Information processing apparatus and method, encoding apparatus, audio reproducing apparatus, and program

An encoding apparatus comprising:

• a time-frequency transform unit that performs time-frequency transform on an audio signal of an object to generate frequency spectrum information;
• an auditory psychological parameter calculation unit that calculates an auditory psychological parameter on a basis of the frequency spectrum information and setting information regarding a masking threshold for the object;
• and
• a bit allocation unit that performs the bit allocation processing on a basis of the auditory psychological parameter and the frequency spectrum information to generate quantized frequency spectrum information.

An audio reproducing apparatus comprising:

• a recording unit that records arrangement setting information indicating an arrival direction of an external sound and a direction in which a target sound is easily heard with respect to the arrival direction of the external sound;
• a sound pickup unit that performs sound pickup of ambient sound;
• a control unit that estimates the arrival direction of the external sound on a basis of a sound pickup signal obtained by the sound pickup and generates a reproduction signal in which a sound image of the target sound is localized in a direction in which the target sound indicated by the arrangement setting information corresponding to an estimation result of the arrival direction of the external sound is easily heard on a basis of the sound pickup signal;
• and
• a reproducing unit that reproduces a sound on a basis of the reproduction signal.

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• a control unit that
• displays a position adjustment screen indicating an arrangement position of an external sound in a space and an arrangement position of a target sound, moves the arrangement position of the target sound in the space according to an operation of a user,
• reproduces the external sound and the target sound at a sound image position according to the arrangement position, and
• generates arrangement setting information indicating an arrival direction of the external sound and a direction in which the target sound is easily heard and which is set by the user with respect to the arrival direction of the external sound on a basis of the arrangement position of the external sound and the arrangement position of the target sound.