COMMUNICATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ALARM SYSTEM WITH VOICE INDICATION

• US 20010043144A1
• Filed: 10/12/1999
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary J. Morris Phd
• Original Assignee: Gary J. Morris Phd
• Inventors: MORRIS, GARY J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,323,780 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/692
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

The battery powered or 120VAC powered environmental condition detector of the present invention is designed to provide an early warning of the presence of an environmental condition (smoke or carbon monoxide gas or natural gas or propane gas or any multiple combination of these offending agents) to persons in remote areas of a building. The detector sensing the environmental condition emits an audible tonal pattern alarm, while transmitting a radio signal directly to other environmental condition detectors to activate their alarms and to activate an electronically stored human voice recording (or synthesized voice) that indicates the location of the environmental condition detector sensing the environmental condition, or the type of environmental condition, or both. Rechargeable light modules separate from the detector are included that receive the signal from the detector sensing the environmental condition and illuminate areas and paths of egress for the duration of the alarm condition or in case of 120VAC power failure. All components of the system are easy to install due to the modular design and conventional power sources. An intermittent activation of the electronic circuitry in the detector unit may be used to conserve battery energy in the battery powered embodiment.

Claims

1. An environmental condition detection system having:

a minimum of two environmental condition detectors, each said environmental condition detector comprising

(a) at least one sensor for detecting the presence of a selected environmental condition,

(b) an audible alarm having at least one prescribed audible tonal pattern active in response to sensing said environmental condition in accordance with a predetermined criterion;

(c) circuitry for playing at least one pre-recorded voice message wherein the message verbally describes the type of detected environmental condition for the duration of detection thereof in accordance with said criterion such that said pre-recorded voice message is emitted during periods of silence in said prescribed audible tonal pattern alarm; and

(d) a transmitter and a receiver for wireless direct communication with other detectors of the system wherein each transmitter transmits user-selectable, coded wireless signals and each said receiver responds to received, coded signals, each said detector emitting at least one electronically pre-recorded voice message, the selection of which is defined by electronic decoding of the received wireless signal transmitted by a condition detector sensing said environmental condition.

2. The system as in

claim 1

wherein each detector includes:

selectable coding means to define the installation location of the respective detector and wherein the circuitry plays a location specifying message.

3. The system of

claim 1

wherein said sensors are selected from a group including a smoke sensor, a carbon monoxide gas sensor, a natural gas sensor, and a propane gas sensor.

4. The system of

claim 3

wherein at least some of the detectors include at least a second sensor of a different type and wherein the circuitry therein plays a second pre-recorded voice message which describes a second type of detected environmental condition such that the pre-recorded voice is emitted during periods of silence in a prescribed audible tonal pattern.

5. The system of

claim 1

further comprising light module to illuminate adjacent areas during the detection of said environmental condition, said light module comprising a lamp, an element for a plug-in type connection of the module to power supply, a rechargeable battery for powering said light module upon a power failure, a control circuit and a wireless receiver, said circuit causing said lamp to be energized by upon receipt of a selected coded wireless signal by the receiver.

6. The system of

claim 1

wherein the transmitter and receiver wirelessly communicate using radio frequency transmission and reception.

7. The system of

claim 1

wherein said electronic means to play said circuitry for playing said pre-recorded voice messages has further circuitry to provide for the selection of language type presentation of said pre-recorded voice messages.

8. The system of

claim 1

wherein said audible alarm comprises storage for multiple tonal alarm patterns.

9. The system of

claim 8

which includes a processor programmed for retrieving a selected tonal alarm pattern and presenting same to the audible alarm.

10. An environmental condition detection system housing:

a minimum of two environmental condition detectors, each said environmental condition detector comprising

(a) at least one sensor for detecting the presence of a selected environmental condition,

(b) an audible alarm having at least one prescribed audible tonal pattern active in response to sensing said environmental condition in accordance with a predetermined parameter;

(c) circuitry for playing at least one pre-recorded voice message wherein the message verbally describes the location of the detected environmental condition for the duration of detection thereof in accordance with the parameter such that said pre-recorded voice message is emitted during periods of silence in said prescribed audible tonal pattern alarm; and

(d) a transmitter and a receiver for wireless direct communication with other detectors of the system wherein each transmitter transmits user-selectable, coded wireless signals and each said receiver is user-selectable to respond to received, coded signals, each said detector emitting at least one electronically pre-recorded voice message, the selection of which is defined by electronic decoding of the received wireless signal transmitted by a condition detector sensing said environmental condition.

11. The system as in

claim 10

wherein the circuitry plays a condition specifying message.

12. The system of

claim 10

wherein said sensors are selected from a group including a smoke sensor, a carbon monoxide gas sensor, a natural gas sensor, and a propane gas sensor.

13. The system of

claim 11

wherein at least some of the detectors include at least a second sensor of a different type and wherein the circuitry therein plays a second, condition specifying pre-recorded voice message such that the pre-recorded voice is emitted during periods of silence in a prescribed audible tonal pattern.

14. The system of

claim 10

further comprising light module to illuminate adjacent areas during the detection of said environmental condition, said light module comprising a lamp, an element for a plug-in type connection of the module to power supply, a rechargeable battery for powering said light module upon a power failure, a control circuit and a wireless receiver, said circuit causing said lamp to be energized by upon receipt of a selected coded wireless signal by the receiver.

15. The system of

claim 10

wherein the transmitter and receiver wirelessly communicate using radio frequency transmission and reception.

16. The system of

claim 10

wherein said electronic means to play said circuitry for playing said pre-recorded voice messages has further circuitry to provide for the selection of language type presentation of said pre-recorded voice messages.

17. The system of

claim 13

wherein said audible alarm comprises storage for multiple tonal alarm patterns.

18. The system of

claim 17

which includes a processor programmed for retrieving a selected tonal alarm pattern and presenting same to the audible alarm.

21. The method of

claim 17

which includes providing a first environmental condition detector selected from a group including a smoke detector, a gas detector, a natural gas detector, and a propane gas detector.

22. The method of

claim 21

which provides at least a second, different environmental condition detector type selected from a group including a smoke detector and a gas detector.

19. A method for providing environmental condition detection for a multi-section region comprising:

(a) locating a minimum of two environmental condition detectors in different sections of the region;

(b) setting a selectable coding element in each detector to define the location of the respective detector within a section;

(c) sensing an environmental condition and playing a pre-recorded voice message, which verbally describes at least the location of the sensed condition;

(d) communicating wirelessly with another, selected detector such that the pre-recorded voice message at the sensed location is also emitted at the another detector.

20. A method as in

claim 19

which includes verbally stating a type of sensed condition.

23. A method for providing environmental condition detection for a multi-section region comprising:

(a) locating a minimum of two environmental condition detectors in different sections of the region;

(b) sensing an environmental condition and playing a pre-recorded voice message, which verbally describes the type of sensed condition;

(c) communicating wirelessly with another, selected detector such that the pre-recorded voice message at the sensed location is also emitted at the another detector.

24. A method as in

claim 23

which includes verbally stating a location of the sensed condition.

25. A detector comprising:

a) at least one sensor for sensing the presence of an environmental condition,

b) a transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency signal,

c) a selector to define a coded radio frequency signal to be transmitted by said transmitter;

d) a receiver for radio signal reception.

e) an alarm code selector to define a voice information code to be transmitted in said radio signal,

f) an audio transducer that emits selected voice information in response to the receiver receiving a selected radio signal transmitted by another transmitter.

26. The detector of

claim 25

wherein said sensor selected from a group including a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide gas detector, a natural gas detector, and a propane gas detector.

27. A detector as in

claim 26

which includes at least a second, different sensor.

28. A detector as in

claim 25

which includes circuitry for storage of at least one alarm type voice message.

29. A detector as in

claim 28

which includes circuitry for storage of a second, location specifying voice message.

30. A self-contained ambient condition detector comprising:

a housing;

at least one ambient condition sensor carried by the housing;

a control element, carried by the housing and coupled to the sensor, for establishing the presence of a selected alarm condition;

a wireless receiver coupled to the control element wherein the receiver and control element receive and decode wireless messages transmitted by other detectors;

a manually settable location specifying member, coupled to the control element whereby a user can specify a location at which the housing is installed;

voice annunciating circuitry and a plurality of stored verbal outputs with one output identifying, at least in part, an alarm type and at least one output identifying, at least in part, an alarm location wherein in response to a receiver wireless message from another detector, the voice annunciation circuitry outputs at least one of a verbal alarm type and a verbal alarm location.

31. A detector as in

claim 30

wherein the at least one sensor is selected from a class which includes a position sensor, a motion sensor, a breakage sensor, a gas sensor, and a fire sensor.

32. A detector as in

claim 30

which includes a wireless transmitter, coupled to the control element whereby the control element includes circuitry for formatting wireless alarm specifying messages for transmission to displaced, substantially identical, detectors whereby the receiving detectors receive the alarm specifying messages for verbal presentation thereat.

33. A detector as in

claim 32

wherein transmitted messages include location information as specified by the manually settable member.

34. A detector as in

claim 30

which includes a second, different, sensor wherein the sensors are selected from a class which includes a gas sensor, a smoke sensor and a thermal sensor.

35. A detector as in

claim 30

wherein the control element comprises a programmed processor and associated storage unit which includes at least one prestored audible alarm indicating tonal output pattern.

36. A detector as in

claim 35

which includes a plurality of tonal output patterns pre-stored in the unit wherein one of the patterns is a fire alarm pattern.

37. A detector as in

claim 36

wherein another of the prestored patterns is a gas alarm pattern.

38. A detector as in

claim 30

wherein the control element comprises a storage unit for digitally storing at least one alarm indicating tonal output pattern.

39. A detector as in

claim 30

wherein the annunciating circuitry comprises a speech synthesizer.

40. An alarm system comprising:

a plurality of wirelessly coupled, self-contained detectors wherein each detector includes a transceiver for wireless transmission of and reception of coded messages, directly communicated between detectors, wherein the messages include at least alarm specifying information transmitted by a detector exhibiting an alarm condition; and

wherein at least some detectors include voice output circuitry for verbally broadcasting the existence of an alarm condition at a different detector in response to a coded message directly received therefrom.

41. A system as in

claim 40

wherein at least some of the detectors include manually settable location specifying circuitry and the transmitted messages therefrom include both alarm and location information.

42. A system as in

claim 41

wherein the voice output circuitry of at least some of the detectors verbally output both alarm and location information received from another detector.

43. A system as in

claim 40

wherein at least some of the detectors include at least one ambient condition sensor selected from a class which includes at least a fire sensor, a gas sensor, a position sensor, a motion sensor and a breakage sensor.

44. A system as in

claim 40

wherein at least some of the detectors include an alarm indicating audible output transducer.

45. A system as in

claim 44

wherein at least some of the transducers comprise piezoelectric transducers.

46. A system as in

claim 44

wherein verbal alarm specifying messages are interleaved with tonal alarm indicating messages.

47. A system as in

claim 46

wherein verbal alarm location messages are interleaved with tonal alarm indicating messages.

48. A system as in

claim 43

wherein the fire sensors comprise one or more of a thermal sensor, a photoelectric smoke sensor and an ionization smoke sensor.

49. A detector comprising:

a housing;

at least a first ambient condition sensor carried by the housing;

a control element, in part programmable, coupled to the sensor, wherein the element incudes circuitry for detecting a first alarm condition;

an alarm indicating audible output device coupled to the control element wherein the control element, in response to an alarm condition, drives the output device to repetitively emit a first, interrupted, plurality of alarm tones wherein at least some of the tones are spaced apart from one another by a first time interval, and wherein others of the tones are closer together; and

a voice circuit for storing at least a first verbal, alarm-type output message, coupled to the control element and associated with the first sensor, wherein the circuit, in response to the presence of a first detected alarm condition, injects the verbal, alarm-type output message repetitively into the first intervals.

50. A detector as in

claim 49

wherein the first interval is on the order of 1.5 seconds.

51. A detector as in

claim 50

wherein others of the tones are spaced apart on the order of 0.5 seconds.

52. A detector as in

claim 49

which includes a second, different ambient condition sensor coupled to the control element.

53. A detector as in

claim 52

wherein the control element includes circuitry for detecting a second alarm condition, associated with the second sensor, and for driving the output device to emit a second interrupted plurality of alarm tones at least some of which are spaced apart from one another by a second time interval and wherein others of the tones are closer together and wherein the voice circuit stores a second verbal, alarm-type output message associated with the second sensor wherein the element in response to the presence of a second detected alarm condition injects the second verbal, alarm-type output message into the second intervals.

54. A detector as in

claim 49

wherein a word associated with a fire is stored as the first verbal alarm-type output whereby in response to the first detected alarm condition that word is verbally injected, repetitively into the first intervals in the tones.

55. A detector as in

claim 49

wherein the first sensor comprises a smoke sensor.

56. A detector as in

claim 53

wherein the first sensor comprises a fire sensor and the second sensor comprises a gas sensor.

57. A detector as in

claim 56

wherein the gas sensor comprises a carbon monoxide sensor and a phrase indicative of that gas is stored as, at least part of, the second verbal, alarm-type output message whereby in response to the second detected alarm condition, at least that phrase is verbally injected, repetitively into the second intervals in the tones.

58. An ambient condition detector comprising:

first and second, different, ambient condition sensors;

control electronics which includes a programmed processor, coupled to the sensors wherein the electronics emits at least two, different, pre-stored alarm indicating tonal, output patterns wherein each pattern is associated with respective one of the sensors;

voice output circuitry, coupled to the electronics, wherein the voice circuitry includes at least two pre-stored verbal alarm starting output messages wherein each of the pre-stored messages is associated with a respective one of the tonal output patterns and verbalizes the respective alarm type and wherein the control electronics, in response to a detected alarm condition, outputs an audio representation of a respective one of the tonal patterns and an interleaved respective verbal alarm type message.

59. A detector as in

claim 58

wherein one of the sensors is a smoke sensor and the respective, prestored verbal message is a fire alarm to reinforce the respective tonal output pattern indicative of a fire alarm.

60. A detector as in

claim 59

wherein the other sensor is a carbon monoxide sensor and the respective pre-stored verbal message is a carbon monoxide alarm to reinforce the respective tonal output pattern, indicative of a carbon monoxide alarm.

61. A detector as in

claim 58

wherein each tonal output pattern defines groups of substantially identical output tones with constant intragroup spacing of a first amount and constant intergroup spacing of a second amount wherein the second amount is at least two times greater than the first amount.

62. A detector as in

claim 60

wherein at least one tonal output pattern defines groups of three substantially identical output tones with constant intragroup spacing of a first amount and constant intergroup spacing of a second amount wherein another tonal output pattern defines groups of four substantially identical output tones with constant intragroup spacing of a third amount and constant intergroup spacing of a fourth amount.

63. A detector as in

claim 61

wherein one tonal pattern has an intragroup spacing on the order of 0.5 seconds and an intergroup spacing on the order of 1.5 seconds.

64. A detector as in

claim 62

wherein each tone of one tonal pattern has a duration on the order of 0.5 seconds.

65. A detector as in

claim 58

wherein the tonal patterns are pre-stored in a memory unit coupled to the processor.