Speech compression with Huffman codes

A prefix-code method for compressed digital storage of zero-crossing speech is reported. Stored files occupying 4 to 6 kilobits per original second can be created and decompressed in real time using only a desktop computer equipped with an analogue-to-digital/digital-to-analogue converter, and software. Since no special signal-procesing hardware is required, the technique can be used for voice storage in situations where the quality of zero-crossing speech is sufficient and the computer hardware capabilities are fixed or strictly constrained by cost, as in education, advertising and computer entertainment.