Encoder/decoder for multidimensional sound fields

In a decoder for decoding an encoded signal generated by an encoder, said encoded signal including subband information representing respective subbands of a plurality of audio channels and including spectral level information, each subband constituting a portion of the spectrum of said audio channels, said subband information representing one or more composite signals and a plurality of subband signals, each of said composite signals formed in said encoder by combining subband signals of two or more of said plurality of audio channels in a respective subband, the combination in said decoder comprising:

• deformatting means for obtaining said subband information and said spectral level information from said encoded signal, wherein said subband information is represented in a form comprising a coarse measure of composite signal contents and a corresponding finer measure of composite signal contents, and said spectral level information conveys spectral levels of each subband signal combined in a respective composite signal,
• reconstruction means for obtaining said one or more composite signals and said plurality of subband signals in response to said subband information, and for deriving subband signals in response to said one or more composite signals and said spectral level information, and
• synthesis means for generating a plurality of output signals in response to said derived subband signals and said plurality of subband signals obtained from said subband information.

A method for use in decoding an encoded signal generated by an encoder, said encoded signal including subband information representing respective subbands of a plurality of audio channels and including spectral level information, each subband constituting a portion of the spectrum of said audio channels, said subband information representing one or more composite signals and a plurality of subband signals, each of said composite signals formed in said encoder by combining subband signals of two or more of said plurality of audio channels in a respective subband, the method comprising:

• obtaining said subband information and said spectral level information from said encoded signal, wherein said subband information is represented in a form comprising a coarse measure of composite signal contents and a corresponding finer measure of composite signal contents, and said spectral level information conveys spectral levels of each subband signal combined in a respective composite signal,
• obtaining said one or more composite signals and said plurality of subband signals in response to said subband information, and for deriving subband signals in response to said one or more composite signals and said spectral level information, and
• generating a plurality of output signals in response to said derived subband signals and said plurality of subband signals obtained from said subband information.