Circuit and method for providing a light energy response to an event in real time

• US 4,843,627 A
• Filed: 08/05/1986
• Issued: 06/27/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Russell T. Stebbins
• Original Assignee: Neolight, Inc.
• Inventors: Stebbins, Russell T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US06/893,483
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 340/767, 340/793, 340/69, 340/815.11, 340/815.17, 381/56, 381/57, 381/124, 381/110, 84/464 R
• US Class Current: 381/110
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 17/00 Apparatus for performing colour-music
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/30 for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/444 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for illuminating a light source in real time response to an event of changing magnitude. A pulsed electrical signal is generated which has a pulse repetition frequency corresponding to the magnitude of the event. The pulsed electrical signal is then utilized to control the power provided to the light source such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies in real time with changes in the magnitude of the event.

Claims

1. A sound-to-light converter for converting a signal from a sound source to visible light energy in real time, the sound-to-light converter comprising:

a light source;

a power supply for illuminating the light source;

means for monitoring the sound source signal comprising

(a) a voltage controlled pulse generator which generates a pulsed output signal having a pulse repetition frequency corresponding to the intensity of the sound source signal; and

(b) a burst oscillator which receives the pulsed output signal and generates first and second alternating voltage bursts in response thereto, the duty cycle of the alternating bursts corresponding to the pulse repetition frequency of the pulsed output signal; and

a power driver connected between the power supply and the light source, the power driver being responsive to the first and second alternating voltage bursts to control the power provided to the light source by the power supply such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies in real time with changes in the intensity of the sound source signal.

2. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the power driver comprises a transformer that includes

a secondary winding connected between the light source and ground and comprising first and second secondary windings which are tied electrically in series and magnetically in parallel on the core of the transformer;

and

first and second primary windings, the first and second alternating voltage bursts being provided to the first and second primary windings, respectively.

3. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 2 wherein the first and second secondary windings contain the same number of turns.

4. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the sound source signal is a digital signal.

5. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the light source responds to changes in the amplitude of the sound signal within 100 microseconds after the occurrence of such changes.

6. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a rare gas.

7. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 6 wherein the rare gas comprises neon gas.

8. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a plurality of rare gases.

9. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the sound source signal is a sound wave.

10. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a 120 VAC voltage source.

11. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a 12 VDC voltage source.

12. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a 1.5-6 VDC voltage source.

13. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 and further including means for dimming the intensity of light energy provided by the light source.

14. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 and further including means for causing the light source to blink.

15. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 1 wherein the light source comprises first and second lights and the power driver provides first and second power outputs to the first and second lights, respectively, the first power output being out of phase with the second power output such that first power output to the first light is inversely proportional to the second power output to the second light.

16. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 14 and further including means for adjusting the blink rate.

17. A sound-to-light converter for converting a signal from a sound source to visible light energy in real time, the sound-to-light converter comprising:

a light source;

a power supply for illuminating the light source;

means for monitoring the sound source signal comprising

(a) a pulse width modulator which generates a pulsed output signal having a pulse width corresponding to the intensity of the sound source signal; and

(b) a burst oscillator which receives the pulsed output signal and generates first and second alternating voltage bursts in response thereto, the duty cycle of the alternating bursts corresponding to the pulse width of the pulsed output signal; and

a power driver connected between the power supply and the light source, the power driver being responsive to the first and second alternating voltage bursts to control the power provided to the light source by the power supply such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies in real time with changes in the intensity of the sound source signal.

18. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 17 wherein the sound source signal is a sound wave.

19. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 17 wherein the sound source signal is a digital signal.

20. An apparatus for converting a digital signal to visible light energy in real time, comprising:

a light source;

a power supply for illuminating the light source; and

means for monitoring the digital signal and for generating a pulsed electrical signal which varies in correspondence to changes in the digital signal such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies in real time with changes in the digital signal wherein the means for monitoring and generating comprises

a voltage controlled pulse generator which generates a pulsed output signal having a pulse repetition frequency corresponding to the changes in the digital signal;

a burst oscillator which receives he pulsed output signal and generate first and second alternating voltage bursts in response thereto, the duty cycle of the alternating bursts corresponding to the pulse repetition frequency of the pulsed output signal; and

a power driver connected between the power supply and the light source, the power driver being responsive to the first and second alternating voltage bursts to control the power provided to the light source.

22. An apparatus as in claim 20 or 21 and further including means for dimming the intensity of light energy provided by the light source.

23. An apparatus as in claim 20 or 21 and further including means for causing the light source to blink.

24. An apparatus as in claim 23 and further including means for adjusting the blink rate.

21. An apparatus for converting a digital signal to visible light energy in real time, comprising:

a light source;

a power supply for illuminating the light source; and

means for monitoring the digital signal and for generating a pulsed electrical signal which varies in correspondence to changes in the digital signal such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies in real time with changes in the digital signal wherein the means for monitoring comprises

a pulse width modulator which generates a pulsed output signal having a pulse width corresponding to the changes in the digital signal;

a burst oscillator which receives the pulsed output signal and generates first and second alternating voltage bursts in response thereto, the duty cycle of the alternating bursts corresponding to the pulse width of the pulsed output signal; and

a power driver connected between the power supply and the light source, the power drier being responsive to the first and second alternating voltage bursts to control the power provided to the light source by the power supply.

25. A sound-to-light converter for converting sound waves to visible light energy in real time, the apparatus comprising;

a light source;

a receiver transducer which receives the sound waves and converts the sound waves into an electrical signal the voltage level of which corresponds to the amplitude of the sound signal;

an audio amplifier which amplifies the electrical signal;

pulse generating means which receives the amplified electrical signal and generates a pulsed output signal having a pulse repetition frequency which varies in correspondence to the voltage level of the amplified electrical signal;

a burst oscillator connected to receive the pulsed output signal from the pulse generating means and which generates first and second alternating voltage bursts in response thereto, the duty cycle of the first and second alternating voltage burst corresponding to the pulse repetition frequency of the pulsed output signal of the pulse generating means;

a power supply for providing power to the light source;

a power driver connected between the power supply and the light source and including a transformer comprising

(i) a secondary winding connected between the light source and ground, the secondary winding comprising first and second secondary windings, the first and second secondary windings containing an equal number of turns and being electrically tied in series and magnetically tied in parallel on the core of the transformer;

(ii) first and second primary windings, one end of each of the first and second primary windings being commonly connected to the power supply;

(iii) a first switch connected between the other end of the first primary winding and ground;

(iv) a second switch connected between the other end of the second primary winding and ground;

the first and second alternating voltage bursts being provided to the first and second switches, respectively, such that the secondary winding provides power to the light source such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies in real time with changes in the amplitude of the sound signal.

26. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 25 wherein the pulse generating means is a voltage controlled pulse generator.

27. A sound-to-light converter as in claim 25 wherein the pulse generating means is a pulse width modulator.

28. An apparatus for generating a real time light energy response to an event of changing magnitude, the apparatus comprising:

a light source;

a power supply for illuminating the light source;

means for monitoring the magnitude of the event comprising

(a) a voltage controlled pulse generator which generates a pulsed output signal having a pulse repetition frequency corresponding to the magnitude of the event; and

(b) means for generating voltage bursts in response to the pulsed output signal, the duty cycle of the voltage bursts corresponding to the pulse repetition frequency of the pulsed output signal; and

a power driver connected between the power supply and the light source, the power driver being responsive to the voltage bursts to control the power provided to the light source by the power supply such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies in real time with changes in the magnitude of the event.

30. An apparatus as in claim 28 or 29 wherein the event comprises a digital input signal to the apparatus.

31. An apparatus as in claim 30 wherein the digital input signal is an audio signal.

32. An apparatus as in claim 28 or 29 wherein the event comprises sound waves generated by a sound source.

33. An apparatus as in claim 28 or 29 wherein the power driver comprises a fly-back transformer.

29. An apparatus for generating a real time light energy response to an event of changing magnitude, the apparatus comprising:

a light source;

a power supply for illuminating the light source;

means for monitoring the magnitude of the event comprising

(a) a pulse width modulator which generates a pulsed output signal having a pulse width corresponding to the magnitude of the event; and

(b) means for generating voltage bursts in response to the pulsed output signal, the duty cycle of the voltage bursts corresponding to the pulse width of the pulsed output signal; and

a power driver connected between the power supply and the light source, the power driver being responsive to the voltage bursts to control the power provided to the light source by the power supply such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies in real time with changes in the magnitude of the event.

34. A driver for controlling the power provided by a power supply to a light source so as to provide a real time light energy response to an event of changing magnitude, the driver comprising:

(a) means responsive to changes in the magnitude of the event for generating a pulsed output signal having a pulse repetition frequency corresponding to the magnitude of the event;

(b) means for generating voltage bursts in response to the pulsed output signal, the duty cycle of the voltage bursts corresponding to the pulse repetition frequency of the pulsed output signal; and

(c) transformer means connectable between the power supply and the light source, the transformer means being responsive to the voltage bursts to control the power provided to the light source such that the intensity of light provided by the light source varies within 100 microseconds of corresponding changes in the magnitude of the event.

35. A driver for controlling the power provided by a power supply to a light source so as to provide a real time light energy response to an event of changing magnitude, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means responsive to changes in the magnitude of the event for generating a pulsed output signal having a pulse width corresponding to the magnitude of the event;

(b) means for generating voltage bursts in response to the pulsed output signal, the duty cycle of the voltage bursts corresponding to the pulse width of the pulsed output signal; and

(c) transformer means connectable between the power supply and the light source, the transformer means being responsive to the voltage bursts to control the power provided to the light source such that the intensity of light provided by the light source varies within 100 microseconds of corresponding changes in the magnitude of the event.

36. A driver for controlling the power provided by a power supply to a light source so as to provide a real time light energy response to an event of changing magnitude, the driver comprising:

(a) voltage controlled pulse generator means responsive to changes in the magnitude of the event for generating a pulsed output signal having a pulse repetition frequency corresponding to the magnitude of the event;

(b) a burst oscillator which receives the pulsed output signal and generates first and second alternating voltage bursts in response thereto, the duty cycle of the alternating voltage bursts corresponding to the pulse repetition frequency of the pulsed output signal; and

(c) a transformer connected between the power supply and the light source, the transformer being responsive to the first and second alternating voltage bursts to control the power provided by the power supply such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies within 100 microseconds of corresponding changes in the magnitude of the event.

38. A driver as in claim 36 or 37 wherein the transformer comprises

a secondary winding connectable between the light source and ground and comprising first and second secondary windings which are tied electrically in series and magnetically in parallel on the core of the transformer;

and

first and second primary windings, the first and second alternating voltage bursts being provided to the first and second primary windings, respectively.

37. A driver for controlling the power provided by a power supply to a light source so as to provide a real time light energy response to an event to changing magnitude, the driver comprising:

(a) pulse width modulator means responsive to changes in the magnitude of the event for generating a pulsed output signal having a pulse width corresponding to the magnitude of the event;

(b) a burst oscillator which receives the pulsed output signal and generates first and second alternating voltage bursts in response thereto, the duty cycle of the alternating bursts corresponding to the pulse width of the pulsed output signal; and

(c) a transformer connectable between the power supply and the light source, the transformer being responsive to the first and second alternating voltage bursts to control the power provided to the light source by the power supply such that the intensity of light energy provided by the light source varies within 100 microseconds of corresponding changes in the magnitude of the event.