Electronic control circuit

Claim 2

A communication receiver for receiving carrier signals modulated by a series of control tones, said receiver comprising a processing circuit for receiving the modulated carrier signals and detecting the series of modulated control tones therein, a pulser circuit coupled to said processing circuit and operative to normally provide a series of recurrent voltage pulses to said processing circuit for intermittently rendering said processing circuit operative at a predetermined rate, a decoder circuit coupled to said processing circuit and responsive to the first control tone in said series of control tones for generating a first control signal having a duration which is a function of the duration of the first control tone and a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said first control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said decoder circuit responsive to a subsequent control tone for generating a third control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said first control signal to furnish a continuous supply voltage to said processing circuit for the duration of said first control tone, said pulser circuit responsive to said second control signal to furnish a continuous supply voltage to said processing circuit for at least said predetermined time interval, said predetermined time interval having a duration sufficient to permit the decoder to decode said subsequent tone, an electronic circuit responsive to said third control signal to provide an enabling signal, and a utilization circuit responsive to said enabling signal for utilizing said enabling signal.

Claim 3

An arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising said pulser circuit responsive to said third control signal to furnish a continuous supply voltage for a desired time period.

Claim 4

An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said desired time period comprises a second predetermined time period.

Claim 5

An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said desired time period is a function of the duration of said subsequent tone.

Claim 6

An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said desired time period is permanent until manually removed.

Claim 7

An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the enabling signal occurs for a second predetermined time interval.

Claim 8

An arrangement according to claim 4 wherein said enabling signal has a duration which is a function of the second control tone duration.

Claim 9

An arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said enabling signal is permanent until said first mentioned manual removal.

Claim 10

In combination, first means for receiving speech signals and control tone signals, second means for detecting received control tone signals, a pulser circuit coupled to said second means and operative to normally furnish a series of recurrent pulses to said first means for intermittently rendering said first means operative at a predetermined rate, said second means responsive to a detected first control tone in a series of control tones for generating a first control signal for a duration which is a function of the duration of said detected first control tone and a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said detected first control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said second means responsive to a detected subsequent control tone for generating a third control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said first control signal to furnish a continuous supply voltage to said first means for the duration of said first control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said second control signal to furnish a continuous supply voltage to said second means for the duration of said second control signal, third means normally inoperative for utilizing said received speech signals, and fourth means responsive to said third control signal for rendering said third means operative.

Claim 11

In combination, first means for receiving speech signals and control tone signals, second means for detecting received control tone signals, a pulser circuit coupled to said second means and operative to normally furnish a series of recurrent pulses to said first means for intermittently rendering said first means operative at a predetermined rate, said second means responsive to a detected first control tone in a series of control tones for generating a first control signal for a duration which is a function of the duration of said detected first control tone and a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said detected first control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said second means responsive to a detected subsequent control tone for generating a third control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said first control signal to furnish a continuous supply voltage to said first means for the duration of said first control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said second control signal to furnish a continuous supply voltage to said second means for the duration of said second control signal, third means normally inoperative for utilizing said received speech signals, and fourth means responsive to said third control signal for rendering said third means operative.

Claim 12

An arrangement according to claim 9 wherein said second means comprises a common detector which is tunable to detect said first control tone or said subsequent control tone, means responsive to said detected first control tone for tuning said second means to detect said subsequent control tone, and means responsive to the termination of said second control signal for tuning said second means to detect said first control tone.

Claim 13

In combination, first means for receiving speech and control tones, tunable filter means for selecting said control tones, second means for detecting said selected control tones, a pulser circuit coupled to said first means for normally intermittently rendering said first means operative at a predetermined rate, said tunable filter means comprising a high Q circuit in order to select closely spaced control tones, said second means comprising a fast level-detector and a slow level-detector, said fast level-detector responsive to the first control tone selected for generating a first control signal having a duration which is a function of the duration of said first control tone, said slow level-detector responsive to said selected first control tone for providing a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said first selected control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said slow level-detector responsive to a subsequent control tone for generating a third control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said first control signal to render said first means operative for the duration of said first control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said second control signal to render said first means operative for at least said predetermined time interval, means responsive to the selected first control tone detected by said slow level-detector for tuning said tunable filter means to select said subsequent control tone and responsive to a selected subsequent control tone detected by said slow level-detector for tuning said tunable filter means to select said first control tone, and means responsive to said third control signal for utilizing said received speech.

Claim 14

In combination, first means for receiving speech and control tones, tunable filter means for selecting said control tones, second means for detecting said selected control tones, a pulser circuit coupled to said first means for normally intermittently rendering said first means operative at a predetermined rate, said tunable filter means comprising a high Q circuit in order to select closely spaced control tones, said second means comprising a fast level-detector and a slow level-detector, said fast level-detector responsive to the first control tone selected for generating a first control signal having a duration which is a function of the duration of said first control tone, said slow level-detector responsive to said selected first control tone for providing a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said first selected control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said slow level-detector responsive to a subsequent control tone for generating a third control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said first control signal to render said first means operative for the duration of said first control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said second control signal to render said first means operative for at least said predetermined time interval, means responsive to the selected first control tone detected by said slow level-detector for tuning said tunable filter means to select said subsequent control tone and responsive to a selected subsequent control tone detected by said slow level-detector for tuning said tunable filter means to select said first control tone, and means responsive to said third control signal for utilizing said received speech.

Claim 15

In combination, first means for receiving speech and sequential control tones, tunable filter means coupled to said first means for selectively passing said control tones individually, second means coupled to said filter means for detecting said selectively passed control tones, a pulser circuit normally providing pulse signals at a given recurrence rate coupled to said first means for recurrently rendering said first means operative at said given recurrence rate, said tunable filter means comprising a high Q circuit in order to selectively pass closely spaced control tones, said second means comprising a fast level-detector and a slow level-detector, said fast level-detector responsive to the first selectively passed control tone for generating a first control signal having a duration which is a function of the duration of said first control tone, said slow level-detector responsive to said selectively passed first control tone for providing a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said first selected control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said slow level-detector responsive to a selectively passed, subsequent second control tone for generating a third control signal, said purser circuit responsive only to said first control signal to interrupt the rendering of said first means operative at said given recurrence rate and to render said first means operative for the duration of said first control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said second control signal to additionally render said first means operative for at least said predetermined time interval, means responsive to the selectively passed first control tone detected by said slow level-detector for automatically tuning said tunable filter means to selectively pass said subsequent second control tone and responsive to a selectively passed, subsequent, second control tone detected by said slow level-detector for automatically tuning said tunable filter means to selectively pass said first control tone, and normally operative means responsive only to said third control signal for utilizing said received speech.

Claim 16

In combination, first means for receiving speech and sequential control tones, tunable filter means coupled to said first means for selectively passing said control tones individually, second means coupled to said filter means for detecting said selectively passed control tones, a pulser circuit normally providing pulse signals at a given recurrence rate coupled to said first means for recurrently rendering said first means operative at said given recurrence rate, said tunable filter means comprising a high Q circuit in order to selectively pass closely spaced control tones, said second means comprising a fast level-detector and a slow level-detector, said fast level-detector responsive to the first selectively passed control tone for generating a first control signal having a duration which is a function of the duration of said first control tone, said slow level-detector responsive to said selectively passed first control tone for providing a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said first selected control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said slow level-detector responsive to a selectively passed, subsequent second control tone for generating a third control signal, said purser circuit responsive only to said first control signal to interrupt the rendering of said first means operative at said given recurrence rate and to render said first means operative for the duration of said first control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said second control signal to additionally render said first means operative for at least said predetermined time interval, means responsive to the selectively passed first control tone detected by said slow level-detector for automatically tuning said tunable filter means to selectively pass said subsequent second control tone and responsive to a selectively passed, subsequent, second control tone detected by said slow level-detector for automatically tuning said tunable filter means to selectively pass said first control tone, and normally operative means responsive only to said third control signal for utilizing said received speech.

Claim 17

In combination, first means for receiving speech and sequential control tones, second means coupled to said first means for selectively passing control tones one at a time, third means coupled to said second means for detecting said selectively passed control tones, a pulser circuit coupled to said first means for normally rendering said first means intermittently operative at a given recurrence rate, said third means responsive to a first selectively passed tone for generating a first control signal having a duration which is a function of the duration of said first control tone, said third means responsive to said selectively passed first control tone for providing a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said first selected control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said third means responsive to a selectively passed, subsequent, second control tone for generating a third control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said first control signal to render said first means continuously operative for the duration of said first control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said second control signal to render said first means continuously operative for at least said predetermined time interval, means responsive to the selectively passed first control tone detected by said third means for automatically changing the selectivity of said second means to selectively pass said subsequent, second control tone, means responsive to the selectively passed, subsequent, second control tone detected by said third means for automatically changing the selectivity of said second means to selectively pass said first control tone, and normally inoperative means responsive only to said third control signal for utilizing said received speech.

Claim 18

In combination, first means for receiving speech and sequential control tones, second means coupled to said first means for selectively passing control tones one at a time, third means coupled to said second means for detecting said selectively passed control tones, a pulser circuit coupled to said first means for normally rendering said first means intermittently operative at a given recurrence rate, said third means responsive to a first selectively passed tone for generating a first control signal having a duration which is a function of the duration of said first control tone, said third means responsive to said selectively passed first control tone for providing a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said first selected control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said third means responsive to a selectively passed, subsequent, second control tone for generating a third control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said first control signal to render said first means continuously operative for the duration of said first control signal, said pulser circuit responsive to said second control signal to render said first means continuously operative for at least said predetermined time interval, means responsive to the selectively passed first control tone detected by said third means for automatically changing the selectivity of said second means to selectively pass said subsequent, second control tone, means responsive to the selectively passed, subsequent, second control tone detected by said third means for automatically changing the selectivity of said second means to selectively pass said first control tone, and normally inoperative means responsive only to said third control signal for utilizing said received speech.

Claim 19

In combination, first means for receiving speech and sequential control tones, second means coupled to said first means for selectively passing a plurality of given tones in a sequence, third means coupled to said second means for detecting said selectively passed control tones, fourth means coupled to said first means for normally recurrently pulsing said first means with power to render said first means recurrently operative, said third means responsive to only a first selectively passed tone for generating a first control signal having a duration which is a function of the duration of said first control tone, said third means responsive only to said selectively passed first control tone for providing a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said first selected control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said third means responsive to only a selectively passed, subsequent, control tone for generating a third control signal, said fourth means responsive to said first control signal to render said first means continuously operative for the duration of said first control signal, said fourth means responsive to said second control signal to render said first means continuously operative for at least said predetermined time interval, fifth means responsive to said selectively passed first control tone detected by said third means for automatically changing the selectivity of said second means to selectively pass said subsequent control tone and sixth means responsive to said selectively passed, subsequent, control tone detected by said third means for automatically changing the selectivity of said second means to selectively pass said first control tone, and normally inoperative means responsive to said third control signal for utilizing said received speech.

Claim 20

In combination, first means for receiving speech and sequential control tones, second means coupled to said first means for selectively passing a plurality of given tones in a sequence, third means coupled to said second means for detecting said selectively passed control tones, fourth means coupled to said first means for normally recurrently pulsing said first means with power to render said first means recurrently operative, said third means responsive to only a first selectively passed tone for generating a first control signal having a duration which is a function of the duration of said first control tone, said third means responsive only to said selectively passed first control tone for providing a second control signal which occurs substantially upon the termination of said first selected control tone and continues for a predetermined time interval thereafter, said third means responsive to only a selectively passed, subsequent, control tone for generating a third control signal, said fourth means responsive to said first control signal to render said first means continuously operative for the duration of said first control signal, said fourth means responsive to said second control signal to render said first means continuously operative for at least said predetermined time interval, fifth means responsive to said selectively passed first control tone detected by said third means for automatically changing the selectivity of said second means to selectively pass said subsequent control tone and sixth means responsive to said selectively passed, subsequent, control tone detected by said third means for automatically changing the selectivity of said second means to selectively pass said first control tone, and normally inoperative means responsive to said third control signal for utilizing said received speech.

Claim 21

An arrangement according to claim 14 wherein said fifth means comprises means responsive to said selectively passed first control tone for automatically changing the selectivity of said second means for a first predetermined time interval to selectively pass a first subsequent control tone and for a subsequent second predetermined time interval to selectively pass a second subsequent control tone, and means coupled to said third means responsive to the detection of a first subsequent control tone to arrest the automatic changing of the selectivity of said second means to pass a second subsequent control tone, said third means responsive only to the first, selectively passed, subsequent, control tone for generating said third control signal.