Patent ID: 8036904

Claim:
An audio encoder for encoding a multi-channel audio signal, the encoder comprising: an encoder combination module (ECM), coupled to receive a first and a second audio signal (x 1 , x 2 ), generating a dominant signal part (m) and a residual signal part (s) being a combined representation of the first and second audio signals, the dominant and residual signal parts being obtained by applying a mathematical procedure to the first and second audio signals, wherein the mathematical procedure involves a first spatial parameter (SP 1 ) comprising a description of spatial properties of the first and second audio signals (x 1 , x 2 ); a parameter generator (PG), coupled to receive said first and second audio signals, generating, using a processor (1) the first spatial parameter, (2) a first parameter (PS 1 ) set comprising a second spatial parameter (SP 2 ), and (3) a second parameter (PS 2 ) set comprising a third spatial parameter (SP 3 ); and an output generator generating an encoded output signal comprising (1) a first output part (OP 1 ) comprising the dominant signal part (m) and the first parameter set (PS 1 ), and (2) a second output part (OP 2 ) comprising the residual signal part (s) and the second parameter set (PS 2 ), wherein the third spatial parameter (SP 3 ) comprises a difference between the second spatial parameter (SP 2 ) and the first spatial parameter (SP 1 ).