Tap sensitive alarm clock
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising a tap-sensitive alarm clock including;
- a housing;
a vibration sensor mechanically coupled to the housing for receiving a shock due to a user tapping on the housing, said shock including components in a first frequency range;
a control circuit coupled to the vibration sensor for controlling a function of the alarm clock;
an audio unit coupled to an audio circuit for generating sound including components in a second frequency range that overlaps an upper end of the first frequency range, said second frequency range including frequencies in said upper end of the first frequency range and frequencies higher than the first frequency range; and
an adjustable a filter coupled to the vibration sensor and the control circuit, said filter being adjusted to limit passage from the vibration sensor to the control circuit of only the shock components having frequencies in the first frequency range that are not also in the second frequency range.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tap sensitive alarm clock has a housing (20), a vibration sensor (22) mechanically coupled to the housing for receiving a shock due to a user tapping the housing, and a control circuit (24) coupled to the vibration sensor for controlling a function of the alarm clock. An audio unit (26) is coupled to an audio circuit (25) for generating sound, e.g. a loudspeaker in an alarm clock or a wake up light. To avoid interference of the sound and the vibration sensor, the alarm clock is provided with a filter (23) coupled to the vibration sensor and the control circuit. The filter has a filter curve matched to block frequencies occurring in the sound. Advantageously it is avoided that the sound frequencies trigger the function, while the sensor is sensitive to other frequencies up to the frequency range of the sound for reliably detecting the tapping.
16 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising a tap-sensitive alarm clock including;
-
a housing; a vibration sensor mechanically coupled to the housing for receiving a shock due to a user tapping on the housing, said shock including components in a first frequency range; a control circuit coupled to the vibration sensor for controlling a function of the alarm clock; an audio unit coupled to an audio circuit for generating sound including components in a second frequency range that overlaps an upper end of the first frequency range, said second frequency range including frequencies in said upper end of the first frequency range and frequencies higher than the first frequency range; and an adjustable a filter coupled to the vibration sensor and the control circuit, said filter being adjusted to limit passage from the vibration sensor to the control circuit of only the shock components having frequencies in the first frequency range that are not also in the second frequency range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
Specification
-
- Resources
-
Current AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
-
Original AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
-
InventorsHeeringa, Schelte, Wind, Roelof Jan, Rozeboom, Frans Wiebe, Botma, Jacob Hendrik, Van Oostrum, Hielke Simon, Schallig, Michiel Allan Aurelius, Godlieb, Robert
-
Primary Examiner(s)Johnson, Amy Cohen
-
Assistant Examiner(s)Wicklund, Daniel
-
Application NumberUS13/816,264Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,223 DaysField of Search368/72, 368/73, 368/76, 368/255, 368/245US Class Current368/72CPC Class CodesG04G 13/021 DetailsG04G 13/023 Adjusting the duration or a...G04G 13/028 combined with a radioG04G 21/08 Touch switches specially ad...
