Abstract: A digital input symbol is transmitted to a receiver by determining one or more formant frequencies that correspond to the digital input symbol. In one embodiment, a pre-programmed addressable memory is used to map the set of possible digital input symbols onto a set of corresponding speech units, each comprising a superposition of one or more formant frequencies. A signal is then generated having the speech units. The signal is supplied for transmission over a voice channel. This may include supplying the signal to a voice coder prior to transmission. In another aspect of the invention, a forward error correction code (FEC) is determined for the digital input symbol, and the one or more speech units are modified as a function of the forward error correction code. In this way, the FEC may also be transmitted with the encoded input symbol. The modification may affect any of a number of attributes of the speech units, including a volume attribute and a pitch attribute.

Abstract: A digital input symbol is transmitted to a receiver by determining one or more formant frequencies that correspond to the digital input symbol. In one embodiment, a pre-programmed addressable memory is used to map the set of possible digital input symbols onto a set of corresponding speech units, each comprising a superposition of one or more formant frequencies. A signal is then generated having the speech units. The signal is supplied for transmission over a voice channel. This may include supplying the signal to a voice coder prior to transmission. In another aspect of the invention, a forward error correction code (FEC) is determined for the digital input symbol, and the one or more speech units are modified as a function of the forward error correction code. In this way, the FEC may also be transmitted with the encoded input symbol. The modification may affect any of a number of attributes of the speech units, including a volume attribute and a pitch attribute.

Abstract: In a communications system that includes a service node connected to an intelligent terminal by means of a limited bandwidth communications means, techniques in a service node and an intelligent terminal provide one or more services to a user of the intelligent terminal. A protocol between the intelligent terminal and the service node allow each application to be variously distributed between these two units. In one aspect of the invention, the protocol may itself by carried on a lower layer protocol that is a limited bandwidth communication channel. The protocol may include the communication of primitives and/or image descriptions between the service node and the intelligent terminal.