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US3569733A
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Reversible counter circuit utilizing tunnel diodes
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1967-12-28
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Granted: 1971-03-09
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Expires: 1987-12-28
Abstract
Abstract A reversible counter circuit (sometimes called an up-down counter) is disclosed, utilizing a plurality of tunnel diodes connected in series with an upcount pulse switch in a constant current path, in parallel with a count capacitor. A downcount pulse switch is connected, in a constant current path, across the count capacitor. The voltage charge on the count capacitor shifts up or down in incremental steps in response to the occurrence of the upcount pulses and the downcount pulses, and the proper number of tunnel diodes automatically turn ''''on,'''' upon the occurrence of each count pulse, so as to fix the voltage on the count capacitor at accurately determined values representative of the counts. The count voltage thus always varies in accurately fixed incremental steps and is immune to any cumulative errors in count values.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard C Weischedel
- 👤 Robert A Lux
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:40
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K23/00; H03K23/80
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A pulse counter wherein the improvement comprises a constantcurrent path including a constant-current source, a plurality of tunnel diodes and a count-pulse actuated switch connected in series to form said constant-current path, and a count capacitor connected electrically in parallel with the part of said constant-current path which includes said tunnel diodes and said count-pulse actuated switch, said count-pulse actuated switch being operative upon the occurrence of each input count pulse to pass said constant-curreNt flow to said count capacitor whereby all said tunnel diodes are turned off during the count pulse, said count-pulse actuated switch being further operative upon termination of such count pulse to pass said constant-current flow to said tunnel diodes thereby to turn on a number thereof dependent on the level of count capacitor charge as adjusted by capacitor current flow during the count pulse.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A pulse counter wherein the improvement comprises a constantcurrent path including a constant-current source, a plurality of tunnel diodes and a count-pulse actuated switch connected in series to form said constant-current path, and a count capacitor connected electrically in parallel with the part of said constant-current path which includes said tunnel diodes and said count-pulse actuated switch, said count-pulse actuated switch being operative upon the occurrence of each input count pulse to pass said constant-curreNt flow to said count capacitor whereby all said tunnel diodes are turned off during the count pulse, said count-pulse actuated switch being further operative upon termination of such count pulse to pass said constant-current flow to said tunnel diodes thereby to turn on a number thereof dependent on the level of count capacitor charge as adjusted by capacitor current flow during the count pulse.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
A counter as claimed in claim 1, in wherein said constant-current path constitutes a first of two such paths and said count-pulse actuated switch constitutes a first of two such switches, and wherein the second of said switches is connected in the second of said paths and in electrical parallel with said count capacitor, said first and second count-pulse actuated switches being respectively adapted to apply to or remove from said count capacitor voltage charges of mutually opposite polarities, whereby said counter is reversible.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
A reversible counter as claimed in claim 2, in which said first count-pulse actuated switch comprises a first transistor connected with the collector-emitter path thereof in said first constant-current path, and means to apply upcount pulses to the base of said first transistor, and in which said second count-pulses actuated switch comprises a second transistor connected with the collector-emitter path thereof in said second constant-current path, and means to apply downcount pulses to the base of said second transistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
A reversible counter as claimed in claim 2, in which said first constant-current path comprises a source of voltage and a first resistor connected in series with the circuit of said tunnel diodes and first count-pulse actuated switch, and in which said second constant-current path comprises a second resistor connected in series with said second count-pulse actuated switch, said first and second resistors having sufficiently high values of resistance to function as constant-current sources for said first and second constant-current path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
A reversible counter as claimed in claim 2, in which said tunnel diodes have substantially identical characteristic curves having a relatively high voltage-drop state and a relatively low voltage-drop state, said first and second count-pulse actuated switches being adapted to add and subtract voltage to and from said counter capacitor in increments substantially equal to said relatively high voltage-drop state of the individual tunnel diodes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A reversible counter as claimed in claim 2, in which the current of said second constant-current path is twice the value of current of said first constant-current path, and means for applying count pulses to said first and second count-pulse actuated switches, the count pulses applied to said second count-pulse actuated switch occurring only simultaneously with count pulses applied to said first count-pulse actuated switch.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-08 | 1974-09-07 | 1975-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-08 | 1978-09-07 | 1979-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-08 | 1982-09-07 | 1983-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |