Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A device for detecting and automatically correcting the existence of an oscillating condition caused by acoustic coupling between the input and the output of a sound system such that the sound system forms a closed loop comprising: sound distinguishing electronic tracking means for distinguishing between the sounds produced by the sound system in normal operation and the sounds produced by the sound system when oscillating so as to detect an oscillating condition; and gain control electronic means responsive to the detecting of an oscillating condition for reducing the loop gain of the sound system from its original value to a value less than one.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A device for detecting and automatically correcting the existence of an oscillating condition caused by acoustic coupling between the input and the output of a sound system such that the sound system forms a closed loop comprising: sound distinguishing electronic tracking means for distinguishing between the sounds produced by the sound system in normal operation and the sounds produced by the sound system when oscillating so as to detect an oscillating condition; and gain control electronic means responsive to the detecting of an oscillating condition for reducing the loop gain of the sound system from its original value to a value less than one.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The device recited in claim 1 wherein the sound distinguishing means includes: tracking means for tracking the individual frequency components of the sounds produced by the sound system; and detector means operated by the tracking means for indicating the presence of a persistent frequency component characteristic of oscillation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device recited in claim 2 wherein the tracking means includes: a phase lock loop; and an inverting differential operational amplifier connected to the phase lock loop.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The device recited in claim 2 wherein the tracking means includes: a plurality of frequency contiguous phase lock loops; and a plurality of inverting differential operational amplifiers, each of the plurality of amplifiers being connected to a respective one of the plurality of phase lock loops.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device recited in claim 2 wherein the detector means includes: a first comparator for comparing the output of the tracking means to a first reference voltage; means responsive to the output of the first comparator for acquiring a voltage; and a second comparator for comparing the voltage of the acquiring means to a second reference voltage;
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
The device recited in claim 1 wherein the gain control means includes; a first clock for generating a first series of clock pulses; a counter; means responsive to the detecting of an oscillating condition for gating the first series of clock pulses to the counter to vary the count of the counter; and an attenuator adapted to be coupled into the sound system and responsive to the varying of the count for controlling the loop gain of the sound system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device recited in claim 6 wherein the gain control means includes; a second clock for generating a second series of clock pulses; and means responsive to the varying of the count of the counter for gating the second series of clock pulses to the counter to vary the count of the counter in the reverse direction.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for detecting and automatically correcting the existence of an oscillating condition caused by acoustic coupling between the input and the output of a sound system such that the sound system forms a closed loop comprising the steps of: tracking the individual frequency components of the sounds produced by the sound system; indicating the presence of a persistent frequency component characteristic of oscillation; and reducing the loop gain of the sound system from its original value to a value less than one.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for detecting and automatically correcting the existence of an oscillating condition caused by acoustic coupling between the input and the output of a sound system such that the sound system forms a closed loop comprising the steps of: tracking the individual frequency components of the sounds produced by the sound system; indicating the presence of a persistent frequency component characteristic of oscillation; and reducing the loop gain of the sound system from its original value to a value less than one.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method recited in claim 8 wherein the reducing step includes the steps of: generating clock pulses; gating the clock pulses to a counter; and attenuating the sound of the sound system in proportion to the count of the counter.