US3766818A — Electronic frequency measuring apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 172 words

Instrument tuning apparatus comprising: a. a transducer for converting audio energy into an electrical waveform; b. a first oscillator adapted to produce pulse type signals coupled to the output of said transducer means for generating pulses having a repetition rate determined by the fundamental frequency of the audio energy impressed upon said transducer means; c. a source of reference pulses of a frequency which is a predetermined multiple of the frequency of the pulse signals produced by said first oscillator; d. digital logic circuit means responsive to the output pulses from said first oscillator and said reference pulses for counting the number of output pulses from said first oscillator occurring during a given number of cycles of said reference pulses; and e. indicator means coupled to the output of said digital logic circuit means for producing an observable manifestation indicating each occurrence when more than or less than a predetermined number of output pulses from said first oscillator occur during successive periods of said given number of cycles of said reference pulses.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 172 words

Instrument tuning apparatus comprising: a. a transducer for converting audio energy into an electrical waveform; b. a first oscillator adapted to produce pulse type signals coupled to the output of said transducer means for generating pulses having a repetition rate determined by the fundamental frequency of the audio energy impressed upon said transducer means; c. a source of reference pulses of a frequency which is a predetermined multiple of the frequency of the pulse signals produced by said first oscillator; d. digital logic circuit means responsive to the output pulses from said first oscillator and said reference pulses for counting the number of output pulses from said first oscillator occurring during a given number of cycles of said reference pulses; and e. indicator means coupled to the output of said digital logic circuit means for producing an observable manifestation indicating each occurrence when more than or less than a predetermined number of output pulses from said first oscillator occur during successive periods of said given number of cycles of said reference pulses.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 36 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said source of reference pulses is a second oscillator which produces two-phase underlapped output pulses the frequency of which are a predetermined multiple of the frequency of said audio energy.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 16 words

first and second gating means each having at least two input terminals and an output terminal;

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 16 words

first and second gating means each having at least two input terminals and an output terminal;

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 186 words

means connecting the output terminal of said first gating means to the set input terminal of said flip-flop, and the output terminal of said second gating means to the reset input terminal of said flip-flop; b. means connecting the set output terminal of the flip-flop in a given stage to one of said input terminals of the first gating means of the next higher order adjacent stage and the reset output terminal of the flip-flop in said given stage to one of said input terminals of the second gating means of said next higher order adjacent stage; c. means connecting the first phase of said two-phase clock pulses to another of said input terminals of said first and second gating means on alternate ones of said stages and the second phase of said two-phase clock pulses to another of said input terminals of said first and second gating means oF the remaining stages; and d. means connecting the set and reset output terminals of the flip-flop in said second stage respectively to another input terminal on said first and second gating means in said fifth stage.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 186 words

means connecting the output terminal of said first gating means to the set input terminal of said flip-flop, and the output terminal of said second gating means to the reset input terminal of said flip-flop; b. means connecting the set output terminal of the flip-flop in a given stage to one of said input terminals of the first gating means of the next higher order adjacent stage and the reset output terminal of the flip-flop in said given stage to one of said input terminals of the second gating means of said next higher order adjacent stage; c. means connecting the first phase of said two-phase clock pulses to another of said input terminals of said first and second gating means on alternate ones of said stages and the second phase of said two-phase clock pulses to another of said input terminals of said first and second gating means oF the remaining stages; and d. means connecting the set and reset output terminals of the flip-flop in said second stage respectively to another input terminal on said first and second gating means in said fifth stage.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 11 words

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein saiid predetermined multiple is two.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 54 words

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said digital logic circuit means comprises: a. a multi-stage counter, and b. Lock-out means connected to receive said two-phase underlapped pulses and the output from said first oscillator coupled to said multi-stage counter for producing one and only one pulse therefrom for each pulse from said first oscillator.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 163 words

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said multi-stage counter comprises: a. a plurality of stages, each including a bistable circuit having first and second input terminals and first and second output terminals, and a pair of coincidence circuits each havinG first and second input terminals and an output terminal, the output terminal of each of said pair of coincidence circuits being connected to a respective one of said first and second input terminals of said bistable circuit; b. means connecting the first and second output terminals of the bistable circuits in one stage individually to the first input terminals of the pair of coincidence circuits in an adjacent stage; and c. means connecting one phase of said two-phase underlapped output pulses to the second input terminals of both coincidence circuits on a first group of alternate stages and the other phase of said two-phase underlapped output pulses to the second input terminals of both coincidence circuits on the remaining group of alternate stages.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 174 words

Apparatus for tuning musical instruments comprising: a. a variable frequecy clock pulse generator for producing two-phase underlapped clock pulses having a range of frequencies corresponding to the twelve tones comprising the tempered chromatic scale; b. a Slave oscillator adapted to produce pulse type signals of a frequency corresponding to the tone of the instrument to be tuned and approximately one-half the frequency of said clock pulses; c. a Lock-out circuit coupled to receive the output from said Slave oscillator and said clock pulses for allowing the passage of one and only one pulse from said Slave oscillator during any one cycle of said two-phase underlapped clock pulses; d. counter means coupled to the output of said Lock-out circuit for summing the number of times that the absence or presence of pulses from said Slave oscillator occur in two successive time periods each equal to two cycles of said two-phase underlapped clock pulses; and e. indicator means coupled to the output of said counter means for producing an observable manifestation when said number exceeds one.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 174 words

Apparatus for tuning musical instruments comprising: a. a variable frequecy clock pulse generator for producing two-phase underlapped clock pulses having a range of frequencies corresponding to the twelve tones comprising the tempered chromatic scale; b. a Slave oscillator adapted to produce pulse type signals of a frequency corresponding to the tone of the instrument to be tuned and approximately one-half the frequency of said clock pulses; c. a Lock-out circuit coupled to receive the output from said Slave oscillator and said clock pulses for allowing the passage of one and only one pulse from said Slave oscillator during any one cycle of said two-phase underlapped clock pulses; d. counter means coupled to the output of said Lock-out circuit for summing the number of times that the absence or presence of pulses from said Slave oscillator occur in two successive time periods each equal to two cycles of said two-phase underlapped clock pulses; and e. indicator means coupled to the output of said counter means for producing an observable manifestation when said number exceeds one.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 150 words

Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said Lock-out circuit comprises: a. first, second and third flip-flops each having set and reset input and output terminals; b. means for applying the first phase and the second phase of said two-phase clock pulses respectively to the set input terminal of said first flip-flop and reset input terminals of said first and third flip-flops; c. means connecting the output of said Slave oscillator to the set input of said second flip-flop; d. gating means connected to the reset output terminal of said first flip-flop and the set output terminal of said second flip-flop for producing an output therefrom when said second flip-flop is simultaneously set; e. means connecting the output of said gating means to the set terminal of said third flip-flop; and f. means connecting the reset output terminal of said third flip-flop to the reset input terminal of said second flip-flop.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said counter means comprises: a. five concatenated stages, each stage including:

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 144 words

Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said indicator means comprises: a. third and fourth gates each having three input terminals and an output terminal; b. means connecting the reset output terminals of the flip-flops in the first, third and fifth stage to the three input terminals of said third gate and the set output terminal of the flip-flops in said first, third and fifth stages to the three input terminals of said fourth gate; c. first and second indicator devices adapted to provide an observable manifestation when connected to a current source; d. first and second semiconductor switching means respectively connected to said first and second indicator means and to a current source; and e. means connecting the output terminal of said third gate to said first semiconductor switching means and the output terminal of said fourth gate to said second semiconductor switching means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-10-22	1977-04-23	1977-10-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-10-22	1981-04-23	1981-10-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-10-22	1985-04-23	1985-10-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electronic frequency measuring apparatus

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