Apparatus and method of encoding and decoding audio signal

An audio player, comprising:

• a demultiplexing part configured to receive an audio signal having at least first and second channel data, the first and second channel data including a plurality of blocks, the audio signal being transmitted on a digital audio signal;
• a predictor configured to obtain first subdivision information indicating a number of levels in a subdivision hierarchy,
• the predictor configured to obtain block information indicating a subdivision of the first and second channel data into the plurality of blocks, the block information corresponding to the first and second channel data commonly when the first and second channel data are paired and switched synchronously, and
• the predictor configured to decode the first and second channel data based on the block information, the first and second channel data having been subdivided into the plurality of blocks according to the subdivision hierarchy, the subdivision hierarchy having more than one level, and at least two of the plurality of blocks in each channel for each level being capable of different lengths, wherein the length of the block information is based on the first subdivision information, the first subdivision information indicating whether the subdivision hierarchy includes one of up to three levels, four levels, and five levels,
• if the first subdivision information is 01, the first subdivision information indicates the subdivision hierarchy includes up to three levels,
• if the first subdivision information is 10, the first subdivision information indicates the subdivision hierarchy includes four levels, and
• if the first subdivision information is 11, the first subdivision information indicates the subdivision hierarchy includes five levels;
• an error checking part configured to verify whether an error is present in the decoded data;
• an assembling part configured to assemble the decoded data into frame data;
• a digital-to-analog D/A converter configured to convert the assembled frame data into an analog audio output signal;
• and
• a speaker configured to output the converted analog audio output signal.