Patent ID: 8725500

Claim:
An audio signal encoding apparatus for encoding at least one audio signal parameter associated with a signal source for transmission over k frames of an encoded bitstream, the apparatus comprising: a processor configured in operation to: assign a predetermined bit pattern to n bits associated with the at least one audio signal parameter of a first frame of k frames, the predetermined bit pattern indicating a start of the at least one audio signal parameter; and set the n bits associated with the at least one audio signal parameter of each of k−1 subsequent frames to values, such that the values of the n bits of the k−1 subsequent frames represent the at least one audio signal parameter; wherein the values of the n bits in each of the k−1 subsequent frames are selected to be different to values of the n bits of the predetermined bit pattern; and wherein the at least one audio signal parameter is encoded within (2 n −1) (k-1) values provided by the n bits of the k−1 frames.