Patent ID: 6836972

Claim:
An instrument for indicating angular inclinations relative to a horizontal ground surface, comprising: a frame having a pair of opposed ends defining a substantially rectangular configuration; sensing means for determining an angular inclination of said frame relative to the ground surface, said sensing means including a rotatable disk having first and second sides and having a weight that is attracted to the ground surface by gravity, said disk having electronic circuitry coupled thereto for detecting the rotatable position of said disk; indicating means activated by said sensing means for generating an audible word corresponding to said angular inclination of said frame; wherein said disk is constructed of a substantially transparent material with a plurality of opaque radial lines imprinted thereon; said sensing means comprising: a light-emitting source mounted adjacent said first side of said disk; a light sensor mounted adjacent said second side of said disk, said light-emitting source directing light toward said light sensor along a path substantially perpendicular to said disk, whereby said disk is interposed between said light-emitting source and said light sensor; wherein said light sensor is adapted to generate sensed signals responsive to said opaque radial lines; wherein said indicating means includes a speech generator having a fast memory for storing a plurality of audible messages corresponding to respective degrees of inclination; said circuitry comprising: a second memory operatively connected to said light sensor for receiving and storing said sensed signals; logic means electrically connected to said first and second memories and to said speech generator for determining and selecting a particular audible message from said plurality of audible messages corresponding to a respective sensed signal; a speaker electrically connected to said speech generator and adapted to receive and emit said particular audible message selected by said logic means; a transmitter electrically connected to said speech generator adapted to generate an output signal indicative of said particular audible message and to transmit said output signal; a receiver adapted to be positioned remotely from said transmitter for receiving said transmitted output signal; and a remote speaker electrically connected to said receiver and positioned outside and remotely separated from said frame and from said first speaker for receiving and emitting said transmitted output signal.