Patent GB-1292642-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to pulse code modulation systems
Inventor: WILKINSON ROGER MARTIN
IPC: H03M3/04
Filed: 1969-04-30
Abstract: 1292642 Pulse code modulation systems DEFENCE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR 29 April 1970 [30 April 1969] 22042/69 Heading G4H A P.C.M. system for transmitting speech signals comprises apparatus for generating digital word signals, each representing a sampledinstantaneous value of the speech signal, each word signal comprising one polarity-bit signal representing the sign of the difference between a sampled value and earth and at least one amplitude-bit signal representing the magnitude of the difference between the sampled value and a variable reference level signal V. The input speech signal is fed via a band pass filter 2 to three comparator amplifiers 3-5, the reference input of the polarity-bit amplifier 4 being earthed whilst the reference inputs of the amplitude-bit amplifiers 3 and 5 receive signals + V and - V respectively. The outputs of these amplifiers have "0" or "1" states depending on whether their sampled inputs are less than or greater than their reference inputs. The amplifier outputs are fed to sample and hold circuits 9, 10, which may comprise J-K flip-flops, and which are strobed by signals from a bi-stable circuit 11. A logic circuit comprising gates 12-14 ensures that a sequence of alternate polarity and amplitude-bits are fed to the input of a transmitter 15. The reference voltage V is derived from the output of the circuit 9 which is fed via an integrating circuit 16, 17 to the amplifier 3. The transmitted digital signals are supplied to a receiver 30, the output of which is fed to sample and hold circuits 33, 36, each having complementary outputs C, D and A, B. A further sample and hold circuit 32, strobed by signals from a bi-stable 35, delays each polarity-bit so that simultaneous amplitude and polarity-bits appear at the outputs of the circuits 33 and 36 respectively. To prevent the amplitude - bits being routed through the polarity-bit channel and vice versa, a threshold detecting circuit 41-44 is provided. Since the polarity-bits comprise equal numbers of zeros and ones, the polarity-bit channel will have an output equal to the mean of the two voltages representing the zero and one bits. The amplifier 43 is therefore arranged to provide a zero voltage to the input of a pulse generator 46 when the input to the amplifier equals this mean voltage, thus preventing the operation of the pulse generator. If, however, the amplitude-bits should appear on the polarity channel, the input voltage to the amplifier 43 is reduced and the pulse generator provides a pulse to change the state of the bi-stable 35, thereby bringing it into synchronism with the received polarity-bits. The output C of the amplitudebit channel is connected to an integrating circuit 48, 49 of similar time constant to that of the integrating circuit 16, 17 so that the voltage V<SP>1</SP> developed across the capacitor 49 matches the reference voltage V. A decoding circuit, including "AND" gates 37-40 which control the switching of field effect transistors 65-68, selectively feeds the voltages V<SP>1</SP> or V<SP>1</SP>/ 2  to an operational amplifier 54 connected to a low-pass filter 63 and an audio output terminal 64. A transmitter and receiver in which two signals are used to represent the amplitude of the sampled speech signal are also described.