Rehabilitations tool for seriously physically handicapped persons including multiplexed servo mechanisms

Claim 2

Control apparatus for use by seriously physically handicapped persons comprising a single input switch means operable by a handicapped person for selected actuation periods determined by the handicapped person; stepping pulse generator means connectable with said input switch means for operation in response thereto to produce stepping pulses during the selected actuation intervals; at least first and second selector means connectable to said stepping pulse generator means and responsive to said input switch means for operation in response to the stepping pulses produced during selected actuation periods of said input switch means, said at least first and second selector means having a plurality of outputs producing individual signals respectively representing certain conditions or operations to be performed; a first control device responsive to the input switch means and operable to produce a control signal in response to termination of the actuation period of the apparatus; at least first and second sets of logic gates, there being a set of logic gates for each selector means, each of said logic gates having a first set of inputs connected with respective outputs of said first and second selector means and a second set of inputs connected in common with the output from said first control device, said logic gates being operable in response to simultaneous occurrence of the respective first and second selector means output signals and said control signal; a plurality of output devices respectively connected to the outputs from the logic gates for carrying out selected operations or representing selected conditions; additional logic gate means having at least first an second inputs with the first inputs connected to the output from the stepping pulse generator means and the second inputs connected to be responsive to the input switch means, the outputs from the additional logic gate means being connected to control respectively said first and second selector means, and a selector means switching device connected to and controlled by said single input switch means and having the output thereof connectable to the second inputs of the additional logic gate means for supplying control enabling signals thereto in response to actuation of the single input switch means whereby the first selector means can be selectively actuated and thereafter the second selector means selectively actuated in sequence to selectively operate an output device through selective operation of only the single input swiTch means.

Claim 3

Control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selector means switching device comprises a first bistable switch device connected between the single input switch means and the second inputs of the additional logic gate means for applying stepping pulses to said first selector means during one stable state of said first bistable switch device and for applying stepping pulses to said second selector means during the other stable state of said first bistable switch device.

Claim 4

Control apparatus according to claim 2, further including feedback bistable switch means having the input thereof connected to and controlled by said first control device and having the output thereof selectively connectable by means of said first bistable switch device for enabling said stepping pulse generator means to supply stepping pulses to said first and second selector means through said additional logic gate means following each complete selection operation of the single input switch means whereby the selector means are caused automatically to step around to a quiescent initial reference position following each complete cycle of operation of the control apparatus.

Claim 5

Control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selector means switching device comprises a third selector means serially connected intermediate the single input switch means and the inputs of said at least first and second selector means for selectively connecting the inputs of said at least first and second selector means, respectively, to the single input switch means.

Claim 6

Control apparatus according to claim 4, further including feedback bistable switch means having the input therof connected to and controlled by said first control device, and feedback logic gate means for supplying and enabling output signal from said feedback bistable switch means to said third selector means and to each of said at least first and second selector means and said stepping pulse generator means following each complete selection operation of the single input switch means whereby the selector means are caused automatically to step around to an initial quiescent reference position following each complete cycle of operation of the control apparatus.

Claim 7

CONTROL APPARATUS FOR USE BY SERIOUSLY PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS, WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISES FIRST INPUT SWITCH MEANS OPERABLE BY A HANDICAPPED PERSON FOR AN ACTUATION PERIOD DETERMINED BY THAT PERSON; A STEPPING PULSE GENERATOR CONNECTED WITH SAID FIRST INPUT SWITCH MEANS FOR OPERATION IN RESPONSE THERETO TO PRODUCE STEPPING PULSES DURING SAID ACTUATION PERIOD; FIRST SELECTOR MEANS OPERABLE IN STEPPED MANNER THROUGH A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT CONDITIONS CONNECTED TO SAID STEPPING PULSE GENERATOR AND TO SAID FIRST INPUT SWITCH MEANS FOR OPERATION IN RESPONSE TO PULSES PRODUCED DURING ACTUATION OF SAID FIRST INPUT SWITCH MEANS, SAID FIRST SELECTOR MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTPUTS PRODUCING INDIVIDUAL SIGNALS RESPECTIVELY REPRESENTING SAID CONDITIONS WHEN EXTANT; A FIRST CONTROL DEVICE RESPONSIVE TO SAID INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND OPERABLE TO PRODUCE A CONTROL SIGNAL IN RESPONSE TO TERMINATION OF THE ACTUATION PERIOD OF SAID APPARATUS, A PLURALITY OF LOGIC GATES EACH HAVING ONE SET OF INPUTS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID SELECTOR OUTPUTS AND A SECOND SET OF INPUTS CONNECTED IN COMMON WITH SAID FIRST CONTROL DEVICE, EACH OF SAID LOGIC GATES BEING OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO SIMULTANEOUS OCCURRENCE OF THE RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID FIRST SELECTOR MEANS OUTPUT SIGNALS AND SAID CONTROL SIGNAL; A PLURALITY OF SERVO DEVICES RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID LOGIC GATES FOR ACTUATION IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION OF THE RESPECTIVE LOGIC GATES; SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS OPERABLE BY A HANDICAPPED PERSON FOR AN ACTUATION PERIOD DETERMINED THEREBY AND CONNECTED WITH SAID STEPPING PULSE GENERATOR FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING THE SAME, SECOND SELECTOR MEANS OPERABLE IN STEPPED MANNER THROUGH A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT CONDITIONS AND CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND SAID PULSE GENERATOR FOR OPERATION IN RESPONSE TO SAID PULSES DURING ACTUATION OF SAID SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS, AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTPUTS PRODUCING INDIVIDUAL SIGNALS RESPECTIVELY REPRESENTING SUCH DIFFERENT CONDITIONS WHEN EXTANT; SAID FIRST CONTROL DEVICE BEING RESPONSIVE TO BOTH SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND OPERABLE TO PRODUCE SAID CONTROL SIGNAL ONLY IN RESPONSE TO TERMINATION OF THE ACTUATION PERIODS OF BOTH SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS; SAID LOGIC GATES BEING RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH INDIVIDUALLY DIFFERENT PAIRS OF ONE OF SAID FIRST SELECTOR MEANS OTUPUTS AND ONE OF SAID SECOND SELECTOR MEANS OUTPUTS AND WITH SAID CONTROL DEVICE, FOR OPERATION IN RESPONSE TO SIMULTANEOUS OCCURRENCE OF THE RESPECTIVE PAIR OF SAID SELECTOR OUTPUT SIGNALS AND SAID CONTROL SIGNAL; FIRST AND SECOND ADDITIONAL LOGIC GATE MEANS EACH HAVING THE INPUTS THEREOF CONNECTED WITH SAID PULSE GENERATOR AND RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS, AND HAVING THE OUTPUTS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND SELECTOR MEANS FOR APPLYING SAID PULSES TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND SELECTOR MEANS IN RESPECTIVE ASSOCIATION WITH ACTUATION PERIODS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS; THIRD INPUT SWITCH MEANS OPERABLE BY A HANDICAPPED PERSON FOR AN ACTUATION PERIOD DETERMINED BY THAT PERSON AND CONNECTED WITH SAID PULSE GENERATOR TO OPERATE THE SAME; A FIRST BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID THIRD INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND SAID SECOND LOGIC GATES TO APPLY SAID STEPPING PULSES TO SAID FIRST SELECTOR MEANS DURING ONE STABLE STATE OF SAID FIRST BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE AND TO SAID SECOND SELECTOR MEANS DURING THE OTHER STABLE STATE OF SAID FIRST BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE; AND A SECOND BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE COMPRISING SWITCHOVER MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID INPUT SWITCH MEANS, ON THE ONE HAND, AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND ADDITIONAL LOGIC GATE MEANS AND SAID PULSE GENERATOR, ON THE OTHER HAND, FOR DISCONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND FOR CONNECTING SAID THIRD INPUT SWITCH MEANS TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND ADDITIONAL LOGIC GATES, RESPECTIVELY, DURING DIFFERENT STABLE STATES OF SAID SECOND BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE.

Claim 8

CONTROL APPARATUS FOR USE BY SERIOUSLY PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS, WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISES FIRST INPUT SWITCH MEANS OPERABLE BY A HANDICAPPED PERSON FOR AN ACTUATION PERIOD DETERMINED BY THAT PERSON; A STEPPING PULSE GENERATOR CONNECTED WITH SAID FIRST INPUT SWITCH MEANS FOR OPERATION IN RESPONSE THERETO TO PRODUCE STEPPING PULSES DURING SAID ACTUATION PERIOD; FIRST SELECTOR MEANS OPERABLE IN STEPPED MANNER THROUGH A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT CONDITIONS CONNECTED TO SAID STEPPING PULSE GENERATOR AND TO SAID FIRST INPUT SWITCH MEANS FOR OPERATION IN RESPONSE TO PULSES PRODUCED DURING ACTUATION OF SAID FIRST INPUT SWITCH MEANS, SAID FIRST SELECTOR MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTPUTS PRODUCING INDIVIDUAL SIGNALS RESPECTIVELY REPRESENTING SAID CONDITIONS WHEN EXTANT; A FIRST CONTROL DEVICE RESPONSIVE TO SAID INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND OPERABLE TO PRODUCE A CONTROL SIGNAL IN RESPONSE TO TERMINATION OF THE ACTUATION PERIOD OF SAID APPARATUS, A PLURALITY OF LOGIC GATES EACH HAVING ONE SET OF INPUTS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID SELECTOR OUTPUTS AND A SECOND SET OF INPUTS CONNECTED IN COMMON WITH SAID FIRST CONTROL DEVICE, EACH OF SAID LOGIC GATES BEING OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO SIMULTANEOUS OCCURRENCE OF THE RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID FIRST SELECTOR MEANS OUTPUT SIGNALS AND SAID CONTROL SIGNAL; A PLURALITY OF SERVO DEVICES RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID LOGIC GATES FOR ACTUATION IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION OF THE RESPECTIVE LOGIC GATES; SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS OPERABLE BY A HANDICAPPED PERSON FOR AN ACTUATION PERIOD DETERMINED THEREBY AND CONNECTED WITH SAID STEPPING PULSE GENERATOR FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING THE SAME, SECOND SELECTOR MEANS OPERABLE IN STEPPED MANNER THROUGH A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT CONDITIONS AND CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND SAID PULSE GENERATOR FOR OPERATION IN RESPONSE TO SAID PULSES DURING ACTUATION OF SAID SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS, AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTPUTS PRODUCING INDIVIDUAL SIGNALS RESPECTIVELY REPRESENTING SUCH DIFFERENT CONDITIONS WHEN EXTANT; SAID FIRST CONTROL DEVICE BEING RESPONSIVE TO BOTH SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND OPERABLE TO PRODUCE SAID CONTROL SIGNAL ONLY IN RESPONSE TO TERMINATION OF THE ACTUATION PERIODS OF BOTH SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS; SAID LOGIC GATES BEING RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH INDIVIDUALLY DIFFERENT PAIRS OF ONE OF SAID FIRST SELECTOR MEANS OTUPUTS AND ONE OF SAID SECOND SELECTOR MEANS OUTPUTS AND WITH SAID CONTROL DEVICE, FOR OPERATION IN RESPONSE TO SIMULTANEOUS OCCURRENCE OF THE RESPECTIVE PAIR OF SAID SELECTOR OUTPUT SIGNALS AND SAID CONTROL SIGNAL; FIRST AND SECOND ADDITIONAL LOGIC GATE MEANS EACH HAVING THE INPUTS THEREOF CONNECTED WITH SAID PULSE GENERATOR AND RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS, AND HAVING THE OUTPUTS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND SELECTOR MEANS FOR APPLYING SAID PULSES TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND SELECTOR MEANS IN RESPECTIVE ASSOCIATION WITH ACTUATION PERIODS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS; THIRD INPUT SWITCH MEANS OPERABLE BY A HANDICAPPED PERSON FOR AN ACTUATION PERIOD DETERMINED BY THAT PERSON AND CONNECTED WITH SAID PULSE GENERATOR TO OPERATE THE SAME; A FIRST BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID THIRD INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND SAID SECOND LOGIC GATES TO APPLY SAID STEPPING PULSES TO SAID FIRST SELECTOR MEANS DURING ONE STABLE STATE OF SAID FIRST BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE AND TO SAID SECOND SELECTOR MEANS DURING THE OTHER STABLE STATE OF SAID FIRST BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE; AND A SECOND BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE COMPRISING SWITCHOVER MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID INPUT SWITCH MEANS, ON THE ONE HAND, AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND ADDITIONAL LOGIC GATE MEANS AND SAID PULSE GENERATOR, ON THE OTHER HAND, FOR DISCONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT SWITCH MEANS AND FOR CONNECTING SAID THIRD INPUT SWITCH MEANS TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND ADDITIONAL LOGIC GATES, RESPECTIVELY, DURING DIFFERENT STABLE STATES OF SAID SECOND BISTABLE SWITCH DEVICE.

Claim 9

apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of indicators connected with individually different pairs of one of said first selector outputs and one of said second selector outputs.

Claim 10

Control apparatus for use by seriously physically handicapped persons, which apparatus comprises first input switch means operable by a handicapped person for an actuation period determined by that person; a stepping pulse generator connected with said first input switch means for operation in response thereto to produce steppinng pulses during said actuation period; first selector means operable in stepped manner through a plurality of different conditions connected to said stepping pulse generator and to said first input switch means for operation in response to pulses produced during actuation of said first input switch means, said first selector means having a plurality of outputs producing individual signals respectively representing said conditions when extant; a first control device responsive to said input switch means and operable to produce a control signal in response to termination of the actuation period of said apparatus, a plurality of logic gates each having one set of inputs respectively connected with said selector outputs and a second set of inputs connected in common with said first control device, each of said logic gates being operable in response to simultaneous occurrence of the respective ones of said first selector means output signals and said control signal; a plurality of servo devices respectively connected with said logic gates for actuation in response to operation of the respective logic gates; and a selector reset device operably connected with said first selector means to reset the same to a predetermined one of said conditions, and connected with said control device for operation Thereby in response to said cntrol signal.

Claim 11

Control apparatus for use by seriously physically handicapped persons, which apparatus comprises first input switch means operable by a handicapped person for an actuation period determined by that person; a stepping pulse generator connected with said first input switch means for operation in response thereto to produce steppinng pulses during said actuation period; first selector means operable in stepped manner through a plurality of different conditions connected to said stepping pulse generator and to said first input switch means for operation in response to pulses produced during actuation of said first input switch means, said first selector means having a plurality of outputs producing individual signals respectively representing said conditions when extant; a first control device responsive to said input switch means and operable to produce a control signal in response to termination of the actuation period of said apparatus, a plurality of logic gates each having one set of inputs respectively connected with said selector outputs and a second set of inputs connected in common with said first control device, each of said logic gates being operable in response to simultaneous occurrence of the respective ones of said first selector means output signals and said control signal; a plurality of servo devices respectively connected with said logic gates for actuation in response to operation of the respective logic gates; and a selector reset device operably connected with said first selector means to reset the same to a predetermined one of said conditions, and connected with said control device for operation Thereby in response to said cntrol signal.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said selector reset device is operably connected with said pulse generator to produce said pulses and step said first selector means to said predetermined condition and is operably actuated by said control device independently of said gates and said logic gates are rendered inoperable during said reset stepping.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said selector reset device is connected with the one of said selector outputs corresponding to said predetermined condition for response to the relevant selector output signal to render said reset device inoperable.

Claim 14

Control apparatus for use by seriously physically handicapped persons, which apparatus comprises first input switch means operable by a handicapped person for an actuation period determined by that person; a stepping pulse generator connected with said first input switch means for operation in response thereto to produce stepping pulses during said actuation period; first selector means operable in stepped manner through a plurality of different conditions connected to said stepping pulse generator and to said first input switch means for operation in response to pulses produced during actuation of said first input switch means, said first selector means having a plurality of outputs producing individual signals respectively representing said conditions when extant; a first control device responsive to said input switch means and operable to produce a control signal in response to termination of the actuation period of said apparatus, a plurality of logic gates each having one set of inputs respectively connected with said selector outputs and a second set of inputs connected in common with said first control device, each of said logic gates being operable in response to simultaneous occurrence of the respective ones of said first selector means output signals and said control signal; a plurality of servo devices respectively connected with said logic gates for actuation in response to operation of the respective logic gates, second selector means operable in stepped manner through a plurality of different conditions connected to said input means for operation in response to successive actuations thereof, and having a plurality of outputs producing individual signals respectively representing said conditions when extant; a plurality of second logic gates respectively connected with a different one of said second selector means outputs, and each connected with said pulse generator; and a plurality of third and fourth selector means each equivalent to said first selector means, and each connected to a respectively different one of said second logic gates for operation in response to said pulses and the respective second selector means output signal; and wherein said control device is operable to produce said control signal only in response to termination of all of said successive actuations of said input means; and said first mentioned logic gates are respectively connected with individually different combinations of said first, third and fourth selector means outputs taken one each from all of said first, third and fourth selector means, and are each connected with said control device for operation in response to simultaneous occurrence of the respective combination of all three output signals and said control signal; a selector reset device; each of said first, third and fourth selector means having a predetermined starting condition and a corresponding output for producing a signal when such condition is extant; said selector reset device being connected to said control device for operation thereby in response to said control signal; said reset device being connected with said pulse generator and each of said second logic gates to operate the same and reset each of said first, third and fourth selector means by stepping in unison to their respective starting condition; and further comprising a third logic gaTe connected with each of said first, third and fourth selector means starting condition outputs to render such gate operative in response to simultaneous occurrence of signals from all such outputs, and operably connected with said reset device to render the latter inoperative.

Claim 15

Control apparatus for use by seriously physically handicapped persons, which apparatus comprises first input switch means operable by a handicapped person for an actuation period determined by that person; a stepping pulse generator connected with said first input switch means for operation in response thereto to produce stepping pulses during said actuation period; first selector means operable in stepped manner through a plurality of different conditions connected to said stepping pulse generator and to said first input switch means for operation in response to pulses produced during actuation of said first input switch means, said first selector means having a plurality of outputs producing individual signals respectively representing said conditions when extant; a first control device responsive to said input switch means and operable to produce a control signal in response to termination of the actuation period of said apparatus, a plurality of logic gates each having one set of inputs respectively connected with said selector outputs and a second set of inputs connected in common with said first control device, each of said logic gates being operable in response to simultaneous occurrence of the respective ones of said first selector means output signals and said control signal; a plurality of servo devices respectively connected with said logic gates for actuation in response to operation of the respective logic gates, second selector means operable in stepped manner through a plurality of different conditions connected to said input means for operation in response to successive actuations thereof, and having a plurality of outputs producing individual signals respectively representing said conditions when extant; a plurality of second logic gates respectively connected with a different one of said second selector means outputs, and each connected with said pulse generator; and a plurality of third and fourth selector means each equivalent to said first selector means, and each connected to a respectively different one of said second logic gates for operation in response to said pulses and the respective second selector means output signal; and wherein said control device is operable to produce said control signal only in response to termination of all of said successive actuations of said input means; and said first mentioned logic gates are respectively connected with individually different combinations of said first, third and fourth selector means outputs taken one each from all of said first, third and fourth selector means, and are each connected with said control device for operation in response to simultaneous occurrence of the respective combination of all three output signals and said control signal; a selector reset device; each of said first, third and fourth selector means having a predetermined starting condition and a corresponding output for producing a signal when such condition is extant; said selector reset device being connected to said control device for operation thereby in response to said control signal; said reset device being connected with said pulse generator and each of said second logic gates to operate the same and reset each of said first, third and fourth selector means by stepping in unison to their respective starting condition; and further comprising a third logic gaTe connected with each of said first, third and fourth selector means starting condition outputs to render such gate operative in response to simultaneous occurrence of signals from all such outputs, and operably connected with said reset device to render the latter inoperative.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said selector reset device is further operably connected with said second selector means to step the same.