Patent ID: 7627480

Claim:
Method for supporting a multichannel audio extension at an encoding end of a multichannel audio coding system, said method comprising: generating and providing first multichannel extension information at least for higher frequencies of a multichannel audio signal, which first multichannel extension information allows to reconstruct at least said higher frequencies of said multichannel audio signal based on a mono audio signal available for said multichannel audio signal; generating and providing second multichannel extension information for lower frequencies of said multichannel audio signal, which second multichannel extension information allows to reconstruct said lower frequencies of said multichannel audio signal based on said mono audio signal with a higher accuracy than said first multichannel extension information allows to reconstruct at least said higher frequencies of said multichannel audio signal; and generating and providing in addition an indication for additional use in a reconstruction of the lower frequencies of the multichannel audio signal, said indication comprising a first bit indicating whether any channel of said multichannel audio signal is considerably stronger at said lower frequencies of said multichannel audio signal than another channel of said multichannel audio signal, and said indication comprising at least in the case that a channel of said multichannel audio signal is considerably stronger at said lower frequencies of said multichannel audio signal than another channel of said multichannel audio signal a second bit indicating which channel of said multichannel audio signal is considerably stronger than another channel of said multichannel audio signal.