Patent ID: 7232984

Claim:
A method of setting an operational characteristic of a sensor, the method comprising: exposing the sensor to a first sensory condition; receiving a first signal from at least one of an operator and a control device; receiving a first sensor signal from the sensor subsequent to the receiving of the first signal; adjusting a characteristic of the sensor in a first manner, wherein the characteristic is a gain, and wherein the adjusting in the first manner involves incrementing the gain; exposing the sensor to a second sensory condition after the characteristic has been adjusted in the first manner; receiving a second signal from at least one of the operator and the control device; receiving a second sensor signal from the sensor subsequent to the receiving of the second signal; generating an amplified signal based upon the second sensor signal, the amplified signal being related to the second sensor signal by the incremented gain; and adjusting the characteristic in a second manner in at least one circumstance, wherein the adjusting in the second manner involves decrementing the gain, wherein the at least one circumstance occurs when the amplified signal exceeds a threshold.