Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Patent
1996-01-18
1997-12-23
Mullen, Thomas
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
250DIG1, 340522, 340529, G08B 1318
Patent
active
057011176
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an occupancy detector device that is capable of regulating the on/off status of electrical appliances, such as lights, depending on the presence of people in a given monitored area. The occupancy detector of the present invention relies on the combined functioning of a passive infrared sensor and a sound sensor. Signals from the passive infrared sensor or the sound sensor operate to maintain the electrical appliances in the on state. If no signals are received from these sensors after a predetermined time interval, the off state of the electrical appliances is initiated. Following the initiation of the off state there may be a predetermined grace period during which a sound signal can reinitiate the on state of the electrical appliance. If no sound signal is received during that grace period, only a signal from the passive infrared sensor can subsequently reinitiate the on state. The sound detector of the present invention may be adapted with an "automatic gain control" feature by which background noise is filtered out and does not maintain or initiate the on state of the electrical appliances.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3936822 (1976-02-01), Hirschberg
patent: 4223832 (1980-09-01), Szarka
patent: 4630684 (1986-12-01), Cinzori et al.
patent: 4703171 (1987-10-01), Kahl et al.
patent: 4746906 (1988-05-01), Lederer
patent: 4772875 (1988-09-01), Maddox et al.
patent: 4825079 (1989-04-01), Takamatsu et al.
patent: 4890093 (1989-12-01), Allison et al.
patent: 4975584 (1990-12-01), Benjamin et al.
patent: 5015994 (1991-05-01), Hoberman et al.
patent: 5023593 (1991-06-01), Brox
patent: 5128654 (1992-07-01), Griffin et al.
patent: 5142199 (1992-08-01), Elwell
patent: 5153560 (1992-10-01), Ichikawa
patent: 5189393 (1993-02-01), Hu
patent: 5266807 (1993-11-01), Neiger
patent: 5276427 (1994-01-01), Peterson
patent: 5307051 (1994-04-01), Sedlmayr
patent: 5386210 (1995-01-01), Lee
patent: 5428345 (1995-06-01), Bruno
patent: 5534850 (1996-07-01), Lee
Mudge Philip Howland
Platner Brian Page
Harnett Christopher J.
Mullen Thomas
Platner Brian Page
Secrest Thomas L.
Tuma Garry J.
LandOfFree
Occupancy detector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Occupancy detector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Occupancy detector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1804767