Alan W Needham

US Patent:

6542612, Apr 1, 2003

Filed:

Oct 12, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/976781

Inventors:

Alan W. Needham - Rocklin CA 95756

International Classification:

H03G 700

US Classification:

381106, 381107, 381108, 333 14

Abstract:

A companding amplifier wherein compression data is provided to an expansion circuit along with audio data. An analog audio input signal is compressed and converted into digital data by a compression circuit. The compression circuit includes a data framer that produces a digital data stream that contains both the digital audio data and digital compression data. The resultant digital data stream can then be recorded on a medium such as a CD or DAT, or transmitted over a medium such as wire, fiber optic or radio waves. The digital data stream can then be read back or otherwise received by an expansion circuit that includes a data separator that separates the digital audio data and digital compression data. The digital audio data is then converted back to an analog audio signal, and the digital compression data is converted to an analog control signal that is used as the control signal for expansion.