The invention is to provide a liquid crystal composition that satisfies at least one of characteristics such as a high maximum temperature of a nematic phase, a low minimum temperature of a nematic phase, a small viscosity, a large optical anisotropy, a large positive dielectric anisotropy, a large specific resistance, a large elastic coefficient, a high stability to ultraviolet light and heat, or that is suitably balanced between at least two of the characteristics. As the liquid crystal display device containing the compositions is to provide an AM device that has a short response time, a large voltage holding ratio, a large contrast ratio, a long service life and so forth, thus it can be used for the liquid crystal projector, liquid crystal television and so forth.

Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device

There is disclosed a method, apparatus and computer program product in which at least one view component of a first type and at least one view component of a second type are obtained. The order of the texture view component and the depth view component in an access unit is determined and at least one indication of the order is encoded. The coding of the view components is adapted on the basis of the order. There is also disclosed a method, apparatus and computer program product in which at least one encoded view component of a first type and at least one encoded view component of a second type are received. Also at least one encoded indication of the order of the view components is received. The at least one encoded indication is decoded and the decoding of the view component sis adapted on the basis of the order.

Method and apparatus for video coding

Following the recent trend of employing parametric enhancement tools for increasing coding or spatial rendering efficiency, Spatial Audio Object Coding (SAOC) is one of the recent standardization activities in the MPEG audio group. SAOC is a technique for efficient coding and flexible, user-controllable rendering of multiple audio objects based on transmission of a mono or stereo downmix of the object signals. The SAOC system extends the MPEG Surround standard by re-using its spatial rendering capabilities. This paper will describe the chosen reference model architecture, the association between the different operational modes and applications, and the current status of the standardization process.

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Spatial Audio Object Coding (SAOC) - The Upcoming MPEG Standard on Parametric Object Based Audio Coding

Provided are an audio encoding method and apparatus and an audio decoding method and apparatus in which audio signals can be encoded or decoded so that sound images can be localized at any desired position for each object audio signal. The audio decoding method generating a third downmix signal by combining a first downmix signal extracted from a first audio signal and a second downmix signal extracted from a second audio signal; generating third object-based side information by combining first object-based side information extracted from the first audio signal and second object-based side information extracted from the second audio signal; converting the third object-based side information into channel-based side information; and generating a multi-channel audio signal using the third downmix signal and the channel-based side information.

Methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding object-based audio signals

The present invention teaches a new audio coding system that can code both general audio and speech signals well at low bit rates. A proposed audio coding system comprises linear prediction unit for filtering an input signal based on an adaptive filter; a transformation unit for transforming a frame of the filtered input signal into a transform domain; and a quantization unit for quantizing the transform domain signal. The quantization unit decides, based on input signal characteristics, to encode the transform domain signal with a model-based quantizer or a non-model-based quantizer. Preferably, the decision is based on the frame size applied by the transformation unit.

Audio encoder and decoder

In 2004 the ISO/MPEG Audio standardization group started a new work item on efficient and backward-compatible coding of high-quality multichannel sound using parametric coding techniques. Finalized in the fall of 2006, the resulting MPEG Surround specification allows the transmission of surround sound at bit rates that have been commonly used for coding of mono or stereo sound. The results of the standardization process are summarized by describing the underlying ideas and providing an overview of the MPEG Surround technology. The performance of the scheme is characterized by the results of recent verification tests. These tests include several operation modes as they would be used in typical application scenarios to introduce multichannel audio into existing audio services.

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MPEG Surround – the ISO/MPEG Standard for Efficient and Compatible Multi-Channel Audio Coding

The science and art of Spatial Audio is concerned with the capture, production, transmission, and reproduction of an immersive sound experience. Recently, a new generation of spatial audio technology has been introduced that employs elevated and lowered loudspeakers and thus surpasses previous ‘surround sound’ technology without such speakers in terms of listener immersion and potential for spatial realism. In this context, the ISO/MPEG standardization group has started the MPEG-H 3D Audio development effort to facilitate high-quality bitrate-efficient production, transmission and reproduction of such immersive audio material. The underlying format is designed to provide universal means for carriage of channel-based, object-based and Higher Order Ambisonics based input. High quality reproduction is provided for many output formats from 22.2 and beyond down to 5.1, stereo and binaural reproduction—independently of the original encoding format, thus overcoming the incompatibility between various 3D formats. This paper provides an overview of the MPEG-H 3D Audio project and technology and an assessment of the system capabilities and performance.

MPEG-H 3D Audio—The New Standard for Coding of Immersive Spatial Audio

Traditionally, speech coding and audio coding were separate worlds. Based on different technical approaches and different assumptions about the source signal, neither of the two coding schemes could efficiently represent both speech and music at low bitrates. This paper presents a unified speech and audio codec, which efficiently combines techniques from both worlds. This results in a codec that exhibits consistently high quality for speech, music and mixed audio content. The paper gives an overview of the codec architecture and presents results of formal listening tests comparing this new codec with HE-AAC(v2) and AMR-WB+. This new codec forms the basis of the reference model in the ongoing MPEG standardization activity for Unified Speech and Audio Coding.

Unified speech and audio coding scheme for high quality at low bitrates

Recently, a new generation of spatial audio formats were introduced that include elevated loudspeakers and surpass traditional surround sound formats, such as 5.1, in terms of spatial realism. To facilitate high-quality bitrate-efficient distribution and flexible reproduction of 3D sound, the MPEG standardization group recently started the MPEG-H Audio Coding development for the universal carriage of encoded 3D sound from channel-based, object-based and HOA-based input. High quality reproduction is supported for many output formats from 22.2 and beyond down to 5.1, stereo and binaural reproduction independently of the original encoding format, thus overcoming incompatibility between various 3D formats. The paper describes the current status of the standardization project and provides an overview of the system architecture, its capabilities and performance.

Johannes Hilpert

Papers

MPEG Surround – the ISO/MPEG Standard for Efficient and Compatible Multi-Channel Audio Coding

Spatial Audio Object Coding (SAOC) - The Upcoming MPEG Standard on Parametric Object Based Audio Coding

MPEG-H 3D Audio—The New Standard for Coding of Immersive Spatial Audio

Unified speech and audio coding scheme for high quality at low bitrates

MPEG-H Audio—The New Standard for Universal Spatial / 3D Audio Coding