The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 13, 1994
Filed:
Oct. 17, 1991
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Solid state optoelectronic control apparatus responsive to manual stimulus is presented. The control apparatus comprises: a transmitter (20) having a light source (38) for projecting a beam of light along a path normally directed away from a photo sensitive detector (24); characterised in that the control apparatus further comprises: a receiver (21) for generating an enable pulse having a duration determined by a length of time for which the beam is reflected towards the detector by a digit or similarly reflective article; and conversion means (31) for varying an output signal level (44) as a function of the duration of the enable pulse. The conversion means increases the signal level (44) in response to and during a first enable pulse, and decreases the signal level in response to and during a second enable pulse occurring next to the first enable pulse. In a preferred example of the present invention, the conversion means (31) further decreases the signal level during the first enable pulse when the signal level (44) reaches a maximum value, and increases the signal level (44) during the second enable pulse when the signal level (44) reaches a minimum value. In a display device (10) having a display screen (12) mounted in a bezel (11) and further comprising control apparatus of the present invention, the light source (38), the detector (24 ) and a visible light emitting power on indicator (113) are directed towards an aperture (112) in the bezel (11) by a translucent light guide (100).