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Title: Tuning indicator for a radio frequency receiver
Claims: What I claim is: 1. The combination with a receiver tunable to one of a plurality of radio frequency carrier signals transmitted from broadcast stations of a tuning indicator for producing a digital display indicative of the frequency of the carrier signal transmitted from a selected broadcast station, said tuning indicator including a display panel, a first light source, a fiber optic bundle including a plurality of optic fibers, said plurality of optic fibers having their proximal ends positioned at a reading position to receive light from said first light source and their distal ends terminating on said display panel in segments of a numerical display, a station frequency encoder having a plurality of sets of station indicia, each set of station indicia representative of the carrier frequency of one of said broadcast stations, said station frequency encoder further including a plurality of alignment indicia, at least one of said plurality of alignment indicia cooperatively positioned and associated with each set station indicia, means mounting said station frequency encoder for movement relative to the reading position, and means for indicating the alignment of a set of station indicia at the reading position including a second light source, a first optic fiber coupled between said second light source and the reading position and arranged for alignment with the alignment index associated with said one set of indicia, a light sensitive device, a second optic fiber having its proximal end positioned at the reading position for alignment with said alignment index and its distal end coupled to said light sensitive device, said light sensitive device being responsive to light transmitted from said second light source through said first optic fiber, said alignment index, and said second optic fiber to said light sensitive device when said one set of station indicia is aligned at the reading position for producing a first control signal and means responsive to said first control signal for actuating said first light source, light being transmitted from said first light source, through said station indicia and said optic fibers aligned with said indicia to illuminate segments of said numerical display to produce a display indicative of the frequency of the carrier signal received by said radio frequency receiver. 2. A tuning indicator for a radio or television receiver tunable to one of a plurality of radio frequency signals transmitted from broadcast stations comprising a display panel, a first light source, a fiber optic bundle having its distal end terminating in said display panel and its proximal end positioned to receive light from said first light source, a station frequency encoder having a plurality of sets of station indicia, each of said sets of indicia representing one of said plurality of stations, a plurality of alignment indicia, at least one of said alignment indicia cooperatively positioned with each set of station indicia, means mounting said station frequency encoder for movement between said first light source and the proximal end of said fiber optic bundle to orient one of said sets of station indicia at a reading station between said first light source and the proximal end of said fiber optic bundle, means for controlling said first light source in accordance with the alignment of a set of station indicia at said reading station including a second light source arranged and positioned to transmit light through said alignment indicia, a light sensitive device, an optic fiber having its distal end coupled to transmit light to said light sensitive device and its proximal end oriented to receive light transmitted through said alignment indicia, means coupling the output of said light sensitive device in controlling relation to said first light source, light from said second light source being transmitted through one alignment index to said light sensitive device when a set of station indicia associated with said one alignment index is oriented at said reading station to produce a control signal which is coupled to actuate said first light source, light from said first light source being transmitted through the set of station indicia and illuminating said display panel to indicate the selected broadcast station when the receiver is tuned to a broadcast station. 3. The receiver of claim 1 further including means for producing a second control signal indicating that said receiver is receiving a broadcast station, said first light source being actuated in response to both said first and second control signals. 4. The tuning indicator of claim 2 further including means for producing a second control signal indicative of the reception of a radio frequency signal, said means for coupling the output of said light sensitive device to said first light source including means responsive to said second control signal and the output of said light sensitive device for actuating said first light source only when a set of indicia is aligned at the reading station and the receiver is receiving a radio frequency signal. Other info: Inventors: Nakamura, Tadao (Flushing, NY, US) Detwiler, Barry C. (New Milford, NJ, US) Marchetti, John A. (Staten Island, NY, US) Application Number: 409940 Filing Date: 1973-10-26 Publication_date: 1976-04-27 Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Kadoma, JA) Primary Class(es): 455/157.2 116/244, 334/86, 340/815.42, 345/44 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Griffin, Robert L. Assistant Examiner: Psitos, Aristotelis M. Attorney: |
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