Asynchronous data transmission apparatus and method

Claim 2

An asynchronous information transmission method comprising the steps of: generating a first signal which varies in amplitude commensurate with input information to be transmitted; modifying the amplitude of said first signal in accordance with a first non-linear function; varying the repetition rate of pulse generator means in accordance with the modified signal; and transmitting only pulses provided by the pulse generator means and commensurate with input information to a receiver only when information to be transmitted is present.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising: detecting only transmitted pulses commensurate with input information to provide an analog signal commensurate with pulse repetition rate; and modifying the thus detected signal in accordance with a non-linear function which is complementary to the first non-linear function to recreate the first signal.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein the first non-linear function is the logarithm of the amplitude of the first signal.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2 wherein the first non-linear function is the logarithm of the amplitude of the first signal.

Claim 6

An information transmission system comprising: means for providing a signal having an amplitude which varies in accordance with information to be transmitted; non-linear function generator means responsive to said amplitude varying signal for non-linearly altering said signal to generate a control signal; linear pulse rate signal generator means responsive to said control signal for providing an output pulse train wherein the instantaneous pulse repetition rate is commensurate with the amplitude of the non-linearly altered information containing signal; means responsive to the output of said signal generator means for transmitting said pulse train; instantaneous rate detector means for receiving the transmitted pulse train and for providing a signal commensurate with the repetition rate of the transmitted pulses; and means responsive to the signal provided by said rate detector means for providing an analog output signal commensurate with the signal having an amplitude which varies in accordance with the information to transmitted.

Claim 7

An information transmission system comprising: means for providing a signal having an amplitude which varies in accordance with information to be transmitted; non-linear function generator means responsive to said amplitude varying signal for non-linearly altering said signal to generate a control signal; linear pulse rate signal generator means responsive to said control signal for providing an output pulse train wherein the instantaneous pulse repetition rate is commensurate with the amplitude of the non-linearly altered information containing signal; means responsive to the output of said signal generator means for transmitting said pulse train; instantaneous rate detector means for receiving the transmitted pulse train and for providing a signal commensurate with the repetition rate of the transmitted pulses; and means responsive to the signal provided by said rate detector means for providing an analog output signal commensurate with the signal having an amplitude which varies in accordance with the information to transmitted.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for providing an output signal having an amplitude commensurate with the amplitude of the signal which varies in accordance with the information to be transmitted comprises: complementary function generator means responsive to the output of said rate detector means.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said function generator means comprises: a logarithmic function generator.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said function generator means comprises: a logarithmic function generator.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said pulse rate signal generator comprises: integrator means; and a pair of discriminator means, said discriminator means providing a bi-polar output signal.