Abstract: A system for converting a continuous tone value to an output value having either a first level or a second level develops a first error based upon the application of a separable filter to an output value having a first level assumed for the continuous tone value undergoing conversion. A second error is developed based upon the application of the separable filter to an output value having a second level assumed for the continuous tone value undergoing conversion. If the first error is greater than the second error, the continuous tone value is converted to the output value having the second level. Otherwise, the continuous tone value is converted to the output value having the first level. The resulting error is diffused in a predetermined manner to neighboring continuous tone values yet to be converted.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for converting a continuous tone value to an output value having a first level or a second level. A first error magnitude is generated based upon continuous tone values already converted, continuous tone values not yet converted and an output value having the first level assumed for the continuous tone value undergoing conversion. A second error magnitude is similarly generated except that an output value having the second level is assumed for the continuous tone value undergoing conversion. If the first error magnitude is less than the second error magnitude, then the continuous tone value undergoing conversion is converted to the output value having the first level and, otherwise, the continuous tone value undergoing conversion is converted to the output value having the second level. The error corresponding to the converted lineary value is diffused in a predetermined manner to neighboring continuous tone values which have not yet been converted.

Abstract: A composite signal is formed by simultaneously transmitting multiple asynchronous data bit sequences, that are coded with respective spreading codes, in a single channel; and a circuit is provided which decodes any bit b(x) in that composite signal. This circuit includes a set of filters which are matched to all of the spreading codes and which obtain (a) a matched filter output signal y(x) for the x-th data bit b(x) and (b) matched filter output signals y(x+1) thru y(x+k-1) for the k-1 data bits that immediately follow data bit b(x); K is the number of bit sequences in the composite signal. An arithmetic unit combines the matched filter output signals via the expression: ##EQU1## where H(x,x.+-.i) is the cross correlation of the spreading codes for data bits b(x) and b(x.+-.i) over the time period that those data bits overlap (and thus add) in the composite signal, and ESTb(x-i) is an estimate of data bit b(x-i) which precedes bit b(x).

Abstract: Data bits are decoded from a composite signal that is formed by coding multiple bit sequences with respective spreading codes, and transmitting the coded bit sequences simultaneously and asynchronously over a single channel in which the bit sequences are added. This decoding involves a metric in combination with a repetitive decision process which is only linearly dependent on the number of bit sequences in the composite signal.