Patent ID: 6980143

Claim:
Scalable encoder for encoding an information signal, comprising: a first encoder for generating a first scaling layer from the information signal; a decoder, which is formed to decode the first scaling layer to generate an encoded/decoded information signal, wherein a non-linear frequency-dependent phase distortion is introduced by the first encoder or the decoder, by which the encoded/decoded information is phase distorted with respect to the information signal; a comparator having two inputs, wherein the comparator is formed to form a difference signal from a signal that can be applied to the first input and a signal that can be applied to the second input, wherein the difference signal can be provided to a second encoder for generating a second scaling layer; and a phase distorter for phase distorting with a non-linear frequency-dependent phase distortion which is selected such that a phase difference between the signal that can be applied to the first input and the signal that can be applied to the second input is smaller than the non-linear frequency-dependent phase distortion that is introduced due to the first encoder or the decoder, wherein the signal that can be applied to the first input is derived from an output signal of the first encoder and wherein the signal that can be applied to the second input is the information signal or a signal derived from the information signal.