Information encoding method and apparatus, information decoding method and apparatus and recording medium

An information encoding apparatus for encoding signals of a plurality of channels comprising:

• channel mixing means for mixing signals of independently coded independent channels and signals of non-independent channels not encoded independently for generating signals of mixed channels;
• channel signal encoding means for encoding the signals of the mixed channels and the signals of the independent channels;
• channel signal decoding means for decoding the encoded signals of the mixed channels and the encoded signals of the independent channels;
• channel signal generating means for generating signals of non-independent channels from the decoded signals of the mixed channels and the decoded signals of the independent channels;
• channel signal generating means for generating signals of the non-independent channels from the decoded signals of the mixed channels and the decoded signals of the non-independent channels;
• difference signal generating means for generating difference signals between the signals of the non-independent channels generated by the channel signal generating step and the signals of the non-independent channels prior to mixing;
• difference signal encoding means for encoding said difference signal;
• and
• codestring generating means for generating a codestring signal from the encoded signals of the independent channels, the encoded signals of the mixed channels and the encoded difference signals.

An information decoding method for decoding signals of plural channels from encoded codestring signals obtained on encoding signals of a plurality of channels comprising:

• a separating step of separating, from said codestring signals, independently encoded signals of independent channels, encoded signals of mixed channels obtained on mixing signals of non-independent channels not encoded independently and the signals of the independent channels, and encoded difference signals representing the difference between the signals of the independent channels prior to mixing and the signals of non-independent channels generated from the encoded signals of the independent channels and encoded signals of the mixed channels;
• a signal decoding step of decoding the encoded signals of the independent channels, the encoded signals of the mixed channels and the encoded difference signals;
• a channel signal generating step of generating signals of non-independent channels from the decoded signals of the independent channels and the decoded signals of the mixed channels;
• and
• an addition step of adding the signals of the non-independent channels generated by the channel signal generating step and the decoded difference signals.

An information decoding apparatus for decoding signals of plural channels from encoded codestring signals obtained on encoding signals of a plurality of channels comprising:

• separating means for separating, from said codestring signals, independently encoded signals of independent channels, encoded signals of mixed channels obtained on mixing signals of non-independent channels not encoded independently and the signals of the independent channels, and encoded difference signals representing the difference between the signals of the independent channels prior to mixing and the signals of non-independent channels generated from the encoded signals of the independent channels and encoded signals of the mixed channels;
• signal decoding means for decoding the encoded signals of the independent channels, the encoded signals of the mixed channels and the encoded difference signals;
• channel signal generating means for generating signals of non-independent channels from the decoded signals of the independent channels and the decoded signals of the mixed channels;
• and addition means for adding the signals of the non-independent channels generated by the channel signal generating step and the decoded difference signals.

A recording medium having encoded signals of a plurality of channels recorded thereon, wherein the improvement resides in that the encoded signals recorded are codestring signals comprising:

• encoded independently coded signals of independent channels;
• encoded signals of mixed channels obtained upon mixing and encoding signals of non-independent channels not encoded independently and the independently-coded signals of the independent channels;
• and
• encoded difference signals representing the difference between the signals of the independent channels prior to mixing and the signals of the non-independent signals generated from the encoded signals of the independent channels and encoded signals of the mixed channels;
• said encoded signals of the independent channels, the encoded signals of the mixed channels and the encoded difference signals characterized as codestring signals.