Adaptive sampler

Claim 1

An adaptive digital data compression device for compressing an analog data input signal having variable frequency content, comprising: (a) an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog signal to a stream of first digital data words at a constant sampling rate; (b) a plurality of digital filters each for detecting the frequency content of the stream of first digital data words over respective frequency regions; (c) a plurality of means, each connected to one of said digital filter, for generating an enabling pulse in response to detecting a preset number of the first digital data words in a respective frequency region; (d) means for generating a plurality of clock signals each having a rate corresponding to one of the frequency regions; (e) gating means for selecting one of the clock signals corresponding to a higher frequency region in response to the corresponding enabling pulse to produce a variable rate clock; (f) means for generating second digital data words having information of a change in the rate of the variable rate clock; (g) means for generating third digital data words having information of the real time from the change in rate of the variable rate clock; (h) a first in, first out buffer memory; (i) a mass memory; (j) means for clocking the first digital data words into said buffer memory at the rate of the variable rate clock and for clocking the second digital words and the third digital data words into said buffer memory; and (k) means for clocking the first digital data words, the second digital data words and the third digital data words out of said buffer memory and into said mass memory at the constant sampling rate.