US3222574A - Multichannel illumination system for controlling the intensity of illumination in each channel in response to selected frequency band of an input control signal - Google Patents

Description

7 1965 G. SILVESTRI, JR 5 MULTICHANNEL ILLUMINATION SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING THE INTENSITY OF ILLUMINATION IN EACH CHANNEL IN RESPONSE TO SELECTED FREQUENCY BAND OF AN INPUT CONTROL SIGNAL Filed Nov. 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l \s N E E a E K I I Q 9 1 \1 1 \1. Q R? Y I? It x \1 \J k0 Na ES E 35% ng g\ 2 Q25 L14 0 b U Q '4 Q h u k u u 3 3 6 k 2 N M 6 9% N a k Q5 k Q E I M q) o Q "3 H 1U U N? E I H a 8 E: INVENTOR.

A U) H i If GEORGE s/L VEST/W, we Q gga BY U Egg ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1965 s vgs JR 3,222,574

MULTICHANNEL ILLUMINATION SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING THE INTENSITY 0F ILLUMINATION IN EACH CHANNEL IN RESPONSE TO SELECTED FREQUENCY BAND OF AN INPUT CONTROL SIGNAL Filed Nov. 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lA/PUT FROM FRE UEA/C D/ V/S/O/V A/E TWORK Z/Gf/TS \J u 9 i s a 8 INVENTOR. U GEORGE 5/L VESTRI, JR.

BY N ,4 TTOANE Y6 United States Patent MULTICHANNEL ILLUMINATION SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLTNG THE INTENSITY 0F llLLUMli- NATION EN EACH CHANNEL IN RESPONSE Tl) SELECTED FREQUENCY BAND OF AN INPUT CONTRUL SIGNAL George Silvcstri, .lr., Chicago, Ill, assignor to Silvestri Art Manufacturing Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 325,725 1 Claim. (Cl. 315-200) This invention relates generally to illumination systems of the type controlled by electrical signals of varying frequency, and more particularly to a new and improved illumination system having a plurality of individual lighting circuits adapted to be separately energized by different frequency range portions of an input signal, representative of a musical composition or the like.

In accordance with a general object of this invention, a plurality of individual lighting circuits, which advantageously may comprise lamps of different colors, are adapted to be separately energized by different frequency range portions of a music signal source so as to provide multicolored lighting effects representative of the music characteristics.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a frequency controlled illuminaton system having a frequency division network for separating an electrical signal representative of a musical composition into a plurality of component frequency range portions and applying the latter to separate control channels for selectively energizing lighting circuits connected to said control channels.

It is another object of this invention to provide a frequency controlled illumination system comprising a source of multifrequency signals, a frequency division network for separating the signals into a plurality of different frequency range portions, a plurality of control channels connected to the frequency division network with a separate control channel for each of said frequency range portions provided by the frequency division network, and a separate lighting circuit connected to the output of each control channel such that the intensity of energization for each lighting circuit is determined by the relative amplitude of the signals in its associated frequency range portion.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel frequency controlled illumnation system, as above, which may, for example, be advantageously used in advertising and promotional displays wherein the color and intensity of the lighting circuits energized is directly related to the frequency spectrum of a musical composition so as to provide a related sight and sound display.

The novel features which are characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of one illustrative frequency controlled illumination system embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an electrical schematic circuit diagram of an illustrative frequency division network forming a part of the present invention; and

FIGURE 3 is an electrical circuit schematic diagram of an intensity and sync control unit for one output channel of the frequency division network.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGURE 1 thereof, there is shown in block diagram form one illustrative embodiment of a frequency controlled illumination system in accordance with the present invention. Advantageously, the invention is adapted to be used with a suitable source of electrical signals, and preferably such a source of electrical signals as may be derived from music reproduction apparatus. Thus, the music source 10 in FIGURE 1 may take the form of a phonograph, a radio, a tap recorder, or any other apparatus capable of transducing a musical selection into corresponding electrical signals. Those skilled in the art know that such electrical signals are characterized by a varying composite wave form made up of numerous frequencies, with the amplitudes and frequencies of the signals being constantly varied in accordance with the characteristics of the music being reproduced. As explained in greater detail hereinbelow, it is one highly advantageous use of the present invention to separate such a composite wave form into its separate frequency range portions such that each individual frequency range portion may be utilized to control the intensity of energization of a separate lighting circuit. If, as in a preferable form of the invention, each lighting circuit is comprised of lights of a color different from the colors of the other lighting circuits, then various eye-pleasing lighting effects may be achieved with the particularly colored lights of each frequency range portion being increased or decreased in intensity in accordance with the sensed presence of that frequency range portion in the composite signal applied to the system from the music transducing device.

It is one feature of the present invention that the composite signal supplied by the music source 10 be separated into the individual frequency range portions by a frequency division network 12. While the frequency division network 12 may comprise any desired number of separate frequency range outputs, the present invention will be described herein for purposes of illustration as utilizing a three channel or three frequency range portion network. As such, the input signal to the frequency network 12 from the music source 10 is divided into three frequency range portion outputs applied to the output channel lines 14, 16 and 18. The output channel line 14 has the bass or low frequency range portion of the composite signal applied thereto, the output channel line 16 has the middle frequency or midfrequency range portion of the composite input signal applied thereto, while the output channel line 18 has the treble or high frequency range portion of the input signal applied thereto. This division of the input composite signal into three separate frequency range portions is effected by means of suitable filter networks of the type exemplified by FIG- URE 2 and described in greater detail hereinbelow.

Each output channel line is connected to an associated intensity control unit which serves to supply energizing power to an associated lighting circuit of an intensity determined by the amplitude of the signals in the particular frequency range channel.

Thus, the output channel line 14 is connected to the intensity control unit 20 for channel number 1 which has an output to supply the energizing power to the lighting circuit 22. Similarly, the output channel line 16 is connected to the intensity control unit 24, of channel number 2, which applies its output to control the energizing power for the lighting circuit 26. Still further, the output channel line 18 is connected to the intensity control unit 28, for channel number 3, which has its output to control the energizing power to the lighting circuit 30. Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that the energizing power to the lighting circuits 22, 26 and 30 is individually and selectively controlled by their associated intensity control units and in accordance With the amplitude of the signals in the particular frequency range portion present in each output channel at the output of the frequency division network 12. If, as preferred in one embodiment of this invention, each of the lighting circuits 22, 26 and 30 comprises colored lights different from each of the other lighted circuits, an attractive and entertaining lighting effect can be achieved for advertising or other display purposes when the musical selection signals are supplied from the music source 10 to the system. The result is a combined sight and sound effect which can be extremely striking to the observer and listener.

One particular illustrative circuit for the frequency division network 12 is shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. An input jack 32 is adapted to be connected to a suitable source of signals such as a phonograph, a radio, a tape recorder, or the like. The center conductor 34 of the jack 32 is connected in parallel to each of the three tuned filters while the external conductor 36 of input jack 32 also is connected in parallel to the other side of the three tuned filters. The first tuned filter 38 comprises an inductance coil 40 connected in series with the conductor 34 and having its output connected to a capacitor 42 which is returned to the conductor 36. The junction of the inductance coil 40 and capacitor 42 is connected to a resistance pad comprised of the resistors 4-4, 46 and 48 connected together by means of a movable arm 54 Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the output from the tuned filter may be varied as desired by movement of the movable arm 50 so that the selected frequency range portion of the input signal passed by the tuned filter 38 may be transmitted by means of an output conductor 54 and output jack S6 to an associated intensity control unit. In accordance with a feature of this particular embodiment of the invention, the tuned filter 38 is a low frequency band pass filter which advantageously may pass signals in the frequency range of to 200 cycles per second. When this low frequency range portion of the input signal is available at the output jack 56, it is transmitted by means of the output line 14 shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing to the intensity control unit 20 for channel number 1. As stated above, this low frequency range portion of the input signal is utilized to control the energizing power to the lighting circuit 22 so that the latter is illuminated in accordance with the amplitude of the bass or low frequency range portion of the input signal.

Similarly, the input signal at the input jack 32 is applied to the tuned filter 66, which advantageously is tuned to serve as a midfrequency by-pass filter. Toward this end, the tuned filter 66 comprises a capacitor 60 connected to the junction of the inductance coils 62 and 63. A capacitor 64 is connected across the other terminals of the inductance coils 62 and 63 with the junction of inductance coil 62 and capacitor 64 being connected to a resistance pad 68. The resistance pad es formed of the resistors '70, 72 and 74 is connected by the movable arm 76 such that the middle frequency range portion of the input signal passed by the tuned filter 66 may be adjusted as desired by the resistance pad 68 so that it can be applied through the output line 78 to the output jack 80.

In a related fashion, the treble or high frequency range portion of the input signal is passed by the tuned filter 86 and a resistance pad 88 to the treble output jack 98. The tuned filter 86 is comprised of a capacitor 82 in series with the input line 58 and an inductance coil 84 connected across the output terminal of capacitor 82 and the input lines 36. The junction of the capacitor 82, and inductance coil 84 is connected to the resistance pad 88 which is formed of the resistors 90, 92 and 94 connected together by the movable arm 96. Thus, the treble or high frequency range portion of the input signal passed by the band pass filter 86 is set to a desirable level by means of the resistance pad 88 and is applied by the output line 100 to the output jack 98.

The midfrequency range signal output at the output jack 80 is adapted to be applied, as shown in FIGURE 1, through the output conductor 16 to the intensity control unit 24 for the midfrequency channel number 2, while the v of the lighting circuit 22.

high frequency range portion of the input signal is applied from the output jack 98 to the conductor 18 and the intensity control unit 2% of the high frequency channel number 3. In this manner, the lighting circuit 26 is controlled by t-he midfrequency signal portion of the input signal while the lighting circuit 30 is controlled by the high frequency range portion of the input signal. Thus, it can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that each of the separate lighting circuits is individually controlled by a separate frequency range portion of the input signal to provide the desired correlation between the lighting effects and the musical composition forming the basis of the input signal. In the particular illustrative embodiment shown in FIGURES l and 2, the midf-requency range band pass filter 66 may be designed to pass signals in the range of 200 cycles per second to 2,000 cycles per second, while the high frequency tuned filter 86 may be designed to pass signals in the frequency range of 2,000 cycles per second and higher. Manifestly, these frequency range portions may be varied and selected as desired by proper design of the circuit components forming the band pass tuned filters.

An illustrative embodiment of the intensity control unit, as shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, now will be described. Inasmuch as the three intensity control units 20, 24 and 28 of the block diagram for the three channel system shown in FIGURE 1 may be identical in construction, only one such intensity control unit need by described herein.

The primary purpose of the intensity control unit is to control the amount of energizing power applied from an A.C. power source 102 to a lighting circuit 22 in accordance with the signal received from the frequency division network in the channel associated with the lighting circuit. Thus, as explained in greater detail hereinbelow, as the particular frequency range portion of the input signal supplied from the frequency division network is increased or decreased in accordance with the musical characteristics of the signal, the amount of energizing power applied from the A.C. source 102 to the lighting circuit 22 is correspondingly increased or decreased to provide a correlation between the music and the intensity of the lighting circuit.

In accordance with a feature of this invention, this control of the energizing power to the lighting circuit may be effected by means of an intensity control unit of the type which advantageously utilizes a silicon controlled rectifier phase control circuit for an AC. load. Silicon controlled rectifiers are well known to those skilled in the art and are described in detail in a publication of the General Electric Company entitled SCR Manual, Second Edition, Copyright 1961. The intensity control unit of the present invention comprises an advantageous application of such silicon controlled rectifier circuits, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that, if desired, other types of intensity control circuits may be utilized in lieu of the illustrative silicon control rectfier circuit disclosed for purposes of illustration herein.

In the circuit of FIGURE 3, the A.C. source 102 is connected by means of the power line 104 to one terminal The other side of the A.C. source 1102 is connected to the remaining terminal of the lighting circuit 22 by means of a silicon controlled rectifier circuit comprising the first silicon controlled rectifier T08 and a second silicon controlled rectifier connected reversely poled and in parallel to the power line 106. The input to the parallel connected silicon controlled rectifiers comprises a power switch 112 connected to the A.C. power source 102, a safety fuse 114 connected in series with the power switch 112 and a terminal junction 11d connected to the safety fuse 114. The silicon controlled rectifier 108 and the safety fuse 118 are connected in series between the terminal junction 116 and the output power conductor 306. Similarly, so as to be in parallel with the latter circuit, the silicon controlled rectifier 110 and the safety fuse 120 are connected between the terminal junction point 116 and the power conductor 106. A first secondary winding 122 of the transformer T1 is connected between the anode and gate electrodes of the silicon controlled rectifier 108, while a second secondary winding 124 of the transformer T1 is connected between the anode and gate electrodes of the silicon controlled rectifier 110. It will be noted that the two silicon controlled rectifiers 108 and 110 are connected so as to be in opposite polarity to each other and the manner in which the conduction of these two silicon controlled rectifiers is controlled by the input frequency signal to control the application of energizing power from an A.C. source 102 to the lighting circuit 22 will be described in detail hereinbelow.

The primary winding 126 of a power transformer T2 also is connected across the A.C. power source 102 so that the A.C. voltage is applied to the secondary winding 128 of transformer T2. The A.C. voltage output of secondary winding 128 is rectified by means of a full wave rectifier 130 comprising the diodes 132, 134, 136 and 138. The rectified D.C. voltage output from the full wave rectifier 130, present at the terminals 140 and 142, serves to supply the DO operating potential to the remainder of the intensity control circuit.

A current limiting resistor 148 and a voltage regulating diode, such as the Zener diode 150, are connected across the output terminals of the full wave rectifier 130 to provide a regulated D.C. operating potential to the intensity control circuit between the power leads 144 and 146. Referring now to the input jack 56 of the intensity control unit shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, it will be appreciated that input jack 56 is adapted to be connected to an output of the frequency division network 12. In the particular illustrative embodiment shown in FIG- URE 3, wherein the intensity control unit 20 is adapted to receive the low frequency or bass portion of the input signal from the frequency division network, the input jack 56 would be connected by means of the output conductor 14 to the frequency division network. The input signal received from the frequency division network at input jack 56 is applied to the primary winding 152 of an audiotransformer T3. The secondary winding 154 of the audiotransformer T3 is connected through the coupling capacitors 156 and 158 to a circuit comprising the oppositely poled rectifiers 160 and 164 connected in series with the resistance 162, and having a delay capacitor 166 connected thereacross.

It will be noted that a pair of voltage dividing resistances 168 and 174 is connected between the power leads with the resistance 168 being connected to power lead 144 through the diode 170 and with the resistor 174 being directly connected to power lead 146. A transistor 172 is provided with its emitter connected to the junction of resistors 168 and 174 and with its collector connected through the capacitor 176 to the power lead 146. The base of transistor 172 is connected directly to the movable arm 186 of an intensity control potentiometer 182, the latter being connected in series with the resistor 184 across the power leads.

It now will be understood that the base drive on the transistor 172 may be set to a predetermined level by means of the intensity control potentiometer 182 and that this preset level may be overridden by the input signal applied to the base of transistor 172 through the net,- work described above for coupling the input signal from jack 56 to the transistor base electrode. Thus, beyond the level set by the intensity control potentiometer 182, the transistor 172 will conduct upon receiving an input signal from the input jack 56 connected to the frequency division network.

As shown in FIGURE 3, a unijunction transistor 178 is connected in series with a resistor 180 and the primary winding 188 of transformer T1 between the power leads 144 and 146. The emitter of the unijunction transistor 178 is connected to the collector of transistor 172 such that the unijunction transistor 178 acts as a trigger which serves to develop a gate signal across the primary winding 188 of transformer T1 to fire the silicon controlled rectifiers 108 and on alternate half cycles of the A.C. voltage from source 102. Thus, the receipt of an input signal from the frequency division network on input jack 56 causes the delay capacitor 166 to be charged in a manner which causes the transistor 172 to conduct and fires the unijunction transistor 178 to develop a pulse of gate current in the primary winding 188 of transformer T1. This pulse of gate current, which has a phase or firing angle determined by the amplitude of the input signal is applied by the secondary windings 122 and 124 on transformer T1 to the silicon controlled rectifiers 108 and 110 respectively. Which ever one of the two silicon controlled rectifiers has positive anode voltage at the time the gate pulse occurs will fire, thus applying the A.C. voltage from the source to the lighting circuit load for the remainder of that half cycle. In this manner, the lighting circuit 22 is energized for a selective period in each half cycle of the A.C. source voltage which is determined by the intensity of the signal input from the frequency division network.

Those skilled in the art now will appreciate that each of the lighting circuits 22, 26, and 30 in the illustrative three channel system disclose-d in the drawings will be individually energized in accordance with the signal content in its respective frequency range. Thus, the greater the signal content in a given frequency range, the greater will be the intensity of energization of its associated lighting circuit. If, for example, each of the three lighting circuits is comprised of lights having a color different from the others, then the various colored lights will be energized in direct correlation to the frequency distribution in the input signal. Thus, if the input signal is derived from a music source, such as a radio, phonograph or tape recorder, then the intensity of the illumination of the various colored lighting circuit loads will be in accordance with the musical composition represented by the input signal to result in a highly effective and striking sight and sound display. While such a visual display, also known as dancing lights, may be achieved through the use of the present invention, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that numerous other purposes and uses can be achieved by virtue of the principles of the present invention.

While there has been shown and described a specific embodiment of the present invention, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and alternative constructions may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and alternative constructions as fall within their true spirit and scope.

What is claimed as the invention is:

The improvement of a frequency controlled illumination system comprising the combination of an input source of electrical signals of different frequencies and varying amplitudes, a frequency division network connected to said source, said frequency division network comprising tuned filter means for separating said signals into a plurality of different frequency range portions, a plurality of output channels connected to said frequency division network, there being at least a bass output channel for the low frequency range portion output of the frequency division network, a midfrequency output channel for the middle frequency range portion output of the frequency division network, and a treble output channel for the high frequency range portion output of the frequency division network, individual selectively operable amplitude control means in each of said output channels for enabling the amplitude of the frequency range portion output of each channel to be separately adjusted, an intensity control circuit connected in each output channel,

each intensity control circuit comprising a source of power for a lighting circuit load, and phase controller means for varying the intensity of the power supplied to the lighting circuit load in accordance with the amplitude of the signals supplied to the output channel from the frequency division network, said phase controller means having an input connected to receive the signals from the output channel of the frequency division network, a delay capacitor connected across said input to be charged by the signals received from the frequency division network, trigger means connected to said capacitor so as to be fired into conduction to produce a gate pulse having a phase angle determined by the amplitude of said input signals when the charge on said capacitor attains the firing potential of said trigger means, and a pair of reversely poled silicon controlled rectifiers connected to receive said gate pulse produced upon the References lited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,690,279 1l/ 1928 Craft 84-464 3,142,781 7/1964 IZenour 315-199 X 3,163,077 12/1964 Shank 84464 JOHN W. HUCKERT, Primary Examiner.

DAVID J. GALVIN, Examiner.

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