Apparatus for speech compression

Claim 2

Means for recording and selectively deleting portions of normal speech sound comprising: a. input means, recording means for receiving and recording speech signals from said input means, drive means for said recording means, and a power supply delivering energy to said drive means; b. speech detector means coupled to said drive means power supply for detecting the presence of a speech signal in said input means and for energizing said drive means power supply only in response to the presence of a speech signal therein; c. vowel detector means coupled to said drive means power supply for detecting the initiation and continuing presence of vowel sounds in speech signals in said input means, said vowel detector means being adapted to regularly and periodically interrupt said drive means power supply for certain predetermined time intervals in response to the initiation and continued presence of vowel sounds in said input, with means being provided for periodically chopping said power supply into a plurality of substantially regularly spaced apart power pulses having predetermined time duration, with said periodic chopping of drive means power supply commencing after a certain predetermined time interval following initial detection of vowel presence and continuing during the presence of vowel sounds in said input.

Claim 3

The speech compression means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that filter means are provided in the speech input for passing signals of between about 250 Hz and 6,000 Hz.

Claim 4

The speech compression means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said periodic chopping of drive means power supply provides for power pulses of about 60 milliseconds followed by an idle period of about 30 milliseconds.

Claim 5

The speech compression means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said recording means has a start up time capability of less than about 10 milliseconds.

Claim 6

The speech compression means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said speech detector means continues to energize said drive means power supply for a predetermined period of time greater than approximately 10 milliseconds following the termination of each speech signal.

Claim 7

The recording means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that filter means are provided for speech detection, the filter being adapted to pass signals of modest amplitude at frequencies less than about 1,000 Hz, with the amplitude increasing substantially uniformly until an input frequency of about 8,000 Hz is reached.

Claim 8

The recording means as defined in claim 6 being particularly characterized in that said increase is at a level of about 24 db./octave at frequencies from between 1,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz.

Claim 9

The recording means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that vowel detector means are provided in the speech input for passing signals having a frequency of between about 250 Hz and 1,200 Hz.

Claim 10

The speech compression means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that control means are provided for controllably adjusting the extent of compression.

Claim 11

Means for recording and selectively modifying portions of normal speech sound comprising: a. input means, recording means for receiving and recording speech signals from said input means, drive means for said recording means, and a power supply delivering energy to said drive means; b. speech detector means coupled to said drive means power supply for detecting the presence of a speech signal in said input means and for energizing said drive means power supply only in response to the presence of a speech signal therein; c. vowel detector means coupled to said drive means power supply for detecting the initiation anD continuing presence of vowel sounds in speech signals in said input means, said vowel detector means being adapted to regularly and periodically interrupt said drive means power supply for certain predetermined time intervals in response to the initiation and continued presence of vowel sounds in said input, with means being provided for periodically chopping said power supply into a plurality of substantially regularly spaced apart power pulses having predetermined time duration, with said periodic chopping of drive means power supply commencing after a certain predetermined time interval following initial detection of vowel presence and continuing during the presence of vowel sounds in said input; and d. means for selectively continuing the energization of said drive means for predetermined periods of time upon detection of termination of the presence of a speech signal in said speech detector means.

Claim 12

Means for recording and selectively modifying portions of normal speech sound comprising: a. input means, recording means for receiving and recording speech signals from said input means, drive means for said recording means, and a power supply delivering energy to said drive means; b. speech detector means coupled to said drive means power supply for detecting the presence of a speech signal in said input means and for energizing said drive means power supply only in response to the presence of a speech signal therein; c. vowel detector means coupled to said drive means power supply for detecting the initiation anD continuing presence of vowel sounds in speech signals in said input means, said vowel detector means being adapted to regularly and periodically interrupt said drive means power supply for certain predetermined time intervals in response to the initiation and continued presence of vowel sounds in said input, with means being provided for periodically chopping said power supply into a plurality of substantially regularly spaced apart power pulses having predetermined time duration, with said periodic chopping of drive means power supply commencing after a certain predetermined time interval following initial detection of vowel presence and continuing during the presence of vowel sounds in said input; and d. means for selectively continuing the energization of said drive means for predetermined periods of time upon detection of termination of the presence of a speech signal in said speech detector means.

Claim 13

The speech compression means as defined in claim 10 being particularly characterized in that said recording means includes first and second serially coupled recording means with drive means for each of said recording means, means for continuing the energization of said second recording means upon each occurrence of the termination of the presence of a speech signal in said first recording means.