Abstract: Electronic systems are becoming increasingly complex and processing is commonly broken down into manageable and testable sub-functions. These sub-functions intercommunicate to pass the data and control signals to complete the system. Described herein is an improved electronic system which comprises a plurality of sub-function nodes (20) arranged in an array (10). Each sub-function node (20) is connected to a secondary bus (30, 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D, 30E, 30F) via a link (32) for receiving timing and synchronisation signals along with multiple access parameters under the control of a system communication controller (40). Each sub-function node (20) has an antenna for transferring data between other sub-function nodes using radio links.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for reducing the bit rate of transmitted signals in a telecommunications system, a speech recognition device is operated in parallel with a speech coding device in a transmitter terminal. An analog input signal from a microphone is digitized in an analog-to-digital converter to provide a digital signal which is applied to both the speech coding device and the speech recognition device. An output signal for transmission via an antenna is formed by combining output signals from the speech coding device and the speech recognition device via a switch, recognized speech being converted to codewords which replace packets or sequences of packets of the coded signal corresponding thereto. In a receiver terminal, an antenna receives the transmitted signal and passes it to both a speech coding device and a speech generator prior to being converted to an analog signal for a speaker.

Abstract: A data communications system includes a standard telecommunications apparatus (1) arranged to transport analogue signals in a form of Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulated (ADPCM) digital signals generated from Pulse Code Modulated (PCM) digital signals representative of the analogue signals. A mapping data processor (13) coupled to a source (14) of digital data and to an ADPCM encoder (3) of the standard telecommunications apparatus (1), generates PCM coded symbols representative of the digital data in accordance with a predetermined mapping function. An unmapping data processor (15) connected to an ADPCM to PCM decoder (10) of the apparatus (1) operates to re-generate the digital data from communicated PCM signals.