System of multi-channel analog signal generation and controlled activation of multiple peripheral devices

• US 7,570,183 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Light-Based Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Jackson, Jeanette Elisabeth, Jackson, Verne Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAUTURE, JOSEPH J
• Application Number:
  US12/031,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20080272941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 341/133, 324/122, 324/96, 324/133, 324/115, 315/312, 315/316
• US Class Current: 341/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 7/00 Multiplex systems in which the amplitudes or durations of the signals in individual channels are characteristic of those channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0264 Arrangements for coupling to transmission lines duplexing arrangements H04L5/14; line equalisers, line build-out devices H04L25/03878
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0272 Arrangements for coupling to multiple lines, e.g. for differential transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/49 using code conversion at the transmitter; using predistortion; using insertion of idle bits for obtaining a desired frequency spectrum; using three or more amplitude levels ; Baseband coding techniques specific to data transmission systems spectral shaping H04L25/03828
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/16 Half-duplex systems; Simplex/duplex switching; Transmission of break signals non-automatically inverting the direction of transmission

Abstract

The invention provides a system of generation of multi-channel analog output signals, from a single analog input signal, and the controlled activation of peripheral devices responsive to the multi-channel analog output signals. A single-channel to multi-channel analog-to-analog converter is provided to convert the single analog input signal to multiple output channels. Uni-directional coupling is used for coupling and mixing the multi-channel outputs and transferring the mixed outputs to a data buss. Signals on the data buss are used to drive the multiple peripheral devices.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a group of peripheral devices responsive to variation of a single-channel analog input signal within a range, said system comprising:

a single-channel to multi-channel analog-to-analog signal converter for converting said single-channel analog input signal to a plurality of analog signals, said range being partitioned into a plurality of sub-ranges, said analog-to-analog signal converter comprising;

a plurality of sub-range signal generators, each of said plurality of sub-range signal generators being responsive to said analog input signal within a sub-range of the plurality of sub-ranges to generate a sub-range analog signal,

a data bus having a plurality of bus lines, each of the bus lines being operatively connected to each one peripheral device of the group of peripheral devices for controlling operation thereof, and

a unidirectional coupling unit, said uni-directional coupling unit operatively transmitting each of said plurality of sub-range analog signals to at least one of a plurality of bus lines of the data bus and inhibiting any feedback from said bus being transmitted to said analog-to-analog signal converter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said each sub-range signal generator comprises a first circuit path and a second circuit path, said first circuit path being responsive to said analog input signal within the sub-range and becoming gradually fully conducting in response to increase of said analog input signal in the sub-range, the second circuit path being responsive to said analog input signal within the sub-range and gradually inhibiting the first circuit path from being conducting in response to increase of said analog input signal in the sub-range, said first circuit path and said second circuit path cooperating to generate said sub-range analog signal in said sub-range.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first circuit path comprises a first bipolar junction transistor circuit configured to operate in linear and switching modes and said second circuit path comprises a second bipolar junction transistor circuit configured to operate in linear and switching modes, said second bipolar junction transistor circuit providing a shunting path of forward biasing current of said first bipolar junction transistor circuit for turning off said first bipolar junction transistor circuit when said second bipolar junction transistor circuit becomes conducting.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said first and second bipolar junction transistor circuits further comprise circuit elements for adjusting a first profile of said sub-range analog signal and overlap of said first profile with a second profile of a neighboring sub-range.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said circuit elements include resistors and diodes.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said first circuit path comprises a first op-amp circuit configured to operate in linear and switching modes and a second op-amp circuit configured to operate in linear and switching modes, said second op-amp circuit being electrically coupled to the second circuit path to control state of said second op-amp.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said first circuit path comprises a first logic gate and a second logic gate coupled to said first logic gate, said second logic gate being electrically coupled to the second circuit path to control state of said second logic gate.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the peripheral devices further include a white color light emitting diode (“

LED”

) and said data bus includes a bus line for driving said white color LED.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second analog-to-analog converter and a second selector circuit, said second selector circuit being responsive to a selection control signal for selecting one of said analog-to-analog converter and said second analog-to-analog converter for providing said plurality of analog signals to said data bus.

10. The system of claim 2, further comprising an overflow circuit, said overflow circuit extracting a portion of a power supply voltage in excess of a reference voltage as said analog input signal and providing a regulated supply voltage to the system, said regulated supply voltage being lower than said power supply voltage.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said analog-to-analog signal converter comprises a light source and a plurality of light detectors, each of said plurality of light detectors corresponding to one of said plurality of sub-ranges, detection of light from said light source by said each light detector producing said sub-range analog signal, said plurality of light detectors being spaced from each other, said light source being movable relative to said plurality of light detectors, and said relative movement being responsive to said analog input signal.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said analog-to-analog signal converter comprises a first magnetic coupling element and a plurality of secondary magnetic coupling elements, each of said plurality of secondary magnetic coupling elements corresponding to one of said plurality of sub-ranges, said plurality of secondary magnetic coupling elements being spaced from each other and from said first magnetic coupling element, said first magnetic coupling element being movable relative to said plurality of secondary magnetic coupling elements, said relative movement being responsive to said analog input signal, and variation of coupling between said first magnetic coupling element and said each secondary magnetic coupling element producing said sub-range analog signal.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said uni-directional coupling unit comprises a plurality of diodes, each of said plurality of diodes coupling an output terminal of said each of said plurality of sub-range signal generators to at least one of said bus lines.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein an output terminal of at least one of said plurality of sub-range signal generators is connected to at least two of said plurality of diodes, each of said least two diodes being connected to one of said bus lines.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said uni-directional coupling unit comprises a plurality of photo-electric couplers, each of said plurality of photo-electric couplers coupling an output terminal of said each of said plurality of sub-range signal generators to at least one of said bus lines.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein an output terminal of at least one of said plurality of sub-range signal generators is connected to at least two of said plurality of photo-electric couplers, each of said least two photo-electric couplers being connected to one of said bus lines.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral devices include light emitting elements of three distinct colors, said data bus includes three bus lines, each bus line for driving light emitting elements of one of said three distinct colors.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said light emitting elements are light emitting diodes and said distinct colors are red, green and blue, respectively.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a driver circuit disposed between said data bus and said group of peripheral devices, said driver circuit being configured to drive said group of peripheral devices responsive to said sub-range analog signals on said data bus.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said driver circuit is configured to be responsive to a control signal for decoupling said group of peripheral devices from said data bus.