Patent US3829786A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3829786A
Expired / Lapsed
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Dynamic constraint of a control signal
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1973-02-20
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Granted: 1974-08-13
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Expires: 1993-02-20
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to limiting circuits and more particularly to circuits which limit a signal between a minimum and maximum value, wherein the minimum and maximum limits may make dynamic changes. The circuit of this system utilizes electronic comparator and multiplexer circuitry to constrain the output of the circuit to equal the input signal between upper and lower limits. These upper and lower limits may be varied while the circuit is in operation.
Inventors
- 👤 R Hoffman
- 👤 Atre J D
- 👤 J Cline
- 👤 C Fuselier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:15
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02P; H02P23/00; H02P23/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
308 words
A system for constraining an electrical signal to values between variable minimum and maximum limits comprising: a. input means for an input signal, a minimum limit signal and a maximum limit signal; and b. a first comparator and switching device connected to said input means for receiving said input signal and one of said limit signals, including: 1 electronic comparator circuitry for receiving said input and one of said limit signals and comparing them according to established criteria and for producing a first switching control signal which indicates the relative magniTudes of said input and one limit signals by assuming one or the other of two discrete values; and 2. switching circuitry for receiving said input, said one limit and said first switching control signals and for passing one of said input or one limit signal as a first output signal according to preset criteria responsive to the value of said first control signal; and c. a second electronic comparator and switching device connected to said input means and cascaded from said first switching circuitry for receiving the other of said limit signals and said first control signal, including: 1. electronic comparator circuitry for receiving said first output and the other of said limit signals and comparing them according to established criteria and for producing a second switching control signal which indicates the relative magnitude of said first output and other limit signals by assuming one or the other of two discrete values; and 2. switching circuitry for receiving said first output, said other limit and said second switching control signals and for passing one of said first output or other limit signal as a system output signal according to preset criteria responsive to the value of said second control signal, whereby said input signal can be constrained between limits as set by said minimum and maximum limits.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
308 words
A system for constraining an electrical signal to values between variable minimum and maximum limits comprising: a. input means for an input signal, a minimum limit signal and a maximum limit signal; and b. a first comparator and switching device connected to said input means for receiving said input signal and one of said limit signals, including: 1 electronic comparator circuitry for receiving said input and one of said limit signals and comparing them according to established criteria and for producing a first switching control signal which indicates the relative magniTudes of said input and one limit signals by assuming one or the other of two discrete values; and 2. switching circuitry for receiving said input, said one limit and said first switching control signals and for passing one of said input or one limit signal as a first output signal according to preset criteria responsive to the value of said first control signal; and c. a second electronic comparator and switching device connected to said input means and cascaded from said first switching circuitry for receiving the other of said limit signals and said first control signal, including: 1. electronic comparator circuitry for receiving said first output and the other of said limit signals and comparing them according to established criteria and for producing a second switching control signal which indicates the relative magnitude of said first output and other limit signals by assuming one or the other of two discrete values; and 2. switching circuitry for receiving said first output, said other limit and said second switching control signals and for passing one of said first output or other limit signal as a system output signal according to preset criteria responsive to the value of said second control signal, whereby said input signal can be constrained between limits as set by said minimum and maximum limits.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said input and limit signals are parallel binary word signals, said first and second comparator and switching devices are digital devices, said comparator circuitries compare signals according to the magnitude of the binary words represented.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
switching circuitry for receiving said first output, said other limit and said second switching control signals and for passing one of said first output or other limit signal as a system output signal according to preset criteria responsive to the value of said second control signal, whereby said input signal can be constrained between limits as set by said minimum and maximum limits.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
switching circuitry for receiving said first output, said other limit and said second switching control signals and for passing one of said first output or other limit signal as a system output signal according to preset criteria responsive to the value of said second control signal, whereby said input signal can be constrained between limits as set by said minimum and maximum limits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
switching circuitry for receiving said input, said one limit and said first switching control signals and for passing one of said input or one limit signal as a first output signal according to preset criteria responsive to the value of said first control signal; and c. a second electronic comparator and switching device connected to said input means and cascaded from said first switching circuitry for receiving the other of said limit signals and said first control signal, including:
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
switching circuitry for receiving said input, said one limit and said first switching control signals and for passing one of said input or one limit signal as a first output signal according to preset criteria responsive to the value of said first control signal; and c. a second electronic comparator and switching device connected to said input means and cascaded from said first switching circuitry for receiving the other of said limit signals and said first control signal, including:
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
148 words
each switching device including means for receiving said input signal, said limit signal and said control signal and means responsive to said control signal for producing a constrained signal that is one or the other of said input signal or said limit signal; wherein the input signal to the comparator of the second set is the constrained signal from the switching device of the first set and the constrained signal from the second set is the system output; and wherein the constrained signal of one set is the greater of its input signal and the minimum limit signal and the constrained signal of the other set is the lesser of its input signal and the maximum limit signal; whereby said system output must be said input signal if it is within said limits or one of said limit signals if said input signal is not within said limits.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
148 words
each switching device including means for receiving said input signal, said limit signal and said control signal and means responsive to said control signal for producing a constrained signal that is one or the other of said input signal or said limit signal; wherein the input signal to the comparator of the second set is the constrained signal from the switching device of the first set and the constrained signal from the second set is the system output; and wherein the constrained signal of one set is the greater of its input signal and the minimum limit signal and the constrained signal of the other set is the lesser of its input signal and the maximum limit signal; whereby said system output must be said input signal if it is within said limits or one of said limit signals if said input signal is not within said limits.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
49 words
A system for constraining an electrical signal to values between variable minimum and maximum limits comprising: a. input means for an input signal, a minimum limit signal and a maximum limit signal; and b. two cascaded sets of a comparator and a switching device connected to said input means;
Claim 11
Independent Claim
49 words
A system for constraining an electrical signal to values between variable minimum and maximum limits comprising: a. input means for an input signal, a minimum limit signal and a maximum limit signal; and b. two cascaded sets of a comparator and a switching device connected to said input means;
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
350 words
An electronic system for constraining a binary word to values between first and second binary word limits comprising: a. a first comparator for comparing an input binary word signal with a first binary word limit signal and for producing a first binary control signal having one value when said input binary word is greater than said first binary word limit and having a second value when said first binary word limit is greater than said input binary word; b. a first multiplexer having input means for receiving said input binary word signal, said first binary word limit signal and said first binary control signal for producing, as a first output signal, said input signal when the input binary word is within said word limits and said first binary word limit signal when the input binary word is not within said word limits as measured by said first binary word limit signal and as controlled by the value of said first binary control signal; c. a second comparator for comparing said first output signal with a second binary word limit signal and for producing a second binary control signal having one value when the binary word represented by said first output signal is greater than said second binary word limit and having a second value when said second binary word limit is greater than the binary word represented by said first output signal; and d. a second multiplexer having input means for receiving said first output signal, said second binary word limit signal and said second binary control signal for producing, as a second output signal, said first output signal when the binary word represented by said first output signal is within said word limits and said second binary word limit signal when the word represented by said first output signal is not within said word limits as measured by said second binary word limit signal and as controlled by said second binary control signal, whereby said second output signal as the system output is a binary word signal within the values established by said first and second binary word limits.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
350 words
An electronic system for constraining a binary word to values between first and second binary word limits comprising: a. a first comparator for comparing an input binary word signal with a first binary word limit signal and for producing a first binary control signal having one value when said input binary word is greater than said first binary word limit and having a second value when said first binary word limit is greater than said input binary word; b. a first multiplexer having input means for receiving said input binary word signal, said first binary word limit signal and said first binary control signal for producing, as a first output signal, said input signal when the input binary word is within said word limits and said first binary word limit signal when the input binary word is not within said word limits as measured by said first binary word limit signal and as controlled by the value of said first binary control signal; c. a second comparator for comparing said first output signal with a second binary word limit signal and for producing a second binary control signal having one value when the binary word represented by said first output signal is greater than said second binary word limit and having a second value when said second binary word limit is greater than the binary word represented by said first output signal; and d. a second multiplexer having input means for receiving said first output signal, said second binary word limit signal and said second binary control signal for producing, as a second output signal, said first output signal when the binary word represented by said first output signal is within said word limits and said second binary word limit signal when the word represented by said first output signal is not within said word limits as measured by said second binary word limit signal and as controlled by said second binary control signal, whereby said second output signal as the system output is a binary word signal within the values established by said first and second binary word limits.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
287 words
A system for constraining a binary word to values between variable minimum word and maximum word limits comprising: a. a first comparator for comparing an input binary word signal with a variable minimum binary word limit signal and for producing a first binary control signal having one value when said input word is greater than said minimum word and having a second value when said minimum word is greater than said input word; b. a first multiplexer having input means for receiving said input binary word signal, said minimum limit signal and said first binary control signal for producing, as a first output signal, the one of said input signal or said minimum signal that represents the greater binary word responsive to the value of said first binary control signal; c. a second comparator for comparing said first output signal with a variable maximum binary word limit signal and for producing a second binary control signal having one value when the word represented by said first output signal is greater than said maximum word and having a second value when said maximum word is greater than the binary word represented by said first output signal; and d. a second multiplexer having means for receiving said first output signal, said maximum limit signal and said second binary control signal for producing, as a second output signal, the one of said first output signal or said maximum limit signal that represents the lesser binary word responsive to the value of said second binary control signal whereby said second output signal is the system output and is a binary word signal representing an input word or a minimum or a maximum limit word by which said input word was constrained.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
287 words
A system for constraining a binary word to values between variable minimum word and maximum word limits comprising: a. a first comparator for comparing an input binary word signal with a variable minimum binary word limit signal and for producing a first binary control signal having one value when said input word is greater than said minimum word and having a second value when said minimum word is greater than said input word; b. a first multiplexer having input means for receiving said input binary word signal, said minimum limit signal and said first binary control signal for producing, as a first output signal, the one of said input signal or said minimum signal that represents the greater binary word responsive to the value of said first binary control signal; c. a second comparator for comparing said first output signal with a variable maximum binary word limit signal and for producing a second binary control signal having one value when the word represented by said first output signal is greater than said maximum word and having a second value when said maximum word is greater than the binary word represented by said first output signal; and d. a second multiplexer having means for receiving said first output signal, said maximum limit signal and said second binary control signal for producing, as a second output signal, the one of said first output signal or said maximum limit signal that represents the lesser binary word responsive to the value of said second binary control signal whereby said second output signal is the system output and is a binary word signal representing an input word or a minimum or a maximum limit word by which said input word was constrained.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
281 words
A system for constraining a binary word to values between variable maximum word and minimum word limits comprising: a. a first comparator for comparing an input binary word signal with a variable maximum binary word limit signal and for producing a first binary control signal having one value when said input word is greater than said maximum word and having a second value when said maximum word is greater than said input word; b. a first multiplexer having means for receiving said input binary word signal, said maximum limit signal and said first control signal for producing as a first output signal the one of said input signal or said maximum signal that represents the lesser binary word, responsive to the value of said first binary control signal; c. a second comparator for comparing said first output signal with a variable minimum binary word limit signal and for producing a second binary control signal having one value when the word represented by said first output signal is greater than said minimum word and having a second value when said minimum word is greater than the word represented by said first output signal; and d. a second multiplexer having meaNs for receiving said first output signal, said minimum limit signal and said second binary control signal for producing, as a second output signal, the one of said first output signal or said minimum limit signal that represents the greater binary word responsive to the value of said second binary control signal whereby said second output signal is the system output and is a binary word signal representing an input word constrained between the values of a maximum and a minimum limit word.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
281 words
A system for constraining a binary word to values between variable maximum word and minimum word limits comprising: a. a first comparator for comparing an input binary word signal with a variable maximum binary word limit signal and for producing a first binary control signal having one value when said input word is greater than said maximum word and having a second value when said maximum word is greater than said input word; b. a first multiplexer having means for receiving said input binary word signal, said maximum limit signal and said first control signal for producing as a first output signal the one of said input signal or said maximum signal that represents the lesser binary word, responsive to the value of said first binary control signal; c. a second comparator for comparing said first output signal with a variable minimum binary word limit signal and for producing a second binary control signal having one value when the word represented by said first output signal is greater than said minimum word and having a second value when said minimum word is greater than the word represented by said first output signal; and d. a second multiplexer having meaNs for receiving said first output signal, said minimum limit signal and said second binary control signal for producing, as a second output signal, the one of said first output signal or said minimum limit signal that represents the greater binary word responsive to the value of said second binary control signal whereby said second output signal is the system output and is a binary word signal representing an input word constrained between the values of a maximum and a minimum limit word.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-12 | 1978-02-11 | 1978-08-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-12 | 1982-02-11 | 1982-08-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-12 | 1986-02-11 | 1986-08-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |