Electronic circuit for simulating certain characteristics of a biological neuron

Claim 1

AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT FOR SIMULATING CERTAIN OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A BIOLOGICAL NEURON COMPRISING: A BLOCKING OSCILLATOR HAVING A FEEDBACK CIRCUIT WHEREBY SAID OSCILLATOR GENERATES A SERIES OF PULSES WHOSE AMPLITUDE IS INDEPENDENT OF THE VALUE OF THE INPUT SIGNAL TO THE OSCILLATOR BUT THE FREQUENCY OF WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY THE INPUT AMPLITUDE, SAID OSCILLATOR HAVING A MINIMUM INPUT THRESHOLD BELOW WHICH IT WILL NOT CONDUCT; INPUT MEANS TO SAID OSCILLATOR INCLUDING A SERIES RESISTOR AND A CAPACITOR CONNECTED TO A POINT BETWEEN SAID RESISTOR AND OSCILLATOR TO PROVIDE BOTH AN INPUT DELAY PERIOD AND TEMPORAL SUMMATION OF A SUCCESSION OF INPUTS INDIVIDUALLY BELOW SAID THRESHOLD; AN INHIBITORY OUTPUT FOR SAID CIRCUIT CONNECTED TO SAID OSCILLATOR OUTPUT THROUGH A SERIES CAPACITOR; AND A DIODE CONNECTING THE OUTPUT SIDE OF SAID CAPACITOR TO GROUND SO AS TO MAINTAIN SAID INHIBITORY OUTPUT NORMALLY AT GROUND POTENTIAL AND TO ADD THERETO THE OUTPUT OF THE OSCILLATOR TO PRODUCE A POSITIVE INHIBITORY OUTPUT PULSE.