# US 2021/0242879 A1 · Transmission apparatus, transmission method, reception apparatus, and reception method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242879 A1 - Document ID: US20210242879A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/049,810 - Filed: 2019-05-15 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-23 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Gen ICHIMURA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242879A1 ## CPC - H03M 7/50: Conversion to or from non-linear codes, e.g. companding - H04L 12/2816: {Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities (arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00)} - G10L 19/00: Speech or audio signals analysis-synthesis techniques for redundancy reduction, e.g. in vocoders; Coding or decoding of speech or audio signals, using source filter models or psychoacoustic analysis (in musical instruments G10H) - H03G 7/007: {of digital or coded signals} - H03M 7/3044: {Conversion to or from differential modulation with several bits only, i.e. the difference between successive samples being coded by more than one bit, e.g. differential pulse code modulation [DPCM] (H03M7/3004 takes precedence; voice coding G10L19/00; image coding H04N19/00)} - H04N 21/436: Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB {or one or more peripheral devices} inside the home - G10L 19/18: Vocoders using multiple modes - G10L 2019/0001: {Codebooks} - H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING - H03G: CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A plurality of types of audio signals is satisfactorily transmitted. An audio signal of each block including a plurality of frames is sequentially transmitted via a predetermined transmission line to a reception side. The audio signal in each of the blocks is a mixed signal of a plurality of types of audio signals. For example, the plurality of types of audio signals includes a plurality of types of compressed audio signals. In this case, for example, the plurality of types of compressed audio signals varies in a transfer speed or a codec. Furthermore, for example, the plurality of types of audio signals includes a compressed audio signal and a linear PCM signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transmission apparatus comprising: a transmission unit that sequentially transmits an audio signal in each block via a predetermined transmission line to a reception side, each of the blocks including a plurality of frames, wherein the audio signal in each of the blocks includes a mixed signal of a plurality of types of audio signals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of audio signals includes a plurality of types of compressed audio signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of types of compressed audio signals varies in a transfer speed or a codec. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of audio signals includes a compressed audio signal and a linear PCM signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an information addition unit that adds identification information to the audio signal to be transmitted by the transmission unit, the identification information indicating that the audio signal in each of the blocks includes the mixed signal of the plurality of types of audio signals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The transmission apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the information addition unit adds the identification information by using a predetermined bit area of a channel status that is configured in each of the blocks. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an information addition unit that adds configuration information to the audio signal to be transmitted by the transmission unit, the configuration information indicating a configuration of the plurality of types of audio signals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The transmission apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the information addition unit adds the configuration information by using a predetermined bit area of a channel status that is configured in each of the blocks. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an information addition unit that adds information relating to a linear PCM signal to the audio signal to be transmitted by the transmission unit, when the plurality of types of audio signals includes the linear PCM signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The transmission apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the information addition unit adds the information relating to the linear PCM signal by using user data bits of a predetermined number of consecutive frames. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires the plurality of types of audio signals. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined transmission line includes a coaxial cable, an optical cable, an Ethernet (IEC 61883-6) cable, an HDMI cable, an MHL cable, or a DisplayPort cable. ### Claim 13 A transmission method comprising: a process of sequentially transmitting an audio signal in each block via a predetermined transmission line to a reception side, each of the blocks including a plurality of frames, wherein the audio signal in each of the blocks includes a mixed signal of a plurality of types of audio signals. ### Claim 14 A reception apparatus comprising: a reception unit that sequentially receives an audio signal in each block from a transmission side via a predetermined transmission line, each of the blocks including a plurality of frames, wherein the audio signal in each of the blocks includes a mixed signal of a plurality of types of audio signals. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The reception apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: a processing unit that processes the plurality of types of audio signals, and obtains an output linear PCM signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The reception apparatus according to claim 15, wherein configuration information has been added to the audio signal received by the reception unit, the configuration information indicating a configuration of the plurality of types of audio signals, and the processing unit processes the plurality of types of audio signals on a basis of the configuration information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The reception apparatus according to claim 15, wherein information relating to a linear PCM signal has been added to the audio signal received by the reception unit, when the plurality of types of audio signals includes the linear PCM signal, and the processing unit processes the linear PCM signal on a basis of the information relating to the linear PCM signal. ### Claim 18 A reception method comprising: a process of sequentially receiving an audio signal in each block from a transmission side via a predetermined transmission line, each of the blocks including a plurality of frames, wherein the audio signal in each of the blocks includes a mixed signal of a plurality of types of audio signals.