Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specified indicator structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-12
2001-10-23
Hofsass, Jeffery (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specified indicator structure
C340S693400, C340S630000, C340S628000, C340S521000, C340S326000, C340S309000, C381S082000, C381S077000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307482
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to alarm signaling devices for mounting in rooms or other interior areas and coupled to a central alarm control panel. More particularly, the invention relates to an alarm having both a speaker for communicating emergency announcements and an associated silencing circuit operable to temporarily disable the speaker until either a predetermined amount of time has expired or an overriding re-enablement signal is received.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fire and other alarm systems typically include both a plurality of remote alarms and a central alarm control panel, with the panel being electrically coupled with the remote alarms for controlling the operation thereof. When the alarm control panel or any sensors associated therewith sense a fire or other alarm condition, the control panel triggers the remote alarms. Some such remote alarms include speakers operable to communicate emergency announcements related to the alarm condition.
It is often desirable, however, to silence a particular remote alarm without deactivating or resetting the entire alarm system. For example, during testing of a fire alarm system, persons in a particular room not participating in the test may wish to temporarily silence the alarm located in that room.
Unfortunately, when conditions change and it becomes desirable to trigger a second alarm or, if the system so allows, to communicate an emergency announcement, a silenced alarm may prevent the signal or important announcement from being heard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the above-described problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of alarm signaling devices. More particularly, the present invention provides an alarm having a speaker or other sound producing device operable to communicate an alarm signal or emergency announcement, but which can be temporarily silenced and automatically re-enabled.
The silencing circuit preferably includes a switch-triggered timing circuit for disabling the speaker for a predetermined amount of time. The switch preferably comprises a pair of spaced-apart touch contacts that are activated by body-resistance. Specifically, the contacts trigger the timing circuit when a person in the room simultaneously touches both the contacts with one or more of his or her fingers. If no other action is taken, the speaker automatically re-enables after the expiration of the timed period.
A special re-enabling, or “pre-announce”, signal sent from the central control panel will override the silencing circuit and re-enable the speaker before the timed disable period has expired. The reactivation circuitry preferably includes a bandpass filter and timer to identify the particular frequency and duration indicative of the re-enablement signal. Once the signal is identified, the reactivation circuitry overrides the silencing circuit and re-enables the speaker or other sound producing device without regard for the timing circuit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4438428 (1984-03-01), Ober et al.
patent: 4477798 (1984-10-01), Saul et al.
patent: 4702614 (1987-10-01), Copley et al.
patent: 5422629 (1995-06-01), Minnis et al.
patent: 5812054 (1998-09-01), Cohen
Hofsass Jeffery
Nguyen Tai T.
Pepper Hamilton LLP
SPX Corporation
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