Solid state electronic stage lighting control circuit

Claim 2

An electronic control circuit for varying the luminescence of incandescent lamps, comprising: power supply means; a triggering circuit, conductively connected to said power supply means, including: a first input conductively connected through a first node to control signal input means and to an inverse feedback circuit to receive a combined first control signal and inverse feedback signal, and an output conductively connected through a second node to output means; said inverse feedback circuit having an input conductively connected to said second node to receive the output of said triggering circuit, and having an output conductively connected to said triggering circuit through said first node to supply said inverse feedback signal to said triggering circuit; said control signal input means being conductively connected to an adjustable external signal source to receive a variable input signal, and having an output connected to said first node to supply said first control signal to said triggering circuit, said external signal source having adjustment means positionable with respect to linear scaled indicia to vary said variable input signal; said output means conductively connected to a main power apparatus to supply a second control signal to regulate the conductivity of said main power apparatus, said main power apparatus being conductively connected to at least one incandescent lamp and to an external main power source; and wherein the luminescence of said incandescent lamps has a square law relation to said linear scaled indicia of said adjustment means to provide for an ostensible linear relationship between said linear scaled indicia and observed luminescence of said incandescent lamps.

Claim 3

The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein said power supply means receives alternating current power from a first external source which is in electrical phase with said external main power source, and wherein said power supply means includes: first rectifier means conductively connected through a third node to said triggering circuit and to said feedback circuit to supply an electrical signal to said triggering circuit and to said feedback circuit; and first filter means which receives electrical power from said first rectifier means through said third node, and which supplies bias voltage to said triggering circuit and to said output means via conductor means.

Claim 4

The electronic circuit of claim 2, wherein said triggering circuit includes: a trigger device conductively connected to said second rectifier means to receive an electrical signal which causes said trigger device to generate spaced trigger signals which operate to stop and restart a ramp voltage being generated by a ramp generator conductively connected to the output of said first trigger device, said ramp voltage being adjustable by potentiometer means in electrical circuit with said ramp generator; wave forming and shaping circuitry which is conductively connected, via a fourth node, to the output of said ramp generator and to said first input of said triggering circuit, to receive as its input the combination of said ramp voltage, said first control signal and said inverse feedback signal, said circuitry including a Schmidt trigger device and a transistor cooperatively combined to supply, as the triggering circuit output, a substantially square wave signal.

Claim 5

The electronic circuit of claim 3, wherein the maximum internal operating voltage across circuit components is less than about 30 volts.

Claim 6

The electronic circuit of claim 4, wherein said power supply means includes a second rectifier means conductively connected to said control signal input means, to supply a threshold voltage of preselected magnitude to maintain said first control signal and in turn said second control signal at a magnitude which induces said main power apparatus to conduct to energize said incandescent lamps without luminescence when said variable input signal is adjusted below a level to so maintain.

Claim 7

The electronic circuit of claim 5, wherein said main power apparatus includes thyristor means operably connected to receive said second control signal.

Claim 8

The electronic circuit of claim 6, wherein said main power apparatus includes a pair of SCR''s connected in opposite polarity as said thyristor means.

Claim 9

The combination of an electronic control circuit, main power apparatus, an adjustable external signal source, and at least one incandescent lamp, cooperatively combined by conductors to form a theater lighting system, wherein said electronic control circuit is comprised of: power supply means; a triggering circuit, conductively connected to said power supply means, including: a first input conductively connected through a first node to control signal input means and to an inverse feedback circuit to receive a combined first control signal and inverse feedback signal, and an output conductively connected through a second node to output means; said inverse feedback circuit having an input conductively connected to said second node to receive the output of said triggering circuit, and having an output conductively connected to said triggering circuit through said first node to supply said inverse feedback signal to said triggering circuit; said control signal input means being conductively connected to an adjustable external signal source to receive a variable input signal, and having an output connected to said first node to supply said first control signal to said triggering circuit, said external signal source having adjustment means positionable with respect to linear scaled indicia to vary said variable input signal; said output means conductively connected to a main power apparatus to supply a second control signal to regulate the conductivity of said main power apparatus, said main power apparatus being conductively connected to at least one incandescent lamp and to an external main power source; and wherein the luminescence of said incandescent lamps has a square law relation to said linear scaled indicia of said adjustment means to provide for an ostensible linear relationship between said linear scaled indicia and observed luminescence of said incandescent lamps.

Claim 10

The combination of an electronic control circuit, main power apparatus, an adjustable external signal source, and at least one incandescent lamp, cooperatively combined by conductors to form a theater lighting system, wherein said electronic control circuit is comprised of: power supply means; a triggering circuit, conductively connected to said power supply means, including: a first input conductively connected through a first node to control signal input means and to an inverse feedback circuit to receive a combined first control signal and inverse feedback signal, and an output conductively connected through a second node to output means; said inverse feedback circuit having an input conductively connected to said second node to receive the output of said triggering circuit, and having an output conductively connected to said triggering circuit through said first node to supply said inverse feedback signal to said triggering circuit; said control signal input means being conductively connected to an adjustable external signal source to receive a variable input signal, and having an output connected to said first node to supply said first control signal to said triggering circuit, said external signal source having adjustment means positionable with respect to linear scaled indicia to vary said variable input signal; said output means conductively connected to a main power apparatus to supply a second control signal to regulate the conductivity of said main power apparatus, said main power apparatus being conductively connected to at least one incandescent lamp and to an external main power source; and wherein the luminescence of said incandescent lamps has a square law relation to said linear scaled indicia of said adjustment means to provide for an ostensible linear relationship between said linear scaled indicia and observed luminescence of said incandescent lamps.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8, wherein said power supply means receives alternating curRent power from a first external source which is in electrical phase with said external main power source, and wherein said power supply means includes: first rectifier means conductively connected through a third node to said triggering circuit and to said feedback circuit to supply an electrical signal to said triggering circuit and to said feedback circuit; and first filter means which receives electrical power from said first rectifier means through said third node, and which supplies bias voltage to said triggering circuit and to said output means via conductor means.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 9, wherein said triggering circuit includes: a trigger device conductively connected to said second rectifier means to receive an electrical signal which causes said trigger device to generate spaced trigger signals which operate to stop and restart a ramp voltage being generated by a ramp generator conductively connected to the output of said first trigger device, said ramp voltage being adjustable by potentiometer means in electrical circuit with said ramp generator; wave forming and shaping circuitry which is conductively connected, via a fourth node, to the output of said ramp generator and to said first input of said triggering circuit, to receive as its input the combination of said ramp voltage, said first control signal and said inverse feedback signal, said circuitry including a Schmidt trigger device and a transistor cooperatively combined to supply, as the triggering circuit output, a substantially square wave signal.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 10, wherein the maximum internal operating voltage across circuit components is less than about 30 volts.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 11, wherein said power supply means includes a second rectifier means conductively connected to said control signal input means to supply a threshold voltage of preselected magnitude to maintain said first control signal and in turn said second control signal at a magnitude which induces said main power apparatus to conduct to energize said incandescent lamps without luminescence when said variable input signal is adjusted below a level to so maintain.