Patent ID: 7363216

Claim:
A method of parametrically encoding a transient audio signal, the method comprising: (a) determining a set of frequency values V for N largest frequency components of the transient audio signal, where N is a selected number; (b) determining an approximate envelope of the transient audio signal; (c) determining a selected number P of amplitude values W of samples of the approximate envelope; (d) generating a spline approximation of the approximate envelope using a spline interpolation function and the amplitude values W; and (e) generating an encoder approximation of the transient audio signal based on the spline approximation, the set of frequency values V, the number N, the number P and the amplitude values W, whereby a parametric representation of the transient audio signal is given by parameters including V, N, P and W, such that a decoder receiving the parametric representation can reproduce a decoder approximation of the transient audio signal.