Encoding method and encoding system comprising a subband coder for subband coding of a wideband digital signal constituted by first and second signal components

摘要

In a subband encoding system for subband coding of a wideband digital signal constituted by at least first and second signal components (left, right), the digital signal is split up into subbands comprising at least first and second subband signal components. The subband signal components in a subband (m) are constituted by signal blocks of q samples which are represented by a certain number of bits (n_mr, n_ml). These numbers (n_ml, n_mr) are obtained during a bit allocation step performed in the bit allocation means 7 as a function of bit needs (b_mr, b_ml) which are determined in bit need determining means (16.l, 16.r).;Determining means (Figs. 2, 6, 7) are provided which determine whether initially bits are to be allocated to a signal block of a signal component (1) in a subband (SB_m) prior to the bit allocation step and irrespective of the bit need (b_ml) or this signal block.;There is interaction in the way that if there is determined that initial bit allocation is necessary for a signal block in a subband, an initial bit allocation is also applied to at least a second corresponding signal block in the subband.