(19)
(11) EP 1 345 332 A8

(12) CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
published in accordance with Art. 158(3) EPC

(48) Corrigendum issued on:
17.12.2003 Bulletin 2003/51

(43) Date of publication:
17.09.2003 Bulletin 2003/38

(21) Application number: 02768090.9

(22) Date of filing: 26.09.2002
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7H03M 7/36, G10L 19/00
(86) International application number:
PCT/JP0209/973
(87) International publication number:
WO 0303/0374 (10.04.2003 Gazette 2003/15)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 28.09.2001 JP 2001303546

(71) Applicant: Sony Corporation
Tokyo 141-0001 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • TOYAMA, Keisuke
    Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0001 (JP)
  • TSUJI, Minoru
    Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0001 (JP)
  • SUZUKI, Shiro
    Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0001 (JP)

(74) Representative: Müller - Hoffmann & Partner 
Patentanwälte, Innere Wiener Strasse 17
81667 München
81667 München (DE)

   


(54) CODING METHOD, APPARATUS, DECODING METHOD, AND APPARATUS


(57) In an encoding apparatus, when difference value between adjacent quantization units of quantization accuracy information where, e.g., distribution range is 0 ∼ 7, e.g., if difference value is 3 or more, 8 is subtracted, and if difference value is less than -4, 8 is added to thereby transform two difference values where difference therebetween is 8 into the same value. Thus, the distribution range of difference value becomes -4 ∼ 3, and size of code book (table) can be held down to the same size in the case where difference is not taken. In addition, high order 1 bit of difference value may be masked to carry out replacement into value consisting of only low order 3 bits, thus also making it possible to prevent increase in size of code book (table).