Non-linear coder for pulse code modulation of telephone signals or the like

Claim 1

A segment-type non-linear coder for converting an input analog signal to an M-bit (M is an integer greater than two) binary code through pulse code modulation, comprising a first coder for determining the most siginificant bit and n subsequent bits (n is an integer including zero and smaller than M) of said binary code, a second coder of the feedback type for determining the (n+2)th and the subsequent bits of said binary code, having in its feedback loop switching circuits, a weighting circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, the outputs of said switching circuits being connected to corresponding inputs of said weighting circuit, said weighting circuit for generating a decoded analog signal at its output in response to the states of said switching circuits, an adder for adding the output analog signal of said first coder to said decoded analog signal from said weighting circuit, a comparator for delivering a binary output code in response to the polarity of the output of said adder, and a logic circuit for converting said binary output code to control pulses for controlling said switching circuits, characterized in that said logic circuit comprises: memory circuits commonly coupled to the output of said comparator and respectively coupled to said switching circuits; a shift register whose shifted pulse is in turn coupled to the data inputs of said memory circuits; and a control pulse generator coupled to the output of said comparator for controlling said memory circuits and said shift register, said control pulse generator selecting a group of said switching circuits and a starting stage of said shift register by the (n+2)th through (n+k)th bits (k is an integer greater than 2, n+k <M) of said binary output code, the selected group of switching circuits operating, under control of a group of adjacent stages of said shift register starting from the selected stage thereof, as a group of switching circuits for a linear coder within a segment of the analog input versus digital output characteristics of said non-linear coder.