Communications: electrical – Systems – Periodic or flashing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-18
2001-07-17
Lefkowitz, Edward (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Systems
Periodic or flashing
C340S332000, C340S815480, C307S015000, C307S1320EA
Reexamination Certificate
active
06262653
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of switch apparatuses and more particularly to a switch apparatus that can flash one or more light(s) on and off continuously as well as turn said light(s) on and off conventionally, yet be installed using the existing wiring system of a house or other building.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Finding an address for the first time is not always easy and it becomes even more difficult particularly at night. Therefore, it can be very helpful to have one or more light(s) such as porch light(s) or other outdoor light(s) which can be flashed on and off repeatedly in order to attract attention to one's house. For example, the present invention can be used to alert the neighbors that there is a danger situation within your house. It can also be used for guiding a firefighter truck, ambulance or police car to your house in an emergency, or for helping friends find your house when you are having a party.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,863 to Devitt et al, granted on Dec. 3, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,960 to Dunn, granted on Jan. 8, 1991 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,698 to Hoyle et al, granted on Dec. 14, 1993 all show a light flashing device that uses a custom switch with the two conventional ON and OFF positions plus an additional third position to make the light flashing to signal to the outside an emergency situation or the like. These prior art devices to be installed in existing switch junction boxes of a house or building and using existing wiring system do provide only on flashing position. Neighbors or people passing by may get confused as to know if the flashing signal does highlight an emergency situation or simply a visual sign for someone specific to recognize, thus causing unwanted reactions from time to time.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a light flashing apparatus which obviates the above mentioned disadvantages and allows for two different flashing modes: slow and fast. The slow flashing mode is used, for example, to help someone find your address when there is no hurry (taxi, delivery and so on) while the fast flashing mode corresponds to an emergency situation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a light flashing apparatus which, once connected into an existing switch junction box and to the existing wiring system of a house or other building, does not require any other external source of energy to be functional.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a light flashing apparatus which is numerical and thus less sensible to the electronic noises than the emergency signaling devices of the prior art which are analog.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a light flashing apparatus which can be manufactured in several versions. A first version of the light flashing apparatus comes with a four-button control switch. It is installed within an existing light switch junction box and replaces conventional switches. Other versions of the light flashing apparatus can also be used in combination with different accessories like a remote control (panic button), a smoke detector, an alarm system (motion sensor, door/window transmitter) and so on in order to flash at least one outdoor light when an emergency situation happens. Every version of the light flashing apparatus can be connected to the existing electrical wiring system of a house or other building.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a light flashing apparatus which will conform to convenient forms of manufacturing, be of simple construction and easy to use, as to provide a light flashing apparatus which will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention consists of a switching apparatus for flashing a light fixture of a building, the light being connected by existing two-wire circuit to a source of a relatively high voltage AC current, the switching apparatus comprises:
a switch housing mounted within a switch junction box within the interior of the building;
a four-button control switch mounted to the housing, the switch having an “on” button, an “off” button, a “fast flash” button and a “slow flash” button, each of said buttons corresponding to a respective power state of said light;
an electronic circuit mounted within the housing and electrically connected to the control switch, the electronic circuit being connected in series with the light, the electronic circuit providing a constant power state of the light upon selection of the “on” button, a no power state of the light upon selection of the “off” button, a fast on-and-off cycling power state of the light upon selection of the “fast flash” button, and a slow on-and-off cycling power state of the light upon selection of the “slow flash” button, said fast and slow on-and-off cycling power states having a first and a second predetermined high and low frequency respectively, selection of anyone of said buttons overwriting a previous selection, said electronic circuit enabling one of said four different power states of said light to be activated at a time upon selection of a corresponding one of said four buttons.
Preferably, the electronic circuit is comprised of a digital micro-controller controlling an electronic relay allowing for the power to flow to the light fixture depending on which of the buttons of the control switch is being selected, and an AC to DC converter power supply energizing the micro-controller, the power supply being connected to the existing two-wire circuit.
Preferably, each one of the four buttons of the control switch having an active connection and a ground connection, the micro-controller is an integrated circuit having four out of its eight pins electrically connected to the active connections of the four buttons, two pins connected to the power supply, one of the latter two being also connected to the ground connections of all four buttons, one pin connected to the electronic relay and one pin connected to a frequency reference, the integrated circuit producing at least two different frequencies corresponding to the predetermined high and low frequencies.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a remote means for transmitting an electromagnetic signal, the electronic circuit further comprises a receiver means adapted to be activated upon reception of the electromagnetic signal, the receiver means being electrically connected in parallel to one of the buttons.
Preferably, the electromagnetic signal is a radio frequency (RF) wave signal and the receiver means is electrically connected in parallel to the “fast flash” button.
Preferably, the electronic circuit being adapted to be connected to a plurality of external household electronic accessories all electrically connected in parallel to one of the buttons.
Alternatively, one of the external household electronic accessories is an alarm system and the system is electrically connected in parallel to the “fast flash” button.
Preferably, the control switch further has a plurality of additional buttons adapted for selecting a personal access code for comparison against a code programmed within the electronic circuit to enable possible activation of the apparatus upon activation of the system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4556863 (1985-12-01), Devitt et al.
patent: 4836823 (1989-06-01), Laven
patent: 4983960 (1991-01-01), Dunn
patent: 5270698 (1993-12-01), Hoyle et al.
patent: 5521578 (1996-05-01), DelValle
patent: 5872832 (1999-02-01), Bishel et al.
Goins Davetta W.
Lefkowitz Edward
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