Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
A Touch-Tone encoder unit comprising: a housing having an open front; a keyboard having a plurality of pushbutton switches thereon mounted in said housing and providing a closure for the open front thereof; a switching circuit board electrically connected to the pushbutton switches on the keyboard mounted on the rear face of said keyboard and contained within said housing; a further circuit board mounted in said housing adjacent to said switching circuit board and electrically connected thereto; a first circuit means including electric components and circuitry constituting an encoder generator circuit mounted on said further circuit board for producing dual tones as the pushbutton switches on the keyboard are individually depressed; second circuit means mounted on said further circuit board including electric components and circuitry connected to said first circuit means for limiting the duration of each dual tone generated thereby to a predetermined time interval independent of the time during which the corresponding pushbutton switch is depressed; and fastening means for securing said housing to said keyboard to hold the unit in an assembled condition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
A Touch-Tone encoder unit comprising: a housing having an open front; a keyboard having a plurality of pushbutton switches thereon mounted in said housing and providing a closure for the open front thereof; a switching circuit board electrically connected to the pushbutton switches on the keyboard mounted on the rear face of said keyboard and contained within said housing; a further circuit board mounted in said housing adjacent to said switching circuit board and electrically connected thereto; a first circuit means including electric components and circuitry constituting an encoder generator circuit mounted on said further circuit board for producing dual tones as the pushbutton switches on the keyboard are individually depressed; second circuit means mounted on said further circuit board including electric components and circuitry connected to said first circuit means for limiting the duration of each dual tone generated thereby to a predetermined time interval independent of the time during which the corresponding pushbutton switch is depressed; and fastening means for securing said housing to said keyboard to hold the unit in an assembled condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The Touch-Tone encoder unit defined in claim 1, in which one of said circuit boards has a plurality of connecting pins protruding outwardly therefrom, and in which the other of said circuit boards has a plurality of connecting holes receiving respective ones of said pins to establish electrical connection between the switching circuit board and the circuits on said further circuit board.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The Touch-Tone encoder unit defined in claim 1, in which said fastening means includes a plurality of mounting posts extending between said keyboard and said housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The Touch-Tone encoder unit defined in claim 1, in which the electric components mounted on said further circuit board includes at least one manually adjustable signal level control element, and in which said housing has a hole therein to permit adjustment of said control element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The Touch-Tone encoder unit defined in claim 1, in which said second circuit means includes an amplifier circuit connected to the encoder generator circuit for amplifying the dual tones produced thereby, and a timing circuit connected to the amplifier circuit for blocking the amplifier circuit a predetermined time interval after the initiation of each dual tone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The Touch-Tone encoder unit defined in claim 5, in which said second circuit means includes a first output circuit connected to the amplifier circuit for deriving the amplified dual tones therefrom, and for introducing the tones to a monitoring speaker.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The Touch-Tone encoder unit defined in claim 6, in which said second circuit means includes a first potentiometer in said first output circuit for controlling the level of tones reproduced by said speaker, said first potentiometer being accessible through a hole in said housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
The Touch-Tone encoder unit defined in claim 5, in which said second circuit means includes a second output circuit connected to the amplifier for deriving the amplified dual tones therefrom for transmission to remote receiving equipment, and which includes a second potentiometer in said second output circuit for controlling the level of the amplified tones, said second potentiometer being accessible for manual adjustment through a hole in said housing.