SOLID-STATE SOUND EFFECT GENERATING SYSTEM

• US 3,831,172 A
• Filed: 01/03/1972
• Issued: 08/20/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward L. Polanek, William E. Olliges
• Original Assignee: Edward L. Polanek, William E. Olliges
• Inventors: Olliges, William E., Polanek, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wannisky, William M.
• Application Number:
  US05/215,025
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 340/384E,221,225,328 272/14 35/11,12Q,12N 317/11D,11CM,11CC,11DH 273/1E,13AB,86B,85R 84/1.01,1.11,1.17,1.19,470
• US Class Current: 340/384.7
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00

Abstract

A solid-state sound effect generating system for selectively producing any one of a plurality of predetermined sound effects has a plurality of interchangeable plug-in printed circuit boards each having mounted thereon an electronic circuit capable of being actuated to produce an electrical output signal representative of a unique one of a group of desired sound effects, without the use of any prerecorded signals or recording medium. The circuit boards are plugged into a common control chassis which interconnects them with an audio power amplifier and loudspeaker arrangement and which further provides input terminals for external triggering signals.

Claims

1. In combination with an audio-visual amusement device of the type in which specific events are each accompanied by a corresponding predetermined sound effect, an improved system for selectively generating a plurality of said sound effects, comprising:

a plurality of interchangeable plug-in printed circuit boards each having mounted thereon a solid-state electronic circuit capable of being actuated to independently develop an electrical output signal representative of a unique one of said sound effects;

each said electrical circuit comprising a random noise generator for developing an electrical signal having a random audio frequency spectrum, filtering means coupled to said random noise generator for obtaining an audio frequency signal having a preselected frequency characteristic, and means for modulating said preselected frequency signal to thereby develop said output signal;

electromechanical transducer means coupled to said circuits and responsive to said electrical output signal for converting said output signal into said sound effect;

a controL chassis having a corresponding plurality of jacks for interchangeably receiving and supporting said circuit boards, said chassis further having means for electrically interconnecting said received circuit boards; and

switching means coupled to said electronic circuits and responsive to the occurrence of any of said events for selectively actuating the corresponding electronic circuit to thereby simultaneously accompany a particular event with its associated sound effect.

2. An electronic sound-generating system for selectively generating a plurality of sound effects, and adapted for use with an audio-visual amusement device of the type in which specific events are each accompanied by a corresponding predetermined sound effect, comprising:

a plurality of interchangeable plug-in printed circuit boards each having mounted thereon a solid-state electronic circuit capable of being actuated to independently develop an electrical output signal representative of a unique one of said sound effects;

each said electrical circuit comprising a random noise generator for developing an electrical signal having a random audio frequency spectrum, filtering means coupled to said random noise generator for obtaining an audio frequency signal having a preselected frequency characteristic, and means for modulating said preselected frequency signal to there by develop said output signal;

electromechanical transducer means coupled to said circuits and responsive to said electrical output signal for converting said output signal into said sound effect;

a control chassis having a corresponding plurality of jacks for interchangeably receiving and supporting said circuit boards, said chassis further having means for electrically interconnecting said received circuit boards; and

switching means coupled to said electronic circuits and responsive to the occurrence of any of said events for selectively actuating the corresponding electronic circuit to thereby simultaneously accompany a particular event with its associated sound effect.

3. A circuit according to claim 1, in which said modulating means comprise an anode-gated silicon-controlled rectifier operated as a relaxation oscillator to modulate the amplitude of said preselected-frequency signal at a predetermined audio-frequency repetition rate.

4. A circuit according to claim 3, in which said modulating means further comprises a free-running monostable multivibrator coupled to said relaxation oscillator to vary the frequency of oscillation of said oscillator at a predetermined rate.