Device with silencing circuitry

• US 20020130782A1
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BRK Brands Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BRK Brands Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Mori, Vincent B., Duran, Edward C., Venzant, Kenneth L., Johnston, Derek Scott
• Granted Patent: US 6,762,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/628
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply

Abstract

A smoke detector monitors one or more internal conditions, such as battery output voltage in detectors that include batteries. Both audible and visible indicators are energized to indicate the presence of the monitored condition or conditions. A switch or a wireless sensor on the detector can be actuated to temporarily suppress the audible indicator provided the battery exhibits an output voltage in a predetermined range, less than that of normal operation.

Claims

1. A detector comprising:

a housing;

a sensor carried by the housing;

control circuitry coupled to the housing wherein the control circuitry includes circuitry for digitally monitoring at least one selected internal operational condition;

circuitry for producing a human perceptible indication that the monitored condition is outside of a predetermined range; and

an activatable control element, carried by the housing and coupled to the control circuitry whereby upon activation of the control element, in response to the presence of the human perceptible indication, that indication can be suppressed for a predetermined period of time.

2. A detector as in claim 1, which includes a power supply, wherein the circuitry monitors an output parameter of the power supply.

3. A detector as in claim 2 wherein the power supply includes a battery and wherein the circuitry monitors a digital representation of an output parameter of the battery.

4. A detector as in claim 3 wherein the battery is replaceable.

5. A detector as in claim 1 wherein the indication includes at least an audible component whereby the audible component can be silenced for the predetermined period of time.

6. A detector as in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a sensor of an airborne constituent selected from a class which includes airborne smoke and a selected airborne gas.

7. A detector as in claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a fire sensor and a gas sensor.

8. A detector as in claim 5 wherein the indication includes a visual component that is not disabled by the control element.

9. A detector as in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry comprises a programmed processor.

10. A detector as in claim 1 which includes a manually operable switch for activation of the control element.

11. A detector as in claim 1 which includes a command sensor for remotely activating the control element.

12. A detector as in claim 11 wherein the command sensor is selected from a class which includes an optical sensor, an acoustic sensor and a radio frequency-type sensor.

13. A detector as in claim 1 wherein the circuitry for monitoring includes analog-to-digital conversion circuitry whereby a binary representation of the internal condition can be coupled to the control circuitry.

14. A detector as in claim 13 wherein the control circuitry includes circuitry for comparing the binary representation to at least first and second values.

16. A detector as in claim 10 wherein the internal condition is selected from a class which includes at least a power supply parameter, and a sensor parameter.

17. A detector as in claim 16 which includes a power supply.

18. A detector as in claim 17 wherein the power supply includes a battery.

19. A detector as in claim 18 wherein the fire sensor comprises a smoke sensor.

20. A detector as in claim 19 wherein the monitoring circuitry monitors a battery output parameter.

21. A detector as in claim 20 wherein a monitored low battery condition energizes the output device to provide a verbal indication thereof.

22. A detector as in claim 21 which includes a visible output device wherein the control circuit energizes the visible output device along with the speech output device.

23. A detector as in claim 22 wherein actuating the control element suppresses the verbal output but not the visible output.

24. A detector as in claim 15 wherein the control element comprises at least one of a manually operable switch and a wireless sensor.

25. A detector as in claim 23 wherein the control element comprises at least one of a manually operable switch and a wireless sensor.

26. A detector as in claim 15 wherein the control circuit includes a programmed processor and pre-stored instructions for comparing a representation of the internal condition to at least one predetermined threshold value.

27. A detector as in claim 26 which includes an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the processor and to the control circuit wherein the converter provides a digital representation of the internal condition.

28. A detector as in claim 27 wherein the internal condition is one of a power source condition parameter and a sensor condition parameter.

29. A detector as in claim 28 wherein the control element comprises at least one of a manually operable switch and a wireless sensor.

30. A detector as in claim 15 which includes settable calibration circuitry readable by the control circuit.

15. A detector comprising:

at least one of a fire sensor and a gas sensor;

a control circuit coupled to the sensor;

an audible output device coupled to the control circuit wherein the control circuit includes circuitry for monitoring a selected internal condition of the detector, not indicative of the presence of fire or gas, and for energizing the output device in response to the presence of the internal condition to provide an audible indication thereof; and

a control element, proximate to and coupled to the control circuit, whereby actuation thereof temporarily suppresses the audible indication.

31. A detector comprising:

first and second different ambient condition sensors;

a control circuit which includes programmed instructions for digitally implementing a sensing function for each of the sensors;

first and second test circuits wherein each test circuit is associated with a respective smoke sensor;

at least one circuit for monitoring an internal operational characteristic and wherein the control circuit includes instructions for evaluating a digital representation of the operational characteristic;

a calibration storage unit coupled to the control circuit wherein initial performance information can be pre-stored to take into account component variations wherein an audible output can be generated by the control circuit indicative of the sensed, non-alarm operational characteristic.

32. A detector as in claim 31 which includes actuation circuitry for suppressing the audible output for a predetermined period of time.

33. A detector as in claim 32 wherein the actuation circuitry includes a wireless input port for receipt of a remotely generated suppression signal.

34. A detector as in claim 31 wherein the sensors are selected from a class which includes fire sensors and gas sensors.

37. A detector as in claim 36 which includes a battery receiving apparatus wherein the battery when inserted into the apparatus comprises a power supply for the detector.

35. A detector comprising:

first and second different ambient condition sensors;

a control circuit which includes programmed instructions for digitally implementing a sensing function for each of the sensors;

first and second test circuits wherein each test circuit is associated with a respective smoke sensor;

at least one circuit for monitoring an internal operational characteristic and wherein the control circuit includes instructions for evaluating a digital representation of the operational characteristic;

a calibration storage unit coupled to the control circuit wherein initial performance information can be pre-stored to take into account component variations wherein an audible output can be generated by the control circuit indicative of the sensed operational characteristic.

36. A detector comprising:

at least one ambient condition sensor;

control circuitry coupled to the sensor wherein the control circuitry includes circuitry for evaluating at least one output parameter of a power supply for the detector, and circuitry responsive thereto for implementing a multi-level comparison between the evaluated output parameter and a plurality of pre-stored values and circuitry responsive thereto for permitting an output indicium of a power problem to the suppressed only where results of the multi-level comparison are in accordance with a predetermined criterion.