Doorbell sound output device controllers, doorbell switches, and associated systems and methods

• US 10,304,296 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ring Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tso, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Mortell, John F
• Application Number:
  US15/868,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20180197383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6871 the output circuit comprising more than one controlled field-effect transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/785 controlling field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0009 AC switches, i.e. delivering AC power to a load
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0081 Power supply means, e.g. to the switch driver
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94089 Wireless transmission

Abstract

A doorbell switch includes a user input device configured to receive a user command to activate a doorbell sound output device, and activation circuitry configured to generate an activation signal in response to the user input device receiving the user command to activate the doorbell sound output device. A doorbell sound output device controller includes a switching device configured to control flow of electrical current between the doorbell sound output device controller and the doorbell sound output device, and control circuitry configured to control the switching device to enable flow of electrical current between the doorbell sound output device controller and the doorbell sound output device in response to receiving the activation signal from the doorbell switch.

Claims

1. A doorbell sound output device controller, comprising:

a switching device configured to control flow of electrical current between the doorbell sound output device controller and a doorbell sound output device; and

control circuitry configured to control the switching device to enable flow of electrical current between the doorbell sound output device controller and the doorbell sound output device in response to receiving an activation signal from a doorbell switch external to the doorbell sound output device controller, wherein;

the control circuitry comprises a receiver configured to receive the activation signal from the doorbell switch,

the activation signal comprises a tone,

the receiver is configured to receive the tone via wiring electrically coupling the doorbell switch to the doorbell sound output device controller, and

the receiver includes a phase-locked loop configured to detect a signal having a frequency of the tone.

2. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 1, wherein the tone is selected from the group consisting of a simple tone and a modulated tone.

5. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry comprises filtering circuitry configured to filter the activation signal from other signals received by the control circuitry.

6. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry comprises:

a power supply configured to provide electric power to the control circuitry; and

driver circuitry configured to drive the switching device.

7. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 1, wherein the switching device is configured to be electrically coupled in series with the doorbell sound output device.

9. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 1, further comprising a diode device electrically coupled in parallel with the switching device, such that the diode device provides a path for direct current between the doorbell sound output device controller and the doorbell sound output device.

10. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 9, wherein the switching device comprises first and second metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) electrically coupled in series, and the diode device is a body diode of the first MOSFET.

11. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive a configuration command to cause the second MOSFET to continuously operate in its conductive operating state, such that the body diode of the first MOSFET provides a path for direct current between the doorbell sound output device controller and the doorbell sound output device.

12. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive the configuration command from the doorbell switch.

13. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control a duration that the switching device operates in its conductive state in response to receiving the activation signal from the doorbell switch.

14. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to enable adjustment of the duration that the switching device operates in its conductive state in response to receiving the activation signal from the doorbell switch.

3. A doorbell sound output device controller, comprising:

a switching device configured to control flow of electrical current between the doorbell sound output device controller and a doorbell sound output device; and

control circuitry configured to control the switching device to enable flow of electrical current between the doorbell sound output device controller and the doorbell sound output device in response to receiving an activation signal from a doorbell switch external to the doorbell sound output device controller,

wherein;

the control circuitry comprises current sense circuitry configured to receive the activation signal from the doorbell switch via a change in electrical current flowing between the doorbell sound output device controller and the doorbell switch,

the current sense circuitry comprises;

an electrical conductor configured to be electrically coupled to the doorbell switch, and

a Hall effect sensor configured to sense a magnetic field generated by the electrical current flowing through the electrical conductor, the Hall effect sensor providing galvanic isolation between direct-current (DC) components of the control circuitry and alternating-current (AC) powered circuitry.

4. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 3, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to detect the activation signal in response to a change in an amount of time that a magnitude of the electrical current flowing between the doorbell sound output device controller and the doorbell switch is zero.

15. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 3, wherein the switching device comprises first and second metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) electrically coupled in series.

16. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive a configuration command to cause the second MOSFET to continuously operate in its conductive operating state, such that a body diode of the first MOSFET provides a path for direct current between the doorbell sound output device controller and the doorbell sound output device.

17. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 16, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive the configuration command from the doorbell switch.

18. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 3, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control a duration that the switching device operates in its conductive state in response to receiving the activation signal from the doorbell switch.

19. The doorbell sound output device controller of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to enable adjustment of the duration that the switching device operates in its conductive state in response to receiving the activation signal from the doorbell switch.

8. The doorbell sound output device controller of 1, wherein the switching device comprises a triac.