US3909669A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Circuit for controlling light displays and the like
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-09-25
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Granted: 1975-09-30
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Expires: 1994-09-25
Abstract
Abstract A circuit for controlling activation of lamps in a light display by an A.C. source includes a clock for generating a sequence of clock pulses, and a shift register for storing a plurality of electrical representations and for successively altering the stored representations in response to receive clock pulses. Also included is switch apparatus responsive to the signal representations stored in the shift register for producing a set of signals which enable activation of selected ones of the lamps by the alternating current source. A clamping circuit prevents application of clock pulses to the shift register during alternate half cycles of the A.C. source, and an array of switches enable activation of the selected lamps only during the alternate half cycles. In this manner, lamps are activated only at or near zero crossover of the A.C. source output.
Inventors
- 👤 Laurence Clark White
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:15
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B39/00; H05B39/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A circuit for controlling the activation of a plurality of electrical elements by an A.C. supply comprising clock means for generating a sequence of clock pulses, register means for storing signal representation and for altering the stored representations in response to said clock pulses, a clamping circuit coupled between the clock means and register means and responsive to the A.C. supply output for preventing application of clock pulses to the register means during every other half cycle of the A.C. supply output, and means responsive to the signal representations stored in the register means for enabling the A.C. supply to activate selected ones of the electrical elements during said every other half cycle of the A.C. supply output, the electrical elements activated being determined by the signal representations stored in the register means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
A circuit for controlling the activation of a plurality of electrical elements by an A.C. supply comprising clock means for generating a sequence of clock pulses, register means for storing signal representation and for altering the stored representations in response to said clock pulses, a clamping circuit coupled between the clock means and register means and responsive to the A.C. supply output for preventing application of clock pulses to the register means during every other half cycle of the A.C. supply output, and means responsive to the signal representations stored in the register means for enabling the A.C. supply to activate selected ones of the electrical elements during said every other half cycle of the A.C. supply output, the electrical elements activated being determined by the signal representations stored in the register means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said clock means includes adjustable means for varying the pulse rate of the clock pulses generated by the clock means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said clamping circuit includes a transistor whose collector and emitter electrodes are coupled between ground potential and the junction of the clock means and register means, and means coupling the A.C. supply to the base electrode of said transistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A circuit as in claim 3 wherein said clamping circuit further comprises a diode connecting the base electrode of said transistor to ground potential and wherein said coupling means includes a capacitor and resistor connected in parallel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
83 words
A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said enabling means includes a plurality of unilateral triode switches each having two power electrodes coupled in series with a different one of the electrical elements and the A.C. supply, and each having a gate electrode coupled to said register means, said triode switches being adapted to conduct current only during said every other half cycle in response to certain signal representations stored in said register means to thereby enable activation of the selected electrical elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
A circuit as in claim 5 wherein said triode switches comprise silicon-controlled rectifiers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
92 words
A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said register means is adapted to alter the stored representations in response to a second set of signals and wherein said enabling means comprises switch means responsive to the signal representation stored in said register means for producing said second set of signals and for producing a third set of signals, and means responsive to said third set of signals for conducting current from the A.C. supply to selected ones of the electrical elements during said every other half cycle of the A.C. supply output.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
A circuit as in claim 7 wherein said current conducting means comprises a plurality of triode switches, each having a pair of power electrodes coupled in series with the A.C. supply and a different one of said electrical elements, and each having a gate electrode, and means for applying said third set of signals to the gate electrodes of various ones of said triode switches to cause said various switches to conduct current between their respective power electrodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
121 words
A circuit for controlling the sequence and pattern of activation of a plurality of lamps by an A.C. supply comprising means coupled to the lamps for enabling activation of selected ones thereof in response to successively received sets of signals, said enabling means being operable to enable activation of lamps only during every other half cycle of the A.C. supply output, storage means, means for causing the storage means to successively change its contents, said causing means being operable only during half cycles of the A.C. supply output opposite said every other half cycles, and means coupled to said storage means for producing said sets of signals, the sets of signals produced being determined by the contents of the storage means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
121 words
A circuit for controlling the sequence and pattern of activation of a plurality of lamps by an A.C. supply comprising means coupled to the lamps for enabling activation of selected ones thereof in response to successively received sets of signals, said enabling means being operable to enable activation of lamps only during every other half cycle of the A.C. supply output, storage means, means for causing the storage means to successively change its contents, said causing means being operable only during half cycles of the A.C. supply output opposite said every other half cycles, and means coupled to said storage means for producing said sets of signals, the sets of signals produced being determined by the contents of the storage means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A circuit as in claim 9 wherein said enabling means comprises a plurality of unilateral triode switches, each coupled to a different one of said lamps and each responsive to a different signal in each set of signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A circuit as in claim 9 wherein said storage means comprises a shift register.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
A circuit as in claim 9 wherein said causing means comprises a clock means for producing a sequence of clock pulses, and a clamping circuit coupled between the clock means and the storage means and responsive to the A.C. supply for applying the clock pulses to the storage means only during half cycles of the A.C. supply output opposite said every other half cycles, said storage means being adapted to change its contents in response to received clock pulses.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A circuit as in claim 12 wherein said clock means includes adjustable means for varying the pulse rate of the clock pulses produced by the clock means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A circuit as in claim 9 wherein said producing means comprises a translator for generating said sets of signals and for generating additional sets of signals which are a function of the contents of said storage means, and wherein said storage means is adapted to alter its contents in response to said additional sets of signals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
82 words
A circuit for controlling the activation of a plurality of electrical elements by an A.C. supply comprising means responsive to successively received signal patterns for selectively enabling the activation of electrical elements by the A.C. supply in which the electrical elements activated are determined by the received signal patterns, and means for producing the signal patterns and for changing from one signal pattern output to a succeeding signal pattern output at a time corresponding to zero crossover of the A.C. supply output.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
82 words
A circuit for controlling the activation of a plurality of electrical elements by an A.C. supply comprising means responsive to successively received signal patterns for selectively enabling the activation of electrical elements by the A.C. supply in which the electrical elements activated are determined by the received signal patterns, and means for producing the signal patterns and for changing from one signal pattern output to a succeeding signal pattern output at a time corresponding to zero crossover of the A.C. supply output.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3763394A
Cited
US3706914A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-29 | 1979-03-31 | 1979-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-29 | 1983-03-31 | 1983-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-29 | 1987-03-31 | 1987-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |