Patent ID: 8738386

Claim:
A method for decoding encoded audio information, wherein the method comprises: receiving an input signal at a decoder conveying encoded information representing one or more audio channels; providing a master channel selection map which defines all possible channels that the decoder can process and decode; determining a channel configuration map for the one or more audio channels that are represented by the encoded information; wherein the channel configuration map defines a relationship between each audio channel in the input signal and a channel in the master channel selection map; wherein an entry in the master channel selection map specifies the speaker position that is associated with the corresponding channel in the input signal; providing a plurality of channel selection maps which define combinations of channels in the master channel selection map that the decoder can process and decode; choosing the channel selection map from the plurality of channel selection maps that provides a best match to the channel configuration map; and constructing a channel selection mask such that it specifies each channel in the channel configuration map that has a corresponding loudspeaker position in the chosen channel selection map; extracting encoded information from the input signal; and decoding the extracted encoded information for those audio channels specified in the channel selection mask.