Patent · US Expired

Device for providing a selectively variable proportion of an electrical signal

US4213065A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
3References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 13, 1978
Grant dateJul 15, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 13, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03H19/008
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A device for providing a selectively variable proportion of an electrical signal, which can be used instead of a conventional resistive track potentiometer, is disclosed. The device comprises two switching devices, typically CMOS transmission gates, connected in series between two inputs for receiving the electrical signal, an output at the series connection of the switching devices, and a control circuit for cyclically switching the switching devices between high and low conductivity states. The control circuit is so arranged that when one of the switching devices is in its high conductivity state, the other is in its low state and vice versa, and the control circuit is arranged to control selectively the relative durations that the devices remain in their different conductivity states. A filter is connected to the output and in use, the output signal from the filter is of the same general waveform as the signal applied to the inputs but of a magnitude determined by the selected relative durations of the high and low conductivity states, determined by the control circuit.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.