Ultrasonic detector

Claim 1

A detector, comprising: a transducer for transmitting an energy burst and receiving an echo from a reflection of the energy burst, said transducer generating an electrical echo signal upon receiving the echo; an A/D converter coupled to said transducer to receive said echo signal, said A/D converter repeatedly sampling said echo signal and generating digital signals corresponding to the magnitude of said echo signal; gate-generation means coupled to said A/D converter for generating a conversion gate that controls when said A/D converter samples said echo signal, said conversion gate being generated at a time based upon the time at which a prior echo was detected; a memory coupled to said A/D converter for storing said digital signals generated by said A/D converter; determining means for determining the time of receipt of the digital signal stored in said memory that has the largest magnitude; and signal-generation means for generating a signal relating to the travel time between the transmission of said burst of energy and the receipt of said echo based upon the time of receipt determined by said determining means.

Claim 11

A method of detecting comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy towards a surface; (b) receiving an echo of said energy burst after reflection from said surface; (c) generating an electrical echo signal from said echo received during said step (b); (d) sampling said echo signal at a sampling rate to generate digital signals corresponding to the magnitude of said echo signal, said sampling rate generating at least about 10 samples of said echo signal so as to substantially determine the position of the peak of said echo signal; (e) storing said digital signals in a memory; (f) determining which of said digital signals stored during said step (e) has the largest magnitude; (g) determining the time at which the digital signal having the largest magnitude was received; and (h) generating a signal relating to the travel time between the transmission of said energy burst and the time of receipt of said echo signal as determined in said step (g).

Claim 12

A method of detecting comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy towards a surface; (b) receiving an echo of said energy burst after reflection from said surface; (c) generating an electrical echo signal from said echo received during said step (b); (d) sampling said echo signal at a sampling rate to generate digital signals corresponding to the magnitude of said echo signal, said sampling rate generating at least about 10 samples of said echo signal so as to substantially determine the position of the peak of said echo signal; (e) storing said digital signals in a memory; (f) determining which of said digital signals stored during said step (e) has the largest magnitude; (g) determining the time at which the digital signal having the largest magnitude was received; and (h) generating a signal relating to the travel time between the transmission of said energy burst and the time of receipt of said echo signal as determined in said step (g).

Claim 16

A method of detecting comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy towards a surface; (b) receiving an echo of said energy burst after reflection from said surface; (c) generating an electrical echo signal from said echo received during said step (b); (d) substantially determining the time occurrence of the peak of said echo signal; and (e) generating a signal relating to the time between the transmission of said energy burst and the time occurrence of the peak of said echo signal as determined in said step (d).

Claim 17

A method of detecting comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy towards a surface; (b) receiving an echo of said energy burst after reflection from said surface; (c) generating an electrical echo signal from said echo received during said step (b); (d) substantially determining the time occurrence of the peak of said echo signal; and (e) generating a signal relating to the time between the transmission of said energy burst and the time occurrence of the peak of said echo signal as determined in said step (d).

Claim 18

A method of detecting comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy towards a surface; (b) receiving an echo of said energy burst after reflection from said surface; (c) generating an electrical echo signal from said echo received during said step (b); (d) substantially determining the travel time between the transmission of said burst of energy and the receipt of said echo of said energy burst; (e) generating a conversion gate based upon the travel time determined during said step (d); (f) repeating said steps (a)-(c) to generate a second echo signal; (g) sampling said second echo signal during the duration of said conversion gate to generate digital signals corresponding to the magnitude of said second echo signal; (h) storing said digital signals in a memory; (i) determining which of said digital signals stored during said step (h) has the largest magnitude; (j) determining the time at which the digital signal having the largest magnitude was received; and (k) generating a signal relating to the time between the transmission of said energy burst and the time of receipt of said second echo signal as determined in said step (j).

Claim 19

A method of detecting comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy towards a surface; (b) receiving an echo of said energy burst after reflection from said surface; (c) generating an electrical echo signal from said echo received during said step (b); (d) substantially determining the travel time between the transmission of said burst of energy and the receipt of said echo of said energy burst; (e) generating a conversion gate based upon the travel time determined during said step (d); (f) repeating said steps (a)-(c) to generate a second echo signal; (g) sampling said second echo signal during the duration of said conversion gate to generate digital signals corresponding to the magnitude of said second echo signal; (h) storing said digital signals in a memory; (i) determining which of said digital signals stored during said step (h) has the largest magnitude; (j) determining the time at which the digital signal having the largest magnitude was received; and (k) generating a signal relating to the time between the transmission of said energy burst and the time of receipt of said second echo signal as determined in said step (j).

Claim 22

A method of detecting comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting an energy burst towards a surface; (b) receiving an echo of said energy burst after reflection from said surface; (c) generating an electrical echo signal from said echo received during said step (b); (d) generating a first conversion gate based upon the expected time of arrival of said echo; (e) sampling said echo signal during the duration of said first conversion gate to generate digital signals corresponding to the magnitude of said echo signal; (f) storing said digital signals in a memory; (g) determining which of said digital signals stored during said step (f) has the largest magnitude; (h) determining the time at which the digital signal having the largest magnitude was received; (i) generating a signal relating to the travel time between the transmission of said energy burst and the time of receipt of said echo signal as determined in said step (h); (j) repeating said steps (a) through (i) to generate a second signal relating to the travel time between the transmission of a second energy burst and the time of receipt of a second echo signal; and

Claim 23

A method of detecting comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting an energy burst towards a surface; (b) receiving an echo of said energy burst after reflection from said surface; (c) generating an electrical echo signal from said echo received during said step (b); (d) generating a first conversion gate based upon the expected time of arrival of said echo; (e) sampling said echo signal during the duration of said first conversion gate to generate digital signals corresponding to the magnitude of said echo signal; (f) storing said digital signals in a memory; (g) determining which of said digital signals stored during said step (f) has the largest magnitude; (h) determining the time at which the digital signal having the largest magnitude was received; (i) generating a signal relating to the travel time between the transmission of said energy burst and the time of receipt of said echo signal as determined in said step (h); (j) repeating said steps (a) through (i) to generate a second signal relating to the travel time between the transmission of a second energy burst and the time of receipt of a second echo signal; and

Claim 24

A method of determining the location of targets within a given range of a detector by responding to echoes of energy bursts transmitted by the detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy; (b) gradually decreasing the gain of the detector in accordance with a gain line during travel of said energy burst; (c) if an echo of said energy burst is received, generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo; and (d) repeating said steps (a) through (c) at least once, with each repetition of said step (b) causing the detector gain to be gradually decreased in accordance with a different gain line whereby targets at different positions within a given range of the detector are detected the generation of different lines.

Claim 25

A method of determining the location of targets within a given range of a detector by responding to echoes of energy bursts transmitted by the detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy; (b) gradually decreasing the gain of the detector in accordance with a gain line during travel of said energy burst; (c) if an echo of said energy burst is received, generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo; and (d) repeating said steps (a) through (c) at least once, with each repetition of said step (b) causing the detector gain to be gradually decreased in accordance with a different gain line whereby targets at different positions within a given range of the detector are detected the generation of different lines.

Claim 32

A method of determining the location of targets within a given range of a detector by responding to echoes of energy bursts transmitted by the detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy; (b) gradually decreasing the gain of the detector from an initial value towards a minimum value during travel of said energy burst; (c) if an echo of said energy burst is detected while the gain is being gradually reduced during said step (b), generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo; and (d) repeating said steps (a) through (c) at least twice, with subsequent repetitions of said step (b) utilizing different initial gain values whereby targets at different locations within a given range of the detector are detected during different performances of said step (b).

Claim 33

A method of determining the location of targets within a given range of a detector by responding to echoes of energy bursts transmitted by the detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy; (b) gradually decreasing the gain of the detector from an initial value towards a minimum value during travel of said energy burst; (c) if an echo of said energy burst is detected while the gain is being gradually reduced during said step (b), generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo; and (d) repeating said steps (a) through (c) at least twice, with subsequent repetitions of said step (b) utilizing different initial gain values whereby targets at different locations within a given range of the detector are detected during different performances of said step (b).

Claim 34

A method of determining the location of targets within a given range of a detector by responding to echoes of energy bursts transmitted by the detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy; (b) gradually decreasing the gain of the detector from an initial value towards a minimum value during travel of said energy burst; (c) if an echo of said energy burst is detected while the gain is being gradually reduced during said step (b), generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo; (d) repeating said steps (a) through (c), with each repetition of said step (b) being performed with an increased initial gain value, said steps (a) through (c) being repeated until the initial gain value reaches a maximum value; (e) after the initial gain value reaches said maximum value, transmitting a burst of energy; (f) after said energy burst is transmitted during said step (e), gradually decreasing the gain of the detector from the maximum value towards a minimum value in accordance with a gain slope; (g) if an echo of said energy burst is detected while the gain is being gradually reduced during said step (f), generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo; and (h) repeating said steps (e) through (g) a plurality of times, with each repetition of said step (f) being performed with an increased gain slope.

Claim 35

A method of determining the location of targets within a given range of a detector by responding to echoes of energy bursts transmitted by the detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy; (b) gradually decreasing the gain of the detector from an initial value towards a minimum value during travel of said energy burst; (c) if an echo of said energy burst is detected while the gain is being gradually reduced during said step (b), generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo; (d) repeating said steps (a) through (c), with each repetition of said step (b) being performed with an increased initial gain value, said steps (a) through (c) being repeated until the initial gain value reaches a maximum value; (e) after the initial gain value reaches said maximum value, transmitting a burst of energy; (f) after said energy burst is transmitted during said step (e), gradually decreasing the gain of the detector from the maximum value towards a minimum value in accordance with a gain slope; (g) if an echo of said energy burst is detected while the gain is being gradually reduced during said step (f), generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo; and (h) repeating said steps (e) through (g) a plurality of times, with each repetition of said step (f) being performed with an increased gain slope.

Claim 39

A method of determining the location of targets within a given range of a detector by responding to echoes of energy bursts transmitted by the detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy; (b) gradually decreasing the gain of the detector from an initial value towards a minimum value during travel of said energy burst; (c) if an echo of said energy burst is detected while the gain is being gradually reduced during said step (b), generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo and storing a signal relating to the gain value at which the echo was detected; (d) repeating said steps (a) through (c) until an echo is detected, with subsequent repetitions of said step (b) utilizing different initial gain values; (e) after the detection of an echo, transmitting a burst of energy; (f) after said energy burst is transmitted during said step (e), holding the gain constant at the gain value at which the echo was detected until the completion of a gain delay period, the duration of said gain delay period being related to the time at which the echo was detected; and (g) upon the completion of said gain delay period, gradually reducing said gain towards said minimum value.

Claim 40

A method of determining the location of targets within a given range of a detector by responding to echoes of energy bursts transmitted by the detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a burst of energy; (b) gradually decreasing the gain of the detector from an initial value towards a minimum value during travel of said energy burst; (c) if an echo of said energy burst is detected while the gain is being gradually reduced during said step (b), generating a signal relating to the time of receipt of said echo and storing a signal relating to the gain value at which the echo was detected; (d) repeating said steps (a) through (c) until an echo is detected, with subsequent repetitions of said step (b) utilizing different initial gain values; (e) after the detection of an echo, transmitting a burst of energy; (f) after said energy burst is transmitted during said step (e), holding the gain constant at the gain value at which the echo was detected until the completion of a gain delay period, the duration of said gain delay period being related to the time at which the echo was detected; and (g) upon the completion of said gain delay period, gradually reducing said gain towards said minimum value.

Claim 41

A method of searching for targets within a range of a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting an energy burst; (b) decreasing the gain of the detector during travel of said energy burst so as to search for a target in an initial portion of said range of the detector; and (c) repeating said steps (a) and (b) a plurality of times so as to search for targets within different portions of said range of the detector.

Claim 42

A method of searching for targets within a range of a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting an energy burst; (b) decreasing the gain of the detector during travel of said energy burst so as to search for a target in an initial portion of said range of the detector; and (c) repeating said steps (a) and (b) a plurality of times so as to search for targets within different portions of said range of the detector.

Claim 51

A method detecting an echo with a detector having two modes of echo detection, a first mode in which the first echo received is considered to be the true echo and a second mode in which the echo having the largest magnitude is considered to be the true echo, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing echo data in each of a plurality of memory locations in memory, said echo data in each of said memory locations comprising time-of-receipt data and magnitude data for each of a plurality of echoes received by said detector; (b) determining the operating mode of said detector, said operating mode being either said first mode of detection or said second mode of detection; (c) if the operating mode of said detector is said first mode, searching the contents of each of said memory locations to determine which of said echoes was received first as indicated by said time-of-receipt data, said first-received echo being considered the true echo; (d) if the operating mode of said detector is second mode, searching the contents of each of said memory locations to determine which of said echoes had the largest magnitude as indicated by said magnitude data, said largest-magnitude echo being considered the true echo; and (e) determining travel-time data based upon the true echo as determined either in said step (c) or said step (d).

Claim 52

A method detecting an echo with a detector having two modes of echo detection, a first mode in which the first echo received is considered to be the true echo and a second mode in which the echo having the largest magnitude is considered to be the true echo, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing echo data in each of a plurality of memory locations in memory, said echo data in each of said memory locations comprising time-of-receipt data and magnitude data for each of a plurality of echoes received by said detector; (b) determining the operating mode of said detector, said operating mode being either said first mode of detection or said second mode of detection; (c) if the operating mode of said detector is said first mode, searching the contents of each of said memory locations to determine which of said echoes was received first as indicated by said time-of-receipt data, said first-received echo being considered the true echo; (d) if the operating mode of said detector is second mode, searching the contents of each of said memory locations to determine which of said echoes had the largest magnitude as indicated by said magnitude data, said largest-magnitude echo being considered the true echo; and (e) determining travel-time data based upon the true echo as determined either in said step (c) or said step (d).

Claim 54

A method of detecting an echo with a detector having two modes of echo detection, a first mode in which the first echo received is considered to be the true echo and a second mode in which the echo having the largest magnitude is considered to be the true echo, said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining the operating mode of said detector, said operating mode being either said first mode of detection or said second mode of detection; (b) if the operating mode of said detector is said first mode, searching the contents of a plurality of memory locations having echo data corresponding to a plurality of echoes stored therein to determine which of said echoes was received by said detector first, said first-received echo being considered the true echo; (c) if the operating mode of said detector is said second mode, searching the contents of a plurality of memory locations having echo data corresponding to a plurality of echoes stored therein to determine which of said echoes received by said detector had the largest magnitude, said largest-magnitude echo being considered the true echo; and (d) determining travel-time data based upon the true echo as determined either in said step (b) or said step (c).

Claim 55

A method of detecting an echo with a detector having two modes of echo detection, a first mode in which the first echo received is considered to be the true echo and a second mode in which the echo having the largest magnitude is considered to be the true echo, said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining the operating mode of said detector, said operating mode being either said first mode of detection or said second mode of detection; (b) if the operating mode of said detector is said first mode, searching the contents of a plurality of memory locations having echo data corresponding to a plurality of echoes stored therein to determine which of said echoes was received by said detector first, said first-received echo being considered the true echo; (c) if the operating mode of said detector is said second mode, searching the contents of a plurality of memory locations having echo data corresponding to a plurality of echoes stored therein to determine which of said echoes received by said detector had the largest magnitude, said largest-magnitude echo being considered the true echo; and (d) determining travel-time data based upon the true echo as determined either in said step (b) or said step (c).

Claim 59

A method of detecting an echo with a detector having two modes of echo detection, a first mode in which the first echo received is considered to be the true echo and a second mode in which the echo having the largest magnitude is considered to be the true echo, said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining the operating mode of said detector, said operating mode being either said first mode of detection or said second mode of detection; (b) if the operating mode of said detector is first mode, searching the contents of a plurality of memory locations having echo data corresponding to a plurality of echoes stored therein to determine which of said echoes was received by said detector first, said first-received echo being considered a candidate echo; (c) if the operating mode of said detector is said second mode, searching the contents of a plurality of memory locations having echo data corresponding to a plurality of echoes stored therein to determine which of said echoes received by said detector had the largest magnitude, said largest-magnitude echo being considered a candidate echo; (d) searching the contents of at least one memory location having bogus target data corresponding to at least one bogus target stored therein to determine whether said candidate echo identified during either said step (b) or said step (c) corresponds to a bogus target; (e) if said candidate echo corresponded to a bogus target as determined at said step (d), repeating said steps (b) through (d) at least once to determine another candidate echo, each repetition of said step (b) ignoring for purposes of candidate echo determination any echo data that was determined to correspond to a bogus target at said step (d).

Claim 60

A method of detecting an echo with a detector having two modes of echo detection, a first mode in which the first echo received is considered to be the true echo and a second mode in which the echo having the largest magnitude is considered to be the true echo, said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining the operating mode of said detector, said operating mode being either said first mode of detection or said second mode of detection; (b) if the operating mode of said detector is first mode, searching the contents of a plurality of memory locations having echo data corresponding to a plurality of echoes stored therein to determine which of said echoes was received by said detector first, said first-received echo being considered a candidate echo; (c) if the operating mode of said detector is said second mode, searching the contents of a plurality of memory locations having echo data corresponding to a plurality of echoes stored therein to determine which of said echoes received by said detector had the largest magnitude, said largest-magnitude echo being considered a candidate echo; (d) searching the contents of at least one memory location having bogus target data corresponding to at least one bogus target stored therein to determine whether said candidate echo identified during either said step (b) or said step (c) corresponds to a bogus target; (e) if said candidate echo corresponded to a bogus target as determined at said step (d), repeating said steps (b) through (d) at least once to determine another candidate echo, each repetition of said step (b) ignoring for purposes of candidate echo determination any echo data that was determined to correspond to a bogus target at said step (d).

Claim 67

A method of discriminating between true echoes and bogus echoes, said method comprising the steps of: (a) automatically determining the existence of at least one bogus target within a tank; (b) storing in memory bogus target data relating to said bogus target automatically determined in said step (a); (c) transmitting an energy burst; (d) generating an electrical echo signal in response to receiving an echo of said energy burst; (e) generating echo data based upon the characteristics of said echo signal; (f) comparing said echo data with said bogus target data stored in memory during said step (b) to determine whether said echo corresponds to said bogus target; and (g) if said echo corresponds to said bogus target, ignoring said echo for purposes of determining the location of a surface within the tank.

Claim 68

A method of discriminating between true echoes and bogus echoes, said method comprising the steps of: (a) automatically determining the existence of at least one bogus target within a tank; (b) storing in memory bogus target data relating to said bogus target automatically determined in said step (a); (c) transmitting an energy burst; (d) generating an electrical echo signal in response to receiving an echo of said energy burst; (e) generating echo data based upon the characteristics of said echo signal; (f) comparing said echo data with said bogus target data stored in memory during said step (b) to determine whether said echo corresponds to said bogus target; and (g) if said echo corresponds to said bogus target, ignoring said echo for purposes of determining the location of a surface within the tank.

Claim 76

A method of setting a gain value within a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) retrieving a gain value from a first memory location and storing said gain value in a temporary memory location; (b) transmitting a burst of energy; (c) generating an electrical echo signal upon receiving an echo of said energy burst; (d) amplifying said echo signal by an amount corresponding to the contents of said temporary memory location; (e) upon the detection of an increase-gain signal, increasing said gain value by incrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (f) upon the detection of a decrease-gain signal, decreasing said gain value by decrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (g) upon the detection of a gain-correct signal, storing the current contents of said temporary memory location back in said first memory location; and (h) repeating steps (b) through (f) until a gain-correct signal is detected during said step (g).

Claim 77

A method of setting a gain value within a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) retrieving a gain value from a first memory location and storing said gain value in a temporary memory location; (b) transmitting a burst of energy; (c) generating an electrical echo signal upon receiving an echo of said energy burst; (d) amplifying said echo signal by an amount corresponding to the contents of said temporary memory location; (e) upon the detection of an increase-gain signal, increasing said gain value by incrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (f) upon the detection of a decrease-gain signal, decreasing said gain value by decrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (g) upon the detection of a gain-correct signal, storing the current contents of said temporary memory location back in said first memory location; and (h) repeating steps (b) through (f) until a gain-correct signal is detected during said step (g).

Claim 81

A method of setting a gain value within a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) retrieving a gain value from a first location and storing said gain value in a temporary memory location; (b) waiting for the occurrence of a gain-control signal, said gain-control signal being either an increase-gain signal, a decrease-gain signal, or a gain-correct signal, and performing one of the following steps (b1), (b2), (b3), depending on the gain-control signal detected: (b1) if said gain-control signal comprises an increase-gain signal, increasing said gain value by incrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (b2) if said gain-control signal comprises a decrease-gain signal, decreasing said gain value by decrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (b3) if said gain control signal comprises a gain-correct signal, storing the current contents of said temporary memory location back in said first memory location; and (c) repeating step (b) until a gain-correct signal is detected.

Claim 82

A method of setting a gain value within a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) retrieving a gain value from a first location and storing said gain value in a temporary memory location; (b) waiting for the occurrence of a gain-control signal, said gain-control signal being either an increase-gain signal, a decrease-gain signal, or a gain-correct signal, and performing one of the following steps (b1), (b2), (b3), depending on the gain-control signal detected: (b1) if said gain-control signal comprises an increase-gain signal, increasing said gain value by incrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (b2) if said gain-control signal comprises a decrease-gain signal, decreasing said gain value by decrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (b3) if said gain control signal comprises a gain-correct signal, storing the current contents of said temporary memory location back in said first memory location; and (c) repeating step (b) until a gain-correct signal is detected.

Claim 83

A method of setting a gain value within a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) retrieving a gain value from a first memory location and storing said gain value in a temporary memory location; (b) waiting for the occurrence of a gain-control signal, said gain-control signal being either a gain-increase signal, a gain-decrease signal, or a gain-correct signal, and performing one of the following steps (b1), (b2), (b3), depending on the gain-control signal detected: (b1) if said gain-control signal comprises a gain-increase signal, increasing said gain value by incrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (b2) if said gain-control signal comprises a gain-decrease signal, decreasing said gain value by decrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (b3) if said gain-control signal comprises a gain-correct signal, storing the current contents of said temporary memory location back in said first memory location; and (c) repeating step (b) until a gain-correct signal is detected, wherein said gain-increase signal is generated by the depression of a button with an "up" arrow, wherein said gain-decrease signal is generated by the depression of a button with a "down" arrow, and wherein said gain-correct signal is generated by the depression of an "enter" button.

Claim 84

A method of setting a gain value within a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) retrieving a gain value from a first memory location and storing said gain value in a temporary memory location; (b) waiting for the occurrence of a gain-control signal, said gain-control signal being either a gain-increase signal, a gain-decrease signal, or a gain-correct signal, and performing one of the following steps (b1), (b2), (b3), depending on the gain-control signal detected: (b1) if said gain-control signal comprises a gain-increase signal, increasing said gain value by incrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (b2) if said gain-control signal comprises a gain-decrease signal, decreasing said gain value by decrementing the contents of said temporary memory location; (b3) if said gain-control signal comprises a gain-correct signal, storing the current contents of said temporary memory location back in said first memory location; and (c) repeating step (b) until a gain-correct signal is detected, wherein said gain-increase signal is generated by the depression of a button with an "up" arrow, wherein said gain-decrease signal is generated by the depression of a button with a "down" arrow, and wherein said gain-correct signal is generated by the depression of an "enter" button.

Claim 85

A method of setting a control value within a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the entry of an access code; (b) comparing said entered access code to an authorized access code stored in a memory; (c) if said entered access code matches said stored access code, retrieving a control value from a first memory location and storing said control value in a temporary memory location; (d) detecting the occurrence of control value-adjust signal and adjusting the contents of said temporary memory location based upon said control value-adjust signal; and (e) detecting the occurrence of an adjust-complete signal and storing the current contents of said temporary memory location back in said first memory location in response to detecting said adjust-complete signal.

Claim 86

A method of setting a control value within a detector, said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the entry of an access code; (b) comparing said entered access code to an authorized access code stored in a memory; (c) if said entered access code matches said stored access code, retrieving a control value from a first memory location and storing said control value in a temporary memory location; (d) detecting the occurrence of control value-adjust signal and adjusting the contents of said temporary memory location based upon said control value-adjust signal; and (e) detecting the occurrence of an adjust-complete signal and storing the current contents of said temporary memory location back in said first memory location in response to detecting said adjust-complete signal.