Apparatus and method for transmitting audio object

An audio object decoder apparatus comprising:

• a signal extraction unit to extract sound image localization information and an encoded signal of a plurality of audio objects from a multichannel audio object signal being received;
• a decoding unit to restore the plurality of audio objects by decoding the encoded signal using a selected multichannel surround sound decoder indicated from received information and having a number of channels accommodating the number of audio objects;
• the decoding unit to restore the plurality of audio objects by decoding the encoded signal using a plurality of selected multichannel surround sound decoders in a parallel manner when the number of audio objects is greater than the number of channels of a multichannel surround sound decoder, indicated from the received information;
• and
• a rendering unit to perform wave field synthesis (WFS) rendering with respect to the plurality of audio objects using the sound image localization information.

An audio object encoding method comprising:

• determining a surround sound encoder to be used for encoding a plurality of audio objects when the number of audio objects is accommodated by the number of channels of the multichannel surround sound encoder;
• determining a plurality of the multichannel surround sound encoders to be used for encoding the plurality of audio objects when the number of audio objects is greater than the number of channels of the multichannel surround sound encoder;
• generating an encoded signal by encoding the plurality of audio objects using the determined plurality of multichannel surround sound encoders in a parallel manner;
• and
• generating a multichannel audio object signal by multiplexing sound image localization information of the plurality of audio objects along with the encoded signal.

An audio object decoding method comprising:

• extracting sound image localization information and an encoded signal of a plurality of audio objects from a multichannel audio object signal being received;
• restoring the plurality of audio objects by decoding the encoded signal using a selected multichannel surround sound decoder indicated from received information and having a number of channels accommodating the number of audio objects;
• restoring the plurality of audio objects by decoding the encoded signal using a plurality of selected multichannel surround sound decoders in a parallel manner when the number of audio objects is greater than the number of channels of a multichannel surround sound decoder, indicated from the received information;
• and
• performing wave field synthesis (WFS) rendering with respect to the plurality of audio objects using the sound image localization information.

An audio object encoder apparatus comprising:

• a multichannel encoder determination unit to determine a multichannel surround sound encoder to be used for encoding a plurality of audio objects when the number of audio objects is accommodated by the number of channels of the multichannel surround sound encoder;
• the multichannel encoder determination unit to determine a plurality of the multichannel surround sound encoders to be used for encoding the plurality of audio objects when the number of audio objects is greater than the number of channels of the multichannel surround sound encoder;
• an encoding unit to generate an encoded signal by encoding the plurality of audio objects using the determined multichannel surround sound encoder when the number of audio objects is accommodated by the number of channels of the multichannel surround sound encoder;
• the encoding unit to generate an encoded signal by encoding the plurality of audio objects using the determined plurality of multichannel surround sound encoders in a parallel manner when the number of audio objects is greater than the number of channels of the multichannel surround sound encoder;
• and
• a multichannel audio object signal generation unit to generate a multichannel audio object signal, by multiplexing sound image localization information of the plurality of audio objects along with the encoded signal.