Remote control device

Claim 1

A remote control receiver responsive to an actuable and deactuable source of ultrasonic wave energy, comprising an electroacoustical transducer having a piezoelectric member responsive to ultrasonic radiation and mounting means for causing said piezoelectric member to resonate at the frequency of the source, said transducer producing electrical signals corresponding in frequency to the source, an amplifier connected to said transducer for producing amplified signals corresponding to said electrical signals, a rectifier connected to the output of said amplifier for producing unidirectional pulses corresponding to said amplified signals, a counter including a storage capacitor and a charging resistor connected between said rectifier and said capacitor for causing said unidirectional pulses to charge said capacitor over a period of time, a control pulse generator including a gaseous discharge tube connected across said capacitor for abruptly discharging said capacitor through said tube and thereby producing a brief control pulse in response to the charging of said capacitor by said unidirectional pulses to a threshold voltage sufficient to break down said tube, a bistable electronic switch connected to the output of said control pulse generator and operable by said control pulse, said bistable electronic switch having two stable states and being operable by said control pulse from either state to the other state, and a utilization device, connected to and operable by said bistable electronic switch.