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:
Aug. 08, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 18, 1997
Jack Goldberg, San Diego, CA (US);
Etymotic Research, Inc., , US;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for measurement of wide dynamic range signals is provided. The method and apparatus is particularly suited to measurement of physical parameters over a wide dynamic range and utilizes a plurality of concurrently operating channels of moderate dynamic range, each of which incorporates a detector. The method has the steps of transducing the physical signal into an electrical signal; amplifying and filtering the electrical signal through a plurality of channels, each of which operating within a preselected range of levels; applying the filtered and amplified electrical signals to a plurality of detectors, one for each channel; averaging, using a first time constant, the electrical signals to create a plurality of outputs; sampling the outputs; determining which channel of the plurality of channels has a valid output; averaging, using a second time constant greater than the first time constant, the resultant series of valid output samples (i.e., averaging the resultant magnitude signal) to provide a time-weighted decibel value, a series of which over time representing a varying average magnitude output signal; and periodically displaying the decibel value to the user of the apparatus.