US3778552A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Personal sound monitor
Assignee: Shell USA Inc
•
Filing: 1972-09-27
•
Granted: 1973-12-11
•
Expires: 1992-09-27
Abstract
Abstract A personal sound monitor wherein the sound is detected by a microphone and converted to a related electrical signal. The level of the signal is used to gate one of the plurality of levels in a scanning digital counter, the levels corresponding to various predetermined sound levels. The scanning counter controls the gating of various frequencies to an accumulating counter so that the total count is proportional to the integrated sound level to which the individual has been exposed.
Inventors
- 👤 J Edinborgh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 03:04
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01H; G01H3/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A personal sound monitor comprising: microphone means for detecting the sound and converting the detected sound to an electrical sound signal whose amplitude is proportional to the amplitude of the sound; an oscillator means, said oscillator having a plurality of terminals for supplying a plurality of electrical pulses having predetermined frequencies; a scanning means, said microphone means being coupled to said scanning means, said scanning means having a plurality of terminals corresponding to a preset plurality of electrical signal levels and means for comparing said electrical sound signal with said preset electrical levels; a plurality of gate means, each of said gate means being respectively coupled to an individual terminal on said oscillator and an individual terminal on said scanning means; and an integrating means, all of said gate means being coupled to said integrating means whereby said integrating means will integrate the pulses passed by said gate means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
A personal sound monitor comprising: microphone means for detecting the sound and converting the detected sound to an electrical sound signal whose amplitude is proportional to the amplitude of the sound; an oscillator means, said oscillator having a plurality of terminals for supplying a plurality of electrical pulses having predetermined frequencies; a scanning means, said microphone means being coupled to said scanning means, said scanning means having a plurality of terminals corresponding to a preset plurality of electrical signal levels and means for comparing said electrical sound signal with said preset electrical levels; a plurality of gate means, each of said gate means being respectively coupled to an individual terminal on said oscillator and an individual terminal on said scanning means; and an integrating means, all of said gate means being coupled to said integrating means whereby said integrating means will integrate the pulses passed by said gate means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The sound monitor of claim 1 and in addition a memory circuit coupled to saiD microphone to detect when the sound level exceeds a preset value and store an indication said occurrence.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The sound monitor of claim 2 wherein said memory circuit comprises a flip-flop circuit having a relative short time constant and whose trigger level corresponds to the preset value of the sound level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
95 words
The sound monitor of claim 1 wherein said scanning means comprises a decade counter having a plurality of resistances coupled to its output terminals, one said resistances being supplied for each signal level, said decade counter supplying a second electrical signal of opposite polarity to the polarity of said first mentioned electrical signal to all of said resistances in sequence, a plurality of gate circuits being associated with each of said resistances, said gate circuits being disposed to open when the electrical signal across a resistance exceeds the amplitude of the first mentioned electrical signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The sound monitor of claim 1 wherein said integrating means comprises a counter having means for returning said counter to zero by application of pulses from an external source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The sound monitor of claim 5 and an additional means for stopping the operation of said integrating counter wherever said integrating counter saturates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The sound monitor of claim 4 wherein said second electrical signal is a constant voltage signal and a comparing circuit compares the current flow from each resistance with the current flow of said first electrical signal, said comparing circuit opening the gate of the resistance whose current flow is less than the current flow of said first signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The sound monitor of claim 7 wherein said decaded counter samples the current flow in said resistances in sequence with the highest value resistance being sampled first and the lowest value being sampled last.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The sound monitor of claim 4 wherein said decade counter is triggered at a preset frequency to sample the electrical signal across said resistances, the sampling rate of said decade counter being controlled by a clock pulse.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The sound monitor of claim 1 wherein said preset signal levels correspond to established sound levels and the difference between said predetermined frequencies corresponding to uniform differences in decibels in the sound level.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-10 | 1977-06-11 | 1977-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-10 | 1981-06-11 | 1981-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-10 | 1985-06-11 | 1985-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |