Patent ID: 7333623

Claim:
Method for dynamic determination of time constants to be used in a detection of the signal level of an input signal of unknown level in an electric circuit, comprising the following steps: feeding the input signal through an auxiliary level detection means that reacts faster to changes in input sound signal level than detection of signal level as a whole, feeding either the input signal or output of the auxiliary level detection means through a guided level detection means which is arranged with a guided time constant, and where the guided level detection means outputs an estimate of the level of the input signal, analyzing the outputs of the auxiliary and the guided level detector means by converting an amplitude estimate of both level detectors to a level estimate on a dB scale, determining a difference between the level of the auxiliary level detector and the level of the guided level detector, and determining the time constant of the guide level detector as a function of the level difference, and determining the time constant of the guided level detection means based on this analysis.