Patent ID: 8255228

Claim:
Audio encoder for generating an encoded representation of a first and a second input audio signal, comprising: a correlation estimator adapted to derive correlation information indicating a correlation between the first and the second input audio signals; a signal characteristic estimator adapted to derive signal characterization information, the signal characterization information indicating a first or a second, different characteristic of the input audio signal; a phase estimator adapted to derive phase information when the input audio signals comprise the first characteristic, the phase information indicating a phase relation between the first and the second input audio signals; and an output interface, adapted to include the phase information and a correlation measure into the encoded representation when the input audio signals have the first characteristic; or the correlation information into the encoded representation when the input audio signals comprise the second characteristic, wherein the phase information is not comprised when the input audio signals have the second characteristic, wherein the correlation estimator, the signal characteristic estimator, the phase estimator or the output interface comprises a hardware implementation.