Remote switching apparatus

Claim 2

Remote switching apparatus comprising: (a) a multiplicity of selection switches, (b) encoding means connected to said switches for providing a numerical output upon the sequential actuation of any two of said switches, (c) means responsive to the actuation of the first of said switches for the generation of prepulse signal, (d) means responsive to the following actuation of another of said switches, for translating the numerical output resulting from the actuation of both said switches for generating a pulsing signal corresponding to said numerical output, and (e) means for transmitting said prepulse signal followed by said pulsing signal.

Claim 3

A remote switching means as defined in claim 1, in which said means for generating the pulsing signal comprises a counter preset by the numerical output, and actuated by a clock for decrementing said numerical output preset within the counter to zero, said (e) means being adapted to transmit a burst of signal at a single frequency at each count.

Claim 4

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including: (a) signal receiving means (b) counting means responsive to the receiving means for counting the number of pulses in said pulsing signal, (c) means responsive to the receiving means for resetting the counting means to zero upon reception of the prepulse signal, (d) means responsive to the counting means for providing a switching signal on one of a group of conductors, each of which corresponds to a predetermined pulse count.

Claim 5

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 3, further including individual switching means connected to each of said conductors, individually operated by a switching signal appearing on its corresponding conductor.

Claim 6

In a tuning apparatus remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 4, further including a varactor tuning diode, a network of resistors and said switching means connected to said diode, said switching means in cooperation with said resistors being adapted to vary the voltage applied to the varactor diode as an individual switching means is operated in response to the reception of a transmitted count of signal pulses.

Claim 7

Remote switching apparatus comprising: (a) means for generating a single frequency signal, (b) A first switching means for causing transmission of a continuous single frequency prepulse signal, (c) control means connected to the (a) means for terminating the prepulse signal and for sequentially causing outpulsing of said single frequency signal a predetermined number of times in response to the actuation of a second switching means, the number of pulses being related to the numerical designation of the second switching means.

Claim 8

Remote switching apparatus comprising: (a) means for generating a single frequency signal, (b) A first switching means for causing transmission of a continuous single frequency prepulse signal, (c) control means connected to the (a) means for terminating the prepulse signal and for sequentially causing outpulsing of said single frequency signal a predetermined number of times in response to the actuation of a second switching means, the number of pulses being related to the numerical designation of the second switching means.

Claim 9

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said signal is an ultrasonic acoustic signal.

Claim 10

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 7, further including means for receiving the signal, counting the number of pulses within said signal upon prior reception of the prepulse signal, and for providing a switch operating signal in response thereto, corresponding to the pulse count of said signal.

Claim 11

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 7, further including means for receiving the ultrasonic signal, means for resetting the counting means to zero upon reception of said prepulse, counting means for counting the number of pulses within said signal and means for providing a switch operating signal, corresponding to the pulse count, in response to the completion of the count of pulses in said signal.

Claim 12

Remote switching apparatus comprising: (a) means for providing an input signal comprising a pair of sequential digits, (b) counter means for counting and storing said digits, (c) oscillator means for providing a continuous wave output signal, (d) means for sensing the input of the first digit, and enabling the generation and continuous transmission of said output signal, (e) means for sensing the input of the second digit, for enabling the counting of both first and second digits, causing transmission of pulses of said output signal of a count corresponding to the input digits, then inhibiting further transmission of said output signal.

Claim 13

Remote switching apparatus comprising: (a) means for providing an input signal comprising a pair of sequential digits, (b) counter means for counting and storing said digits, (c) oscillator means for providing a continuous wave output signal, (d) means for sensing the input of the first digit, and enabling the generation and continuous transmission of said output signal, (e) means for sensing the input of the second digit, for enabling the counting of both first and second digits, causing transmission of pulses of said output signal of a count corresponding to the input digits, then inhibiting further transmission of said output signal.

Claim 14

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 10, in which said (e) means comprises: (i) a pair of counters, the first counter being adapted to store and count a tens digit and the second counter being adapted to store and count a units digit, (ii) means for enabling storage of the first digit in the first counter upon reception of the first digit, (iii) means for enabling storage of the second digit in the second counter upon reception of the second digit, (iv) means for enabling continuous wave transmission of said output signal after completion of input of the first digit.

Claim 15

Remote switching apparatus comprising: (a) a multiplicity of switches, (b) encoding means for providing a binary signal output corresponding to a predetermined number upon closure of one of the switches, (c) a pair of counters, connected to the output of the encoding means, adapted, once enabled and provided with a clock input signal, to count the number encoded by closing a pair of said switches individually and sequentially, (d) means for providing an enable signal from the output of the encoding means upon closure of any of said switches, (e) a first toggle flip-flop for directing the enable signal to one counter upon one switch operating, and to the other counter upon a second switch operating, whereupon first the first digit and then the second digit are stored in the respective counters, (f) a high frequency oscillator, enabled after the completion of the operation of the first switch, from the second flip-flop, for providing transmission of an output signal, (g) a second flip-flop, operated by the first flip-flop, for enabling power supply to the oscillator, (h) a second oscillator of lower frequency than the first, providing a clock signal, adapted to modulate the first oscillator, inhibited by a zero indication in said counters, (i) means for enabling operation of both counters and operation of the low frequency oscillator, whereby clock signals are applied to said counters, causing the high frequency signal to be modulated in step with the clock as the counters count, a zero count indication providing a signal to cause the second flip-flop to inhibit power supply to the oscillator switching it completely off, and ceasing transmission of output signal.

Claim 16

Remote switching apparatus comprising: (a) a multiplicity of switches, (b) encoding means for providing a binary signal output corresponding to a predetermined number upon closure of one of the switches, (c) a pair of counters, connected to the output of the encoding means, adapted, once enabled and provided with a clock input signal, to count the number encoded by closing a pair of said switches individually and sequentially, (d) means for providing an enable signal from the output of the encoding means upon closure of any of said switches, (e) a first toggle flip-flop for directing the enable signal to one counter upon one switch operating, and to the other counter upon a second switch operating, whereupon first the first digit and then the second digit are stored in the respective counters, (f) a high frequency oscillator, enabled after the completion of the operation of the first switch, from the second flip-flop, for providing transmission of an output signal, (g) a second flip-flop, operated by the first flip-flop, for enabling power supply to the oscillator, (h) a second oscillator of lower frequency than the first, providing a clock signal, adapted to modulate the first oscillator, inhibited by a zero indication in said counters, (i) means for enabling operation of both counters and operation of the low frequency oscillator, whereby clock signals are applied to said counters, causing the high frequency signal to be modulated in step with the clock as the counters count, a zero count indication providing a signal to cause the second flip-flop to inhibit power supply to the oscillator switching it completely off, and ceasing transmission of output signal.

Claim 17

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said receiving means comprises: (i) a signal transducer, (ii) signal amplifying and detecting means connected to said transducer, for providing a pulse signal or each burst of signal, (iii) a first Schmitt Trigger connected to the detecting means for providing a square wave representation approximately in time and phase with the pulse envelope signal, and in which the counting means comprises: (iv) a pulse decoding means connected to the Schmitt trigger for providing a binary output representation of the count of the number of pulses in the pulse envelope signal, and (v) means connected to the pulse decoding means for providing said switching signal on one of said conductors, corresponding to the numerical designation of said count.

Claim 18

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 13, in which the resetting means comprises: (x) an integrating means connected to the first Schmitt trigger for integrating said pulse envelope signal, having a predetermined time constant, (xi) a second Schmitt trigger connected to the integrating means for providing an inhibit release pulse, of length extending from the trigger set time after the beginning of integration of the prepulse signal, to the trigger reset time after the end of the last pulse of said pulsing signal, (xii) differentiating means connected to the second Schmitt trigger for differentiating the leading edge of the inhibit release pulse, to provide a reset pulse, (xiii) means for applying the inhibit release pulse to the pulse decoding means for enabling acceptance and counting from the first Schmitt trigger, (xiv) means for applying the reset pulse to the pulse decoding means for resetting its counted value to zero in preparation for reception and counting of pulses from the first Schmitt trigger.

Claim 19

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 11, further including individual switching means connected to each of said conductors individually operated by a switching signal appearing on its corresponding conductor, a varactor tuning diode, a network of resistors and said switching means connected to said diode, said switching means in cooperation with said resistors being adapted to vary the voltage applied to the varactor diode as an individual switching means is operated in response to the reception of a transmitted count of ultrasonic pulses.

Claim 20

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising: (a) a signal generator, (b) a transmit start switch for switching on said generator, (c) a selection switch having a plurality of contacts, including means for selecting and making and holding contact to one of the contacts, (d) counting means for sequentially counting said contacts from a zero contact, upon reception of a clock signal, (e) a clock signal generator connected to said counting means, and to an inhibit input of the signal generator, (f) means for providing an enable signal to the clock signal generator to enable clock signals to regularly interrupt generation of the ultrasonic signal, and simultaneously cause counting of the counting means, upon release of the transmit start switch, and (g) means for shutting off the ultrasonic signal generator and the clock signal generator upon the counting means having counted to said one of the contacts.

Claim 21

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 16, further including means for resetting the counting means to zero at the time of switching on the signal generator.

Claim 22

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 16, in which the counting means is comprised of at least a pair of counters; said selection switch having a switch bank corresponding to each counter, the plurality of contacts of each switch bank connected to its corresponding counter; the individual counters of all switch banks being connected to individual inputs of a NAND gate; a power supply, semiconductor switch means connecting the power supply to both said signal generators, and means for connecting the output of the NAND gate to the switching means, for switching the semiconductor switching means off upon all the selected contacts of all the switch banks having been counted to by all the counting means.

Claim 23

Remote switching apparatus as defined in claim 16 in which said signal generator is adapted to provide an ultrasonic acoustic signal.