Patent ID: 7788106

Claim:
A hardware encoder for encoding information values, comprising: a differential encoder for differential encoding of input values to obtain a differentially encoded representation of the input values as information values, wherein the input values include information values describing a video signal or an audio signal; a grouper for grouping two information values into a tuple in a tuple order, said information values describing a video signal or an audio signal; a code information generator for generating order information indicating the tuple order and a code word for the tuple using an encoding rule, where the encoding rule is such that the same code word is assigned to different tuples having the same information values in different orders, the encoding rule further being such that, the same code word is only assigned to different tuples having information values of the same absolute value in the same order differing by a common sign flip of each information value in the tuple; a sign encoder to derive a sign information indicating a sign combination of the information values within the tuple; and an output interface for outputting the code word and in association therewith the order information and the sign information.