WO2021181977A1

WO2021181977A1 - Sound signal downmix method, sound signal coding method, sound signal downmix device, sound signal coding device, program, and recording medium

Info

Publication number: WO2021181977A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/004642
Authority: WO
Inventors: 亮介杉浦; 守谷　健弘; 優鎌本
Original assignee: 日本電信電話株式会社
Priority date: 2020-03-09
Filing date: 2021-02-08
Publication date: 2021-09-16
Also published as: WO2021181975A1; WO2021181746A1; WO2021181976A1

Abstract

This sound signal downmix method comprises: an inter-channel relationship information acquisition step for obtaining, by approximation, an inter-channel correlation value and an inter-channel time difference; and a downmix step for obtaining a downmix signal on the basis of the foregoing information obtained. In the inter-channel relationship information acquisition step: signals of multiple channels are reordered such that signals of adjacent channels are closer; the inter-channel correlation value and the inter-channel time difference are found only between channels that are adjacent after the reordering; the inter-channel correlation value between non-adjacent channels is obtained by multiplication or the geometric mean of the inter-channel correlation value between adjacent channel; and the inter-channel time difference between non-adjacent channels is obtained by addition of the inter-channel time difference between adjacent channels.

Description

Sound signal downmixing method, sound signal coding method, sound signal downmixing device, sound signal coding device, program and recording medium

The present invention encodes a sound signal in monaural, encodes a sound signal by using both monaural coding and stereo coding, processes a sound signal in monaural, and makes a stereo sound signal into a monaural sound signal. The present invention relates to a technique for obtaining a monaural sound signal from a sound signal of a plurality of channels in order to perform signal processing using the above.

There is a technique of Patent Document 1 as a technique of obtaining a monaural sound signal from a two-channel sound signal and embedding coding / decoding the two-channel sound signal and the monaural sound signal. In Patent Document 1, a monaural signal is obtained by averaging the input left channel sound signal and the input right channel sound signal for each corresponding sample, and the monaural signal is encoded (monaural coding). To obtain a monaural code, decode the monaural code (monaural decoding) to obtain a monaural local decoding signal, and for each of the left channel and the right channel, the input sound signal and the prediction signal obtained from the monaural local decoding signal. A technique for encoding the difference between and (predicted residual signal) is disclosed. In the technique of Patent Document 1, for each channel, a signal obtained by giving a delay to a monaural locally decoded signal and giving an amplitude ratio is used as a prediction signal, and a delay and amplitude ratio that minimizes the error between the input sound signal and the prediction signal. From the input sound signal, either select a prediction signal with, or use a prediction signal with a delay difference and amplitude ratio that maximizes the intercorrelation between the input sound signal and the monaural locally decoded signal. By subtracting the predicted signal to obtain the predicted residual signal and targeting the predicted residual signal for coding / decoding, deterioration of the sound quality of the decoded sound signal of each channel is suppressed.

International Publication No. 2006/070751

In the technique of Patent Document 1, the coding efficiency of each channel can be improved by optimizing the delay and the amplitude ratio given to the monaural locally decoded signal when the prediction signal is obtained. However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, the monaural locally decoded signal is obtained by encoding and decoding the monaural signal obtained by averaging the sound signal of the left channel and the sound signal of the right channel. That is, the technique of Patent Document 1 has a problem that it is not devised to obtain a monaural signal useful for signal processing such as coding processing from sound signals of a plurality of channels.
An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for obtaining a monaural signal useful for signal processing such as coding processing from a sound signal of a plurality of channels.

One aspect of the present invention is a sound signal downmix method for obtaining a downmix signal which is a monaural sound signal from input sound signals of N channels (N is an integer of 3 or more), and is included in N channels. For each of the combinations of the two channels, the interchannel correlation value, which is a value indicating the magnitude of the correlation between the input sound signals of the two channels, or the input sound signals of the two channels precedes. Each channel that precedes the input sound signal of each channel based on the preceding channel information that is information indicating whether or not the signal is obtained, the interchannel relationship information acquisition step for obtaining the information, the interchannel correlation value, and the preceding channel information. The larger the correlation with the input sound signal of, the smaller the weight, and the larger the correlation with the input sound signal of each channel following the channel, the larger the weight is given, and the input sound signals of N channels are weighted and added. The downmix step for obtaining the downmix signal and the interchannel relationship information acquisition step are performed so that the channels with the most similar input sound signals among the remaining channels become adjacent channels in order from the first channel. The first sorted input sound signal, the Nth sorted input sound signal, and each sorted input sound signal, which are the signals after the N channels are rearranged, are sequentially rearranged. A channel sorting step for obtaining the Nth original channel information from the 1st original channel information which is the channel number in the input sound signal of N channels, and the Nth sorted input sound from the 1st sorted input sound signal. An inter-channel relationship information estimation step for obtaining the inter-channel correlation value and the inter-channel time difference for each combination of two rearranged channels having adjacent rearranged channel numbers in the signal, and a post-sorted inter-channel relationship information estimation step. From the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two sorted channels with adjacent channel numbers, the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two sorted channels with non-adjacent sorted channel numbers. Is obtained, and the inter-channel correlation value for each of the combinations by the sorted channels is included in the N channels by associating it with the channel combinations in the input sound signals of the N channels using the original channel information. Obtain the interchannel correlation value between the input sound signals for each of the two channel combinations, and for each of the two rearranged channel combinations whose rearranged channel numbers are adjacent to each other. From the time difference between channels, the time difference between channels for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers are not adjacent to each other is obtained, and from the time difference between channels for each combination of channels after sorting, Using the original channel information to associate with the combination of channels in the input sound signals of N channels, and obtaining the preceding channel information based on whether the time difference between channels is positive, negative, or 0. Has an interchannel relationship information complement step to obtain the preceding channel information for each combination of two channels included in the N channels, and the sorted channel numbers are adjacent to the two sorted channels. The two channel numbers in each combination by are i (i is each integer of 1 or more and N-1 or less) and i + 1, and the combinations of the two sorted channels with the sorted channel numbers are adjacent to each other. The inter-channel correlation value for is γ'i _{(i + 1),} and the inter-channel time difference for each combination of two sorted channels with adjacent sorted channel numbers is τ'i _{(i + 1). ),} And the two channel numbers in each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers are not adjacent to each other are n (n is each integer of 1 or more and N-2 or less) and m (m is n). (Each integer of +2 or more and N or less), and the channel number after sorting is not adjacent. The correlation value between channels for each combination of two sorted channels is _γ'nm, and the channel number after sorting is as tau _'nm the time difference between channels for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel not adjacent, inter-channel correlation values for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the rearrangement is not adjacent _γ'nm is the minimum value of the _{interchannel correlation value γ'i (i + 1)} for each combination of two adjacent channels whose channel numbers after sorting are n or more and m-1 or less. It is a value obtained by multiplying all of one or more channel-to-channel correlation values γ'i _{(i + 1) including} , or a synergistic average, and the sorted channel numbers are not adjacent to each other. The time difference between channels _τ'nm is the time difference between channels τ'for each combination of two channels with adjacent channel numbers after i is n or more and m-1 or less. It is characterized in that it is a value obtained by adding all of _{i (i + 1).}

One aspect of the present invention is a sound signal coding method, which has a sound signal downmix method as a sound signal downmix step, and encodes the downmix signal obtained by the downmix step to obtain a monaural code. It is characterized by further having a step and a stereo coding step of encoding an input sound signal of N channels to obtain a stereo code.

According to the present invention, a monaural signal useful for signal processing such as coding processing can be obtained from sound signals of a plurality of channels.

It is a block diagram which shows the sound signal downmix apparatus of 1st Example of 1st Embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the process of the sound signal downmix apparatus of 1st Example of 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the example of the sound signal downmix apparatus of 2nd example of 1st Embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the example of the processing of the sound signal downmix apparatus of 2nd example of 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the example of the sound signal downmix apparatus of 1st example of 2nd Embodiment and 1st example of 3rd Embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the example of the processing of the sound signal downmix apparatus of 1st example of 2nd Embodiment and 1st example of 3rd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the example of the sound signal downmix apparatus of 2nd example of 2nd Embodiment and 2nd example of 3rd Embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the example of the processing of the sound signal downmix apparatus of 2nd example of 2nd Embodiment and 2nd example of 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the input sound signal of 6 channels input to a sound signal downmix apparatus. It is a figure which shows typically the input sound signal of 6 channels input to a sound signal downmix apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the example of the interchannel relation information estimation part of 3rd Embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the example of the processing of the interchannel relation information estimation part of 3rd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the example of the sound signal coding apparatus of 4th Embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the example of the processing of the sound signal coding apparatus of 4th Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the example of the sound signal processing apparatus of 5th Embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the example of the processing of the sound signal processing apparatus of 5th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the functional structure of the computer which realizes each apparatus in embodiment of this invention.

<First Embodiment>
The two-channel sound signal, which is the target of signal processing such as coding processing, was obtained by AD conversion of the sound picked up by each of the microphone for the left channel and the microphone for the right channel arranged in a certain space. It is often a digital sound signal. In this case, what is input to the device that performs signal processing such as coding processing is a digital sound signal obtained by AD conversion of the sound picked up by the left channel microphone arranged in the space. It is a right channel input sound signal which is a digital sound signal obtained by AD conversion of a certain left channel input sound signal and the sound picked up by a microphone for the right channel arranged in the space. In the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal, the sound emitted by each sound source existing in the space reaches the arrival time from the sound source to the microphone for the left channel and the sound source to the microphone for the right channel. It is included in a state where the difference between the arrival time and the arrival time (so-called arrival time difference) is given.

In the technique of Patent Document 1 described above, a signal obtained by giving a delay to a monaural local decoding signal and giving an amplitude ratio is used as a prediction signal, and a prediction signal is subtracted from an input sound signal to obtain a prediction residual signal for prediction. The residual signal is the target of encoding / decoding. That is, for each channel, the more similar the input sound signal and the monaural local decoding signal are, the more efficiently the coding can be performed. However, for example, assuming that only the sound emitted by one sound source existing in a certain space is included in the state where the arrival time difference is given between the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal, the monaural locally decoded signal is When the monaural signal obtained by averaging the left channel sound signal and the right channel sound signal is encoded / decoded, it becomes a monaural locally decoded signal for both the left channel sound signal and the right channel sound signal. Although the same sound source contains only the sound emitted by the same sound source, the degree of similarity between the left channel sound signal and the monaural locally decoded signal is not extremely high, and the similarity between the right channel sound signal and the monaural locally decoded signal is not very high. The degree of is not extremely high. In this way, if a monaural signal is obtained by simply averaging the left channel sound signal and the right channel sound signal, it may not be possible to obtain a monaural signal useful for signal processing such as coding processing.

Therefore, the sound signal of the first embodiment is to perform the downmix processing in consideration of the relationship between the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal so that a monaural signal useful for signal processing such as coding processing can be obtained. It is a downmix device. Hereinafter, the sound signal downmix device of the first embodiment will be described.

≪First example≫
First, the sound signal downmix device of the first example of the first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the sound signal downmix device 401 of the first example includes the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 and the downmix unit 112. The sound signal downmix device 401 obtains and outputs a downmix signal, which will be described later, from the input sound signal in the time domain of the 2-channel stereo, for example, in frame units having a predetermined time length of 20 ms. The sound signal input to the sound signal downmix device 401 is a sound signal in the time region of 2-channel stereo. For example, it is obtained by collecting sounds such as voice and music with each of two microphones and performing AD conversion. A digital sound signal, a digital decoded sound signal obtained by encoding / decoding the above-mentioned digital sound signal, and a digital signal-processed sound signal obtained by processing the above-mentioned digital sound signal. , Consists of left channel input sound signal and right channel input sound signal. The downmix signal, which is a monaural sound signal in the time domain obtained by the sound signal downmix device 401, is input to at least a coding device that encodes the downmix signal or at least a signal processing device that processes the downmix signal. .. Assuming that the number of samples per frame is T, the sound signal downmix device 401 has the left channel input sound signal x _L (1), x _L (2), ..., x _L (T) and the right channel in frame units. The input sound signal x _R (1), x _R (2), ..., x _R (T) is input, and the sound signal downmix device 401 uses the downmix signal x _M (1), x _M (on a frame-by-frame basis). 2), ..., x _M (T) is obtained and output. Here, T is a positive integer, for example, if the frame length is 20 ms and the sampling frequency is 32 kHz, T is 640. The sound signal downmix device 401 of the first example performs the processing of step S183 and step S112 illustrated in FIG. 2 for each frame.

[Left-right relationship information estimation unit 183]
The left channel input sound signal input to the sound signal downmix device 401 and the right channel input sound signal input to the sound signal downmix device 401 are input to the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183. The left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 obtains and outputs the left-right correlation value γ and the preceding channel information from the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal (step S183).

The preceding channel information corresponds to whether the sound emitted by the main sound source in a certain space reaches the microphone for the left channel arranged in the space or the microphone for the right channel arranged in the space earlier. Is. That is, the preceding channel information is information indicating whether the same sound signal is included in the left channel input sound signal or the right channel input sound signal first. When the same sound signal is included in the left channel input sound signal first, it is said that the left channel precedes or the right channel follows, and the same sound signal precedes the right channel input sound signal. If it is included, the right channel is leading or the left channel is following, and the leading channel information is information indicating which channel, the left channel or the right channel, is leading. be. The left-right correlation value γ is a correlation value considering the time difference between the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal. That is, the left-right correlation value γ is a sample sequence of the input sound signal of the preceding channel, a sample sequence of the input sound signal of the trailing channel at a position shifted behind the sample sequence by τ sample, and the like. It is a value indicating the magnitude of the correlation of. In the following, this τ is also referred to as a left-right time difference. Since the preceding channel information and the left-right correlation value γ are information representing the relationship between the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal, they can be said to be left-right relationship information.

For example, if the absolute value of the correlation coefficient is used as the value indicating the magnitude of the correlation, the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 uses a predetermined τ _max to τ _min (for example, τ _max is a positive number, τ. _For _{each candidate sample number τ cand (} min is a negative number), a sample sequence of the left channel input sound signal and a sample of the right channel input sound signal located behind the sample sequence by the _{number of each candidate sample number τ cand.} _{When the maximum value of the absolute value γ cand} of the correlation coefficient of the column and is obtained as the left-right correlation value γ and output, and τ _cand is a positive value when the absolute value of the correlation coefficient is the maximum value. _Obtains and outputs information indicating that the left channel is leading as leading channel information, and when τ cand is a negative value when the absolute value of the correlation coefficient is the maximum value, the right channel is Information indicating that it is leading is obtained and output as leading channel information. _{When the τ cand} is 0 when the absolute value of the correlation coefficient is the maximum value, the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 obtains and outputs information indicating that the left channel is ahead as the leading channel information. Alternatively, the information indicating that the right channel is ahead may be obtained and output as the leading channel information, but the information indicating that none of the channels is leading may be obtained and output as the leading channel information. It is good to do.

Each candidate sample number determined in advance, may be a respective integral values from tau _max to tau _min, it may also include a fractional value and small values in between the tau _max to tau _min, tau _It may not include any integer value between max and τ _min. Also, τ _max = -τ _min may or may not be the case. Assuming that the target is an input sound signal for which it is not known which channel precedes it, it is better to set τ _max to a positive number and τ _min to a negative number, but one of the channels must be When targeting a special input sound signal that precedes it, τ _max and τ _min may be positive numbers, and τ _max and τ _min may be negative numbers. In order to calculate the absolute value γ _cand of the correlation coefficient, one or more samples of the past input sound signals continuous with the sample sequence of the input sound signals of the current frame may also be used. In this case, the past The sample sequence of the input sound signal of the frame may be stored in a storage unit (not shown) in the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 for a predetermined number of frames.

Further, for example, instead of the absolute value of the correlation coefficient, the correlation value using the signal phase information may be _{set as γ cand as follows.} In this example, the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 first determines the left channel input sound signal x _L (1), x _L (2), ..., x _L (T) and the right channel input sound signal x _R (1). ), X _R (2), ..., x _R (T) from 0 to T-1 by Fourier transforming each of them as shown in the following equations (1-1) and (1-2). _{Obtain the frequency spectra X L} (k) and X _R (k) at each frequency k of.

_{Next, the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 uses the frequency spectra X L} (k) and X _R (k) at each frequency k obtained by the equations (1-1) and (1-2) as follows. The spectrum φ (k) of the phase difference at each frequency k is obtained by the equation (1-3) of.

The left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 then performs an inverse Fourier transform on the spectrum of the phase difference obtained by the equation (1-3), from τ _max _{to τ min as shown in the following equation (1-4).} The phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand ) is obtained for each candidate sample number τ _cand.

The absolute value of the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand ) obtained by Eq. (1-4) is the left channel input sound signal x _L (1), x _L (2), ..., x _L (T) and Since it represents a kind of correlation corresponding to the plausibility of the time difference of the right channel input sound signal x _R (1), x _R (2), ..., x _{R (T), the left-right relationship information estimation unit} 183 uses the absolute value of this phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand ) for each candidate sample number τ _cand as the correlation value γ _cand . That is, the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 _{obtains and outputs the maximum value of the correlation value γ cand} , which is the absolute value of the _{phase difference signal ψ (τ cand} ), as the left-right correlation value γ, and outputs the maximum value when the correlation value is the maximum value. When τ _cand is a positive value, information indicating that the left channel is leading is obtained and output as leading channel information, and when τ _cand is a negative value when the correlation value is the maximum value. Information indicating that the right channel is ahead is obtained and output as the leading channel information. _{When the τ cand} is 0 when the correlation value is the maximum value, the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 may obtain and output information indicating that the left channel is ahead as the leading channel information. , Information indicating that the right channel is leading may be obtained and output as leading channel information, but information indicating that none of the channels is leading may be obtained and output as leading channel information. The left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 uses the absolute value of the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand _{) as it is as the correlation value γ cand} , for example, the absolute value of the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand ) _{for each τ cand.} A normalized value such as a relative difference from the average of the absolute values of the phase difference signals obtained for each of the plurality of candidate samples before and after _{τ cand may be used.} That is, the left-right relation information estimation unit 183 obtains an average value by the following equation (1-5) _{for each τ cand} using a predetermined positive number τ _range _{, and the obtained average value ψ c} ( The normalized correlation value obtained by the following equation (1-6) using _{τ cand} ) and the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand ) may be used as _{γ cand.}

The normalized correlation value obtained by Eq. (1-6) is a value of 0 or more and 1 or less, τ _cand is so close to 1 that it is plausible as a _{left-right time difference, and τ cand} is not plausible as a left-right time difference. It is a value showing a property close to 0.

[Downmix section 112]
The left channel input sound signal input to the sound signal downmix device 401, the right channel input sound signal input to the sound signal downmix device 401, and the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 were output to the downmix unit 112. The left-right correlation value γ and the preceding channel information output by the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 are input. The downmix unit 112 includes the downmix signal so that the input sound signal of the preceding channel of the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal is included more as the left-right correlation value γ is larger. The left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal are weighted and averaged to obtain a downmix signal and output (step S112).

For example, if the absolute value or the normalized value of the correlation coefficient is used for the correlation value as in the above-mentioned example in the explanation part of the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183, it is input from the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183. Since the left-right correlation value γ is a value of 0 or more and 1 or less, the downmix unit 112 uses a weight determined by the left-right correlation value γ for each corresponding sample number t to use the left channel input sound signal x _L ( _{The downmix signal x M} (t) may be obtained by weighting and adding t) and the right channel input sound signal x _{R (t).} Specifically, in the downmix unit 112, when the preceding channel information is information indicating that the left channel is leading, that is, when the left channel is leading, x _M (t) = ( (1 + γ) / 2) × x _L (t) ＋ ((1-γ) / 2) × x _R (t), when the preceding channel information is information indicating that the right channel is leading That is, when the right channel precedes, x _M (t) = ((1-γ) / 2) × x _L (t) ＋ ((1 + γ) / 2) × x _R (t) , As the downmix signal x _M (t). When the downmix unit 112 obtains the downmix signal in this way, the downmix signal has a left channel input as the left-right correlation value γ is smaller, that is, the correlation between the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal is smaller. It is closer to the signal obtained by averaging the sound signal and the right channel input sound signal, and the larger the left-right correlation value γ, that is, the larger the correlation between the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal, the more the left channel input sound signal and the right. It is close to the input sound signal of the preceding channel among the channel input sound signals.

When none of the channels precedes, the downmix unit 112 is combined with the left channel input sound signal so that the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal are included in the downmix signal with the same weight. It is better to average the right channel input sound signals to obtain a downmix signal and output it. That is, when the preceding channel information indicates that none of the channels is preceded by the downmix unit 112, the left channel input sound signal x _L (t) and the right channel input sound signal x x for each sample number t. _Let _{x M} (t) = (x _L (t) + x _R (t)) / 2, which is the average of R (t), be the _{downmix signal x M} (t).

≪Second example≫
For example, when a device other than the sound signal downmix device performs stereo coding processing on the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal, the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal are combined with the sound signal downmix device. Is a signal obtained by stereo decoding processing by another device, and in some cases, the same left-right correlation value γ and one or both of the preceding channel information obtained by the left-right relation information estimation unit 183 are down. It may be obtained by a device different from the mixing device. If either or both of the left-right correlation value γ and the preceding channel information are obtained by another device, the sound signal downmixing device is provided with one of the left-right correlation value γ and the preceding channel information obtained by another device. Alternatively, both may be input so that the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 obtains the left-right correlation value γ or the preceding channel information that has not been input to the sound signal downmix device. Hereinafter, an example of a sound signal downmixing device assuming that one or both of the left-right correlation value γ and the preceding channel information is input from the outside will be described as a second example, focusing on the differences from the first example. ..

As shown in FIG. 3, the sound signal downmix device 405 of the second example includes the left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185 and the downmix unit 112. In the sound signal downmix device 405, in addition to the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 3, either the left-right correlation value γ obtained by another device or the preceding channel information is used. Or both may be entered. The sound signal downmix device 405 of the second example performs the processes of steps S185 and S112 illustrated in FIG. 4 for each frame. Since the downmix unit 112 and the step S112 are the same as those in the first example, the left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185 and the step S185 will be described below.

[Left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185]
In the left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185, the left-right correlation value γ, which is a value indicating the magnitude of the correlation between the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal, and which of the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal precedes. The preceding channel information, which is information indicating whether or not the signal is generated, is obtained and output (step S185).

When both the left-right correlation value γ and the preceding channel information are input to the sound signal downmix device 405 from another device, the left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185 is the sound signal downmix device as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. The left-right correlation value γ and the preceding channel information input to 405 are obtained and output to the downmix unit 112.

When either the left-right correlation value γ or the preceding channel information is not input to the sound signal downmix device 405 from another device, the left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185 has a left-right relationship as shown by a broken line in FIG. The information estimation unit 183 is provided. The left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 of the left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185 uses the left-right correlation value γ that is not input to the sound signal downmix device 405 or the preceding channel information that is not input to the sound signal downmix device 405 as the first example. It is obtained from the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal and output to the downmix unit 112 in the same manner as the left-right relation information estimation unit 183. Regarding the left-right correlation value γ input to the sound signal downmix device 405 or the preceding channel information input to the sound signal downmix device 405, the left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185 displays the sound as shown by a single point chain line in FIG. The left-right correlation value γ input to the signal downmix device 405 or the preceding channel information input to the sound signal downmix device 405 is output to the downmix unit 112.

When both the left-right correlation value γ and the preceding channel information are not input to the sound signal downmix device 405 from another device, the left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185 is the left-right relationship information estimation unit as shown by the broken line in FIG. 183 is provided. The left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 obtains the left-right correlation value γ and the preceding channel information from the left channel input sound signal and the right channel input sound signal in the same manner as the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 of the first example, and the downmix unit 112. Output to. That is, it can be said that the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 and step S183 of the first example are in the categories of the left-right relationship information acquisition unit 185 and step S185, respectively.

<Second Embodiment>
Even when the number of channels is 3 or more, the relationship between the input sound signal of each channel and the downmix signal is the same as that of the sound

signal downmix devices

401 and 405 of the first embodiment, so that the coding process and the like can be performed. A monaural signal useful for signal processing can be obtained. This embodiment will be described as a second embodiment.

Explaining how to include the input sound signal of a certain channel in the downmix signal in the sound

signal downmixing devices

401 and 405 of the first embodiment, where n is the channel number of each of the left channel and the right channel, the first embodiment In the sound

signal downmixing devices

401 and 405, for each nth channel, the greater the correlation between the input sound signal of the channel following the nth channel and the input sound signal of the nth channel, the greater the correlation between the input sound of the nth channel and the input sound of the nth channel. The downmix signal includes a signal with a large weight, and the greater the correlation between the input sound signal of the channel preceding the nth channel and the input sound signal of the nth channel, the greater the correlation between the input sound of the nth channel and the input sound of the nth channel. The downmix signal includes a signal with a small weight. The relationship between this input sound signal and the downmix signal is as follows: when there are multiple leading channels, when there are multiple trailing channels, both the leading channel and the trailing channel. If there is, the sound signal downmixing device of the second embodiment has been expanded so as to cope with. Hereinafter, the sound signal downmix device of the second embodiment will be described. The sound signal downmix device of the second embodiment is an extension of the sound signal downmix device of the first embodiment so as to correspond to a case where the number of channels is 3 or more, and when the number of channels is 2. Operates in the same manner as the sound signal downmix device of the first embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the sound

signal downmixing devices

401 and 405 obtain a downmix signal closer to the signal obtained by averaging all the input sound signals as the correlation between the channels of the input sound signals becomes smaller. As described above, since the relationship between the input sound signal and the downmix signal can be realized even when the number of channels is 3 or more, the sound signal downmix device of the second embodiment will be described as an example.

≪First example≫
First, the sound signal downmix device of the first example of the second embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the sound signal downmix device 406 of the first example includes an interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186 and a downmix unit 116. The sound signal downmix device 406 obtains and outputs a downmix signal, which will be described later, from the input sound signal in the time domain of the N-channel stereo, for example, in frame units having a predetermined time length of 20 ms. The number of channels N is an integer of 2 or more. However, when the number of channels is 2, the sound signal downmixing device of the first embodiment may be used. Therefore, the sound signal downmixing device of the second embodiment is particularly useful when N is an integer of 3 or more. .. The sound signal input to the sound signal downmix device 406 is a sound signal in the time region of N channels. For example, it is obtained by collecting sounds such as voice and music with each of N microphones and performing AD conversion. Digital sound signals obtained by collecting and AD-converting digital sound signals at multiple points, or by mixing digital sound signals of one channel or multiple channels as they are or by appropriately mixing them into N channels. These are a signal, a digital decoded sound signal obtained by encoding and decoding each of the above-mentioned digital sound signals, and a digital signal-processed sound signal obtained by signal-processing each of the above-mentioned digital sound signals. The downmix signal, which is a monaural sound signal in the time domain obtained by the sound signal downmix device 406, is input to at least a coding device that encodes the downmix signal or at least a signal processing device that processes the downmix signal. .. Input sound signals of N channels are input to the sound signal downmix device 406 in frame units, and the sound signal downmix device 406 obtains and outputs downmix signals in frame units. In the following, the number of samples per frame will be described as T. T is a positive integer, for example, if the frame length is 20ms and the sampling frequency is 32kHz, then T is 640. The sound signal downmix device 406 of the first example performs the processes of steps S186 and S116 illustrated in FIG. 6 for each frame.

[Interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186]
Input sound signals of N channels input to the sound signal downmix device 406 are input to the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186. The inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 obtains and outputs the inter-channel correlation value and the preceding channel information from the input sound signals of the input N channels (step S186). Since the inter-channel correlation value and the preceding channel information represent the inter-channel relationship in the input sound signals of N channels, it can be said to be the inter-channel relationship information.

The inter-channel correlation value is a value representing the magnitude of the correlation in consideration of the time difference between the input sound signals for each pair of the two channels included in the N channels. There are (N × (N-1)) / 2 combinations of two channels included in N channels. Assuming that n is an integer of 1 or more and N or less, m is an integer greater than n and N or less, and the interchannel correlation value between the nth channel input sound signal and the m channel input sound signal is γ _nm . The interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186 obtains an _{interchannel correlation value γ nm} for each of (N × (N-1)) / 2 combinations of n and m.

The preceding channel information is information indicating which of the input sound signals of the two channels contains the same sound signal first for each combination of the two channels included in the N channels. This is information indicating which channel of the individual channels precedes. Assuming that the preceding channel information between the nth channel input sound signal and the mth channel input sound signal is INFO _nm , the interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186 has the above-mentioned (N × (N-1)) / 2 ways. Obtain _{the leading channel information INFO nm} for each combination of n and m. In the following, for the combination of n and m, if the same sound signal is included in the nth channel input sound signal before the mth channel input sound signal, the nth channel is the mth channel. The nth channel is ahead of the mth channel, the mth channel is behind the nth channel, the mth channel is behind the nth channel, etc. There is that. Similarly, in the following, for a combination of n and m, if the same sound signal is included in the m-channel input sound signal before the n-channel input sound signal, the m-th channel becomes the n-th channel. On the other hand, the mth channel is ahead of the nth channel, the nth channel is behind the mth channel, the nth channel is behind the mth channel, And so on.

_{The interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186 sets the interchannel correlation value γ nm} and the preceding channel information INFO _nm for each of the above-mentioned (N × (N-1)) / 2 combinations of the nth channel and the mth channel. It may be obtained in the same manner as the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 of the first embodiment. That is, the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 reads, for example, the left channel in each example of the description of the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183 of the first embodiment as the nth channel, the right channel as the mth channel, and L. Is read as n, R is read as m, leading channel information is read as leading channel information INFO _nm, and left-right correlation value γ is read as inter-channel correlation value γ _nm . By performing the same operation as in each example for each of the above-mentioned (N × (N-1)) / 2 combinations of the nth channel and the mth channel, the channels for each of the nth channel and the mth channel combinations are performed. The intercorrelation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm can be obtained.

For example, if the absolute value of the correlation coefficient is used as the value representing the magnitude of the correlation, the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 can be used with the above-mentioned (N × (N-1)) / 2 ways of nth channel. For each combination of the m-th channel, the sample sequence of the n-channel input sound signal for each candidate sample number τ _cand _{from τ max} to τ _min _{and the sample sequence for each candidate sample number τ cand.} _{The maximum value of the absolute value γ cand} of the correlation coefficient between the sample string of the m-channel input sound signal located at a later position is obtained as the interchannel correlation coefficient γ _nm and output, and the correlation coefficient is calculated. _{When τ cand} is a positive value when the absolute value is the maximum value, the information indicating that the nth channel is leading is _{obtained and output as the leading channel information INFO nm} , and the absolute value of the correlation coefficient is output. _{When τ cand} is a negative value when is the maximum value, information indicating that the mth channel is ahead is obtained as the _{leading channel information INFO nm and output.} _{In the interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186, when τ cand} is 0 when the absolute value of the correlation coefficient is the maximum value for each combination of the nth channel and the mth channel, the nth channel precedes. The information indicating that the m-th channel is ahead may be obtained and output as the _{leading channel information INFO nm} , or the information indicating that the mth channel is leading may be obtained and output as the _{leading channel information INFO nm.} Note that τ _max and τ _min are the same as in the first embodiment.

Further, for example, instead of the absolute value of the correlation coefficient, the correlation value using the signal phase information may be _{set as γ cand as follows.} In this example, the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 first applies the input sound signals x _i (1), x _i (2) for each channel i from the first channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal. By Fourier transforming, ..., x _i (T) as in the following equation (2-1), the frequency spectrum X _i (k) at each frequency k from 0 to T-1 is obtained.

Next, the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 performs the subsequent processing for each of the above-mentioned (N × (N-1)) / 2 combinations of the nth channel and the mth channel. Inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186, first, using the equation (2-1) frequency spectrum of the n-channel in each frequency k obtained in X _n (k) and the frequency spectrum X _m of the m channels (k) Then, the spectrum φ (k) of the phase difference at each frequency k is obtained by the following equation (2-2).

Next, the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 performs an inverse Fourier transform on the spectrum of the phase difference obtained by the equation (2-2), so that the spectrum from τ _max _{to τ min} is obtained as in the equation (1-4). A phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand ) is obtained for each candidate sample number τ _cand. Next, the interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186 _{obtains and outputs the maximum value of the correlation value γ cand} , which is the absolute value of _{the phase difference signal ψ (τ cand} ), as the interchannel correlation value γ _nm , and the correlation value is the maximum value. When τ _cand is a positive value, the information indicating that the nth channel is ahead is _{obtained and output as the leading channel information INFO nm} _{, and τ cand} when the correlation value is the maximum value is If it is a negative value, the information indicating that the mth channel is ahead is obtained and output as the _{leading channel information INFO nm.} _{When τ cand} is 0 when the correlation value is the maximum value, the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 obtains and outputs information indicating that the nth channel is ahead as the leading channel information INFO _nm. Alternatively, the information indicating that the mth channel is ahead may be obtained and output as the _{leading channel information INFO nm.}

As in the case of the left-right relationship information estimation unit 183, the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 uses the absolute value of the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand _{) as the correlation value γ cand} as it is, for example, for each τ _cand . A normalized value, such as the relative difference from the average of the absolute values of the phase difference signals obtained for each of the multiple candidate samples before and after _{τ cand with} respect to the absolute value of the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand). You may use it. That is, the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 obtains an average value by Eq. (1-5) _{for each τ cand} using a predetermined positive number τ _range _{, and the obtained average value ψ c} (τ). _The normalized correlation value obtained by Eq. (1-6) using cand) and the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand ) may be used as _{γ cand.}

[Downmix section 116]
The downmix unit 116 includes the input sound signals of N channels input to the sound signal downmix device 406 and the above-mentioned (N × (N-1)) / 2 output by the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186. _{The inter-channel correlation value γ nm} (that is, the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two channels included in the N channels) for each of the n and m combinations and the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 Preceding channel information for each of the above-mentioned (N × (N-1)) / 2 combinations of n and m output INFO _nm (that is, predecessor for each combination of two channels included in N channels) Channel information) and is input. The downmix unit 116 has a smaller correlation between the input sound signal of each channel and the input sound signal of each channel preceding the channel, and is smaller than the input sound signal of each channel following the channel. The larger the correlation is, the larger the weight is given, and the input sound signals of N channels are weighted and added to obtain a downmix signal and output (step S116).

[[Specific example 1 of the downmix unit 116]]
The channel number (channel index) of each channel is i, the input sound signal of the i-th channel is x _i (1), x _i (2), ..., x _i (T), and the downmix signal is x. Specific example 1 of the downmix unit 116 will be described as _M (1), x _M (2), ..., x _{M (T).} In Specific Example 1, the inter-channel correlation value is a value of 0 or more and 1 or less, like the absolute value or the normalized value of the correlation coefficient of the above-mentioned example in the explanation part of the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186. And. Also, here, M is not a channel number, but a subscript intended that the downmix signal is a monaural signal. The downmix unit 116 obtains a downmix signal, for example, by performing the processes of steps S116-1 to S116-3 described below. First, for each i-channel, the downmix unit 116 is a combination of two channels (N-1) including the i-th channel of _{the preceding channel information INFO nm input to the downmix unit 116.} From the preceding channel information, a set of channel numbers I _Li _{of the channel preceding the i-th channel and a set of channel numbers I Fi} of the channels following the i-th channel are obtained. (Step S116-1). The downmix unit 116 then uses two channels (N-1) including the i-th channel of the _{interchannel correlation value γ nm} input to the downmix unit 116 for each i-th channel. The combination of inter-channel correlation values, the set of channel numbers I _{Li of the} channels that precede the i-th channel, and _{the set of channel numbers I Fi} of the channels that follow the i-th channel. _{, To obtain the weight w i} of the i-th channel by the following equation (2-3) (step S116-2).

_{Since the inter-channel correlation value γ mn} is the same as the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm for each of the above combinations of n and m, the inter- _{channel correlation value γ ij} when i is a value larger than j is also used. _{The interchannel correlation value γ ik} when i is a value larger than k is also included in the _{interchannel correlation value γ nm} input to the downmix unit 116.

In the downmix section 116, the input sound signals of the i-th channel from i to N are then x _i (1), x _i (2), ..., x _i (T), and i is from 1. _{By using the weight w i} of each i-th channel up to N and the _{downmix signal sample x M} (t) for each sample number t (sample index t) by the following equation (2-4). , Get the downmix signals x _M (1), x _M (2), ..., x _M (T) (step S116-3).

Note that the downmix unit 116 does not perform step S116-2 and step S116-3 in order, but uses an equation in which the weight w _i of the equation (2-4) is replaced with the right side of the equation (2-3). A downmix signal may be obtained. That is, the downmix unit 116 sets the set of channel numbers of the channels preceding the i-th channel for _{each i-channel as I Li,} and for each i-channel, for the i-channel. _{Let I Fi} be the set of channel numbers of the following channels, and for each i-channel, the channel for each combination of the i-channel and each channel j preceding the i-channel. _Let γ ij be the inter-channel correlation value, and let _{γ ik be the} inter-channel correlation value for each combination of the i-channel and each channel k following the i-channel for each i-channel. As the weight for each i-th channel is w _i _{expressed by Eq. (2-3), each sample x M} (t) of the downmix signal may be obtained by Eq. (2-4).

Equation (2-4) is an equation for obtaining a downmix signal by weighting and adding the input sound signals of N channels, and the weight w of each i-th channel given to the input sound signal of each i-th channel in the weighted addition. Equation (2-3) gives _i. The part of the following equation (2-3-A) in the equation (2-3) correlates with the input sound signal of each channel in which the input sound signal of the i-th channel precedes the i-channel. The larger the _{value, the smaller the weight w i.} Among the channels leading the i-channel, the input sound signal of the i-th channel and the input sound signal of the preceding channel are included. If there is even one channel with a very large correlation with, the weight w _i is set to a value close to 0.

In the part of the following equation (2-3-B) in the equation (2-3), the weight w _i increases as the correlation with the input sound signal of each channel following the i-th channel increases. The value is set to be larger than 1.

When the input sound signals of all channels are independent, that is, when there is no correlation between any channels, it is desirable to use a simple summing average of the input sound signals of all channels as the downmix signal. Therefore, in the equation (2-3), the maximum value of the portion of the equation (2-3-A) is set to 1, and the minimum value of the portion of the equation (2-3-B) is set to 1. By multiplying Eq. (2-3-A), Eq. (2-3-B) and 1 / N as the weight w _i , all the correlations between channels are small values. The channel weight w _i is set to be close to 1 / N.

[[Specific example 2 of the downmix unit 116]]
_{Since the total value of all channels of the weight w i} obtained by the downmix unit 116 in step S116-1 of the specific example 1 may not be 1, the total value of all channels of the weight of the downmix unit 116 is 1. _{The value obtained by normalizing the weight w i} of each i-th channel _{can be used instead of the weight w i} in Eq. (2-4), _{or the weight w i} so that the total value of all the channels of the weight becomes 1. The downmix signal may be obtained by using an equation obtained by modifying equation (2-4) so as to include normalization. This example will be described as a specific example 2 of the downmix unit 116, which is different from the specific example 1.

For example, downmixing unit 116, a weight w _i for each i-th channel to obtain the equation (2-3), normal to the weight w _i for each i-th channel is the sum of all the channels it becomes 1 turned into 'to obtain _i (i.e., each for the i-th channel by the following equation (2-5) regular Kasumi weight w' normal Kasumi weight w to obtain a _i), the respective i from 1 to N i-channel input sound signal x _i of _{(1), x i (2} ), ..., with x _i (T) and the normal Kasumi weight w _'i, the following for each sample number t formula (2 By obtaining the downmix signal sample x _M (t) by 6), the downmix signals x _M (1), x _M (2), ..., x _M (T) may be obtained.

That is, the downmix unit 116 sets the set of channel numbers of the channels preceding the i-th channel for _{each i-channel as I Li,} and for each i-channel, for the i-channel. _{Let I Fi} be the set of channel numbers of the following channels, and for each i-channel, the channel for each combination of the i-channel and each channel j preceding the i-channel. _Let γ ij be the inter-channel correlation value, and let _{γ ik be the} inter-channel correlation value for each combination of the i-channel and each channel k following the i-channel for each i-channel. the weight for each i-th channel and w _i represented by the formula (2-3), as w _'i represented by the formula (2-5) the normalized weight for each i-th channel, wherein _{Each sample x M} (t) of the downmix signal may be obtained by (2-6).

≪Second example≫
For example, when a device different from the sound signal downmix device stereo-encodes the input sound signals of N channels, the input sound signals of N channels are stereo by a device different from the sound signal downmix device. In the case of a signal obtained by decoding processing, any or all of the _{same inter-channel correlation value γ nm} and preceding channel information INFO _nm obtained by the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 are sound signal downmixing devices. It may be obtained by a different device. If any or all of the interchannel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm are obtained by another device, the sound signal downmix device is provided with the interchannel correlation value γ _nm obtained by another device and the preceding channel. By inputting any or all of the information INFO _nm , the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 obtains the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm that were not input to the sound signal downmix device. It should be. The following is an example of a sound signal downmixing device assuming that any or all of the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _{nm are input from the outside, focusing on the differences from the first example.} Explain to.

As shown in FIG. 7, the sound signal downmix device 407 of the second example includes an interchannel relationship information acquisition unit 187 and a downmix unit 116. In the sound signal downmix device 407, in addition to the input sound signals of N channels, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 7, either the _{interchannel correlation value γ nm} obtained by another device or the preceding channel information INFO _nm. Or all may be entered. The sound signal downmix device 407 of the second example performs the processes of steps S187 and S116 illustrated in FIG. 8 for each frame. Since the downmix unit 116 and the step S116 are the same as those in the first example, the interchannel relationship information acquisition unit 187 and the step S187 will be described below.

[Interchannel relationship information acquisition unit 187]
The inter-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 has an inter-channel correlation value γ _nm , which is a value indicating the magnitude of correlation for each combination of two channels included in N channels, and 2 included in N channels. _{For each combination of the two channels, the preceding channel information INFO nm} , which is information indicating which of the input sound signals of the two channels contains the same sound signal first, is obtained and output (step S187). ).

When all of the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm are input to the sound signal downmix device 407 from another device, the channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 is shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. _{The inter-channel correlation value γ nm} and the preceding channel information INFO _nm input to the sound signal downmix device 407 are obtained and output to the downmix unit 116.

When either one of the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm is not input to the sound signal downmix device 407 from another device, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 7, the channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit. 187 includes an inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186. The channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 of the channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 has a channel-to-channel correlation value γ _nm that has not been input to the sound signal downmix device 407 or a preceding channel information INFO that has not been input to the sound signal downmix device 407. _nm is obtained from the input sound signals of N channels in the same manner as in the interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186 of the first example, and is output to the downmix unit 116. Regarding the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm input to the sound signal downmix device 407 or the preceding channel information INFO _nm input to the sound signal downmix device 407, the channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 is shown by a single point chain line in FIG. As shown, the interchannel correlation value γ _nm input to the sound signal downmix device 407 or the preceding channel information INFO _nm input to the sound signal downmix device 407 is output to the downmix unit 116.

When all of the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm are not input to the sound signal downmix device 407 from another device, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 7, the channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 The interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186 is provided. The inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 obtains the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm from the input sound signals of N channels in the same manner as the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 of the first example, and downs. Output to the mix unit 116. That is, it can be said that each of the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 and step S186 of the first example is in the category of the inter-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 and step S187.

Incidentally, if the remaining channels correlation value gamma _nm of which a part of the inter-channel correlation value gamma _nm is obtained by the other apparatus has not been obtained by other devices, in some prior channel information INFO _nm other devices Although it may be obtained but the rest of the preceding channel information INFO _nm is not obtained by another device, etc., in these cases as well, the channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 is provided with the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186. Then, in the same manner as described above, what is obtained by another device and input to the sound signal downmix device 407 is output to the downmix unit 116 by the channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 and obtained by the other device. If the sound signal is not input to the sound signal downmix device 407, the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 obtains it from the input sound signals of N channels like the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 of the first example, and goes down. It may be output to the mix unit 116.

<Third Embodiment>
The inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 of the second embodiment needs to obtain the _{inter-channel correlation value γ nm} and the preceding channel information INFO _{nm for each combination of the two channels included in the N channels.} Since there are (N × (N-1)) / 2 combinations of the two channels included in the N channels, the method illustrated in the description of the interchannel relationship information estimation unit 186 of the second embodiment. If the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm are obtained in, the amount of arithmetic processing may become an issue when the number of channels is large. In the third embodiment, the sound signal down including the inter-channel relationship information estimation process for _{approximately obtaining the inter-channel correlation value γ nm} and the preceding channel information INFO _nm by a method with a smaller amount of arithmetic processing than the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186. The mixing device will be described. The downmix process of the third embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment.

The downmix process performed by the downmix unit 116 of the second embodiment is, for example, when only the same sound emitted by a certain sound source is included in the signals of a plurality of channels with a time difference. This is a process for including the input sound signal of the earliest included channel among the input sound signals of a plurality of channels in the downmix signal. This processing will be described with an example in which the number of channels is 6, and the input sound signals of the first channel (1ch) to the sixth channel (6ch) are the signals schematically shown in FIG. In this example, the first channel input sound signal and the second channel input sound signal are signals in which only the same first sound signal emitted by the first sound source is included with a time difference, and the first The sound signal is included in the second channel input sound signal earliest. In this example, the third channel input sound signal to the sixth channel input sound signal are signals in which only the same second sound signal emitted by the second sound source is included with a time difference. The sound signal of 2 is included in the 6th channel input sound signal earliest. In this example, the downmix unit 116 includes a second channel input sound signal containing the first sound signal earliest and a sixth channel input sound signal containing the second sound signal earliest, and the first A downmix signal that does not include the fifth channel input sound signal is obtained from the channel input sound signal and the third channel input sound signal. If such a downmix signal is obtained, the inter-channel correlation between adjacent channels when the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm between non-adjacent channels is 0 or more and 1 or less. Using the values γ ₁₂ = 1, γ ₂₃ = 0, γ ₃₄ = 1, γ ₄₅ = 1, and γ ₅₆ = 1, there is no problem even if they are approximately obtained by the following equations.
γ ₁₃ = γ ₁₂ × γ ₂₃ = 1 × 0 = 0
γ ₁₄ = γ ₁₂ × γ ₂₃ × γ ₃₄ = 1 × 0 × 1 = 0
γ ₁₅ = γ ₁₂ × γ ₂₃ × γ ₃₄ × γ ₄₅ = 1 × 0 × 1 × 1 = 0
γ ₁₆ = γ ₁₂ × γ ₂₃ × γ ₃₄ × γ ₄₅ × γ ₅₆ = 1 × 0 × 1 × 1 × 1 = 0
γ ₂₄ = γ ₂₃ × γ ₃₄ = 0 × 1 = 0
γ ₂₅ = γ ₂₃ × γ ₃₄ × γ ₄₅ = 0 × 1 × 1 = 0
γ ₂₆ = γ ₂₃ × γ ₃₄ × γ ₄₅ × γ ₅₆ = 0 × 1 × 1 × 1 = 0
γ ₃₅ = γ ₃₄ × γ ₄₅ = 1 × 1 = 1
γ ₃₆ = γ ₃₄ × γ ₄₅ × γ ₅₆ = 1 × 1 × 1 = 1
γ ₄₆ = γ ₄₅ × γ ₅₆ = 1 × 1 = 1

Similarly, the time difference between non-adjacent channels is _{approximately obtained by the following equations using the time differences τ 12} , τ ₂₃ , τ ₃₄ , τ ₄₅ , and τ ₅₆ between adjacent channels, and the obtained channels are obtained. There is no problem even _{if the preceding channel information INFO nm} is approximately obtained depending on whether the time difference is positive, negative, or 0.
τ ₁₃ = τ ₁₂ + τ ₂₃
τ ₁₄ = τ ₁₂ ＋ τ ₂₃ ＋ τ ₃₄
τ ₁₅ = τ ₁₂ ＋ τ ₂₃ ＋ τ ₃₄ ＋ τ ₄₅
τ ₁₆ = τ ₁₂ ＋ τ ₂₃ ＋ τ ₃₄ ＋ τ ₄₅ ＋ τ ₅₆
τ ₂₄ = τ ₂₃ + τ ₃₄
τ ₂₅ = τ ₂₃ + τ ₃₄ + τ ₄₅
τ ₂₆ = τ ₂₃ ＋ τ ₃₄ ＋ τ ₄₅ ＋ τ ₅₆
τ ₃₅ = τ ₃₄ + τ ₄₅
τ ₃₆ = τ ₃₄ + τ ₄₅ + τ ₅₆
τ ₄₆ = τ ₄₅ + τ ₅₆

However, the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm can be approximately obtained by using the above equations because the input sound signals having the same or similar waveforms are continuous as illustrated in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 10, when there are channels having the same or similar waveforms of the input sound signals but having significantly different waveforms of the input sound signals, the waveforms of the input sound signals are significantly different from each other. The interchannel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm cannot be approximately obtained using the above equations. Therefore, in the sound signal downmixing apparatus of the third embodiment, there is no channel in which the waveforms of the input sound signals are significantly different between the channels having the same or similar waveforms of the input sound signals of N channels. The inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm are obtained for the adjacent channels after the sorting, and the inter-channel correlation value γ _nm and the preceding channel information between the adjacent channels after the sorting are obtained. Using INFO _nm , the other interchannel correlation values γ _nm and the preceding channel information INFO _nm are obtained approximately.

≪First example≫
The sound signal downmix device of the first example of the third embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the sound signal downmix device 408 of the first example includes an interchannel relationship information estimation unit 188 and a downmix unit 116. The sound signal downmix device 408 of the first example performs the processes of step S188 and step S116 illustrated in FIG. 6 for each frame. Since the downmix unit 116 and step S116 are the same as the first example of the second embodiment, the interchannel relationship information estimation unit 188 and step S188 different from the first example of the second embodiment will be described below. The sound signal downmixing device 408 is input to the sound signal in the time region of N channels as in the sound signal downmixing device 408 of the first embodiment of the second embodiment, and the sound signal downmixing device 408 is used. What is obtained and output is a downmix signal which is a monaural sound signal in the time region as in the sound signal downmix device 406 of the first example of the second embodiment.

[Channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 188]
Input sound signals of N channels input to the sound signal downmix device 408 are input to the channel-to-channel relationship information estimation unit 188. In the second embodiment, the number of channels N is an integer of 2 or more, but when the number of channels N is 2, the waveform of the input sound signal is significantly different between channels having the same or similar waveforms of the input sound signal. Since there are no channels, the number of channels N is an integer of 3 or more in the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, the interchannel relationship information estimation unit 188 includes, for example, a channel rearrangement unit 1881, an adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882, and an interchannel relationship information complementing unit 1883. The interchannel relationship information estimation unit 188 processes, for example, step S1881, step S1882, and step S1883 illustrated in FIG. 12 for each frame (step S188).

[[Channel sorting unit 1881]]
The channel rearrangement unit 1881 sequentially, for example, sequentially from the first channel so that the channel having the highest degree of similarity in the waveform of the input sound signal becomes the adjacent channel when the time difference among the remaining channels is aligned. The first sorted input sound signal, which is the signal after sorting of N channels, the Nth sorted input sound signal, and each sorted input sound signal are down. _{The first original channel information c 1} to the Nth original channel information c _N , which is the channel number (that is, the channel number of the input sound signal) when input to the mixing device 408, is obtained and output (step S1881A). The channel rearrangement unit 1881 determines the degree of similarity of the waveforms when the time differences are aligned, such as a value indicating the closeness of the distance between the input sound signals of the two channels when the time differences are aligned, and when the time differences are aligned. The inner product of the input sound signals of the two channels may be divided by the synergistic average of the energies of the input sound signals of the two channels to represent the magnitude of the correlation.

For example, if a value indicating the closeness of the distance between the input sound signals of the two channels when the time difference is aligned is used as the degree of similarity of the waveforms when the time difference is aligned, the channel rearrangement unit 1881 can be used. Steps S1881A-1 to S1881A-N are performed below. First, the channel sorting unit 1881 obtains the first channel input sound signal as the first sorted input sound signal, and obtains the channel number "1" of the first channel as the first original channel information c ₁ ( Step S1881A-1).

Next, the channel rearrangement unit 1881 is set to predetermined τ _max to τ _min for each channel m of the second channel to the Nth channel (for example, τ _max is a positive number and τ _min is a negative number). For each candidate sample number τ _cand , a sample sequence of the first sorted input sound signal, a sample sequence of the m-channel input sound signal located behind the sample sequence by the _{number of candidate samples τ cand, and} The input sound signal of the channel m having the minimum distance is obtained as the second rearranged input sound signal, and the channel number of the channel m having the minimum distance is obtained as the second original channel information c ₂ (Step S1881A-2).

Next, channel rearranging unit 1881, still for each candidate sample number tau _cand from tau _max for each channel m which is not a rearrangement already input sound signal to tau _min of the second channel of the second N-channel, the _{2 Obtain the distance} between the sample sequence of the rearranged input sound signal and the sample sequence of the m-channel input sound signal located behind the sample sequence by the number of each candidate sample τ cand, and the distance is the minimum. The input sound signal of the channel m, which is a value, is obtained as the third rearranged input sound signal, and the channel number of the channel m, which has the minimum distance, is obtained as the third original channel information c ₃ (step S1881A-3). After that, the same process is repeated until there is only one channel that has not yet been sorted as an input sound signal, from the fourth sorted input sound signal to the (N-1) sorted input sound signal. The fourth original channel information c ₄ to the (N-1) original channel information c _(N-1) are obtained (step S1881A-4 to step S1881A- (N-1)).

Finally, the channel sorting unit 1881 obtains the input sound signal of the remaining one channel which has not been made into the sorted input sound signal as the Nth sorted input sound signal, and the remaining which has not been made into the sorted input sound signal yet. The channel number of one channel _{is obtained as the Nth original channel information c N} (step S1881A-N). In the following, the nth sorted input sound signal for each n of 1 or more and N or less is also referred to as the input sound signal of the nth channel after sorting, and n of the nth sorted input sound signal. This is also called the channel number after sorting.

The channel rearranging unit 1881 may rearrange the input sound signals of N channels so that there are no channels having the same or similar waveforms of the input sound signals but having significantly different waveforms of the input sound signals. In consideration of the purpose and the fact that the amount of arithmetic processing required for the sorting process should be small, the degree of similarity may be evaluated and the sorting may be performed without adjusting the time difference. For example, the channel rearranging unit 1881 may perform steps S1881B-N from the following steps S1881B-1. First, the channel sorting unit 1881 obtains the first channel input sound signal as the first sorted input sound signal, and obtains the channel number "1" of the first channel as the first original channel information c ₁ ( Step S1881B-1).

Next, the channel rearrangement unit 1881 obtains the distance between the sample sequence of the first rearranged input sound signal and the sample sequence of the mth channel input sound signal for each channel m of the second channel to the Nth channel. , The input sound signal of the channel m having the minimum distance is obtained as the second rearranged input sound signal, and the channel number of the channel m having the minimum distance is obtained as the second original channel information c ₂ (step S1881B). -2).

Next, the channel sorting unit 1881 sets a sample sequence of the second sorted input sound signal and the m-channel input for each channel m of the second to N channels that has not yet been used as the sorted input sound signal. The distance from the sample sequence of the sound signal is obtained, the input sound signal of the channel m having the minimum distance is obtained as the third rearranged input sound signal, and the channel number of the channel m having the minimum distance is obtained. Obtained as 3 original channel information c ₃ (step S1881B-3). After that, the same process is repeated until there is only one channel that has not yet been sorted as an input sound signal, from the fourth sorted input sound signal to the (N-1) sorted input sound signal. The fourth original channel information c ₄ to the (N-1) original channel information c _(N-1) are obtained (step S1881B-4 to step S1881B- (N-1)).

Finally, the channel sorting unit 1881 obtains the input sound signal of the remaining one channel which has not been made into the sorted input sound signal as the Nth sorted input sound signal, and the remaining which has not been made into the sorted input sound signal yet. The channel number of one channel _{is obtained as the Nth original channel information c N} (step S1881B-N).

In short, the channel rearranging unit 1881, regardless of whether or not the time difference is aligned and what value is used for the degree of similarity between the signals, is the input sound signal of the remaining channels in order from the first channel. Is sequentially sorted so that the most similar channels are adjacent channels, and the Nth sorted input from the first sorted input sound signal, which is the signal after sorting of N channels, is performed. _{The first original channel information c 1} to the Nth original channel which is the channel number (that is, the channel number of the input sound signal) when the sound signal and each sorted input sound signal are input to the sound signal downmix device 408. The information c _N and the information c N may be obtained and output (step S1881).

[Adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882]
N sorted input sound signals from the first sorted input sound signal to the Nth sorted input sound signal are input to the adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882. The inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 sets the inter-channel correlation value and the channel for each combination of the two sorted input sound signals whose rear-ordered channel numbers are adjacent to each other. The time difference between them is obtained and output (step S1882).

The inter-channel correlation value obtained in step S1882 is a correlation value in consideration of the time difference between the sorted input sound signals for each combination of two sorted channels having adjacent sorted channel numbers, that is, It is a value indicating the magnitude of the correlation in consideration of the time difference between the sorted input sound signals. There are (N-1) combinations of two channels included in N channels. Let n be an integer of 1 or more and N-1 or less, and set the interchannel correlation value between the nth sorted input sound signal and the (n + 1) sorted channel input sound signal to γ'n _{(n +). Assuming 1)} , the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 has an inter-channel correlation value γ'for each of the combinations (N-1) of two sorted channels whose channel numbers after sorting are adjacent to each other. _{Get n (n + 1)} .

The time difference between channels obtained in step S1882 is how far ahead of the two sorted input sound signals that the same sound signal is for each combination of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other. It is information indicating whether it is included in. Assuming that the time difference between channels between the nth sorted input sound signal and the (n + 1) th sorted input sound signal is τ'n _{(n + 1)} , the adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 _{Obtain τ'n (n + 1)} as the time difference between channels for each of the combinations (N-1) of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other.

For example, if the absolute value of the correlation coefficient is used as the value indicating the magnitude of the correlation, the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 may perform the rearranged channel for each n of 1 or more and N-1 or less (that is, the channel after sorting). (For each combination of two sorted channels with adjacent numbers), the sample sequence of the nth sorted input sound signal for each candidate sample number τ _cand from τ _max _{to τ min.} , The maximum _{of the absolute value γ cand} of the correlation coefficient with the sample sequence of the (n + 1) th sorted input sound signal located at a position shifted behind the sample sequence by the number of each candidate sample τ _cand. 'and output as an _{n (n + 1),} the absolute value of the correlation coefficient tau inter-channel time difference _cand tau when the maximum value' value interchannel correlation value γ output as an _{n (n + 1)} do.

Further, for example, instead of the absolute value of the correlation coefficient, the correlation value using the signal phase information may be _{set as γ cand as follows.} In this example, the adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 first sets the input sound signals x _i (1), x _i (2) for each channel i from the first channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal. ), ..., x _i (T) is Fourier transformed as in Eq. (2-1) to obtain the _{frequency spectrum X i (k) at each frequency k from 0 to T-1.}

The adjacent channel-to-adjacent relationship information estimation unit 1882 then describes each n of 1 or more and N-1 or less, that is, each combination of two sorted channels having adjacent sorted channel numbers. Is processed. Between adjacent channels related information estimating section 1882, first, the equation (2-1) frequency spectrum X _n (k) of the n-channel in each frequency k obtained in and the (n + 1) channels of the frequency spectrum X _{( Using n + 1)} (k), the spectrum φ (k) of the phase difference at each frequency k is obtained by the following equation (3-1).

Next, the adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 performs an inverse Fourier transform on the spectrum of the phase difference obtained by the equation (3-1), so that the spectrum from τ _max _{to τ min is obtained as in the equation (1-4).} The phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand ) is obtained for each candidate sample number τ _{cand of.} Next, the adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 obtains and _outputs the maximum value of the correlation value γ cand, which is the absolute value of _{the phase difference signal ψ (τ cand} _{), as the interchannel correlation value γ'n (n + 1).} _{Then, τ cand} when the correlation value is the maximum value is obtained as the time difference between channels _{τ'n (n + 1) and output.}

The adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 uses the absolute value of the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand _{) as it is as the correlation value γ cand} , similarly to the left / right relationship information estimation unit 183 and the channel relationship information estimation unit 186. Instead, for example, for each τ _cand , the relative difference between the absolute values of the phase difference signals obtained for each of the plurality of candidate samples before and after _{τ cand with} respect to the absolute value of the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand). Such a normalized value may be used. That is, the adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 obtained an average value by Eq. (1-5) _{for each τ cand} using a predetermined positive number τ _range _{, and the obtained average value ψ c} ( The normalized correlation value obtained by Eq. (1-6) using _{τ cand} ) and the phase difference signal ψ (τ _cand ) may be used as _{γ cand.}

[Interchannel relationship information complementation unit 1883]
The inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 contains the inter-channel correlation value of each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers after sorting are adjacent to each other, which is output by the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 1882. The time difference between channels and the original channel information for each sorted channel output by the channel sorting unit 1881 are input. The inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 performs the following steps S1883-1 to S1883-5 for all combinations of the two channels (that is, all combinations of the two sorting source channels). The inter-channel correlation value and the preceding channel information are obtained and output (step S1883).

The inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 first obtains two non-adjacent channel numbers after sorting from the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other. The inter-channel correlation value for each combination of channels after rearrangement is obtained (step S1883-1). Let n be an integer of 1 or more and N-2 or less, m be an integer of n + 2 or more and N or less, and the interchannel correlation between the nth sorted input sound signal and the mth sorted input sound signal. 'When _nm, inter-channel relationship information compensating unit 1883, the correlation value γ between channels for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel reordering after the channel number is not adjacent' the value γ get _nm.

After sorting, the two channel numbers in each combination of two sorted channels that are adjacent to each other are set as i (i is an integer of 1 or more and N-1 or less) and i + 1. Assuming that the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two rearranged channels having adjacent channel numbers is _{γ'i (i + 1)} , for example, the inter-channel relationship information complement unit 1883 has n and m. For each combination (ie, for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers are not adjacent after sorting), two adjacent channel numbers after sorting where i is n or more and m-1 or less. of 'a value obtained by multiplying all of _{i (i + 1),} the correlation value γ between channels' inter-channel correlation values for each combination by the channel γ obtained as _nm. That is, the inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 obtains the inter-channel correlation value _γ'nm by the following equation (3-2).

In the inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883, for each combination of n and m (that is, for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers after sorting are not adjacent to each other), i is n or more m-. 'all geometric mean of _{i (i + 1),} the correlation value γ between channels' inter-channel correlation values for each combination by two channels channel number after rearrangement is 1 or less adjacent γ obtained as _nm You may. That is, the inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 _{may obtain the inter-channel correlation value γ'nm} by the following equation (3-3).

However, if the inter-channel correlation value is a value whose upper limit is not 1 such as the absolute value of the correlation coefficient or the normalized value, the two sorted channel numbers are not adjacent to each other. The inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 is multiplied by the equation (3-2) so that the inter-channel correlation value for each combination by channel does not exceed the upper limit of the value that the inter-channel correlation value can originally take. it is better to get a correlation value gamma _'nm between channels geometric mean of the formula (3-3) instead of a value.

Note that, for example, for each combination of n and m (that is, for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers after sorting are not adjacent to each other), after sorting, i is n or more and m-1 or less. When there is a combination of two channels with adjacent channel numbers that have a very small correlation because the two input sound signals constituting the combination contain different sound signals, the interchannel correlation value γ ' _nm may be a value that depends on the interchannel correlation value γ'i _{(i + 1) of the combination.} For example, the inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 may indicate that i is n or more for each combination of n and m (that is, for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers after sorting are not adjacent to each other). 'the minimum value of _{i (i + 1),} the correlation value γ between channels' inter-channel correlation values for each combination by two channels channel number after rearrangement is 1 or less adjacent γ obtained as _nm You may do so. Further, for example, in the inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883, i is n or more m for each combination of n and m (that is, for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers after sorting are not adjacent to each other). Multiple channel-to-channel correlation values including the minimum value of the _{inter-channel correlation values γ'i (i + 1)} for each combination of two adjacent channels whose rearranged channel numbers are -1 or less. 'multiplication value or geometric mean of _{i (i + 1),} the correlation value gamma between channels' gamma may be obtained as _nm. However, if the inter-channel correlation value is a value whose upper limit is not 1 such as the absolute value of the correlation coefficient or the normalized value, the two sorted channel numbers are not adjacent to each other. The inter-channel correlation information complement unit 1883 uses the geometric mean instead of the multiplication value as the inter-channel correlation value so that the inter-channel correlation value for each combination by channel does not exceed the upper limit of the value that the inter-channel correlation value can originally take. it is better to be in the γ _'nm.

In short, the two channel numbers in each combination of two sorted channels with adjacent sorted channel numbers are i (i is an integer of 1 or more and N-1 or less) and i + 1, and they are arranged. _{Let γ'i (i + 1)} be the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two rearranged channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other, and let n be an integer of 1 or more and N-2 or less, and m. was the n + 2 n inclusive of each integer, when the inter-channel correlation value between the n-th sort already input sound signal and the m rearranging already input sound signal and gamma _'nm, inter-channel relationship information complementing unit In 1883, for each combination of n and m (that is, for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers after sorting are not adjacent), i is n or more and m-1 or less after sorting. One or more interchannel correlation values γ'i _{(i + 1)} _{including the minimum of the interchannel correlation values γ'i (i + 1)} for each combination of two adjacent channel numbers. the value in the relationship between these and monotone nondecreasing may Ere be the correlation value gamma _'nm between channels. Furthermore, the two channel numbers in each combination of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other are i (i is an integer of 1 or more and N-1 or less) and i + 1. The inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two sorted channels with adjacent sorted channel numbers is _{γ'i (i + 1),} and n is an integer of 1 or more and N-2 or less. Assuming that m is an integer of n + 2 or more and N or less and the interchannel correlation value between the nth sorted input sound signal and the mth sorted input sound signal is _γ'nm , the interchannel relationship information is complemented. In part 1883, for each combination of n and m (that is, for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers after sorting are not adjacent), i is n or more and m-1 or less after sorting. One or more channel-to-channel correlation values γ'i _{(i + 1)} including the minimum value of the channel-to-channel correlation values γ'i _{(i + 1) for each combination of two adjacent channels.} each and, within the range of values that can take the correlation value between channels, the value in the relationship monotonically nondecreasing may Ere be the correlation value gamma _'nm between channels.

As the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other after sorting, the value obtained by the adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 is input, and after sorting, the value obtained by the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 1882 is input. Since the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of the two rearranged channels whose channel numbers are not adjacent is obtained in step S1883-1, the inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 is obtained when step S1883-1 is performed. Has all the inter-channel correlation values for each of the two (N × (N-1)) / 2 combinations of the two sorted channels included in the N sorted channels. Become. That is, n is an integer of 1 or more and N or less, m is an integer greater than n and N or less, and the interchannel correlation value between the nth sorted input sound signal and the m sorted input sound signal. When the the gamma _'nm, when subjected to step S1883-1, the inter-channel relationship information compensating unit 1883 is combined by (N × (N-1) ) / 2 pieces of rearrangement after the channel in two ways channel correlation value gamma _'nm for each exist in.

Inter-channel relationship information compensating unit 1883, after the step S1883-1, (N × (N- 1)) / inter-channel correlation values for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel two types gamma _'nm Is associated with the combination of channels in the input sound signals of N channels (that is, the combination of the sorting source channels) by using the original channel information c ₁ to c _{N for each sorted channel.} The interchannel correlation value between the input sound signals is obtained for each combination of the two channels included in the N channels (step S1883-2). Assuming that n is an integer of 1 or more and N or less, m is an integer greater than n and N or less, and the interchannel correlation value between the nth channel input sound signal and the m channel input sound signal is γ _nm . The inter-channel relationship information complement unit 1883 obtains the _{inter-channel correlation value γ nm} for each of the combinations of the two channels (N × (N-1)) / 2.

The inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 also has two sorted channel numbers that are not adjacent to each other due to the time difference between the channels for each combination of the two sorted channels that are adjacent to each other. Obtain the time difference between channels for each combination of the sorted channels (step S1883-3). Let n be an integer of 1 or more and N-2 or less, m be an integer of n + 2 or more and N or less, and the channel between the nth channel sorted input sound signal and the m channel sorted input sound signal. 'When _nm, inter-channel relationship information compensating unit 1883, inter-channel time difference τ for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the rearrangement is not adjacent' between time difference τ get _nm. After sorting, the two channel numbers in each combination of two sorted channels that are adjacent to each other are set as i (i is an integer of 1 or more and N-1 or less) and i + 1. Assuming that the inter-channel time difference for each combination of two rearranged channels having adjacent channel numbers is τ'i _{(i + 1)} , the inter-channel relationship information complement unit 1883 will perform each combination of n and m. (That is, for each combination of two sorted channels in which the sorted channel numbers are not adjacent), i is n or more and m-1 or less, and the sorted channel numbers are adjacent to each other. 'a value obtained by adding all of _{i (i + 1),} the time difference τ between the channels' between channel time difference for each combination τ obtained as _nm. That is, inter-channel relationship information compensating unit 1883 obtains the time difference tau _'nm between the channels by the formula (3-4) below.

The time difference between the channels for each combination of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other is the one obtained by the adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit 1882, and the sorted channels are selected. Since the time difference between channels for each combination of the two rearranged channels whose numbers are not adjacent is obtained in step S1883-3, when step S1883-3 is performed, the channel-to-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 is contacted. , There are all channel-to-channel time differences for each of the (N × (N-1)) / 2 combinations of the two sorted channels included in the N sorted channels. That is, n is an integer of 1 or more and N or less, m is an integer greater than n and N or less, and the time difference between channels for the combination of the sorted nth channel and the sorted m channel is τ'. _{Assuming that it is nm} , when step S1883-3 is performed, the channel-to-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 is informed of each of the combinations of the two rearranged channels in (N × (N-1)) / 2. is the inter-channel time difference tau _'nm are present.

Inter-channel relationship information compensating unit 1883, after the step S1883-3, the (N × (N-1) ) / inter-channel time difference tau _'nm for each of the combinations according to the channel after two sorting in two ways. By using the original channel information c ₁ to c _N for each channel after sorting and associating it with the combination of channels in the input sound signal of N channels (that is, the combination of channels of the sorting source), N pieces. The time difference between channels between the input sound signals is obtained for each combination of the two channels included in the channel (step S1883-4). If n is an integer of 1 or more and N or less, m is an integer greater than n and N or less, and the time difference between channels between the nth channel input sound signal and the m channel input sound signal is τ _nm , then the channels The interrelationship information complement unit 1883 obtains the _{interchannel time difference τ nm} for each of the combinations of the two channels (N × (N-1)) / 2.

After step S1883-4, the channel-to-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 starts with (N × (N-1)) / 2 from the channel-to-channel time difference τ _{nm for each of the two channel combinations (N × (N-1)).} _{N-1))) Obtain the preceding channel information INFO nm} for each of the combinations of the two channels in two ways (step S1883-5). When the inter-channel time difference τ _nm is a positive value, the inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 obtains information indicating that the nth channel is ahead as the preceding channel information INFO _nm , and obtains information indicating that the n-th channel is ahead, and the inter-channel time difference τ. _{When nm} is a negative value, the information indicating that the mth channel is ahead is obtained as the _{leading channel information INFO nm.} Inter-channel relationship information compensating unit 1883 for each of the combinations according to the two channels, when inter-channel time difference tau _nm is 0, the preceding channel information INFO _nm, information indicating that the first n-channel is ahead Or the information indicating that the mth channel is ahead may be obtained as the _{leading channel information INFO nm.}

In addition, the inter-channel relationship information complementing unit 1883 replaces step S1883-4 and step S1883-5 with respect to each of the combinations of the two rearranged channels in (N × (N-1)) / 2. , 'and, step S1883-4' step S1883-4 obtaining _nm 'prior channel information INFO to the _nm as in step S1883-5' time difference τ between the channels was obtained by (N × (N-1) ) / 2 the prior channel information INFO _'nm for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel street, from the original channel information c ₁ for each channel after the rearrangement using c _N, the input sound of the N-channel Step S1883-5'to obtain _{the preceding channel information INFO nm} for each combination of the two channels included in the N channels by associating with the combination of channels in the signal (that is, the combination of the channels of the sorting source). , May be done. That is, inter-channel relationship information compensating unit 1883, (N × (N-1 )) / the channel time difference tau _'nm for each of the combination according to the two rearrangement after the channel in two ways, the original channel information c _{Corresponding to the combination of channels in the input sound signal of N channels using 1} to c _N , and obtaining the preceding channel information based on whether the time difference between channels is positive, negative, or 0. , To obtain _{the preceding channel information INFO nm} for each combination of the two channels included in the N channels.

≪Second example≫
Instead of the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 of the second example of the second embodiment, the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 188 of the first example of the third embodiment may be used. In this case, the inter-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 of the sound signal downmix device 407 includes an inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 188 in place of the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186, and the inter-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 The operation may be performed by replacing the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 186 with the inter-channel relationship information estimation unit 188. The device configuration of the sound signal downmix device 407 in this case is as illustrated in FIG. 7, and the processing flow of the sound signal downmix device 407 is as illustrated in FIG.

<Fourth Embodiment>
The sound signal downmixing device of the second embodiment and the third embodiment described above may be included as a sound signal downmixing unit in the coding device for encoding the sound signal, and this embodiment will be described as the fourth embodiment.

<< Sound signal coding device 106 >>
As shown in FIG. 13, the sound signal coding device 106 of the fourth embodiment includes a sound signal downmix unit 407 and a coding unit 196. The sound signal coding device 106 of the fourth embodiment encodes a sound signal in the time domain of the input N-channel stereo in frame units having a predetermined time length of, for example, 20 ms, obtains a sound signal code, and outputs the sound signal code. .. The sound signal in the time region of the N-channel stereo input to the sound signal encoding device 106 is, for example, a digital sound obtained by collecting sounds such as voice and music with each of N microphones and performing AD conversion. It is a signal or an acoustic signal, and is composed of N input sound signals from the first channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal. The sound signal code output by the coding device is input to the decoding device. The sound signal coding device 105 of the fourth embodiment performs the processes of step S407 and step S196 illustrated in FIG. 14 for each frame. Hereinafter, the sound signal coding device 106 of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the description of the second embodiment and the third embodiment as appropriate.

[Sound signal downmix section 407]
The sound signal downmix unit 407 obtains and outputs downmix signals from N input sound signals of the Nth channel input sound signal from the first channel input sound signal input to the sound signal coding device 106 (step S407). ). The sound signal downmix unit 407 is the same as the sound signal downmix device 407 of the second embodiment or the third embodiment, and includes an interchannel relationship information acquisition unit 187 and a downmix unit 116. The channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 performs the above-mentioned step S187, and the downmix unit 116 performs the above-mentioned step S116. That is, the sound signal coding device 106 includes the sound signal downmix device 407 of the second embodiment or the third embodiment as the sound signal downmix unit 407, and the sound signal of the second embodiment or the third embodiment. The process of the downmix device 407 is performed as step S407.

[Encoding unit 196]
At least the downmix signal output by the sound signal downmix unit 407 is input to the coding unit 196. The coding unit 196 at least encodes the input downmix signal to obtain a sound signal code and outputs it (step S196). The coding unit 196 may also encode N input sound signals from the first channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal, and outputs the code obtained by this coding in the sound signal code. May be good. In this case, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 13, N input sound signals from the first channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal are also input to the coding unit 196.

The coding process performed by the coding unit 196 may be any coding process. For example, the downmix signal x _M (1), x _M (2), ..., x _M (T) of the input T sample is encoded by a monaural coding method such as the 3GPP EVS standard, and the sound signal code. May be obtained. Also, for example, in addition to encoding the downmix signal to obtain a monaural code, N input sound signals from the 1st channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal are converted to the stereo decoding method of the MPEG-4 AAC standard. A stereo code may be obtained by encoding with a corresponding stereo coding method, and a combination of a monaural code and a stereo code may be output as a sound signal code. Further, for example, in addition to encoding the downmix signal to obtain a monaural code, the difference between the N input sound signals from the first channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal and the downmix signal for each channel. A stereo code may be obtained by encoding a weighted difference or a weighted difference, and a combination of a monaural code and a stereo code may be output as a sound signal code.

<Fifth Embodiment>
The sound signal downmixing device of the second embodiment and the third embodiment described above may be included as a sound signal downmixing unit in the signal processing device that processes the sound signal, and this embodiment will be described as the fifth embodiment.

<< Sound signal processing device 306 >>
As shown in FIG. 15, the sound signal processing device 306 of the fifth embodiment includes a sound signal downmixing unit 407 and a signal processing unit 316. The sound signal processing device 306 of the fifth embodiment signal-processes the input sound signal in the time domain of the N-channel stereo in frame units having a predetermined time length of, for example, 20 ms, obtains a signal processing result, and outputs the signal. .. The sound signal in the time region of the N-channel stereo input to the sound signal processing device 306 is, for example, a digital audio signal obtained by collecting sounds such as voice and music with each of N microphones and performing AD conversion. Alternatively, it is an acoustic signal, and is, for example, a digital audio signal or acoustic signal obtained by processing the digital audio signal or acoustic signal, and, for example, a digital audio signal obtained by decoding a stereo code by a stereo decoding device. It is a decoded audio signal or a decoded audio signal, and is composed of N input sound signals from the first channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal. The sound signal processing device 306 of the fifth embodiment performs the processing of step S407 and step S316 illustrated in FIG. 16 for each frame. Hereinafter, the sound signal processing device 306 of the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to the description of the second embodiment and the third embodiment as appropriate.

[Sound signal downmix section 407]
The sound signal downmix unit 407 obtains and outputs a downmix signal from N input sound signals of the Nth channel input sound signal from the first channel input sound signal input to the sound signal processing device 306 (step S407). .. The sound signal downmix unit 407 is the same as the sound signal downmix device 407 of the second embodiment or the third embodiment, and includes an interchannel relationship information acquisition unit 187 and a downmix unit 116. The channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit 187 performs the above-mentioned step S187, and the downmix unit 116 performs the above-mentioned step S116. That is, the sound signal processing device 306 includes the sound signal downmix device 407 of the second embodiment or the third embodiment as the sound signal downmix unit 407, and the sound signal down of the second embodiment or the third embodiment. The process of the mixing device 407 is performed as step S407.

[Signal processing unit 316]
At least the downmix signal output by the sound signal downmix unit 407 is input to the signal processing unit 316. The signal processing unit 316 at least performs signal processing on the input downmix signal to obtain a signal processing result and output it (step S316). The signal processing unit 316 may also signal-process N input sound signals of the first channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal to obtain a signal processing result. In this case, a broken line is shown in FIG. As shown, N input sound signals from the 1st channel input sound signal to the Nth channel input sound signal are also input to the signal processing unit 316, and the signal processing unit 316 receives, for example, the input sound signals of each channel. Then, signal processing using the downmix signal is performed, and the output sound signal of each channel is obtained as a signal processing result.

<Programs and recording media>
The processing of each part of each sound signal downmix device, sound signal coding device, and sound signal processing device described above may be realized by a computer. In this case, the processing content of the function that each device should have is described by a program. Will be done. Then, by loading this program into the storage unit 1020 of the computer 1000 shown in FIG. 17 and operating it in the arithmetic processing unit 1010, the input unit 1030, the output unit 1040, and the like, various processing functions in each of the above devices can be performed on the computer. It will be realized.

The program that describes this processing content can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium is, for example, a non-temporary recording medium, specifically, a magnetic recording device, an optical disk, or the like.

The distribution of this program is carried out, for example, by selling, transferring, or renting a portable recording medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM on which the program is recorded. Further, the program may be stored in the storage device of the server computer, and the program may be distributed by transferring the program from the server computer to another computer via the network.

A computer that executes such a program first transfers the program recorded on the portable recording medium or the program transferred from the server computer to the auxiliary recording unit 1050, which is its own non-temporary storage device. Store. Then, at the time of executing the process, the computer reads the program stored in the auxiliary recording unit 1050, which is its own non-temporary storage device, into the storage unit 1020, and executes the process according to the read program. Further, as another execution form of this program, the computer may read the program directly from the portable recording medium into the storage unit 1020 and execute the processing according to the program, and further, the program from the server computer to this computer may be executed. Each time the is transferred, the processing according to the received program may be executed sequentially. In addition, the above processing is executed by a so-called ASP (Application Service Provider) type service that realizes the processing function only by the execution instruction and result acquisition without transferring the program from the server computer to this computer. May be. The program in this embodiment includes information to be used for processing by a computer and equivalent to the program (data that is not a direct command to the computer but has a property of defining the processing of the computer, etc.).

Further, in this form, the present device is configured by executing a predetermined program on the computer, but at least a part of these processing contents may be realized by hardware.

Needless to say, other changes can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

This is a sound signal downmix method that obtains a downmix signal, which is a monaural sound signal, from the input sound signals of N channels (N is an integer of 3 or more).
For each of the combinations of the two channels included in the N channels, the interchannel correlation value, which is a value indicating the magnitude of the correlation between the input sound signals of the two channels, and the input of the two channels. Leading channel information, which is information indicating which of the sound signals is leading, and the interchannel relationship information acquisition step for obtaining the preceding channel information, and
Based on the inter-channel correlation value and the preceding channel information, the larger the correlation between the input sound signal of each channel and the input sound signal of each channel preceding the channel, the smaller the correlation, and the more it follows the channel. A downmix step in which a larger weight is given as the correlation with the input sound signal of each of the channels is larger, and the input sound signals of the N channels are weighted and added to obtain the downmix signal.
Including
The inter-channel relationship information acquisition step is
In order from the first channel, the input sound signals of the remaining channels are sequentially rearranged so that the channels most similar to each other become adjacent channels, and are the signals after the rearrangement of N channels. From the first sorted input sound signal to the Nth sorted input sound signal and the first original channel information which is the channel number in the input sound signal of the N channels of each sorted input sound signal. N original channel information, channel sorting step to get,
Interchannel correlation for each combination of two sorted input sound signals from the first sorted input sound signal to the Nth sorted input sound signal having the adjacent sorted channel numbers. Adjacent channel relationship information estimation step to obtain the value and time difference between channels,
From the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two sorted channels with adjacent sorted channel numbers, a combination of two sorted channels with non-adjacent sorted channel numbers. Get the interchannel correlation value for each
The inter-channel correlation value for each of the combinations by the sorted channels is included in the N channels by associating the inter-channel correlation values with the combinations of the channels in the input sound signal of the N channels using the original channel information. For each combination of the two channels, obtain the interchannel correlation value between the input sound signals.
From the time difference between the channels for each combination of two sorted channels with adjacent sorted channel numbers, each combination of two sorted channels with non-adjacent sorted channel numbers. Get the time difference between channels about
From the channel-to-channel time difference for each of the rearranged channel combinations, the original channel information is used to correspond to the channel combination in the input sound signal of N channels, and the channel-to-channel time difference is positive. Interchannel relationship information complementation that obtains the preceding channel information based on whether it is present, negative, or 0, and thereby obtains the preceding channel information for each combination of the two channels included in the N channels. Including steps
Let i (i is an integer of 1 or more and N-1 or less) and i + 1 for each of the combinations of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other.
Let γ'i (i + 1) be the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other.
Let τ'i (i + 1) be the time difference between the channels for each combination of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other.
The two channel numbers in each combination of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are not adjacent to each other are n (n is an integer of 1 or more and N-2 or less) and m (m is n + 2). Each integer greater than or equal to N and less than or equal to N)
The inter-channel correlation values for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the sorting is not adjacent to the gamma 'nm,
The time difference between the channel as tau 'nm for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the sorting is not adjacent,
The inter-channel correlation value gamma 'nm for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the sorting is not adjacent, i is the channel number after the rearrangement is m-1 or less than n All of one or more of the inter-channel correlation values γ'i (i + 1) including the minimum of the inter-channel correlation values γ'i (i + 1) for each combination of two adjacent channels. Is the value multiplied by or the geometric mean,
The inter-channel time difference tau 'nm for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the sorting is not adjacent, i is the channel number is adjacent after the rearrangement is m-1 or less than n A sound signal downmixing method characterized in that it is a value obtained by adding all of the time difference τ'i (i + 1) between the channels for each combination of the two channels.
The sound signal downmix method according to claim 1 is included as a sound signal downmix step.
A monaural coding step that encodes the downmix signal obtained by the downmix step to obtain a monaural code, and
A stereo coding step of encoding the input sound signals of the N channels to obtain a stereo code, and
A sound signal coding method comprising further.
A sound signal downmix device that obtains a downmix signal, which is a monaural sound signal, from input sound signals of N channels (N is an integer of 3 or more).
For each of the combinations of the two channels included in the N channels, the interchannel correlation value, which is a value indicating the magnitude of the correlation between the input sound signals of the two channels, and the input of the two channels. The preceding channel information, which is information indicating which of the sound signals is leading, the interchannel relationship information acquisition unit for obtaining the preceding channel information, and the interchannel relationship information acquisition unit.
Based on the inter-channel correlation value and the preceding channel information, the larger the correlation between the input sound signal of each channel and the input sound signal of each channel preceding the channel, the smaller the correlation, and the more it follows the channel. A downmix unit that obtains the downmix signal by weighting and adding the input sound signals of the N channels by giving a larger weight as the correlation with the input sound signal of each channel is larger.
Including
The channel-to-channel relationship information acquisition unit
It is a signal after rearranging N channels in order from the first channel so that the channels with the most similar input sound signals among the remaining channels are adjacent channels. From the first sorted input sound signal to the Nth sorted input sound signal and the first original channel information which is the channel number in the input sound signal of the N channels of each sorted input sound signal. N original channel information, channel sorting part to obtain,
Interchannel correlation for each combination of two sorted input sound signals from the first sorted input sound signal to the Nth sorted input sound signal having the adjacent sorted channel numbers. Adjacent channel relationship information estimation unit that obtains the value and the time difference between channels,
From the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two sorted channels with adjacent sorted channel numbers, a combination of two sorted channels with non-adjacent sorted channel numbers. Get the interchannel correlation value for each
The inter-channel correlation value for each of the combinations by the sorted channels is included in the N channels by associating the inter-channel correlation values with the combinations of the channels in the input sound signal of the N channels using the original channel information. For each combination of the two channels, obtain the interchannel correlation value between the input sound signals.
From the time difference between the channels for each combination of two sorted channels with adjacent sorted channel numbers, each combination of two sorted channels with non-adjacent sorted channel numbers. Get the time difference between channels about
From the channel-to-channel time difference for each of the rearranged channel combinations, the original channel information is used to correspond to the channel combination in the input sound signal of N channels, and the channel-to-channel time difference is positive. Interchannel relationship information complementation that obtains the preceding channel information based on whether it is present, negative, or 0, and thereby obtains the preceding channel information for each combination of the two channels included in the N channels. Including part
Let i (i is an integer of 1 or more and N-1 or less) and i + 1 for each of the combinations of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other.
Let γ'i (i + 1) be the inter-channel correlation value for each combination of two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other.
Let τ'i (i + 1) be the time difference between the channels for each combination of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are adjacent to each other.
The two channel numbers in each combination of the two sorted channels whose channel numbers are not adjacent to each other are n (n is an integer of 1 or more and N-2 or less) and m (m is n + 2). Each integer greater than or equal to N and less than or equal to N)
The inter-channel correlation values for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the sorting is not adjacent to the gamma 'nm,
The time difference between the channel as tau 'nm for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the sorting is not adjacent,
The inter-channel correlation value gamma 'nm for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the sorting is not adjacent, i is the channel number after the rearrangement is m-1 or less than n All of one or more of the inter-channel correlation values γ'i (i + 1) including the minimum of the inter-channel correlation values γ'i (i + 1) for each combination of two adjacent channels. Is the value multiplied by or the geometric mean,
The inter-channel time difference tau 'nm for each combination by two rearrangement after the channel where the channel number after the sorting is not adjacent, i is the channel number is adjacent after the rearrangement is m-1 or less than n A sound signal downmixing apparatus characterized in that it is a value obtained by adding all of the time difference τ'i (i + 1) between the channels for each combination of the two channels.
The sound signal downmix device according to claim 3 is included as a sound signal downmix unit.
A monaural coding unit that encodes the downmix signal obtained by the downmix unit to obtain a monaural code, and
A stereo coding unit that encodes the input sound signals of the N channels to obtain a stereo code, and
A sound signal coding device comprising.
A program for causing a computer to execute the processing of each step of the sound signal downmixing method according to claim 1.
A program for causing a computer to execute the processing of each step of the sound signal coding method according to claim 2.
A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for causing a computer to execute the processing of each step of the sound signal downmixing method according to claim 1 is recorded.
A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for causing a computer to execute the processing of each step of the sound signal coding method according to claim 2 is recorded.