Method and apparatus for providing a notification appliance with a light emitting diode

• US 20050219060A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wheelock Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wheelock Incorporated
• Inventors: Curran, John W., Keeney, Shawn P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,663,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/815.450
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/38 using flashing light

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a strobe alarm unit employing at least one light emitting diode.

Claims

1. A strobe notification appliance, comprising:

at least one broad distribution light emitting diode (LED);

an energy storage device for storing energy; and

a control circuit for causing said stored energy to be applied to said at least one broad distribution LED.

2. The strobe notification appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage converter coupled to energy storage for stepping an input voltage.

3. The strobe notification appliance of claim 2, wherein said voltage converter is a buck converter.

4. The strobe notification appliance of claim 2, wherein said voltage converter is a booster converter.

5. The strobe notification appliance of claim 2, wherein said voltage converter comprises at least one current limiter.

6. The strobe notification appliance of claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprises a microcontroller.

7. The strobe notification appliance of claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprises an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

8. The strobe notification appliance of claim 1, wherein said at least one broad distribution light emitting diode is at least one multi-color LED.

9. The strobe notification appliance of claim 8, wherein said at least one multi-color LED is a tricolor LED.

10. The strobe notification appliance of claim 1, wherein said at least one broad distribution light emitting diode comprises a plurality of LEDs.

11. The strobe notification appliance of claim 2, wherein said energy storage device is deployed between said voltage converter and said at least one broad distribution LED.

12. The strobe notification appliance of claim 2, wherein said voltage converter is deployed between said energy storage device and said at least one LED.

13. A strobe notification appliance, comprising:

at least one broad distribution light emitting diode (LED);

means for storing energy; and

means for controlling said stored energy to be applied to said at least one broad distribution LED.

14. The strobe notification appliance of claim 13, further comprising:

means for converting voltage, coupled to said energy storing means, for stepping an input voltage.

15. The strobe notification appliance of claim 14, wherein said voltage converting means is a buck converter.

16. The strobe notification appliance of claim 14, wherein said voltage converting means is a booster converter.

17. The strobe notification appliance of claim 14, wherein said voltage converting means comprises at least one current limiting means.

18. The strobe notification appliance of claim 13, wherein said controlling means comprises a microcontroller or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

19. The strobe notification appliance of claim 13, wherein said at least one broad distribution light emitting diode is at least one multi-color LED.

20. A method of providing a strobe notification appliance, comprising:

providing at least one broad distribution light emitting diode (LED);

providing an energy storage device for storing energy; and

providing a control circuit for causing said stored energy to be applied to said at least one broad distribution LED.