US3688262A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular audio-visual control system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-08-27
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Granted: 1972-08-29
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Expires: 1990-08-27
Abstract
Abstract A modular control system which is adaptable to be controlled either manually or by a tone generator such as a touch-tone telephone or a prerecorded tape, includes a modular selection means which selectively provides one of a plurality of particular audio-visual device control paths from one of a plurality of operational mode control paths which are common to a plurality of audio-visual devices, and a momentary device control path which is particular to one of the devices. The modular selection means includes means for selectively providing a momentary device control path from a plurality of such paths, with a different one of such paths being associated with a different one of the devices. An audio-visual device control interface module is removably connected between the modular selection means and each of the devices to be controlled. The interface module provides a portion of the plurality of audio-visual device control functions, such as three, for the device connected thereto, a different one of such functions being provided for a different one of the audio-visual device control paths. The interface module includes either a latch relay and a pair of momentary relays connected in parallel, or three latch relays connected in parallel depending on the functions desired. A bidirectional motor is connected to the pair of momentary relays of such an interface module to provide momentary rotary control functions, such as focus control for a projector, with one direction being associated with each relay.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen A Liquori
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 03:55
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B5/00; G09B5/06; G03; G03B; G03B31/00; G03B31/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
400 words
A modular control system for providing a plurality of audiovisual device control functions for a plurality of audio-visual devices from a momentary device control function comprising modular selection means for selectively providing a particular audio-visual device control path, said modular selection means including means for providing a plurality of common operational mode control paths, said common operational mode control path providing means including means for selectively providing one of said common operational mode control paths from said plurality of common operational mode control paths, each of said common operational mode control paths being common to said plurality of audio-visual devices, said modular selection means further including a momentary device control function providing means for selectively providing a plurality of momentary device control functions, a momentary device control path being associated with said momentary device control function, said momentary device control path being particular to one of said plurality of audio-visual devices, said particular momentary device control path being associated with a particular momentary device control function, said modular selection means providing said particular audio-visual device control path from said selected one of said common operational mode control paths and said particular momentary device control path, a different particular audio-visual device control path being provided in combination with said particular momentary device control path and a different one of said common operational mode control paths, a different audio-visual device control function being selectively provided in accordance with said different particular audio-visual device control path, and modular audiovisual device control interface means removably connected between said modular selection means and said plurality of audio-visual devices for selectively providing one of said plurality of audio-visual device control functions to each of said plurality of audio-visual devices to which an audio-visual device control path has been provided, a different momentary device control path being associated with each momentary device control function, each of said momentary device control paths being particular to a different associated one of said plurality of audio-visual devices, said particular audio-visual device control path being selectively provided for each audiovisual device from one of said selectively provided associated momentary device control paths and said selected common operational mode control path, each of said momentary device control paths providing a different particular audio-visual device control path with said selected common operational mode control path, a different audio-visual device control function being provided in accordance with said different associated audio-visual device control path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
400 words
A modular control system for providing a plurality of audiovisual device control functions for a plurality of audio-visual devices from a momentary device control function comprising modular selection means for selectively providing a particular audio-visual device control path, said modular selection means including means for providing a plurality of common operational mode control paths, said common operational mode control path providing means including means for selectively providing one of said common operational mode control paths from said plurality of common operational mode control paths, each of said common operational mode control paths being common to said plurality of audio-visual devices, said modular selection means further including a momentary device control function providing means for selectively providing a plurality of momentary device control functions, a momentary device control path being associated with said momentary device control function, said momentary device control path being particular to one of said plurality of audio-visual devices, said particular momentary device control path being associated with a particular momentary device control function, said modular selection means providing said particular audio-visual device control path from said selected one of said common operational mode control paths and said particular momentary device control path, a different particular audio-visual device control path being provided in combination with said particular momentary device control path and a different one of said common operational mode control paths, a different audio-visual device control function being selectively provided in accordance with said different particular audio-visual device control path, and modular audiovisual device control interface means removably connected between said modular selection means and said plurality of audio-visual devices for selectively providing one of said plurality of audio-visual device control functions to each of said plurality of audio-visual devices to which an audio-visual device control path has been provided, a different momentary device control path being associated with each momentary device control function, each of said momentary device control paths being particular to a different associated one of said plurality of audio-visual devices, said particular audio-visual device control path being selectively provided for each audiovisual device from one of said selectively provided associated momentary device control paths and said selected common operational mode control path, each of said momentary device control paths providing a different particular audio-visual device control path with said selected common operational mode control path, a different audio-visual device control function being provided in accordance with said different associated audio-visual device control path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said modular selection means includes frequency responsive means, a different particular frequency being associated with each momentary device control function, said frequency responsive control means selectively providing one of said different momentary device control paths in response to said particular associated frequency.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said frequency responsive means includes tone responsive means, a different particular tone being associated with each of said different particular frequencies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said modular selection means includes a plurality of monostable means each having a stable state and an unstable state, a different momentary device control function being associated with a different monostable means, said associated momentary device control Function being provided from said monostable means in said unstable state.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for selectively providing said common operational mode control path from said plurality of common operational mode control paths includes means for inhibiting said plurality of common operational mode control paths except for said selectively provided common operational mode control path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
87 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said common operational mode control path selective providing means includes a latch relay means having an associated latch position for each of said plurality of common operational mode control paths, said associated common operational mode control path being established in said associated latch position, each of said plurality of common operational mode control paths other than said associated latched common operational mode control path being inhibited when said associated latched common operational mode control path is established.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said modular audio-visual-device control interface means includes a plurality of relay means connected in parallel, each relay means of said plurality being associated with a different one of said different audio-visual device control paths for providing said different audio-visual device control functions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said audio-visual device control functions include a latch control function, one of said plurality of relay means providing said latch control function.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said modular audio-visual-device control interface means includes a plurality of interface modules, each interface module being removably connected between a particular audio-visual device of said plurality of audio-visual devices and said modular selection means for selectively providing a pair of said plurality of audio-visual device control functions for each of said particular audio-visual devices in accordance with said audio-visual device control paths.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 4 wherein one of said interface modules includes a pair of relay means connected in parallel, each relay means being associated with a different one of said pair of audio-visual device control paths for providing one of said different audio-visual device control functions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 10 wherein one of said relay means is a latch relay means and the other of said relay means is a momentary relay means, an audio-visual device latch control function being provided from said latch relay means and an audio-visual device momentary control function being provided from said momentary relay means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 10 wherein both of said relay means are latch relay means, an audio-visual device latch control function being provided from each of said latch relay means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 10 wherein both of said relay means are momentary relay means, an audio-visual device momentary control function being provided from each of said momentary relay means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said one interface module includes a bidirectional rotary means operatively connected to said pair of relay means and to said particular audio-visual device for providing a unidirectional rotary movement to said audio-visual device for each of said pair of audio-visual device control paths for providing said pair of audio-visual device control functions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plurality of momentary device control functions comprises twelve momentary device control functions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said plurality of momentary device control functions comprises tweLve momentary device control functions, said associated tones being telephone touch-tones.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
95 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 10 wherein another of said interface modules includes a pair of relay means connected in parallel, each relay means being associated with one of said particular pair of audio-visual device control paths for providing one of said different audio-visual device control functions, signal blocking means being associated with each relay means of said interface modules for isolating the audio-visual control path associated with one of said pair of relay means in one interface module from another of said pair of relay means in said other interface module.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A modular control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said modular selection means includes indication means associated with said momentary device control path for providing an indication when said audio-visual device control path is provided.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
210 words
An audio-visual device control interface module for selectively providing a plurality of audio-visual device control functions in accordance with a plurality of different audio-visual device control paths, a different one of said plurality of audio-visual device control functions being provided in accordance with a different one of said audio-visual device control paths, said interface module being adapted to be removably connectable between an audio-visual device to be controlled and a means for providing said plurality of audio-visual device control paths, said interface module comprising a first relay means associated with one of said audio-visual device control paths for providing one of said audio-visual device control functions to said audio-visual device, a second relay means associated with another of said audio-visual device control paths for providing another one of said audio-visual device control functions to said audio-visual device, said second relay means being connected in parallel with said first relay means, and a third relay means associated with a different one of said audio-visual device control paths than said first and second relay means for providing a different one of said audio-visual device control functions to said audio-visual device than said first and second relay means, said third relay means being connected in parallel with said first and second relay means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
210 words
An audio-visual device control interface module for selectively providing a plurality of audio-visual device control functions in accordance with a plurality of different audio-visual device control paths, a different one of said plurality of audio-visual device control functions being provided in accordance with a different one of said audio-visual device control paths, said interface module being adapted to be removably connectable between an audio-visual device to be controlled and a means for providing said plurality of audio-visual device control paths, said interface module comprising a first relay means associated with one of said audio-visual device control paths for providing one of said audio-visual device control functions to said audio-visual device, a second relay means associated with another of said audio-visual device control paths for providing another one of said audio-visual device control functions to said audio-visual device, said second relay means being connected in parallel with said first relay means, and a third relay means associated with a different one of said audio-visual device control paths than said first and second relay means for providing a different one of said audio-visual device control functions to said audio-visual device than said first and second relay means, said third relay means being connected in parallel with said first and second relay means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
62 words
An audio-visual device control interface module in accordance with claim 19 wherein said first relay means is a latch relay means and said second and third relay means are each momentary relay means, an audio-visual device latch control function being provided from said latch relay means and an audio-visual device momentary control function being provided from each of said momentary relay means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
An audio-visual device control interface module in accordance with claim 19 wherein each of said relay means are latch relay means, an audio-visual device latch control function being provided from each of said latch relay means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
62 words
An audio-visual device control interface module in accordance with claim 30 further comprising a bidirectional rotary means operatively connected to said second and third relay means and to said audio-visual device for providing a unidirectional rotary movement to said audio-visual device for each of said second and third audio-visual device control paths for providing said second and third audio-visual device control functions.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-29 | 1976-02-28 | 1976-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-29 | 1980-02-28 | 1980-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-29 | 1984-02-28 | 1984-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |