Abstract: A two-terminal line-powered control circuit is disclosed in which a triac is used to switch AC power to a load. When the triac is not conducting, a portion of the voltage appearing across it is rectified and filtered and used to supply power to a radio control circuit. When the triac is conducting, the voltage appearing across inverse-parallel connected diodes, which are in series with the triac, is stepped-up using a transformer, then rectified and filtered and used to supply power to the radio control circuit. The radio control circuit is in turn used to control the operation of the triac in response to a remotely transmitted radio signal.

Abstract: A pistol grip controller having a miniature multi-position tilt switch contained within the grip handle is disclosed. The tilt switch includes separate circuit contacts disposed about the inside of a switch housing and also includes a common contact that includes one or more commonly connected contact elements. A movable contact element completes the circuit connection between one of the separate contacts and the common contact in response to the movement imparted to the switch. The movable conductive element can be a conductively plated ball, a sliding conductive element, or a conductive fluid such as mercury. The pistol grip handle further indicates an index finger actuated switch and a thumb actuated switch. The pistol grip handle is removable mounted on a resilient mounting post that is secured to a base.

Abstract: A radio controller for radio control of model vehicles and the like. The controller can be placed in a control mode wherein vehicle functions such as motor speed, direction, horn and lights are controlled by control signals. In addition, the controller can be placed in a voice transmission mode wherein an audio signal is transmitted to the vehicle and broadcast from a speaker mounted on the vehicle. The receiver of the radio controller is switched from the control mode to the voice transmission mode by way of the control signals. When the receiver is placed in the voice transmission mode, the control signals are ignored with switching to the control mode being accomplished by receiver circuitry which detects a momentary absence of the transmitted carrier signal.

Abstract: A hand-held electronic sound generator, comprising a one or more oscillators and a noise generator, each acting singly, mixed or gated in combination to produce a variety of interesting sounds. The device may be operated continuously or as a momemtary pulse with decaying volume. Power is used only when sounds are being generated to conserve battery power. The frequency of the oscillators or noise generator may be varied to change the characteristics of each individual sound combination.