Trigger circuit unit for operating light emitting members such as leds or motors for use in personal ornament or toy in synchronization with music

• US 5,402,702 A
• Filed: 07/14/1992
• Issued: 04/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jalco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jalco Incorporated
• Inventors: Hata, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US07/913,198
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 84/464 A, 84/464 R, 446/298, 446/300, 446/175, 446/299
• US Class Current: 84/464.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 17/00 Apparatus for performing colour-music

Abstract

A trigger circuit unit including: a forward circuit block having a pickup circuit such as a microphone for picking up a signal of music so as to convert it into an electric signal; a filter circuit for selecting a portion of the band from a picked up audible frequency band; and a limit amplifier circuit mainly composed of an inverter operation logic IC for amplifying the selected electric signal having a portion of the band and transmitting an output having a predetermined amplitude; and a waveform conversion circuit block having a time constant circuit connected to the output of the forward circuit block and composed of a capacitor having one or more diodes connected in series and a resistor in order to prevent a backflow and to obtain a forward directional voltage difference, wherein analog pulse signals transmitted from the time constant circuit are caused to perform a Schmidt operation having a previously adjusted degree of hysteresis, wherein the rectangular pulse signals transmitted from the waveform conversion circuit block in accordance with the electric signals which correspond to the music signals each having a partial band picked up, selected and amplified in the forward circuit block are transmitted as basic trigger signals for operating light emitting members such as LEDs or motors.

Claims

1. A trigger circuit for operating mechanisms in synchronization with music, said trigger circuit comprising:

a forward circuit block comprising,

a microphone for picking up audible musical signals originating from a source remote from said trigger circuit and for converting said picked up signals into electrical signals,

a filter circuit for selecting a predetermined frequency band from said electrical signals, and

a limit amplifier circuit comprising an inverter operation logic integrated circuit for amplifying said selected electrical signals and for transmitting an output having a predetermined amplitude; and

a waveform conversion circuit block comprising,

a time constant circuit connected to the output of said forward circuit block comprising a capacitor connected in series with at least one diode and a resistor in order to prevent backflow and to obtain a forward directional voltage difference,

said time constant circuit being arranged to convert said amplified electrical signals into analog pulse signals with amplitudes greater than a predetermined level, the level obtained from said forward directional voltage difference,

said time constant circuit further comprising a Schmidt circuit having a predetermined degree of hysteresis for converting said analog pulse signals into rectangular pulse signals before they are transmitted,

whereby said rectangular pulse signals transmitted from said waveform conversion circuit block are basic trigger signals that correspond to said audible musical signals for operating said mechanisms.

2. The trigger circuit according to claim 1, further comprising decoding means for converting said basic trigger signals into a plurality of corresponding signals, each for operating one of a plurality of said mechanisms in synchronization with said audible musical signals.

3. The trigger circuit according to claim 2, further comprising an electric power amplifying circuit for transmitting said basic trigger signals so as to directly operate said mechanisms.

4. The trigger circuit according to claim 2, further comprising a battery as the power supply for said trigger circuit and wherein said mechanisms comprise LEDs.

5. The trigger circuit according to claim 1, further comprising an electric power amplifying circuit for transmitting said basic trigger signals so as to directly operate said mechanisms.

6. The trigger circuit according to claim 1, further comprising one of a small button battery and a lithium battery as the power supply for said trigger circuit and wherein said mechanisms comprise LEDs.

7. The trigger circuit of claim 1 wherein said limit amplifier circuit comprises a C-MOS type integrated circuit with one input line.

8. A trigger circuit for operating mechanisms in synchronization with music and light, said trigger circuit comprising:

means for picking up audible musical signals and for converting said picked up signals into electrical signals having a predetermined amplitude;

a time constant circuit connected to the output of said picking up means for obtaining a forward directional voltage difference, said time constant circuit being arranged to convert said electrical signals into analog pulse signals with amplitudes greater than a predetermined level, said predetermined level being obtained from said forward directional voltage difference; and

a photoelectric conversion circuit for providing a signal in response to receipt of light flashes, the signal from said photoelectric conversion circuit being mixed with the output from said means for picking up so that said mechanisms may be operated in response to music and light.

9. The trigger circuit according to claim 8, wherein said trigger circuit is integrally mounted on a single printed circuit board.

10. The trigger circuit according to claim 9, further comprising a battery as the power supply for said trigger circuit and wherein said mechanisms comprise LEDs.

11. A trigger circuit responsive to an external audible sound and for generating signals corresponding to the sound that cause an observable response in a mechanism, said trigger circuit comprising:

pickup means for detecting said external audible sound and converting the detected sound into analog electrical signals;

filter means for attenuated predetermined frequencies in said analog signals;

amplifier means for amplifying said filtered analog signals so that each has at least a predetermined strength;

conversion means for converting said amplified analog signals into digital signals of sufficient strength to actuate a mechanism in synchronization with said sound detected by said pickup means;

decoder means for converting said digital signals into operating signals that are provided to the mechanism in synchronization said external audible sound; and

means for detecting ones of said digital signals and corresponding ones of said operating signals and for stopping said corresponding operating signals unless both said digital signals and said corresponding operating signals are detected.

12. The trigger circuit according to claim 11 wherein said means for detecting comprises means for calculating a logical product of one of said digital signals and one of said corresponding operating signals so that the one said corresponding operating signal is provided to a corresponding said mechanism only when one of said digital signals is present.

13. The trigger circuit according to claim 12, further comprising a battery as the power supply for said trigger circuit and wherein said mechanism comprises an LED.

14. The trigger circuit of claim 11 wherein said filter means attenuates frequencies below 100 Hz and above 800 Hz.

15. The trigger circuit of claim 14 wherein said digital signals have a duration of about 50 ms to 200 ms.

16. The trigger circuit of claim 11 wherein said pickup means comprises a piezoelectric device for improved detection of external audible sound below about 1 kHz.

17. The trigger circuit of claim 11 further comprising a printed circuit board substrate for carrying said filter means, said amplifier means, said conversion means, said decoder means, and said means for detecting.

18. The trigger circuit of claim 17 wherein said substrate is no larger than about 10 mm by 10 mm.

19. The trigger circuit of claim 11 wherein said decoder means comprises a read only memory.

20. The device of claim 11 wherein said filter means comprises a capacitor and a resistor.

21. The device of claim 11 wherein said filter means comprises a phase lock loop circuit.

22. A trigger circuit responsive to an external audible sound and to light and or generating signals corresponding to the sound and light that cause an observable response in a mechanism, said trigger circuit comprising:

pickup means for detecting said external audible sound and converting the detected sound into analog electrical signals;

filter means for attenuating predetermined frequencies in said analog signals;

amplifier means for amplifying said filtered analog signals so that each has at least a predetermined strength;

conversion means for converting said amplified analog signals into digital signals of sufficient strength to actuate a mechanism in synchronization with said sound detected by said pickup means; and

light detection means for detecting the presence of light to thereby cause operation of a mechanism in synchronization therewith.

23. The trigger circuit according to claim 22, further comprising decoding means for converting said digital signals into a plurality of corresponding signals, each for operating one said mechanism in synchronization with said audible sound.

24. The trigger circuit of claim 23 further comprising means for calculating a logical product of one of said digital signals and one of said corresponding signals so that the one said corresponding signal is provided to one said mechanism only when one of said digital signals is present.

25. The trigger circuit of claim 22 wherein said filter means comprises a capacitor and a resistor.

26. The trigger circuit of claim 22 wherein said filter means comprises a phase lock loop.

27. A device for preventing continuous activation of one or more mechanisms that have been activated by digital electrical signals synchronously derived from an audible musical sound wherein the digital electrical signals are not stopped when the sound stops, the device comprising;

means for detecting said audible musical sound having frequencies of about 100 to 800 Hz and for converting the detected sound into an analog electrical signal;

means for converting said analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal of a predetermined amplitude and duration;

decoder means for converting said digital electrical signal into plural operational signals that activate said mechanisms in synchronization with said audible musical sound; and

comparison means for detecting said operational signals and said digital electrical signal and for interrupting said operational signals when said digital electrical signal is not detected, whereby said mechanisms are deactivated when the music stops.

28. The device according to claim 27 further comprising a photoelectric conversion circuit for providing a signal to said means for converting in response to receipt of light flashes, the output of said photoelectric conversion circuit being mixed with the output from said means for detecting so that said mechanisms may be activated by signals derived from light.