Critical incident recorder

• US 5,473,729 A
• Filed: 09/30/1992
• Issued: 12/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David P. Bryant, Nitschke, Gene M.
• Original Assignee: David P. Bryant, Nitschke, Gene M.
• Inventors: Nitschke, Gene M., Bryant, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doerrler, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US07/953,952
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 381/51-53, 395/2.79-2.84, 369/19-21, 369/50, 365/45, 379/68, 360/5, 360/6, 360/32, 360/74.1
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2207/16 Solid state audio deprecated, only for historical reasons, G06F3/16, G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/16 Storage of analogue signals in digital stores using an arrangement comprising analogue/digital [A/D] converters, digital memories and digital/analogue [D/A] converters

Abstract

A portable, continuous loop, microchip recording device which stores sound prior to and for a preset period after a timer is triggered by either a manual switch, a preprogrammed acoustical signature, or when a preset decibel or pressure level is reached.

Claims

1. A portable sound recording device comprising:

a digital processor which receives sound through an analog input circuit and records the received sound digitally in a microchip memory in a loop fashion whereby the oldest sound is replaced with the latest received sound and compares the received sound to either a stored, decibel threshold level, or to a stored, preprogrammed acoustical signature to determine if a specific criteria has been satisfied and once the criteria has been satisfied, stops recording the received sound after a preset time has transpired thereby enabling the collection and storage of incoming sound both before and after the specified criteria is satisfied.

2. A portable sound recording device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an output port which enables retrieval of the stored sound.