Touch-actuated mode control circuit

Claim 2

A touch-actuated, solid-state switching circuit, including in combination: first and second unidirectional voltage sources, said second source having a higher given magnitude than said first source; a plane of reference potential; solid-state switching means having conductive and nonconductive states and including a control electrode, a cathode electrode connected to said source of lower potential level and an anode electrode returned to said plane of reference potential; actuating control means comprising a first resistance interconnected between said control electrode and said source of lower potential level, a storage capacitor coupled between said control electrode and said voltage source of higher potential level through a second, limiting resistance, and a touch-responsive element having a pair of normally insulated terminals connected between the junction of said storage capacitor and second resistance and said plane of reference through a third limiting resistance, said touch-responsive element upon being contacted in a manner to present a low impedance between said insulated terminals causing a discharge pulse to be generated by said storage capacitor effective to trigger said switching means to its conductive state; means for minimizing spurious operation of said switching means in the presence of transient signals and extraneous noise pickup; and additional means connected between said control and cathode electrodes of said switching means to effectively shorten switch-off time thereof.

Claim 3

A touch-actuated, solid-state switching circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said solid-state switching means comprises a controlled rectifier device, wherein said means for minimizing spurious operation thereof comprises a further capacitor connected between the control electrode of said switching means and said source of lower potential level, and wherein said means for shortening switch-off time of said switching means includes diode means poled so as to be reverse biased during conduction of said switching means and forward biased when said switching means is rendered nonconductive.

Claim 4

A touch-actuated, solid-state switching circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein an indicator lamp is connected between the anode of said switching means and said plane of reference potential and which is energized upon said switching means being rendered conductive.

Claim 5

A touch-actuated, solid-state switching circuit, including in combination: first and second solid-state switching means each having conductive and nonconductive states and each including anode, cathode and control electrodes, said first switching means having its cathode coupled to a source of unidirectional potential through a load impedance and also to the cathode of said second switching means through a first coupling capacitor, said first switching means having its anode coupled to the anode of said second switching means through a second coupling capacitor, said anode of said second switching means being returned to a plane of reference potential, and said cathode of said second switching means being connected to said source of unidirectional potential; and actuating control means coupled to said control electrode of said first switching means, including a touch-responsive element and pulse generating means, said touch-responsive element having a pair of normally insulated terminals which when bridged permits said pulse means to generate and apply a control pulse of predetermined duration to the control electrode of said first switching means to render the same conductive, said cathode impedance being of a selected value to prevent conduction of said first switching means upon cessation of said control pulse, said momentary conduction of said first switching means developing positive- and negative-going pulses at respective cathode and anode electrodes thereof, said positive-going pulse coupled to the control electrode of said second switching means being effective to trigger the same to conduction if previously in a nonconductive state, and said negative-going pulse coupled to the anode of said second switching means being effective to reverse-bias the same to nonconduction if previously in a conductive state.

Claim 6

A touch-actuated, solid-state switching circuit, including in combination: first and second solid-state switching means each having conductive and nonconductive states and each including anode, cathode and control electrodes, said first switching means having its cathode coupled to a source of unidirectional potential through a load impedance and also to the cathode of said second switching means through a first coupling capacitor, said first switching means having its anode coupled to the anode of said second switching means through a second coupling capacitor, said anode of said second switching means being returned to a plane of reference potential, and said cathode of said second switching means being connected to said source of unidirectional potential; and actuating control means coupled to said control electrode of said first switching means, including a touch-responsive element and pulse generating means, said touch-responsive element having a pair of normally insulated terminals which when bridged permits said pulse means to generate and apply a control pulse of predetermined duration to the control electrode of said first switching means to render the same conductive, said cathode impedance being of a selected value to prevent conduction of said first switching means upon cessation of said control pulse, said momentary conduction of said first switching means developing positive- and negative-going pulses at respective cathode and anode electrodes thereof, said positive-going pulse coupled to the control electrode of said second switching means being effective to trigger the same to conduction if previously in a nonconductive state, and said negative-going pulse coupled to the anode of said second switching means being effective to reverse-bias the same to nonconduction if previously in a conductive state.

Claim 7

A touch-actuated, solid-state switching circuit in accordance with claim 4 wherein said solid-state switching means comprise respective controlled rectifier devices, and wherein said pulse generating means includes a storage capacitor coupled to the control electrode of said first switching means and permitted to charge to a predetermined level from a source of unidirectional potential, said storage capacitor generating said control pulse by discharging through said touch-responsive element when the same is suitably contacted.

Claim 8

A touch-actuated, solid-state switching circuit in accordance with claim 4 wherein said solid-state switching means comprise respective controlled rectifier devices with diode means connected across respective cathode and control electrodes in a manner to shorten switch-off time thereof, and wherein further capacitor means is connected between cathode and control electrodes of said first switching means providing a filtering action to minimize spurious operation thereof on transient signals and extraneous noise pickup.

Claim 9

A touch-actuated, solid-state control function network for selecting a plurality of basic operational modes and at least one optional mode for a multifunctional complex formed of particular, interconnected subunits operative through first and second system channels, comprising in combination: a plurality of switching circuits for selectively controlling said basic operational modes, each of said switching circuits including solid-state switching means having a control electrode, and cathode and anode electrodes connected across a source of unidirectional potential of predetermined magnitude; diode means connected to each of said switching means for selectively coupling respective system channels to respective subunits, each providing a particularized function and collectively comprising said complex; actuating control means including a touch-responsive element coupled to the control electrode of each of said switching means for selectively actuating the same and biasing an associated diode switch means to pass signal information to respective system channels; circuit means interconnecting each of said switching means which, upon actuating a particular switching means, automatically deactivates any of the remaining switching means if previously in an activated condition; and additional switching circuit means for providing said optional mode, said additional switching circuit including first and second solid-state switching means having conductive and nonconductive states and including control, cathode and anode electrodes, said first and second switching means having respective cathodes coupled to said source of unidirectional potential and respective anodes interconnected through a first coupling capacitor, said first switching means having its cathode further coupled to the control electrode of said second switching means through a second coupling capacitor, and additional actuating control means coupled to the control electrode of said first switching means, including a touch-responsive element which when actuated permits momentary conduction of said first switching means for developing positive- and negative-going pulses at respective cathode and anode electrodes thereof, said positive-goiNg pulse coupled to the control electrode of said second switching means being effective to forward-bias the same to conduction if previously in a nonconductive state, and said negative-going pulse coupled to the anode of said second switching device being effective to reverse-bias the same to nonconduction if previously in a conductive state.

Claim 10

A touch-actuated, solid-state control function network for selecting a plurality of basic operational modes and at least one optional mode for a multifunctional complex formed of particular, interconnected subunits operative through first and second system channels, comprising in combination: a plurality of switching circuits for selectively controlling said basic operational modes, each of said switching circuits including solid-state switching means having a control electrode, and cathode and anode electrodes connected across a source of unidirectional potential of predetermined magnitude; diode means connected to each of said switching means for selectively coupling respective system channels to respective subunits, each providing a particularized function and collectively comprising said complex; actuating control means including a touch-responsive element coupled to the control electrode of each of said switching means for selectively actuating the same and biasing an associated diode switch means to pass signal information to respective system channels; circuit means interconnecting each of said switching means which, upon actuating a particular switching means, automatically deactivates any of the remaining switching means if previously in an activated condition; and additional switching circuit means for providing said optional mode, said additional switching circuit including first and second solid-state switching means having conductive and nonconductive states and including control, cathode and anode electrodes, said first and second switching means having respective cathodes coupled to said source of unidirectional potential and respective anodes interconnected through a first coupling capacitor, said first switching means having its cathode further coupled to the control electrode of said second switching means through a second coupling capacitor, and additional actuating control means coupled to the control electrode of said first switching means, including a touch-responsive element which when actuated permits momentary conduction of said first switching means for developing positive- and negative-going pulses at respective cathode and anode electrodes thereof, said positive-goiNg pulse coupled to the control electrode of said second switching means being effective to forward-bias the same to conduction if previously in a nonconductive state, and said negative-going pulse coupled to the anode of said second switching device being effective to reverse-bias the same to nonconduction if previously in a conductive state.

Claim 11

A touch-actuated, solid-state control function network in accordance with claim 7 wherein said multifunctional complex includes AM receiver, FM receiver, phonograph and tape subunits, the selective activation of which being controlled by said basic operational modes, and wherein said diode switch means associated with the switching means for activating the AM control mode is effective to apply derived audio signals from said AM receiver to said system channels connected in common, and wherein each of said remaining diode switch means are effective to selectively apply derived audio signals from each of said remaining subunits to said system channels maintained in electrical isolation from one another.

Claim 12

A touch-actuated, solid-state control function network in accordance with claim 7 wherein each of said solid-state switching means comprises a controlled rectifier device, and wherein said means for automatically deactivating any of said switching means includes capacitance means coupled between anodes of respective pairs of said switching means, said capacitance means being effective upon activation of a particular switching means to apply a negative-going pulse to each of the anodes of the remaining unselected switching means so as to reverse-bias the same if previously in a conductive state.

Claim 13

A touch-actuated, solid-state control function network in accordance with claim 8 wherein transistor means is included having an input coupled to the anode of said switching means for selecting said AM operational mode, and collector-emitter electrodes interconnecting a source of operating power and said AM receiver, actuation of said last named switching means forward-biasing said transistor means to conduction so as to apply said operating power to said AM receiver.

Claim 14

A touch-actuated, solid-state control function network in accordance with claim 8 wherein transistor means is included having an input electrode coupled to the anode of said switching means for selecting the FM operational mode, and collector-emitter electrodes interconnecting a source of operating power and said FM receiver, actuation of said last mentioned switching means forward-biasing said transistor means to conduction so as to apply said operating power to said FM receiver.

Claim 15

A touch-actuated, solid-state control function network in accordance with claim 7 wherein said optional mode comprises monostereo operation, and wherein means are included to apply operating power to a selective portion of said FM receiver, and to insure said respective system channels are electrically isolated from each other upon said second switching means of said additional switching circuit being rendered conductive.

Claim 16

A touch-actuated, solid-state control function network in accordance with claim 7 wherein said optional mode comprises extended bass operation, and wherein additional switch means are included for coupling selected low frequency components of derived audio signals by a selected subunit to ground upon said second switching means of said additional switching circuit being rendered conductive.

Claim 17

A touch-actuated, solid-state control function network in accordance with claim 7 wherein one of said basic modes comprises AM receiver operation and said one optional mode comprises monostereo operation, and wherein interlock means are included to prevent selection of the stereo mode in conjunction with said AM receiver mode, said interlock means including transistor means interposed in the circuit path supplying operating power to said switching means for selecting monostereo operation, said transistor means being reverse biased upon actUating said switching means for selecting said AM receiver operation so as to open circuit said circuit path supplying power to said switching means for establishing said stereo mode.