Abstract: In a TDMA satellite communication system, one of the stations is elected the primary station which transmits a reference burst to all other stations to synchronize the local clocks in each station. Each subsidiary station in turn responds by transmitting a local transmit reference burst to enable synchronization of the local transmit clocks. In order to assure that the synchronous operation of the network will continue when the reference station experiences a failure, an alternate reference station is designated in the network which will assume the role of the primary reference station in a baton passing operation in the event that the existing primary reference station must abdicate its reference role. An improved method and apparatus for carrying out the baton passing operation monitors the channel error rate at the reference station and the alternate station.

Abstract: An adaptive delta modulation system is disclosed which features an improved digital compandor which may be used with a digital integrating network. The compandor executes a companding algorithm having a nonlinear characteristic to provide a rapid increase in step size to follow the fast rising start or fast decaying end of talkspurts in input signals so as to minimize any slope overload distortions and to provide a small increase or decrease in step size during the smooth portion of the talkspurts in input signals to reduce any granular noise effect. The step size generated by the compandor is directly related to the input signal level, providing a maximum companding range in which good signal-to-noise characteristics are preserved for the soft or low voiced speaker as well as for the loud voiced speaker and providing a fast transient response most suitable for telephone applications.

Abstract: An improved bucket brigade circuit is disclosed having an improved transfer efficiency and dynamic range. Conventional bucket brigade circuits consist of a chain of storage capacitors and charge transfer circuits functioning as an analog shift register. Due to the nodal capacitance at the first load of prior art circuits, the charge thereon cannot be maintained at an optimum level because of voltage pull-back and charge redistribution during the fall time of the clock pulse. The invention disclosed herein provides an additional capacitor connecting the first node of the circuit to the inverse of the clock waveform, thereby eliminating the voltage pull-back and charge redistribution problem, resulting in an improved charge transfer efficiency and dynamic range for the circuit.