Musical door chime preferably also combined with a clock for annunciating the time
First Claim
1. A musical door chime comprising:
- at least one selectively actuable door pushbutton;
a keyboard including a plurality of code entry keys;
a memory for storing digitally encoded representations of the frequency and the duration of each musical note for a plurality of musical tunes;
a tone generation means connected to said at least one door pushbutton, keyboard, and memory and responsive to actuation of said at least one door pushbutton for converting each said digitally encoded musical note representation for one of said musical tunes selected by entering a code by means of said keyboard into a squarewave having said frequency and said duration of each said musical not for said selected musical tune; and
circuit means connected to said tone generation means and responsive to each said squarewave for playing a sound of each said musical note for said selected musical tune.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A musical door chime which includes a repertoire of musical tunes one of which is played when a door pushbutton, preferably the front door pushbutton, is actuated. The musical tune which is played may be selected by means of a keyboard connected to a microprocessor. Digitally encoded representations of the notes of each musical tune are stored in a memory. Each digitally encoded musical note is read from memory by the microprocessor and converted by the microprocessor into a squarewave having the frequency and the duration of the note. The microprocessor is connected to a note strike and decay circuit which is preferably connected in series with an active audio filter circuit for translating the squarewave into a sinusoidal output for energizing a loudspeaker so that relatively high quality audible tones are heard when the musical tune is played. Preferably, a two-note musical tune is played when a rear door pushbutton is actuated, and a fixed single musical note is played when a side door pushbutton is actuated. The musical door chime is preferably also combined with a visual display driven by the microprocessor for indicating the time of day. The time is preferably annunciated every quarter hour by means of musical notes. A multi-frequency tone is played for the hour strike. The keyboard serves various other control functions in addition to selecting the musical tune to be played.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A musical door chime comprising:
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at least one selectively actuable door pushbutton; a keyboard including a plurality of code entry keys; a memory for storing digitally encoded representations of the frequency and the duration of each musical note for a plurality of musical tunes; a tone generation means connected to said at least one door pushbutton, keyboard, and memory and responsive to actuation of said at least one door pushbutton for converting each said digitally encoded musical note representation for one of said musical tunes selected by entering a code by means of said keyboard into a squarewave having said frequency and said duration of each said musical not for said selected musical tune; and circuit means connected to said tone generation means and responsive to each said squarewave for playing a sound of each said musical note for said selected musical tune. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification