Doorbell device and associated control method

• US 10,325,453 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SerComm Corporation
• Original Assignee: SerComm Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Chien-Ming, Chiang, Meng-Chien
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/933,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20180322743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 34028611, 3403841
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/021 Particular circuit arrangements G01K7/026, G01K7/12, G01K7/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16571 comparing AC or DC current with one threshold, e.g. load current, over-current, surge current or fault current G01R19/16514, G01R19/16519, G01R19/16528, G01R19/16533, G01R19/1659 take precedence; measuring currents by using elements sensitive to the magnetic field generated G01R15/14; measuring earth resistance G01R27/18; testing for leakage or short circuits in electrical apparatus G01R31/52
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0291 Door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186

Abstract

A doorbell device has a first power input terminal and a second power input terminal. The doorbell device is coupled to a chime device. The doorbell device includes a current sensing circuit, a switch circuit, and a processing circuit. The current sensing circuit is coupled to the first power input terminal, and generates a sensing voltage according to a current flowing through the current sensing circuit. The switch circuit is coupled between the current sensing circuit and the second power input terminal. The switch circuit changes the conducting state in response to a control signal. The processing circuit is configured to provide the control signal and determine the type of the chime device according to the sensing voltage.

Claims

1. A doorbell device, having a first power input terminal and a second power input terminal, the doorbell device coupled to a chime device, the doorbell device comprising:

a current sensing circuit coupled to the first power input terminal, for generating a sensing voltage according to a current flowing through the current sensing circuit;

a switch circuit coupled between the current sensing circuit and the second power input terminal, wherein the switch circuit changes a conducting state in response to a control signal;

a processing circuit, configured to provide the control signal and determine a type of the chime device according to the sensing voltage;

a heating circuit;

a temperature sensing circuit, configured to control the heating circuit according to a sensed temperature, turn on the heating circuit when the processing circuit determines the chime device as analog and the sensed temperature is lower than a first threshold temperature, and turn off the heating circuit when the sensed temperature is higher than a second threshold temperature;

a battery; and

a charging circuit, configured to be controlled by the processing circuit to provide a charging current to the battery, and controlled by the processing circuit to decrease the charging current when the processing circuit determines the chime device as analog and the heating circuit is turned on.

2. The doorbell device according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit determines the chime device as digital when the sensing voltage is less than a threshold value, and the processing circuit determines the chime device as analog when the sensing voltage is greater than the threshold value.

3. The doorbell device according to claim 2, wherein the doorbell device further comprises a rectifier circuit coupled between the first power input terminal and the second power input terminal, the rectifier circuit provides a rectified voltage to the processing circuit, the processing circuit enables the control signal to control the switch circuit to be turned on when the processing circuit determines that the rectified voltage meets a predetermined voltage condition, and the processing circuit sets the threshold value according to the rectified voltage.

4. A control method for a doorbell device, the doorbell device coupled to a chime device, the doorbell device comprising a switch circuit, a current sensing circuit, a heating circuit, a charging circuit and a battery, the control method comprising:

providing a control signal to control a conducting state of the switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit is coupled to the current sensing circuit, and the current sensing circuit generates a sensing voltage according to a current flowing through the current sensing circuit;

determining a type of the chime device according to the sensing voltage;

obtaining a sensed temperature;

controlling the heating circuit according to the sensed temperature;

turning on the heating circuit when the chime device is determined as analog and the sensed temperature is lower than a first threshold temperature;

turning off the heating circuit when the sensed temperature is higher than a second threshold temperature; and

adjusting a charging current provided by the charging circuit to the battery, wherein the step of adjusting the charging current comprises controlling the charging circuit to decrease the charging current when the chime device is determined as analog and the heating circuit is turned on.

5. The control method according to claim 4, wherein the chime device is determined as digital when the sensing voltage is less than a threshold value, and the chime device is determined as analog when the sensing voltage is greater than the threshold value.

6. The control method according to claim 5, wherein the doorbell device further comprises a rectifier circuit coupled between the first power input terminal and the second power input terminal, the rectifier circuit provides a rectified voltage, the control method further comprising:

enabling the control signal to control the switch circuit to be turned on when the rectified voltage meets a predetermined voltage condition; and

setting the threshold value according to the rectified voltage.