Patent US3569954A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3569954A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Analogue commutator
Assignee: AT&T Teletype Corp
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Filing: 1968-05-23
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Granted: 1971-03-09
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Expires: 1988-05-23
Abstract
Abstract An electronic commutator for converting low-level parallel binary input signals into an amplified, permutation-coded, serial-output, signal train includes a reference diode array and an input diode array, with the diodes of each of the arrays being variably reversed-biased, and with the diodes of the input array each being shunted by a reverse-connected photovoltaic cell. A staircase scanning voltage is applied to the diode arrays in the forward direction, and the diodes of each array conduct in a step-by-step fashion; but in the absence of any input signal causing a photovoltaic diode to conduct, the output of the reference array always is higher than that of the input array due to the manner in which the reverse-bias initially is adjusted. This causes a first output always to be obtained from an operational amplifier operated in its saturation-to-saturation mode and supplied with input signals from each diode array. Whenever a photovoltaic cell for a given level of the input array is illuminated, however, it generates sufficient current, when the diodes for that level of the two arrays are rendered conductive, to overcome the imbalance in favor of the reference array, causing a higher output voltage for that level to be obtained from the input array. This, in turn, causes a second output to be obtained from the operational amplifier. The output obtained from the operational amplifier, as a result, is a permutation-coded serial signal corresponding to the parallel signal applied to the photovoltaic diodes.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles A Glorioso
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 14:42
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/10851; H; H04; H04L; H04L25/00; H04L25/02; H04L25/20; H04L25/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
An electronic commutator for converting low-level parallel binary input signals into amplified, permutation-coded, serialoutput, signal trains including: a reference array having a plurality of parallel-connected unidirectional current conducting devices; an input array having a plurality of parallel-connected unidirectional current conducting devices; means for providing a variable biasing voltage in the reverse direction across the devices of each of the arrays; signal-responsive current-generating means connected across each of the devices of the input array for generating a current in response to input signals; means for applying a variable scanning voltage to the devices of the arrays in the forward-current conducting direction for overcoming the biasing voltage to cause the devices of each array to conduct in a step-by-step fashion; and a signal comparator connected to the outputs of the arrays for comparing the signal levels obtained from each of said arrays, and producing an output signal indicative of the relative difference between the signals obtained from said arrays.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
An electronic commutator for converting low-level parallel binary input signals into amplified, permutation-coded, serialoutput, signal trains including: a reference array having a plurality of parallel-connected unidirectional current conducting devices; an input array having a plurality of parallel-connected unidirectional current conducting devices; means for providing a variable biasing voltage in the reverse direction across the devices of each of the arrays; signal-responsive current-generating means connected across each of the devices of the input array for generating a current in response to input signals; means for applying a variable scanning voltage to the devices of the arrays in the forward-current conducting direction for overcoming the biasing voltage to cause the devices of each array to conduct in a step-by-step fashion; and a signal comparator connected to the outputs of the arrays for comparing the signal levels obtained from each of said arrays, and producing an output signal indicative of the relative difference between the signals obtained from said arrays.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
An electronic commutator in accordance with claim 1 in which the signal response means are photovoltaic diodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
An electronic commutator in accordance with claim 1 wherein the variable reverse-biasing means causes the output of the reference array to be at a threshold which is higher than that of the input array in the absence of any input signals applied to the signal responsive means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electronic commutator in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for applying the scanning voltage to the arrays is a staircase oscillator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
An electronic commutator in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for comparing the output signals of the arrays is an operational amplifier operated in its saturation-to-saturation mode for producing a binary output signal indicative of the instantaneous relative difference between the outputs of the arrays.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
200 words
An analogue commutator including: a source of scanning voltage; a reference array having a plurality of unidirectional current conducting devices connected in parallel with the source of scanning voltage; an input array having a plurality of unidirectional current conducting devices connected in parallel with the source of scanning voltage; means for variably back-biasing all of the unidirectional current conducting devices in both of the arrays, said variable bias being adjusted To provide a higher back-bias to the unidirectional current conducting devices in the reference array; means for applying the scanning voltage in the forward direction across all of the unidirectional current conducting devices in both of the arrays for overcoming the back-bias applied to the arrays by the variable bias means in a step-by-step fashion; means, responsive to input signals, connected across each of the unidirectional current conducting devices in the input array for generating a current in the forward direction across the unidirectional current conducting devices in an amount sufficient to overcome the imbalance provided by the bias means; and means for comparing the output signals obtained from both of said arrays to provide an output indicative of the relative difference in the output signals obtained from the arrays.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
200 words
An analogue commutator including: a source of scanning voltage; a reference array having a plurality of unidirectional current conducting devices connected in parallel with the source of scanning voltage; an input array having a plurality of unidirectional current conducting devices connected in parallel with the source of scanning voltage; means for variably back-biasing all of the unidirectional current conducting devices in both of the arrays, said variable bias being adjusted To provide a higher back-bias to the unidirectional current conducting devices in the reference array; means for applying the scanning voltage in the forward direction across all of the unidirectional current conducting devices in both of the arrays for overcoming the back-bias applied to the arrays by the variable bias means in a step-by-step fashion; means, responsive to input signals, connected across each of the unidirectional current conducting devices in the input array for generating a current in the forward direction across the unidirectional current conducting devices in an amount sufficient to overcome the imbalance provided by the bias means; and means for comparing the output signals obtained from both of said arrays to provide an output indicative of the relative difference in the output signals obtained from the arrays.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
An analogue commutator in accordance with claim 6 wherein the scanning voltage is a staircase voltage generated by a staircase oscillator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
An analogue commutator in accordance with claim 6 wherein the unidirectional current conducting devices are diodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
An analogue commutator in accordance with claim 6 wherein said signal responsive means are photovoltaic cells.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
An analogue commutator in accordance with claim 6 wherein said means for comparing the output signals obtained from the arrays is a differential operational amplifier.
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 |