Scope of Research on High-quality Audio Signal Processing and Coding

1. Introduction

In the evolution of communications systems, compression has been essential because it allows users to share the limited capacity of communications channels and storage spaces. Various types of compression coding for speech and audio have been developed, and these have found important applications in cellular phone systems, music delivery over networks, and portable players. However, most of the speech coding and audio coding standards in ISO/IEC MPEG* (International Organization for Standardization and International Electrotechnical Commission Moving Picture Experts Group), such as MP3 (MPEG-1 audio layer 3) and AAC (advanced audio coder), achieve a high compression ratio at the sacrifice of minor waveform distortion and band limitation at the decoder.

In the near future, we can expect to enjoy a broadband network at a reasonable price, so greater bandwidth will be available. If we can make use of this rich information environment, we should be able to enhance perceptual quality dramatically. At present, we face the challenge of shifting from the need for efficient compression to the desire for excellent quality. To meet this challenge, we must find ways to exploit the rich bandwidth for higher quality, greater convenience, and more comfort in communications. In this paper, we introduce our current research activities on lossless coding and describe the future challenges for high quality.

2. Current activities on lossless coding

Along with the evolution of the broadband network and digital audio equipment, information rates for delivery and storage have increased rapidly owing to the demands for high-quality audio signal (high sampling rates, high word resolution, and multichannel capability). In the broadband environment, we do not want to lose any quality as a result of data compression. However, as long as the original quality remains unchanged and the processing cost is low, compression will always be useful because the information rates might exceed the available transmission speed or storage capacity.

In this sense, our first endeavor for high-quality coding was the development of a lossless coding scheme that assures perfect reconstruction of the original waveform. This is essential for economically storing or transmitting high-quality signals without any degradation. For interoperability of various applications throughout the world and over time, international standardization is extremely useful. We have continually contributed to the establishment of a lossless coding standard in the MPEG community since 2002. The standard (MPEG-4 ALS) [1] was published in 2006 as part of ISO/IEC 14496-3. Even after the publication of this standard, we continued to make efforts for further improvement of the encoder and for commercialization.

A brief introduction to the lossless coding standard and its basic technologies was given in a letter last year [2]. The second paper in this set of Selected Papers covers our recent advances with the encoder algorithm and an optimized software implementation (speed and compression). The third paper describes application examples and additional standardization activities.

We will continue our efforts to further compress audio signals without losing quality. Compression technology is sometimes dependent on the analysis method or model estimation. Efficient model estimation is also useful for recognition and search tasks. Maintaining a high level of compression technology is also essential for other types of signal processing.

3. Meeting the challenge of comfortable communication

4. Standardization and alliances

Information systems have become highly complex with huge variations from one system to another. Generally speaking, it is therefore very important for users, manufacturers, and service providers to work together to establish international standards for interoperability and long-term maintenance. Communications systems can be useful only if users or potential users are attracted to them for their convenience and reasonable cost. For this purpose, we will make the necessary efforts to establish standards and support commercialization. For success in these activities, we will need global collaborations or alliances among organizations and companies, keeping in mind the idea that technologies are good only when users can enjoy them.

5. Conclusion

The research activities at the Moriya Research Laboratory include the development of lossless coding and future exploration of human interaction and super multichannel signal processing. All are aimed at the creation of high-quality comfortable communications systems that make use of the rich information available through broadband networks. Our work will be carried out under flexible collaborations with other NTT laboratories in the fields of innovative communication devices and human sciences. In addition, we will continue to promote standardization and alliances, which are important for these new technologies. We hope these technologies will also contribute to other research fields besides the acoustical signal processing field.

References

[1]	ISO/IEC 14496-3:2005/Amd.2:2006, Information technology—Coding of audio-visual objects—Part 3: Audio, Amendment 2: Audio Lossless Coding (ALS), new audio profiles and BSAC extensions, edition 2006-03-15.
[2]	T. Moriya, N. Harada, Y. Kamamoto, and H. Sekigawa, “MPEG-4 ALS––International Standard for Lossless Audio Coding,” NTT Technical Review, Vol. 4, No. 8, pp. 40–45, 2006.
[3]	T. Oohashi, E. Nishina, M. Honda, Y. Yonekura, Y. Fuwamoto, N. Kawai, T. Maekawa, S. Nakamura, H. Fukuyama, and H. Shibasaki, “Inaudible High-Frequency Sounds Affect Brain Activity: Hypersonic (sic) Effect,” Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol. 83, pp. 3548–3558, 2000.
[4]	T. Fujise, K. Nakamura, and S. Ueha, “Demodulation of Acoustic Signals in Fiber Bragg Grating Ultrasonic Sensors Using Arrayed Waveguide Gratings,” Jpn. J. of Appl. Phys., Vol. 45, No. 5B, pp. 4577–4579, 2006.

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