Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specified indicator structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-12
2001-11-27
Tong, Nina (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specified indicator structure
C340S539230, C340S577000, C340S505000, C340S506000, C340S628000, C340S632000, C340S693110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323780
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to ambient condition detectors. More particularly, the invention pertains to such detectors which incorporate verbal outputs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Harmful agents such as smoke, carbon monoxide gas, natural gas, or propane gas may unknowingly exist for significant periods of time in areas of dwellings before the occupants are warned through conventional environmental condition detector systems. Even with a plurality of conventional detectors, occupants in remote locations of an involved dwelling may not be able to hear the local alarm horn, know where the problem exists, or know what type of problem has been detected based on the audible tonal alarm pattern alone.
A need exists for environmental condition detection systems that can effectively provide an early warning to dwelling occupants in remote locations or levels away from the source of the environmental condition and can provide a means for lighted areas and paths of egress while doing so in a cost effective and simple manner. Such a system should be easy to install and operate to encourage usage.
Environmental condition detectors designed for remote sensing are commonly electrically hardwired to a central annunciator/controller panel to indicate the location of the environmental condition within a building. Unfortunately, only some businesses and few residences are currently equipped with hardwired detection systems with centralized smoke/fire annunciator panels.
Installing and retrofitting of remote environmental condition detection systems within buildings and residences without centralized annunciator panels is greatly facilitated with the environmental condition detector system described herein. Such detectors can incorporate wireless, for example radio frequency, intercommunication capabilities, to verbally indicate the location of the detector which sensed the environmental condition in a remote location. The type of environmental condition detected can be verbally indicated. Areas and paths of egress can be illuminated all without the need for a central control unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An environmental condition detection system signals occupants of a building or residence through the combined use of an audible tonal pattern alarm and voice when a selected environmental condition, such as an alarm condition, is detected in the area of any of the detectors. In one embodiment, remotely controlled light modules illuminate paths of egress or other desired areas during the selected environmental condition.
The detectors can be stand alone units for smoke detection, carbon monoxide detection, natural gas detection, or propane gas detection. Alternately, multiple sensors can be incorporated into a combination unit.
In another embodiment, two or more wirelessly coupled detectors form a system. Additional detectors or light modules may be employed as needed for desired coverage.
If a selected environmental condition is sensed by any one detector, it emits an audible tonal pattern alarm and also emits an electronically recorded verbal message indicating that the environmental condition is in close proximity to the detector. The verbal message can, for example, state the type of alarm, fire, gas and/or location. Simultaneously, that detector transmits a preset coded, wireless signal to all other such detectors within the region or building tuned to the same said wireless code. This results in the remotely located detector units emitting an audible tonal alarm pattern and an electronically recorded human voice (or synthesized voice) to indicate where, elsewhere in the region or building, the environmental condition has been detected to serve as an early and descriptive warning for the occupants.
The voice recording is selectively indicative of the location of the environmental condition sensed or the type of environmental condition sensed, or both. This voice recording can be selected by the user.
As an option, the user can record a message into the electronic memory using a microphone for specific dwellings. For example, a smoke detector located on the second floor of a dwelling receiving a radio frequency signal from a smoke detector located in the basement of the same dwelling would, in one embodiment emit the smoke detector tonal pattern alarm and intermittently emit the voice saying “Basement”, or “Smoke in Basement”, “Fire” or similar messages, during periods of silence within the tonal pattern alarm.
In one aspect of the invention, a system includes two or more autonomous environmental condition detectors which directly, and wirelessly communicate with other like environmental condition detectors through a radio frequency link (or other wireless link) between units without the need for a centralized control unit. This provides flexibility in location selection, reduced risk of total system failure in the absence of a single centralized control unit, and ease of installation of the system.
In yet another aspect of the invention, wireless communication can be provided to remote light modules to illuminate paths of egress or to illuminate any other room or area desired by the system user for the duration of the sensing of an environmental condition. The light modules are, in one embodiment, 120 VAC rechargeable battery powered units designed to energize a lamp during a 120 VAC power failure or upon receiving a properly coded radio signal from any of the detectors which within radio signal range have sensed the environmental condition.
The light modules are intended to be plugged into standard wall mounted 120 VAC receptacles to provide illumination in close proximity to the floor (approximately 40 cm above the floor). These light modules may be fixed to the wall outlets with screw fasteners to prevent their removal or may be simply held in place by the outlet plug friction so that the light module may be removed and carried as an emergency flashlight during the environmental condition.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3906491 (1975-09-01), Gosswiller et al.
patent: 4101872 (1978-07-01), Pappas
patent: 4141007 (1979-02-01), Kavasilios et al.
patent: 4160246 (1979-07-01), Martin et al.
patent: 4275274 (1981-06-01), English
patent: 4282519 (1981-08-01), Haglund et al.
patent: 4288789 (1981-09-01), Molinick et al.
patent: 4335379 (1982-06-01), Martin
patent: 4343990 (1982-08-01), Ueda
patent: 4350860 (1982-09-01), Ueda
patent: 4351999 (1982-09-01), Nagamoto et al.
patent: 4363031 (1982-12-01), Reinowitz
patent: 4365315 (1982-12-01), Jamnik
patent: 4366873 (1983-01-01), Levy et al.
patent: 4375329 (1983-03-01), Park
patent: 4389639 (1983-06-01), Torii et al.
patent: 4400786 (1983-08-01), Mandei et al.
patent: 4453222 (1984-06-01), Goszyk
patent: 4455551 (1984-06-01), Lemelson
patent: 4481507 (1984-11-01), Takiguchi et al.
patent: 4498078 (1985-02-01), Yoshimura et al.
patent: 4500971 (1985-02-01), Futaki et al.
patent: 4519027 (1985-05-01), Vogelsberg
patent: 4531114 (1985-07-01), Topol et al.
patent: 4560978 (1985-12-01), Lemelson
patent: 4572652 (1986-02-01), Tada et al.
patent: 4682348 (1987-07-01), Dawson et al.
patent: 4688021 (1987-08-01), Buck et al.
patent: 4754266 (1988-06-01), Shand et al.
patent: 4810996 (1989-03-01), Glen et al.
patent: 4816809 (1989-03-01), Kim
patent: 4821027 (1989-04-01), Mallory et al.
patent: 4851823 (1989-07-01), Mori
patent: 4862147 (1989-08-01), Thomas
patent: 4894642 (1990-01-01), Ashbaugh et al.
patent: 4940965 (1990-07-01), Umehara
patent: 4988980 (1991-01-01), Graham
patent: 5019805 (1991-05-01), Curl et al.
patent: 5103206 (1992-04-01), Yu
patent: 5117217 (1992-05-01), Nykerk
patent: 5229753 (1993-07-01), Berg et al.
patent: 5291183 (1994-03-01), Chiang
patent: 5349338 (1994-09-01), Routman et al.
patent: 5379028 (1995-01-01), Chung
patent: 5460228 (1995-10-01), Butler
patent: 5506565 (1996-04-01), De Leon et
Rockey, Milanow & Katz, Ltd.
Tong Nina
LandOfFree
Communicative environmental alarm system with voice indication does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Communicative environmental alarm system with voice indication, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Communicative environmental alarm system with voice indication will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2616817