Audio Subband Coding with Improved Representation of Transient Signal Segments

In this paper, we present a subband audio coding scheme with an attack-sensitive framing of the input audio signal, where the frame boundaries closely match both ends of the transient. Since each transient frame is processed as a symmetrically extended finite-length signal with a support-preservative MDFT filter bank, pre-echos can be almost completely avoided. Furthermore, the bit-allocation, which is calculated on a frame-by-frame basis, can be determined more accurately, because the calculation of the masking thresholds is carried out on signal segments with almost "stationary" energy distribution.