Acoustic control system

Claim 2

A control system conrising: first means for providing a plurality of variable electrical input signals; multiplexer means coupled to said first means for providing an input modulating signal which is related to said variable electrical input signal; transmitter means for generating an acoustic carrier signal and modulating said acoustic carrier signal in accordance with said input modulating signal; a receiver; conduit means for conducting the modulated acoustic carrier signal to said receiver; said receiver including means for providing an output modulating signal which is related to the modulated acoustic carrier signal; demultiplexer means for providing a plurality of electrical output signals related to said output modulating signal; an actuator; and second means responsive to at least one of said electrical output signals for operating said actuator.

Claim 3

A control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said conduit means has at least one aperture in the wall thereof.

Claim 4

A control system as defined in claim 1 wherein a second of said electrical output signals is capable of having a predetermined characteristic, said control system including means responsive to said predetermined characteristic for preventing operation of said actuator.

Claim 5

A control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said actuator is a first actuator, said control system includes a second actuator and third means responsive to another of said electrical output signals for operating said second actuator.

Claim 6

A control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said acoustic signal includes a plurality of acoustic pulses and said input modulating signal selectively interrupts said acoustic pulses.

Claim 7

A control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said second means includes an electric motor, said conrol system including safety means responsive to a second of said output signals for interrupting the supply of current to said motor to prevent operation of the actuator.

Claim 8

A control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said output signals include a second output signal and a third output signal, said third output signal having a predetermined characteristic, said first means includes manual means for providing input information from which said variable electrical input signals are derived, said actuator is a first actuator, said control system including a second actuator, third means responsive to a second of the electrical output signals for operating said second actuator, and means responsive to said predetermined characteristic for preventing the operation of at least one of said actuators.

Claim 9

A conrol system as defined in claim 7 wherein said acoustic signal includes a plurality of acoustic pulses and said input modulating signal selectively interrupts said acoustic pulses.

Claim 10

A control system as defined in claim 8 wherein said first actuator includes a housing and a piston movable in said housing and dividing said housing into first and second chambers, said second means including a reversible motor and a pump driven by said motor to pump fluid between said chambers whereby said piston is moved in a first direction as said reversible motor rotates in one direction and said piston is moved in a second direction as the motor rotates in the other direction thereof, said one electrical output signAl controlling the direction of rotation of said motor.

Claim 11

A control system comprising: an input device for providing variable input information; first means responsive to the input information for producing an input signal, a characteristic of the input signal being variable in accordance with the variations in the input information; transmitter means responsive to said characteristic of the input signal for producing an acoustic signal, a characterisic of the acoustic signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the input signal; a receiver; a sound pipe for conducting the acoustic signal from the transmitter to the receiver; said receiver including means for producing an electrical output signal, a characteristic of the electrical output signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the acoustic signal; an actuator; second means responsive to said characteristic of the output signal for controlling the actuator; and said acoustic signal including a plurality of acoustic pulses, said pulses being arranged in a plurality of groups with the acoustic pulses being interrupted between said groups.

Claim 12

A control system comprising: an input device for providing variable input information; first means responsive to the input information for producing an input signal, a characteristic of the input signal being variable in accordance with the variations in the input information; transmitter means responsive to said characteristic of the input signal for producing an acoustic signal, a characterisic of the acoustic signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the input signal; a receiver; a sound pipe for conducting the acoustic signal from the transmitter to the receiver; said receiver including means for producing an electrical output signal, a characteristic of the electrical output signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the acoustic signal; an actuator; second means responsive to said characteristic of the output signal for controlling the actuator; and said acoustic signal including a plurality of acoustic pulses, said pulses being arranged in a plurality of groups with the acoustic pulses being interrupted between said groups.

Claim 13

A control system as defined in claim 1 wherein the variable characteristic of said acoustic signal is the interval between adjacent pulses.

Claim 14

A control system comprising: an input device for providing variable input information; first means responsive to the input information for producing an input signal, a characteristic of the input signal being variable in accordance with the variations in the input information; transmitter means responsive to said characteristic of the input signal for producing an acoustic signal, a charcterisic of the acoustic signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the input signal; a receiver; a sound pipe for conducting the acoustic signal from the transmitter to the receiver; said receiver including means for producing an electrical output signal, a characteristic of the electrical output signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the acoustic signal; an actuator; second means responsive to said characteristic of the output signal for controlling the actuator; and safety means responsive to a predetermined condition of said acoustic signal for preventing operation of said actuator.

Claim 15

A control system comprising: an input device for providing variable input information; first means responsive to the input information for producing an input signal, a characteristic of the input signal being variable in accordance with the variations in the input information; transmitter means responsive to said characteristic of the input signal for producing an acoustic signal, a charcterisic of the acoustic signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the input signal; a receiver; a sound pipe for conducting the acoustic signal from the transmitter to the receiver; said receiver including means for producing an electrical output signal, a characteristic of the electrical output signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the acoustic signal; an actuator; second means responsive to said characteristic of the output signal for controlling the actuator; and safety means responsive to a predetermined condition of said acoustic signal for preventing operation of said actuator.

Claim 16

A control system comprising: an input device for providing variable input information; first means responsive to the input information for producing an input signal, a characteristic of the input signal being variable in accordance with the variations in the input information; transmitter means responsive to said characteristic of the input signal for producing an acoustic signal, a characteristic of the acoustic signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the input signal; a receiver; a sound pipe for conducting the acoustic signal from the transmitter to the receiver; said receiver including means for producing an electrical output signal, a characteristic of the electrical output signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the acoustic signal; an actuator; second means responsive to said characteristic of the output signal for controlling the actuator; and said actuator including a movable member, said second means including a reversible motor and means for moving the movable member of the actuator in first and second directions in response to rotation of the reversible motor in first and second directions, respectively, the direction of rotation of said motor being controlled by said variable characteristic.

Claim 17

A control system comprising: an input device for providing variable input information; first means responsive to the input information for producing an input signal, a characteristic of the input signal being variable in accordance with the variations in the input information; transmitter means responsive to said characteristic of the input signal for producing an acoustic signal, a characteristic of the acoustic signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the input signal; a receiver; a sound pipe for conducting the acoustic signal from the transmitter to the receiver; said receiver including means for producing an electrical output signal, a characteristic of the electrical output signal being variable in accordance with variations in said characteristic of the acoustic signal; an actuator; second means responsive to said characteristic of the output signal for controlling the actuator; and said actuator including a movable member, said second means including a reversible motor and means for moving the movable member of the actuator in first and second directions in response to rotation of the reversible motor in first and second directions, respectively, the direction of rotation of said motor being controlled by said variable characteristic.

Claim 18

A control system as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for moving the movable member includes a pump driven by said reversible motor, said actuator including first and second fluid receiving chambErs and said pump pumping fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber and from the second chamber to the first chamber when said motor is driven in said first and second directions, respectively, to thereby move the movable member in the first and second directions, respectively.

Claim 19

A control system as defined in claim 14 wherein the variable characteristic of said acoustic signal is the interval between adjacent pulses and including safety means responsive to a predetermined condition of said acoustic signal for preventing operation of said actuator.