Abstract: A speech coding circuit is disclosed, which comprises a PCM encoder for converting an analog input into a digital output, and a speech coder with voice activity detector which encodes the digital output from the PCM encoder into speech coding data and detects whether the analog input is voice active or non-active, for each period, and then outputs a speech detection flag indicating whether the analog input is voice active or non-active. A power comparator compares the power of the analog input with a predetermined power threshold value and outputs a level detection flag indicating voice activity or non-activity, depending on whether the power of the analog input is greater or smaller than the power threshold value. A mode switch receives the level detection flag indicating voice activity or non-activity and applies to the PCM encoder and the speech coder a mode control signal which puts them into an activated mode or a sleep mode.

Abstract: There is provided an initializing method for a programmable machine controller, whereby various control parameters of the programmable machine controller can be initialized quickly. The initial values of the various parameters, stored in a random access memory for initial-value setting of the controller, are transferred to a blank region of another random access memory for storage therein (S1.about.S4), and then transferred to a read-only memory (ROM) cassette for storage therein (S5). When a command for parameter initialization is delivered with the controller loaded with the ROM cassette, the various parameters are initialized using the initial values stored in the cassette.