Abstract: A touch responsive power control system in which the majority of the signal processing functions are achieved through digital circuitry and includes a controllable pulse generator responsive to the change in capacitance caused by a human touch at a touch sensitive control point of the device to be regulated. The magnitude of the change in capacitance caused by the human touch is encoded in the form of the number of pulses contained in a pulse train or a series of pulse trains over a selected time period. The number of pulses is counted and digitally compared with a stored count. If the present count is different from the stored count, the stored count is adjusted and an error signal proportional to the difference between counts is supplied, after a sufficient interval, to a load driver which adjusts the power level supplied to the load from an electrical power source.

Abstract: This patent presents a touch-responsive switch which incrementally varies AC voltage supplied to an electrical apparatus. The invention includes digital circuitry which compares a control pulse train with a touch affected pulse train to create a switching pulse. The switching pulse is synchronous with the line frequency and controls truncating of individual cycles of line power to regulate voltage applied to an appliance as a function of the number of times a touch plate has been touched. The switching pulse also provides on/off switching as one of the available incremental steps. The circuit components are incorporated in an interface assembly which connects the appliance receptacle to a source of AC voltage.