Alarm chip and use of the alarm chip

• US 20040012502A1
• Filed: 04/22/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nordan As (Portfolio Recovery Associates Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Nordan As (Portfolio Recovery Associates Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rasmussen, John Olav
• Granted Patent: US 6,989,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/04 by breaking of glass

Abstract

An alarm chip (10) and the use of the alarm chip (10) for giving warning of burglary or undesired entry into buildings, installations or structures, preferably by so-called shell-protection of the building, installation or structure, the alarm chip (10) detecting, by means of an associated accelerometer, motions/vibrations in the object to which the alarm chip (10) is fixedly arranged, the object being formed of e.g. a window (2), a door, possibly a frame or casing connected to the window (2) or door, wherein the motions/vibrations are converted by means of the accelerometer into an outgoing flow of acceleration values, which are further processed, by means of a processor in a signal processing circuit, in which, by means of algorithms, the acceleration values are recognized and separated into either output alarm signals or output non-alarm signals, and in which output signals may be coded/encrypted, so that each alarm chip (10) has i.a. a unique address and identity, and in which the signals are possibly also output in the form of signal pulses, preferably in a so-called pseudo-random order, the output signals being transmitted, preferably in a wireless manner, to at least one central and/or external alarm unit/alarm system arranged to the building, installation or structure.

Claims

1. An alarm device for alerting of burglary or undesired entry into a construction, including a building, installation or structure, the alarm device being connected to at least one alarm unit or alarm system that is associated with the construction, and that is provided with a signal receiver, and that is prepared to interpret processed signals from said alarm device;

wherein the alarm device comprises;

(a) an alarm chip (10) that is fixedly attached to an access opening medium in the construction, the medium including a door, a window (2) or a frame (6) or a casing (8) thereof, the alarm chip (10) being provided with at least a signal transmitter;

an energy source; and

a sensor for detecting motions and vibrations of said access opening medium, and for outputting a series of analogue electric signals corresponding to said motions and vibrations to;

(b) an ADC-component (analogue to digital converter), said component converting the analogue signals to a series of digital electric signals and outputting these signals to;

(c) an electronic signal processing circuit that is run by a processor, and that processes said digital signals, and that is capable of outputting processed signals to said signal receiver provided to said at least one alarm unit or alarm system associated with the construction, characterised in that said sensor in the alarm chip (10) is an accelerometer that measures, at least in one direction, acceleration values (dv/dt) corresponding to said motions and vibrations, and that said signal processing circuit is provided with at least one algorithm containing instructions, in program form, that define acceleration signal characteristics and patterns corresponding to various types of said motions and vibrations, the at least one algorithm also containing instructions for recognizing and distinguishing said acceleration signal characteristics and patterns as either alarm-justifying or non-alarm-justifying motions and vibrations of said access opening medium, and that the signal processing circuit is arranged to continuously output processed signals to said at least one alarm unit or alarm system associated with the construction, and that the signal processing circuit is arranged to output an alarm-activating signal when it recognizes acceleration signals corresponding to said alarm-justifying motions and vibrations, and to output an “

alive &

well”

signal (a non-alarm signal) when it either recognizes acceleration signals corresponding to said non-alarm-justifying motions and vibrations, or when no motions and vibrations are recognized.

2. Alarm device according to claim 1,

characterised in that said signal transmitter in the alarm chip (10) is a radio frequency transmitter, while said signal receiver is a radio frequency receiver, thereby providing wireless signal transmission between the alarm chip (10) and said at least one alarm unit or alarm system.

3. Alarm device according to claim 1 or 2,

characterised in that said ADC-component, said signal processing circuit and its processor are mounted in the alarm chip (10).

4. Alarm device according to claim 1 or 2,

characterised in that said ADC-component is mounted in the alarm chip (10), while said signal processing circuit and its processor are mounted external thereto and in connection with said at least one alarm unit or alarm system.

5. Alarm device according to one of the preceding claims,

characterised in that said signal processing circuit is an application-specific-integrated-circuit, also denoted ASIC.

6. Alarm device according to one of the preceding claims,

characterised in that said signal processing circuit is arranged to output signals in pulses.

7. Alarm device according to one of the preceding claims,

characterised in that said signal processing circuit is arranged to output signals in at least one signal format or signal code.

8. Alarm device according to claim 7,

characterised in that the signal processing circuit is arranged to change signal format or code at even or uneven intervals.

9. Alarm device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said signal processing circuit is arranged to output non-alarm signals in a pseudo-random sequence.

10. Alarm device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said signal processing circuit is arranged to output encrypted signals.