Patent ID: 6460009
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: G04F,G21C,G21D,Y02E

Abstract:
An apparatus for measuring the delay time between an initiating event and a change in intensity of a light, said apparatus comprising:an optical sensor in visual communication with a light and adapted for generating an electrical output signal having a magnitude related to the amount of light energy received by said optical sensor, said light being used to indicate the operational status of a response system having at least two operational states; means for recording data from input signals over time, said recording means adapted to begin recording upon receiving a start signal and to stop recording upon receiving a stop signal, said input signals comprising said electrical output signal from said optical sensor, said start signal and said stop signal; and means for providing said start signal and said stop signal to said recording means, said start signal causing said recording means to begin recording said data being input into said recording means from said input signals and causing a start time to be associated with the beginning of the recording of said data, wherein when said response system is activated to produce a response said start signal is simultaneously provided to said recording means, wherein when the status of said response system changes in response to said activation a related change in the amount of light energy emitted by said light occurs causing a change in said magnitude of said electrical output signal from said optical sensor, wherein said recording means records said change in said magnitude of said electrical output signal from said optical sensor and associates a finish time with said change in said magnitude of said electrical output signal from said optical sensor, and wherein by calculating the difference between said finish time and said start time the amount of time that elapsed between said activation of said response system and the change between operational states of said response system in response to said activation can be determined.