Potentiometer device

• US 4,780,701 A
• Filed: 02/11/1987
• Issued: 10/25/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matth Hohner AG (Hs Investments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Matth Hohner AG (Hs Investments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eppinger, Siegfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, E. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LATEEF, MARVIN M
• Application Number:
  US07/013,290
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 338/114, 338/96, 338/99, 338/196
• US Class Current: 338/196
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0558 using variable resistors
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/08 with intervening conducting structure between the resistive element and the short-circuiting means, e.g. taps

Abstract

A potentiometer device including a resistor path and a conductive film spaced therefrom. The film may be brought in contact with the resistor by exerting finger pressure. The tap voltage is stored in a memory and displayed by means of LEDs.

Claims

1. A potentiometer device comprising:

a support;

a resistor path disposed on a surface of said support and having first and second end terminals for connection, respectively, to a reference voltage and a supply voltage of a voltage source;

a plurality of lights mounted on said support adjacent to said resistor path so as to be visible;

a spacer mounted on said support adjacent to said resistor path and said plurality of lights;

an electrically conductive film means coupled to said spacer and overlying said resistor path and mounted on said support in alignment therewith but spaced therefrom, said film means for acting as a center tap terminal of said potentiometer device, said film means for elastically deforming in response to pressure so as to make electrical contact with said resistor path to form a voltage divider with the tap voltage of said electrically conductive film means relative to said reference voltage being a function of the position along said resistor path where said film means contacts said resistor path;

processing means connected to said film means and to said plurality of lights for storing said tap voltage and for lighting an appropriate group of one or more of said lights to visually indicate the relative magnitude of said tap voltage generated on said film means when said film means last touched said resistor path with said reference voltage and said supply voltage coupled to opposite ends of said resistor path;

comparator means in said processing means, said comparator means having one input coupled to said film means and coupled to a reference potential through a load resistor and having one input coupled to a predetermined reference potential from a source other than said potentiometer device, said comparator means for generating a start signal when the voltage on said film means differs from said reference potential; and

wherein each said light has two terminals which must be coupled to two signals at different voltages in order to light said light and wherein said processing means comprises a random access memory and an analog-to-digital converter, said analog-to-digital converter having an analog voltage input and having a digital data output and having a control input coupled to said start signal such that conversion by said analog-to-digital converter starts when said start signal is activated, the analog voltage input of said analog-to-digital converter being coupled to said conductive film means, and said digital data output thereof being coupled to said random access memory so as to store a digital value representing said center tap voltage in said random access memory and said processing means further comprising a counter/clock means coupled to generate address signals for controlling storage of digital data from said analog to digital converter in said random access memory, and further comprising a decoder/column driver means coupled to said lights and to said counter/clock means for generating one of said two signals needed to light the appropriate light, and further comprising line driver means coupled to the output of said random access memory means to supply the other of said two signals needed to light the appropriate light.

2. A potentiometer device comprising:

a support;

a resistor path disposed on a surface of said support and having first and second end terminals for connection, respectively, to a reference voltage and a supply voltage of a voltage source;

a plurality of lights mounted on said support adjacent to said resistor path so as to be visible;

a spacer mounted on said support adjacent to said resistor path and said plurality of lights;

an electrically conductive film means coupled to said spacer and overlying said resistor path and mounted on said support in alignment therewith but spaced therefrom, said film means for acting as a center tap terminal of said potentiometer device, said film means for elastically deforming in response to pressure so as to make electrical contact with said resistor path to form a voltage divider with the tap voltage of said electrically conductive film means relative to said reference voltage being a function of the position along said resistor path where said film means contacts said resistor path;

processing means connected to said film means and to said plurality of lights for storing said tap voltage and for lighting an appropriate group of one or more of said lights to visually indicate the relative magnitude of said tap voltage generated on said film means when said film means last touched said resistor path with said reference voltage and said supply voltage coupled to opposite ends of said resistor path;

comparator means in said processing means, said comparator means having one input coupled to said film means and coupled to a reference potential through a load resistor and having one input coupled to a predetermined reference potential from a source other than said potentiometer device, said comparator means for generating a start signal when the voltage on said film means differs from said reference potential; and

wherein each said light has two terminals which must be coupled to two signals at different voltages in order to light said light and wherein said processing means comprises a random access memory and an analog-to-digital converter, said analog-to-digital converter having an analog voltage input and having a digital data output and having a control input coupled to said start signal such that conversion by said analog-to-digital converter means starts when said start signal is activated, the analog voltage input of said analog-to-digital converter being coupled to said conductive film means, and said digital data output thereof being coupled to said random access memory so as to store a digital value representing said center tap voltage in said random access memory, said processing means further comprising a counter/clock means coupled to generate address signals for controlling storage of digital data from said analog-to-digital converter in said random access memory, and further comprising a decoder/column driver means coupled to said lights and to said counter/clock means for generating one of said two signals needed to light the appropriate light, and further comprising line driver means coupled to the output of said random access memory means to supply the other of said two signals needed to light the appropriate light; and

further comprising a multiplexer means having a select control input coupled to said counter/clock means and having a plurality of signal channel inputs for coupling to a plurality of film means of other potentiometer devices and having an output coupled to one input of said comparator, said multiplexer means for switching the signal channel input selected by address signals from said counter/clock means to be in electrical connection with said output.