AUTOMATIC VISUAL AID CONTROL UNIT

• US 3,643,217 A
• Filed: 10/10/1968
• Issued: 02/15/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James R. Morphew, John R. Stokes, Roland D. Ingram
• Original Assignee: James R. Morphew, John R. Stokes, Roland D. Ingram
• Inventors: Morphew, James R., Ingram, Roland D., Stokes, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US04/766,526
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 352/133,179,244,38,40,41 240/9,92 340/335,163,162,147,171,147C,151,164,327A,147P
• US Class Current: 340/12.31
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 23/18 with fade-in and fade-out effects
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/16 using magnetic record carriers G05B19/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

An all-electronic control system for simultaneously operating a plurality of visual aid components and/or a lighting system is operated from a programmed input tape to provide diverse control functions such as on, off, fade-in, fadeout, etc. The exclusive utilization of fast-switching, solid-state components in diverse control, slide change and movie projector control circuits enables several diverse commands to be executed nearly simultaneously.

Claims

1. Apparatus for generating a plurality of diverse control signaLs for operating lighting and display equipment, comprising;

means for interpreting successive coded programmed signals, means for converting said coded signals into initial control signals in each of a plurality of individual control channels, means for generating operating signals for controlling said means for interpreting, and means in the channels responsive to said operating signals for providing a plurality of diverse final control signals, said means for generating operating signals includes means for generating repetitive interrogation signals and means for integrating said interrogation signals to initiate said means for providing a plurality of diverse final control signals.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the repetitive interrogation signals consist of tone bursts having a predetermined duration and said means for integrating includes an active band-pass filter and capacitor means for storing the integrated signals.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for generating operating signals further includes switching means responsive to the signal stored by said capacitor means and said switching means includes monostable multivibrator circuits.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said switching means further include logic circuits individually responsive to a selected code arrangement in said coded programmed signals.

5. Apparatus for generating a plurality of diverse control signals for operating lighting and display equipment, comprising;

means for interpreting successive coded programmed signals, means for converting said coded signals into initial control signals in each of a plurality of individual control channels, means for generating operating signals for controlling said means for interpreting, and means in the channels responsive to said operating signals for providing a plurality of diverse final control signals, said means for providing a plurality of diverse final control signals include means for discriminating between said operating signals, means for providing continuous output signals in accordance with the discriminated signals, and means for actively integrating and amplifying said continuous output signals.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for generating operating signals includes means for generating repetitive interrogation signals and means for integrating said interrogation signals to initiate said means for providing a plurality of diverse final control signals.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for discriminating include a plurality of gates each responsive to a preset code pattern of said coded programmed signals and said means for actively integrating and amplifying include operational integrating amplifiers.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said means for providing a plurality of final control signals includes oscillator means controlled by the integrated and amplified continuous output signals and switching means responsive to said oscillator means to operate a dimmer light control circuit.