Audiometric system

Claim 2

Audiometric data conversion apparatus for converting audiometer switch position settings to printable output data, comprising: first circuit means connected to receive a present input signal condition corresponding to a present position of a first selectively variable input switch means; second circuit means operative to retain a prior input signal condition corresponding to a prior position of said first switch means, said second circuit means being selectively operative to receive such prior input signal condition previously received in said first circuit means; comparison means responsive to said present input signal condition retained in said first circuit means and to said prior input signal condition in said second circuit means, said comparison means being operative to provide an output signal condition corresponding to a relation between the prior and the present positions of the switch means; third circuit means selectively operative to receive the present input signal condition only in response to a predetermined output signal condition from said comparison means indicating that a certain said relation exists between said present and prior switch positions; and sequential control means initially operative in response to a control signal condition which is independent of said input signal conditions to operate said third circuit means, and subsequently operative to transfer said present input signal condition to said second circuit means in substitution of said prior input signal condition previously retained therein.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising: error circuit means responsive to a signal condition from said comparison means corresponding to identity of the prior and present switch positions to provide an error signal condition; and means responsive to the occurrence of said error signal condition to render said third circuit means inoperative.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising reset circuit means responsive to the coincident occurrence of a reset input signal and the absence of said error signal condition to render said third circuit means operable.

Claim 5

Method of converting manually determined plural positions of an audiometer control switch to data output signals; comprising the steps of: determining a first input signal corresponding to a first certain position of the switch; storing said first input signal; determining a second input signal corresponding to a second certain position of the switch; comparing said first and second input signals to determine the possible change between the first and second positions of the switch; providing an output signal condition corresponding to said second position only when a certain predetermined change in said first and second positions of said switch is determined by said comparison; and providing an error signal condition when said first and second positions of the switch are identical.

Claim 6

Method of converting manually determined plural positions of an audiometer control switch to data output signals; comprising the steps of: determining a first input signal corresponding to a first certain position of the switch; storing said first input signal; determining a second input signal corresponding to a second certain position of the switch; comparing said first and second input signals to determine the possible change between the first and second positions of the switch; providing an output signal condition corresponding to said second position only when a certain predetermined change in said first and second positions of said switch is determined by said comparison; and providing an error signal condition when said first and second positions of the switch are identical.

Claim 7

Method as in claim 4, wherein: said output signal condition comprises binary coded digit information corresponding to said second position of the switch, and is provided only when said comparison determines that a certain predetermined change exists between said first and second positions of said switch.

Claim 8

Method as in claim 4, further comprising the steps of: determining an input signal corresponding to the setting position of a second switch; and after said output signal condition occurs, providing a second switch output signal condition corresponding to said setting position of said second switch.

Claim 9

Method as in claim 6, wherein said second switch output signal condition is provided in binary coded digit information corresponding to said independent input signal.

Claim 10

Method as in claim 7, wherein: said independent input signal includes a limit signal component when said second switch is at a certain setting; and said second switch output signal condition corresponds to a predetermined group of certain indicia in response to said limit signal component.

Claim 11

Method of converting manually determined plural positions of an audiometer switch to data output signals; comprising the steps of: determining a first input signal corresponding to a first certain position of the switch; storing said first input signal; determining a second input signal corresponding to a second certain position of the switch; comparing said first and second input signals to determine the possible difference between the first and second positions of the switch; providing an output signal condition corresponding to said second position only when a certain predetermined relation is determined by said comparison; said output signal condition being a first kind of signal condition comprising binary coded digit data printing information corresponding to said second position of the switch, and being provided only when said comparison determines that a certain first predetermined difference exists between said first and second positions of said switch; and said output signal condition being a second kind of signal condition, in response to said comparison determining that a certain second predetermined difference exists, comprising binary coded digit data printing information corresponding to a plural number of data printing location spaces for each increment of said second predetermined difference determined by said comparison to exist between said first and second positions of said switch.

Claim 12

Method of converting manually determined plural positions of an audiometer switch to data output signals; comprising the steps of: determining a first input signal corresponding to a first certain position of the switch; storing said first input signal; determining a second input signal corresponding to a second certain position of the switch; comparing said first and second input signals to determine the possible difference between the first and second positions of the switch; providing an output signal condition corresponding to said second position only when a certain predetermined relation is determined by said comparison; said output signal condition being a first kind of signal condition comprising binary coded digit data printing information corresponding to said second position of the switch, and being provided only when said comparison determines that a certain first predetermined difference exists between said first and second positions of said switch; and said output signal condition being a second kind of signal condition, in response to said comparison determining that a certain second predetermined difference exists, comprising binary coded digit data printing information corresponding to a plural number of data printing location spaces for each increment of said second predetermined difference determined by said comparison to exist between said first and second positions of said switch.

Claim 13

Method as in claim 9, further comprising the steps of: determining an input signal corresponding to the setting of a second switch; and at a time after said output signal condition occurs, providing a second switch output signal condition comprising binary coded digit information corresponding to said second switch setting input signal.

Claim 14

Method of converting manually determined plural positions of a switch to data output signals; comprising the steps of: determining a first input signal corresponding to a first certain position of the switch; storing said first input signal; determining a second input signal corresponding to a second certain position of the switch; comparing said first and second input signals to determine the possible difference between the first and second positions of the switch; providing an output signal condition corresponding to said second position only when a certain predetermined difference between said first and second positions of the switch is determined by said comparison; determining an independent input signal corresponding to the setting position of a second switch; and after said output signal condition occurs, providing a second switch output signal condition in binary coded digit information corresponding to said independent input signal; said independent input signal including a signal component having a first state in response to an odd-numbered certain digit of said setting position of said second switch, and having a second state in response to an even-numbered said certain digit; and said second switch output signal corresponding only to a first predetermined indicium in response to said first state, and corresponding only to a second predetermined indicium in response to said second state.

Claim 15

Method of converting manually determined plural positions of a switch to data output signals; comprising the steps of: determining a first input signal corresponding to a first certain position of the switch; storing said first input signal; determining a second input signal corresponding to a second certain position of the switch; comparing said first and second input signals to determine the possible difference between the first and second positions of the switch; providing an output signal condition corresponding to said second position only when a certain predetermined difference between said first and second positions of the switch is determined by said comparison; determining an independent input signal corresponding to the setting position of a second switch; and after said output signal condition occurs, providing a second switch output signal condition in binary coded digit information corresponding to said independent input signal; said independent input signal including a signal component having a first state in response to an odd-numbered certain digit of said setting position of said second switch, and having a second state in response to an even-numbered said certain digit; and said second switch output signal corresponding only to a first predetermined indicium in response to said first state, and corresponding only to a second predetermined indicium in response to said second state.

Claim 16

Apparatus for providing data output signals indicating switch position settings of an audiometer, comprising: a first register means selectively operative to receive a first input signal condition corresponding to the setting of a first switch of an audiometer; a second register means selectively operative to receive a second input signal condition corresponding to the setting of a second switch of the audiometer; third register means selectively operative to receive signal conditions stored in said second register means; comparator means responsive to the signal conditions in said second register means and said third register means to provide output conditions corresponding to the relation between the signal conditions in said second and third register means; control means responsive to a control input signal condition to cause said first and second register means to receive and store the respective first and second input signal conditions from the audiometer switches; first bistable circuit means responsive to the output of said comparison means to assume a first state if said output corresponds to a certain first predetermined relation between the switch setting signal stored in said second register means and a previous switch setting signal stored in said third register means; data circuit means operative to convert said first and second input signal conditions to an output condition for operating a data printing means; circuit means operative in response to said first state of said bistable circuit means and a first data control signal from said control means to supply the second input signal condition stored in said second register means to said data circuit means; circuit means operative in response to a data control signal from said control means subsequent to said first data control signal to supply the first input signal condition stored in said first register means to said data circuit means; and circuit means operative in response to a control signal from said control means subsequent to said first data control signal to store in said third register means the second input signal condition previously stored in said second register means and subsequently to clear said first and second register means.

Claim 17

Apparatus for providing data output signals indicating switch position settings of an audiometer, comprising: a first register means selectively operative to receive a first input signal condition corresponding to the setting of a first switch of an audiometer; a second register means selectively operative to receive a second input signal condition corresponding to the setting of a second switch of the audiometer; third register means selectively operative to receive signal conditions stored in said second register means; comparator means responsive to the signal conditions in said second register means and said third register means to provide output conditions corresponding to the relation between the signal conditions in said second and third register means; control means responsive to a control input signal condition to cause said first and second register means to receive and store the respective first and second input signal conditions from the audiometer switches; first bistable circuit means responsive to the output of said comparison means to assume a first state if said output corresponds to a certain first predetermined relation between the switch setting signal stored in said second register means and a previous switch setting signal stored in said third register means; data circuit means operative to convert said first and second input signal conditions to an output condition for operating a data printing means; circuit means operative in response to said first state of said bistable circuit means and a first data control signal from said control means to supply the second input signal condition stored in said second register means to said data circuit means; circuit means operative in response to a data control signal from said control means subsequent to said first data control signal to supply the first input signal condition stored in said first register means to said data circuit means; and circuit means operative in response to a control signal from said control means subsequent to said first data control signal to store in said third register means the second input signal condition previously stored in said second register means and subsequently to clear said first and second register means.

Claim 18

Audiometric data conversion apparatus for converting audiometer switch position settings to printable output data, comprising: first circuit means connected to receive a present input signal condition corresponding to a present position of a first selectively variable input switch means; a first register means which is selectively operative to receive and retain an input signal condition previously retained in said first circuit means; means connected to said first circuit means and operative after said first register means receives said present input signal condition to modifiy the present input signal condition in said first circuit means to correspond to a certain change in said present switch position of said first variable switch means; comparison means responsive to said modified present input signal condition retained in said first circuit means and to said prior input signal condition in said first register means, said comparison means being operative to compare the modified present input signal condition in said first circuit means with the prior input signal condition previously supplied to said first register means, and to provide an output signal condition corresponding to the difference between the prior and the modified present input signal conditions; and third circuit means operative to receive said present input signal condition from said register means only in response to a predetermined output signal condition from said comparison means indicating that a certain difference exists between said present and prior positions of the first variable switch means.

Claim 19

Audiometric data conversion apparatus for converting audiometer switch position settings to printable output data, comprising: first circuit means connected to receive a present input signal condition corresponding to a present position of a first selectively variable input switch means; a first register means which is selectively operative to receive and retain an input signal condition previously retained in said first circuit means; means connected to said first circuit means and operative after said first register means receives said present input signal condition to modifiy the present input signal condition in said first circuit means to correspond to a certain change in said present switch position of said first variable switch means; comparison means responsive to said modified present input signal condition retained in said first circuit means and to said prior input signal condition in said first register means, said comparison means being operative to compare the modified present input signal condition in said first circuit means with the prior input signal condition previously supplied to said first register means, and to provide an output signal condition corresponding to the difference between the prior and the modified present input signal conditions; and third circuit means operative to receive said present input signal condition from said register means only in response to a predetermined output signal condition from said comparison means indicating that a certain difference exists between said present and prior positions of the first variable switch means.

Claim 20

Apparatus as in claim 13, wherein: said output signal condition provided by said comparison means is a first predetermined signal condition corresponding to a first predetermined relation between present and prior positions of said first variable switch means; said comparison means is operative to provide a second predetermined output signal condition corresponding to a second predetermined relation between said existing and prior variable switch positions; and comprising fourth circuit means operative in response to said second predetermined output signal from said comparison means to provide to said third circuit means a signal condition corresponding to the amount of switch position variation denoted by the difference between said modified present input signal condition and said prior input signal condition.

Claim 21

Audiometric data conversion apparatus as in claim 13, wherein: said comparison means is initially operative to compare the present input signal condition with a prior input signal condition which is retained in said second register means and which corresponds to a prior position of said switch means, and to provide a first comparison signal condition indicating whether the present position of said switch is incrementally changed in a certain first mode, to provide a second comparison signal condition indicating that the present position has incrementally changed in a certain second mode, and to provide a third comparison signal condition indicating that the present position is unchanged relative to said prior position of said switch; and further comprising means responsive to said first comparison signal condition to generate a first print control signal which conditions a data printing means to receive and print audiometric information obtained at said first mode increment of change in the switch position; means responsive to said second comparison signal condition to generate a second print control signal which conditions the data printing means to receive and print audiometric information obtained at said second mode increment of change in the switch position; and means responsive to said third comparison signal condition to provide an error signal condition.

Claim 22

Apparatus as in claim 13, wherein said third circuit means is operative to convert said present input signal condition into signals suitable for operating data printing means.

Claim 23

Audiometric data conversion apparatus as in claim 13, wherein: said first circuit means is operative to receive input signal conditions corresponding to the position of a frequency selector switch means; said third circuit means is operative to convert said present signal condition into signals for conditioning a data printer to receive and print information corresponding to settings of said frequency selector switch means; and further comprising data register means operative to receive and store signals corresponding to the setting of an attenuator control means at each setting of said frequency selector means; and circuit means operative in response to conditioning of the data printer to feed said attenuator control setting signals from said data register means to the conditioned data printer.