SOUND-RESPONSIVE LIGHT

• US 3,582,671 A
• Filed: 07/07/1969
• Issued: 06/01/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James H. Ott
• Original Assignee: James H. Ott
• Inventors: Ott, James H.
• Application Number:
  US04/839,524
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• US Class Current: 307/117
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 17/00 Apparatus for performing colour-music
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04

Abstract

A sound-responsive light illuminated by an audio-actuated serially connected switch. The audio-actuated switch includes a thyristor, preferably an SCR, the gate of which is triggered by an audio frequency signal from a microphone and audio amplifier. The amplifier is a class A audio amplifier with biasing and loading provided so that the light will be illuminated by sound above a selected level. A nonlinear potentiometer is used for the load impedance of one of the amplifier stages to permit selection of the desired audio level which triggers the thyristor. The input terminals of a rectified power supply are connected across the principal terminals of the SCR so that the parallel combination may be connected in series with the electric light and an alternating current power source. Coupling is provided from the output of the audio amplifier to the gate of the thyristor by means of a series capacitor and a shunt gate resistor of approximately 1000 ohms.

Claims

1. An audio-actuated switch for controlling electrical current flow through an electrical device which is in series with a source of electrical energy, the switch comprising:

a. a transducer for converting an input mechanical audio signal to an electrical audio signal output;

b. a thyristor having a control gate, the principal terminals of the thyristor being in series with the electrical device; and

c. means connecting the output of the transducer to the gate of the thyristor for impressing on said gate a nonfiltered audio frequency trigger signal, derived from the transducer, for producing instantaneous on and off operation of the electrical device.

2. A switch according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises an audio amplifier, biasing means, and coupling means.

3. A switch according to claim 2, wherein the audio amplifier is a class A amplifier and the gate trigger signal is substantially analogous to the mechanical audio signal.

4. A switch according to claim 2, wherein the thyristor is an SCR, wherein there is provided a rectified power supply, for biasing and supplying power to said audio amplifier, the power supply having two input terminals connected to the principal terminals of the SCR, wherein said source of electrical energy, said electrical device, and the parallel combination of the SCR and the rectified power supply are series connected so that disconnection of the electrical device deenergizes the SCR and the rectified power supply and so that the current through the SCR and the power supply is limited by the impedance of the electrical device.

5. A switch according to claim 2, wherein the audio amplifier comprises a plurality of amplifier stages, one of the stages having a load impedance comprising the stator of a potentiometer and having the wiper of the potentiometer coupled to the input of the subsequent stage for permitting variable adjustment and selection of a desired audio signal level for triggering the thyristor.

6. A switch according to claim 5, wherein the impedance along the stator of the potentiometer is logarithmic.

7. An audio-actuated light for illumination in response to sound, the light comprising a switch according to claim 1, wherein said electrical device is an illumination means.

8. An audio light according to claim 7, wherein said source of electrical energy is an alternating current.

9. An audio light according to claim 8, wherein the connecting means comprises an audio amplifier and coupling means for impressing an audio signal on the gate which is derived from said mechanical audio signal and wherein biasing means is provided for triggering the gate in response to a selected audio level.

10. An audio-actuated light comprising a switch according to claim 4, wherein a. the electrical device is a light;

b. the amplifier is an audio amplifier for providing a gate trigger signal which is derived from the input mechanical audio signal and the amplifier comprises a plurality of amplifier stages, one of the stages having a load impedance comprising the stator of a nonlinearly varying potentiometer and having the wiper of the potentiometer coupled to the input of the subsequent stage for variable adjustment and selection of an audio signal level which triggers the thyristor.