Patent ID: 9015041
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: G10L

Abstract:
1. Audio encoder for encoding an audio signal, comprising: a time warper; a time-frequency converter for performing a time/frequency conversion of a time-warped audio signal into a spectral representation; a quantizer for quantizing audio values, wherein the quantizer is configured to quantize to zero audio values below a quantization threshold; a noise filling calculator for estimating a measure of an energy of audio values quantized to zero for a time frame of the audio signal to acquire a noise filling measure; an audio signal analyzer for analyzing, whether the time frame of the audio signal comprises a harmonic or speech characteristic; a manipulator for manipulating the noise filling measure depending on a harmonic or a speech characteristic of the audio signal to acquire a manipulated noise filling measure; and an output interface for generating an encoded signal for transmission or storage, the encoded signal comprising the manipulated noise filling measure; wherein the manipulator is configured to apply a normal noise level when the signal does not comprise an harmonic or speech characteristic and when no time warp is applied, and to manipulate the noise filling level to be lower than in the normal case when a pitch contour was found, which indicates a harmonic content, and the time warp is active.