Electronic analog bridge type ramp function generators

Claim 1

AN ELECTRONIC BRIDGE TYPE RAMP FUCNTION GENERATOR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A RAMP FUNCTION VOLTAGE FOR THE INSTANTANEOUS VALUE OF AN INPUT VOLTAGE WHEREIN SAID RAMP FUNCTION HAS A ROUNDED OFF OR BLUNTED BREAK POINT; COMPRISING A RAMP FUNCTION GENERATOR OF THE TYPE RECITED INCLUDING INPUT MEANS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID INPUT VOLTAGE, RESISTIVE BRIDGE MEANS CONNECTED THERETO, REFERENCE VOLTAGE MEANS ADAPTED TO ESTABLISH THE BREAK POINT OF SAID RAMP FUNCTION, CIRCUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID REFERENCE MEANS, BREAK POINT DIODE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BRIDGE POINT MEANS AND TO SAID CIRCUIT MEANS, SAID CIRCUIT MEANS PROVIDING A FIRST PATH CONNECTING SAID BRIDGE MEANS WITH SAID REFERENCE MEANS THROUGH SAID DIODE MEANS; SAID CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ELEMENT HAVING A NONLINEAR CURRENT/VOLTAGE CHARACTERISTIC AND PROVIDING A SECOND PATH PASSING THERETHROUGH FROM SAID REFERENCE MEANS SUCH THAT CURRENT FLOW THROUGH SAAID NON-LINEAR MEANS CAUSES THE VOLTAGE AT SAID BREAK POINT DIODE MEANS TO BE A NON-LINEAR FUNCTION OF SAID INPUT VOLTAGE IN THE DOMAIN OF VALUES THEREOF WHEREIN SAID BREAK POINT DIODE MEANS IS CONDUCTIVE.