Personics Corporation

Hugh Macdonald

John C Weitz

Thomas D Sharples

Michael Poimboeuf

Ichyterra Ganapathy

Charles E Garvin

Method and apparatus for addressably writing digital representations of high-fidelity sound recordings in a non-mapped digital storage device, such as a CD music ROM, using conventional PCM (pulse code modulated) equipment, but in a more condensed and efficiently sampled ADM (adaptive delta modulated) format thereby providing high-density addressable storage of several thousand recordings in a single music ROM jukebox as well as high-speed information transfers. The invention enables communication and control links between conventional digital audio processors and conventional microcomputers. Timing data is embedded in the ADM formatted and blocked data file. The microcomputer is utilized for editing ADM data, inserting catalog data, and transferring the data file to a standard PCM file writer suitable for making non-mapped CD music ROMs containing addressable ADM data files on conventional equipment utilized in the indstry. Encoding is performed by Dolby delta-link ADM encoding to achieve time-domain condensation of information content, and analog signals representing the sound recording are peak-limited prior to preprocessing by Dolby B noise reduction techniques. CD music ROMs produced thereby are utilized in high-speed reproduction systems or for addressable computer access in high-volume archival storage systems.

System for encoding sound recordings for high-density storage and

Data processing system for high-speed reproduction of musical recordings at a point-of-sale terminal utilizes optical CD music ROM banks of master programs prerecorded by a Dolby ADM (adaptive delta modulated) technique to condense their 'information' content. Condensation permits higher data throughput during high-speed reproduction. In a 'premastering' process to make encoded masters, a special multiplexer board provides interfacing between Dolby ADM digital audio data and a conventional data processing system. The multiplexer board performs computer-like data blocking and also writes a unique sync code directly in the data block. The data processing system also catalogs and edits the blocked digital audio; places encrypted catalog, pricing, and other indicia in the data file representing the music; and sends the data file to convention 16-bit PCM file writer for making the encoded CD music ROMs which contain the ADM data representing the encoded audio program. A high-speed reproduction device, under control of a desk top personal computer, extracts timing and ADM data from the CD music ROM at high speed and controls high-speed tape drives to compile selected recordings on a single cassette tape in a form compatible with Dolby B noise reduction.

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Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Hugh Macdonald