Abstract: The present invention is a quantization-level-sampling (QLS) modem which includes means for separately equalizing each loop of an end-to-end digital telephone system network connection by employing a plurality of transmitter filters and a plurality of receiver filters in such a way that, in the direction of transmission from modem to central office, the voltage samples seen by the coder/decoder stations are equivalent to the network quantization levels transmitted by the modem, and in the direction of transmission from central office to modem, the voltage samples seen by the modem are equivalent to the network quantization levels encoded by the coder/decoder stations. The invention also includes a QLS modem communications system which includes the aforesaid digital telephone system network and a plurality of QLS modems. In preferred embodiments, an adaptation service unit within the telephone system network assists in the determination of the settings of the transmitter and receiver filters.

Abstract: A modem that operates reliably at a symbol rate that corresponds to twice its bandwidth even when it is coupled to a receiving A/D converter that operates under control of a clock is realized by synchronizing the modem's operation to the A/D's clock. The superior operation of this modem advantageously extends to A/D clock frequencies beyond the frequency of twice the modem's bandwidth. To minimize quantization noise, the modem's output is conditioned to minimize intersymbol interference by adjusting the modem's output to the A/D converter's sampling times and slicing levels. When the A/D's clock is higher than twice the bandwidth of the modem's output signal, some intersymbol interference cannot be avoided. In accordance with this invention, the position and value of this interference is computed at the receiver and subtracted from the received signal.

Abstract: This invention is a technique for the substantially instantaneous self-healing of digital communications networks. Digital data streams from each of N nearby sources are combined and encoded to produce N+M coded data streams using a coding algorithm. The N+M coded data streams are then each transmitted over a separate long haul communications link to a decoder where any N of the N+M coded data streams can be decoded uniquely to produce the original N data streams. The orginal N data streams are then distributed to their respective separate end destinations. If any M or less of the N+M long haul communications links fails, i.e. as in a telephone line that gets cut or a long distance switch that fails, no rerouting of traffic need be done. Rather, the receiver detects loss of carrier on the failed link(s), and immediately supplies the missing data by decoding the data from the at least N remaining links.

Abstract: In a data transmission system using a predetermined trellis code, the output signal points are selected from a predetermined alphabet representing (k+n)-bit input words by using the values of n bits of each input word, and bits from previous input words, to identify a particular one of 2.sup.m subsets of the signaling alphabet m>n. The other k bits of the input word identify an ensemble of four signal points of the identified subset. This ensemble is characterized by having a first signal point whose odd components and even components each sum to a value no less than zero, a second signal point whose odd components sum to a value no less than zero and even components a value no greater than zero, a third signal point whose odd components sum to a value no greater than zero and even components a value no less than zero, and a fourth signal point whose odd components and even components each sum to a value no greater than zero.

Abstract: A stream of data to be transmitted is arranged in n streams of 2-bit words. Successive pairs of bits in each of those streams are differentially encoded by generating for each different combination of their values a predetermined one of the differentially encoded bit pairs (i,q), (q,i), (i,q) and (q,i) associated with that combination, where (i,q) is the previously generated differentially encoded bit pair. Words each comprised of the first (second) bit of a respective bit pair in each of the resulting n differentially encoded streams are then provided as n-bit words in a first (second) input stream for a two-dimensional channel coder. In the receiver, the channel decoder provides first and second streams of n-bit words. The bits of the latter are then arranged such that each word in the first (second) stream of channel-decoded words becomes the first (second) bit of a differentially encoded bit pair in a respective one of n differentially encoded bit pair streams.