Patent ID: 7352226

Claim:
An attenuation system comprising: first means for receiving an input signal; second means for measuring said input signal and providing a signal-level indication in response thereto, said second means including a signal-level detector and a coupler, said coupler directing a first version of said input signal to said signal-level detector and passing a second portion or version of said input signal to an attenuator; third means for selectively attenuating said input signal when said signal-level indication surpasses a predetermined threshold and providing an attenuated signal in response thereto, said third means including means for providing attenuation information; and fourth means for digitizing said attenuated signal; fifth means for employing said attenuation information to selectively adjust an output signal of a circuit connected between said third means and said fifth means to accommodate effects that attenuation of said input signal by said third means has on said output signal; said third means further including sixth means for comparing said signal-level indication which is output by said signal-level detector, to said predetermined threshold and providing an attenuation flag signal in response thereto to said attenuator, said sixth means including a comparator, said comparator being associated with one or more latches configured so that attenuation occurs at particular intervals corresponding to clock cycles during which said predetermined threshold has been exceeded as indicated by said attenuation flag.