Hierarchical fine quantization for audio coding

A method of processing audio data, the method comprising:

• selecting, based on a nominal compression ratio or a streaming rate, a compression level of multiple compression levels, the multiple compression levels arranged hierarchically to allow for dynamic transitioning between the compression levels;
• and
• encoding the audio data based on the selected compression level of the multiple compression levels,
• wherein encoding the audio data comprises:
• determining a target bitrate based on an available streaming bandwidth;
• performing coarse quantization with respect to the audio data to obtain an error;
• multiplexing, based on the available streaming bandwidth, between multiple fine energy levels associated with hierarchical fine quantization;
• and
• performing, to achieve the target bitrate, hierarchical fine quantization with respect to the error.

An apparatus configured to process audio data, the apparatus comprising:

• means for selecting, based on a nominal compression ratio or a streaming rate, a compression level of multiple compression levels, the multiple compression levels arranged hierarchically to allow for dynamic transitioning between the compression levels;
• and
• means for encoding the audio data based on the selected compression level of the multiple compression levels,
• wherein the means for encoding comprise:
• means for determining a target bitrate based on an available streaming bandwidth;
• means for performing coarse quantization with respect to the audio data to obtain an error;
• means for multiplexing, based on the available streaming bandwidth, between multiple fine energy levels associated with hierarchical fine quantization;
• and
• means for performing, to achieve the target bitrate, hierarchical fine quantization with respect to the error.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a source device to:

• store audio data to the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;
• select, based on a nominal compression ratio or a streaming rate, a compression level of multiple compression levels, the multiple compression levels arranged hierarchically to allow for dynamic transitioning between the compression levels;
• and
• encode, based on the selected compression level of the multiple compression levels, the stored audio data,
• wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to encode the audio data includes instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
• determine a target bitrate based on an available streaming bandwidth;
• perform coarse quantization with respect to the audio data to obtain an error;
• multiplex, based on the available streaming bandwidth, between multiple fine energy levels associated with hierarchical fine quantization;
• and
• perform, to achieve the target bitrate, hierarchical fine quantization with respect to the error.