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Ronald Hugh Barker whilst less publicly known than contemporaries such as Alan Turin (theoretical computing), Tommy Flowers (Colossus) or Alec Reeves (pulse-code modulation) he played a key pioneering role in the early development of British digital communications. Working at the Signals Research and Development Establishment (SRDE), he was instrumental in the practical applications of pulse-code modulation, particularly in telemetry for guided weapons and early digital radar but most notably for the invention of the [[Barker code]] in 1953. Barker code remains in use for synchronisation in radar, telemetry systems and digital communication processing in many applications.<ref name="IETbio">{{cite web |title=Ronald Hugh Barker (1915–2015) |url=https://www.theiet.org/membership/library-and-archives/the-iet-archives/biographies/ronald-hugh-barker-1915-2015/ |website=The IET |access-date=2025-04-21}}</ref> His work also included early applications of [[pulse-code modulation]] anticipated features of
modern air traffic control systems, speech encryption and rotary encoders.<ref name="IETblog">{{cite web |last=IET Archives |title=The Story of Roy Barker: A Physicist with 70 Years of Membership |url=https://ietarchivesblog.org/2024/05/08/the-story-of-roy-barker-a-physicist-with-70-years-of-membership-at-the-iet/ |website=IET Archives Blog |date=2024-05-08 |access-date=2025-04-21}}</ref>
History of RADAR
During the post-war period, British radar research continued at institutions such as the [[Signals Research and Development Establishment]] (SRDE) and the [[Radar Research Establishment]] laterly known as the [[Royal Radar Establishment]] and [[Telecommunications Research Establishment]], Malvern. In 1953, engineeran English physicist [[Ronald Hugh Barker]] developedwas ainstrumental methodin the practical applications of [[pulse-code modulation]] (PCM), particularly in telemetry for synchronisingguided weapons and early digital communicationradar systems,but knownmost asnotably for the invention of the [[Barker code]] in 1953. ThisBarker code is a binary sequence improvedwith theideal reliabilityautocorrelation ofproperties signalfor transmissionminimising range side lobes in pulse compression radar and telemetry. applicationsBarker, R. TheH. code(1953). remains“Group inSynchronisation useof todayBinary forDigital pulseSystems.” compressionIn in‘‘Communication radarTheory’’, systemsedited andby inW. manyJackson, otherLondon: digitalButterworths, applicationspp. 273–287. His work also anticipated features of modern air traffic control systems, speech encryption and rotary encoders.
1948 A tracking Display and Data Transmission SRDE Tech Memo RES 113
Barker’s work on PCM paralleled and complemented earlier research by American engineers such as [[Alec Reeves]], who had first proposed PCM in 1937, and [[Claude Shannon]], whose theoretical advances after World War II laid the foundation for digital communications. Also, Alec Reeves, “Electric Signaling System,” UK patent GB538428A, filed 1937 and Shannon, Claude E. “A Mathematical Theory of Communication,” ‘‘Bell System Technical Journal’’, vol. 27, 1948.
1949 Appendix II to Conversion of Shaft Position to Binary Pulse Code.pdf IETR Ref
1948 Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for data in Binary Digital Form
PCM
Barker contributed specifically to practical PCM encoding techniques, reflected in his patents on electrical pulse-code modulation.Barker, Ronald H. ‘‘Electrical Pulse Code Modulation’’. UK patent GB662338A. Filed January 8, 1951. Published December 5, 1951. [https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/024884276/publication/GB662338A Available online].Barker, Ronald H. ‘‘Electrical Pulse Code Modulation’’. US patent US2730676A. Filed January 8, 1951. Issued January 10, 1956. [https://patents.google.com/patent/US2730676A/en Available online]. His later work also included developments in PCM encoder design for radar and telemetry systems.Barker, Ronald H. ‘‘Pulse Code Modulation Encoder’’. US patent US3721318A. Filed November 17, 1971. Issued March 20, 1973. [https://patents.google.com/patent/US3721318A/en Available online].
PCM
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