Patent ID: 7010491

Claim:
A method for generating a compressed or expanded waveform from original waveform data, said generated compressed or expanded waveform capable of being stored or reproduced, the method comprising the steps of: frequency band-dividing the original waveform data to produce a plurality of frequency band-divided waveforms; receiving position data including a plurality of time points indicating when waveform data is to be read out from the plurality of frequency band-divided waveforms, and position information elements indicating a particular location in the plurality of frequency band-divided waveforms corresponding to each time point; generating at least one processed waveform from each frequency band-divided waveform according to the position data and at least one compression and expansion format; and superimposing a plurality of processed waveforms generated from all frequency band-divided waveforms to form the compressed or expanded waveform; wherein in accordance with a first compression and expansion format, the step of generating at least one processed waveform from each frequency band-divided waveform further includes the steps of: receiving a plurality of opening and starting addresses, each opening and starting address designating a starting point of cycles that comprise the frequency band-divided waveform; receiving a plurality of position information elements, each position information element designating a particular cycle and address of the frequency band-divided waveform corresponding to each time point; reading out first waveform data from the frequency band-divided waveform of at least two repeated cycles starting at the opening and starting address associated with the cycle corresponding to every other time point, and waveshaping the first waveform data with an envelope to form a first processed waveform; and reading out second waveform data from the frequency band-divided waveform of at least two repeated cycles starting at the opening and starting address associated with the cycle corresponding to every other time point that does not coincide with the reading out of the first waveform data, and waveshaping the second waveform data with the envelope to form a second processed waveform.