Apparatus and method for encoding a plurality of audio objects or apparatus and method for decoding using two or more relevant audio objects

An apparatus for encoding a plurality of audio objects, comprising:

• an object parameter calculator configured for calculating, for one or more frequency bins of a plurality of frequency bins related to a time frame, parameter data for at least two relevant audio objects, wherein a number of the at least two relevant audio objects is lower than a total number of the plurality of audio objects, wherein the object parameter calculator is configured for performing a selection of the number of the at least two relevant audio objects and for not indicating the total number of audio objects as being relevant, wherein the object parameter calculator is configured
• to convert each audio object of the plurality of audio objects into a spectral representation comprising the plurality of frequency bins,
• to calculate a selection information from each audio object for the one or more frequency bins, and
• to select object identifications as the parameter data indicating the at least two relevant audio objects, based on an order of the selection information of the plurality of audio objects in the one or more frequency bins, and
• an output interface for outputting an encoded audio signal comprising, as the parameter data, information on the object identifications for the at least two relevant audio objects.

An apparatus for encoding a plurality of audio objects, comprising:

• an object parameter calculator configured for calculating, for one or more frequency bins of a plurality of frequency bins related to a time frame, parameter data for at least two relevant audio objects, wherein a number of the at least two relevant audio objects is lower than a total number of the plurality of audio objects, wherein the object parameter calculator is configured for performing a selection of the number of the at least two relevant audio objects and for not indicating the total number of audio objects as being relevant;
• and
• an output interface for outputting an encoded audio signal comprising the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects,
• wherein the output interface is configured to introduce, into the encoded audio signal,
• one or more encoded transport channels,
• as the parameter data, two or more encoded object identifications for the relevant audio objects for the one or more frequency bins of the plurality of frequency bins in the time frame, and one or more encoded combined values or encoded amplitude related measures, and
• quantized and encoded direction data for each audio object in the time frame, the direction data being constant for all frequency bins of the one or more frequency bins,
• or
• wherein the object parameter calculator is configured to calculate the parameter data for at least a most dominant object and a second most dominant object in the one or more frequency bins, wherein the most dominant object and the second most dominant object represent the relevant objects,
• or
• wherein a number of audio objects of the plurality of audio objects is three or more, the plurality of audio objects comprising a first audio object, a second audio object and a third audio object, and
• wherein the object parameter calculator is configured to calculate for a first one of the one or more frequency bins, as the relevant audio objects, only a first group of audio objects, and to calculate, as the relevant audio objects for a second frequency bin of the one or more frequency bins, only a second group of audio objects, wherein the first group of audio objects is different from the second group of audio objects at least with respect to one group member,
• or
• wherein the object parameter calculator is configured
• to calculate raw parametric data with a first time or frequency resolution and to combine the raw parametric data into combined parametric data comprising a second time or frequency resolution being lower than the first time of frequency resolution, and to calculate the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects with respect to the combined parametric data comprising the second time or frequency resolution, or
• to determine parameter bands comprising a second time or frequency resolution being different from a first time or frequency resolution used in a time or frequency decomposition of the plurality of audio objects, and to calculate the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects for the parameter bands comprising the second time or frequency resolution.

An apparatus for encoding a plurality of audio objects, comprising:

• an object parameter calculator configured for calculating, for one or more frequency bins of a plurality of frequency bins related to a time frame, parameter data for at least two relevant audio objects, wherein a number of the at least two relevant audio objects is lower than a total number of the plurality of audio objects, wherein the object parameter calculator is configured for performing a selection of the number of the at least two relevant audio objects and for not indicating the total number of audio objects as being relevant;
• and
• an output interface for outputting an encoded audio signal comprising the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects,
• wherein the plurality of audio objects comprise related metadata indicating direction information on the plurality of audio objects, and
• wherein the apparatus further comprises:
• a downmixer for downmixing the plurality of audio objects to acquire one or more transport channels, wherein the downmixer is configured to downmix the plurality of audio objects in response to the direction information on the plurality of audio objects;
• and
• a transport channel encoder for encoding one or more transport channels to acquire one or more encoded transport channels;
• and
• wherein the output interface is configured to introduce the one or more transport channels into the encoded audio signal.

A decoder for decoding an encoded audio signal comprising one or more transport channels and direction information for a plurality of audio objects, the direction information comprising a first direction information and a second direction information, and, for one or more frequency bins of a time frame, parameter data for at least two relevant audio objects, wherein a number of the at least two relevant audio objects is lower than a total number of the plurality of audio objects, wherein the number of the at least two relevant audio objects is a selection from the total number of audio objects, wherein the total number of audio objects is not indicated as being relevant, the decoder comprising:

• an input interface for providing the one or more transport channels in a spectral representation comprising, in the time frame, the plurality of frequency bins;
• and
• an audio renderer for rendering the one or more transport channels into a number of audio channels using the direction information, so that a contribution from the one or more transport channels in accordance with the first direction information associated with a first one of the at least two relevant audio objects and in accordance with the second direction information associated with a second one of the at least two relevant audio objects is accounted for, or
• an audio renderer for rendering the one or more transport channels into a number of audio channels using the direction information, the audio renderer being configured to calculate, for each one of the one or more frequency bins, a contribution from the one or more transport channels in accordance with the first direction information associated with a first one of the at least two relevant audio objects and in accordance with the second direction information associated with a second one of the at least two relevant audio objects.

A method of encoding a plurality of audio objects, comprising:

• calculating, for one or more frequency bins of a plurality of frequency bins related to a time frame, parameter data for at least two relevant audio objects, wherein a number of the at least two relevant audio objects is lower than a total number of the plurality of audio objects, wherein the calculating comprises performing a selection of the number of the at least two relevant audio objects and not indicating the total number of audio objects as being relevant, and
• outputting an encoded audio signal comprising information on the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects,
• wherein the calculating comprises converting each audio object of the plurality of audio objects into a spectral representation comprising the plurality of frequency bins, calculating a selection information from each audio object for the one or more frequency bins, wherein the selection information is an amplitude-related measure for the audio object, calculating a combined value from two relevant audio objects of the at least two relevant audio objects, and deriving object identifications as the parameter data indicating the at least two relevant audio objects, based on the selection information, and wherein the outputting comprises outputting, in the encoded audio signal, information on the object identifications as the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects, and one or more information items on the combined value or on more combined values, wherein a number of information items on the combined value or on the more combined values is equal to at least one and is lower than the number of relevant audio objects for the one or more frequency bins, or
• wherein the calculating comprises converting each audio object of the plurality of audio objects into a spectral representation comprising the plurality of frequency bins, calculating a selection information from each audio object for the one or more frequency bins, and selecting object identifications as the parameter data indicating the at least two relevant audio objects, based on an order of the selection information of the plurality of audio objects in the one or more frequency bins, and wherein the outputting comprises outputting, in the encoded audio signal, information on the object identifications for the at least two relevant audio objects as the parameter data, or
• wherein the outputting comprises outputting, in the encoded audio signal, one or more encoded transport channels, as the parameter data, two or more encoded object identifications for the relevant audio objects for the one or more frequency bins of the plurality of frequency bins in the time frame, and one or more encoded combined values or encoded amplitude related measures, and quantized and encoded direction data for each audio object in the time frame, the direction data being constant for all frequency bins of the one or more frequency bins, or
• wherein the calculating comprises calculating the parameter data for at least a most dominant object and a second most dominant object in the one or more frequency bins, wherein the most dominant object and the second most dominant object represent the relevant objects, or
• wherein a number of audio objects of the plurality of audio objects is three or more, the plurality of audio objects comprising a first audio object, a second audio object and a third audio object, and wherein the calculating comprises calculating for a first one of the one or more frequency bins, as the relevant audio objects, only a first group of audio objects, and calculating, as the relevant audio objects for a second frequency bin of the one or more frequency bins, only a second group of audio objects, wherein the first group of audio objects is different from the second group of audio objects at least with respect to one group member, or
• wherein the calculating comprises calculating raw parametric data with a first time or frequency resolution and combining the raw parametric data into combined parametric data comprising a second time or frequency resolution being lower than the first time of frequency resolution, and calculating the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects with respect to the combined parametric data comprising the second time or frequency resolution, or
• determining parameter bands comprising a second time or frequency resolution being different from a first time or frequency resolution used in a time or frequency decomposition of the plurality of audio objects, and calculating the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects for the parameter bands comprising the second time or frequency resolution, or
• wherein the plurality of audio objects comprise related metadata indicating direction information on the plurality of audio objects, and wherein the method further comprises:
• downmixing the plurality of audio objects to acquire one or more transport channels in response to the direction information on the plurality of audio objects;
• and encoding one or more transport channels to acquire one or more encoded transport channels;
• and wherein the outputting comprises outputting, in the encoded audio signal, the one or more transport channels.

A method of decoding an encoded audio signal comprising one or more transport channels and direction information for a plurality of audio objects, the direction information comprising a first direction information and a second direction information, and, for one or more frequency bins of a time frame, parameter data for at least two relevant audio objects, wherein a number of the at least two relevant audio objects is lower than a total number of the plurality of audio objects, wherein the number of the at least two relevant audio objects is a selection from the total number of audio objects, wherein the total number of audio objects is not indicated as being relevant, the method of decoding comprising:

• providing the one or more transport channels in a spectral representation comprising, in the time frame, the plurality of frequency bins;
• and
• audio rendering the one or more transport channels into a number of audio channels using the direction information,
• wherein the audio rendering comprises calculating, for each one of the one or more frequency bins, a contribution from the one or more transport channels in accordance with the first direction information associated with a first one of the at least two relevant audio objects and in accordance with the second direction information associated with a second one of the at least two relevant audio objects, or
• wherein the audio rendering is performed so that a contribution from the one or more transport channels in accordance with the first direction information associated with a first one of the at least two relevant audio objects and in accordance with the second direction information associated with a second one of the at least two relevant audio objects is accounted for.

A non-transitory digital storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for performing, when said computer program is run by a computer, a method of encoding a plurality of audio objects, the method of encoding comprising:

• calculating, for one or more frequency bins of a plurality of frequency bins related to a time frame, parameter data for at least two relevant audio objects, wherein a number of the at least two relevant audio objects is lower than a total number of the plurality of audio objects, wherein the calculating comprises performing a selection of the number of the at least two relevant audio objects and not indicating the total number of audio objects as being relevant, and
• outputting an encoded audio signal comprising information on the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects,
• wherein the calculating comprises converting each audio object of the plurality of audio objects into a spectral representation comprising the plurality of frequency bins, calculating a selection information from each audio object for the one or more frequency bins, wherein the selection information is an amplitude-related measure for the audio object, calculating a combined value from two relevant audio objects of the at least two relevant audio objects, and deriving object identifications as the parameter data indicating the at least two relevant audio objects, based on the selection information, and wherein the outputting comprises outputting, in the encoded audio signal, information on the object identifications as the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects, and one or more information items on the combined value or on more combined values, wherein a number of information items on the combined value or on the more combined values is equal to at least one and is lower than the number of relevant audio objects for the one or more frequency bins, or
• wherein the calculating comprises converting each audio object of the plurality of audio objects into a spectral representation comprising the plurality of frequency bins, calculating a selection information from each audio object for the one or more frequency bins, and selecting object identifications as the parameter data indicating the at least two relevant audio objects, based on an order of the selection information of the plurality of audio objects in the one or more frequency bins, and wherein the outputting comprises outputting, in the encoded audio signal, information on the object identifications for the at least two relevant audio objects as the parameter data, or
• wherein the outputting comprises outputting, in the encoded audio signal, one or more encoded transport channels, as the parameter data, two or more encoded object identifications for the relevant audio objects for the one or more frequency bins of the plurality of frequency bins in the time frame, and one or more encoded combined values or encoded amplitude related measures, and quantized and encoded direction data for each audio object in the time frame, the direction data being constant for all frequency bins of the one or more frequency bins, or
• wherein the calculating comprises calculating the parameter data for at least a most dominant object and a second most dominant object in the one or more frequency bins, wherein the most dominant object and the second most dominant object represent the relevant objects, or
• wherein a number of audio objects of the plurality of audio objects is three or more, the plurality of audio objects comprising a first audio object, a second audio object and a third audio object, and wherein the calculating comprises calculating for a first one of the one or more frequency bins, as the relevant audio objects, only a first group of audio objects, and calculating, as the relevant audio objects for a second frequency bin of the one or more frequency bins, only a second group of audio objects, wherein the first group of audio objects is different from the second group of audio objects at least with respect to one group member, or
• wherein the calculating comprises calculating raw parametric data with a first time or frequency resolution and combining the raw parametric data into combined parametric data comprising a second time or frequency resolution being lower than the first time of frequency resolution, and calculating the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects with respect to the combined parametric data comprising the second time or frequency resolution, or
• determining parameter bands comprising a second time or frequency resolution being different from a first time or frequency resolution used in a time or frequency decomposition of the plurality of audio objects, and calculating the parameter data for the at least two relevant audio objects for the parameter bands comprising the second time or frequency resolution, or
• wherein the plurality of audio objects comprise related metadata indicating direction information on the plurality of audio objects, and wherein the method further comprises:
• downmixing the plurality of audio objects to acquire one or more transport channels in response to the direction information on the plurality of audio objects;
• and encoding one or more transport channels to acquire one or more encoded transport channels;
• and wherein the outputting comprises outputting, in the encoded audio signal, the one or more transport channels.

A non-transitory digital storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for performing a method of decoding an encoded audio signal comprising one or more transport channels and direction information for a plurality of audio objects, the direction information comprising a first direction information and a second direction information, and, for one or more frequency bins of a time frame, parameter data for at least two relevant audio objects, wherein a number of the at least two relevant audio objects is lower than a total number of the plurality of audio objects, wherein the number of the at least two relevant audio objects is a selection from the total number of audio objects, wherein the total number of audio objects is not indicated as being relevant, the method of decoding comprising:

• providing the one or more transport channels in a spectral representation comprising, in the time frame, the plurality of frequency bins;
• and
• audio rendering the one or more transport channels into a number of audio channels using the direction information,
• wherein the audio rendering comprises calculating, for each one of the one or more frequency bins, a contribution from the one or more transport channels in accordance with the first direction information associated with a first one of the at least two relevant audio objects and in accordance with the second direction information associated with a second one of the at least two relevant audio objects, or
• wherein the audio rendering is performed so that a contribution from the one or more transport channels in accordance with the first direction information associated with a first one of the at least two relevant audio objects and in accordance with the second direction information associated with a second one of the at least two relevant audio objects is accounted for,
• when said computer program is run by a computer.