert audio frames in order to perform a frame-based time scaling.

3. The audio decoder according to claim 1 , wherein the decoder core is configured to perform a comfort noise generation in response to a frame carrying a signaling information indicating a generation of comfort noise, and
wherein the decoder core is configured to perform a concealing in response to an empty jitter buffer.

4. The audio decoder according to claim 1 , wherein the sample-based time scaler is configured to perform the time scaling of the input audio signal in dependence on a computation or an estimation of the quality of the time scaled version of the input audio signal acquirable by the time scaling.

5. A method for controlling a provision of a decoded audio content on the basis of an input audio content,
wherein the method comprises selecting a frame-based time scaling or a sample-based time scaling in a signal-adaptive manner;
wherein audio frames are dropped or inserted to control a depth of a jitter buffer when the frame-based time scaling is used, and wherein a time-shifted overlap-and-add of audio signal portions is performed when the sample-based time-scaling is used;
wherein the method comprises selecting a frame-based comfort noise insertion or a frame-based comfort noise deletion for a time scaling if a discontinuous transmission in conjunction with comfort noise generation is currently used or was used for a previous frame,
selecting an overlap-add-operation using a predetermined time shift for a time scaling if a current audio signal portion is active but comprises a signal energy which is smaller than or equal to an energy threshold value, and if a jitter buffer is not empty, or if a previous audio signal portion was active but comprises a signal energy which is smaller than or equal to the energy threshold value, and if the jitter buffer is not empty;
selecting an overlap-add-operation using a signal-adaptive time shift for a time scaling if a current audio signal portion is active and comprises a signal energy which is larger than or equal to the energy threshold value and if the jitter buffer is not empty, or if a previous audio signal portion was active and comprises a signal energy which is larger than or equal to the energy threshold value and if the jitter buffer is not empty; and
selecting an insertion of a concealed frame for a time scaling if a current audio signal portion is active and if the jitter buffer is empty, or if a previous audio signal portion was active and if the jitter buffer is empty.

6. A method for controlling a jitter buffer for provision of a decoded audio content on the basis of an input audio content,
wherein the method comprises selecting a frame-based time scaling or a sample-based time scaling in a signal-adaptive manner;
wherein audio frames are dropped or inserted to control a depth of a jitter buffer when the frame-based time scaling is used, and wherein a time-shifted overlap-and-add of audio signal portions is performed when the sample-based time-scaling is used;
wherein the method comprises selecting an overlap-add-operation using a signal-adaptive time shift and a quality control mechanism for a time scaling if a current audio signal portion is active and comprises a signal energy which is larger than or equal to the energy threshold value and if the jitter buffer is not empty, or if a previous audio signal portion was active and comprises a signal energy which is larger than or equal to the energy threshold value and if the jitter buffer is not empty.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program for performing the method according to claim 5 when the computer program is running on a computer.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program for performing the method according to claim 6 when the computer program is running on a computer.

9. A method for controlling a provision of a decoded audio content on the basis of an input audio content,
wherein the method comprises selecting a frame-based time scaling or a sample-based time scaling in a signal-adaptive manner, such that a decision whether a frame-based time scaling or a sample-based time scaling is used is adapted to the characteristics of the audio signal;
wherein audio frames are dropped or inserted to control a depth of a jitter buffer when the frame-based time scaling is used, and wherein a time-shifted overlap-and-add of audio signal portions is performed when the sample-based time-scaling is used;
wherein a comfort noise insertion or a comfort noise deletion is selected if a previous frame was inactive;
wherein a time-shifted overlap-and-add of audio signal portions is selected if a previous frame was active.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program for performing the method according to claim 9 when the computer program is running on a computer.

Assignees

• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Reuschl Stefan
• Doehla Stefan
• Lecomte Jeremie
• Jander Manuel

Classifications

• G10L19/022 Primary

  Blocking, i.e. grouping of samples in time; Choice of analysis windows; Overlap factoring · CPC title

• G10L19/04

  using predictive techniques · CPC title

• H04J3/0632

  Synchronisation of packets and cells, e.g. transmission of voice via a packet network, circuit emulation service [CES] (queuing arrangements in packet switching elements H04L49/90; synchronising systems for the synchronous transmission of a pulse code modulated video signal with one or more other pulse code modulated signals H04N7/56) · CPC title

• H04J3/0664

  unidirectional timestamps · CPC title

• G10L21/04

  Time compression or expansion · CPC title