Audio storage and distribution system
First Claim
1. An audio communications system for transmitting analog signals over a communications circuit, said system comprising in combination:
- compressor means for receiving the analog signal at an input thereof and compressing the waveform amplitude of the analog signal in a predetermined manner for generating a compressed analog signal at an output thereof;
analog to digital converter means, having an input coupled to said output of said compressor means, for converting said compressed analog signal to a digital signal at an output thereof;
digital interface means, having a first input coupled to said output of said analog to digital converter means, for storing and selectively transmitting said digital signals to an output thereof coupled to the communications circuit, said digital interface means including digital storage means coupled to said input for receiving and storing said digital signals, and retrieval means for recovering a selected one of said digital signals from said digital storage means for coupling to said output thereof, whereby selected ones of said digital signals may be randomly retrieved from said digital storage means;
digital to analog converter means, having an input coupled at a remote location to the communications circuit, for reconverting said digital signal to said compressed analog signal at an output thereof;
expander means, having an input coupled to said output of said digital to analog converter means, for expanding the waveform amplitude of said compressed analog signal in a predetermined manner for reconstructing the analog signal;
means for transmitting a selector signal to said retrieval means from said remote location over said communication circuit; and
means for decoding said selector signal for designating a selected digital signal to be retrieved.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to an electronic system and a method for storing and distributing audio signals over existing communication lines. The system comprises a compressor for compressing in a predetermined manner the waveform amplitude of an input analog signal, thereby forming a compressed analog signal. The compressed analog signal is then converted into a digital signal by an analog to digital converter. A digital interface subsystem stores and retrieves selected ones of the digital signals for transmission over a communications line. At a remote end of the communications line the digital signal is converted back to its analog compressed signal representation by a digital to analog converter. The compressed analog signal is then expanded in a manner complimentary to the compressor operation, thus reconstructing the analog signal. A selector generator is provided at the remote end of the communications line for generating a command signal over the communications line to command the digital interface subsystem to select the desired one of the stored digital signals.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An audio communications system for transmitting analog signals over a communications circuit, said system comprising in combination:
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compressor means for receiving the analog signal at an input thereof and compressing the waveform amplitude of the analog signal in a predetermined manner for generating a compressed analog signal at an output thereof; analog to digital converter means, having an input coupled to said output of said compressor means, for converting said compressed analog signal to a digital signal at an output thereof; digital interface means, having a first input coupled to said output of said analog to digital converter means, for storing and selectively transmitting said digital signals to an output thereof coupled to the communications circuit, said digital interface means including digital storage means coupled to said input for receiving and storing said digital signals, and retrieval means for recovering a selected one of said digital signals from said digital storage means for coupling to said output thereof, whereby selected ones of said digital signals may be randomly retrieved from said digital storage means; digital to analog converter means, having an input coupled at a remote location to the communications circuit, for reconverting said digital signal to said compressed analog signal at an output thereof; expander means, having an input coupled to said output of said digital to analog converter means, for expanding the waveform amplitude of said compressed analog signal in a predetermined manner for reconstructing the analog signal; means for transmitting a selector signal to said retrieval means from said remote location over said communication circuit; and means for decoding said selector signal for designating a selected digital signal to be retrieved. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification