Alarm triggered shut off appliance system (ATSAS)

• US 20060044133A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yunchao Lou
• Original Assignee: Yunchao Lou
• Inventors: Lou, Yunchao
• Application Number:
  US10/929,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20060044133A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/08 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1842 Ambient condition change responsive

Abstract

The Alarm Triggered Shut off Appliance System (ATSAS) relates to a safe control shut-off system for all utility appliances. It reduces the risks of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning before they occur by turning off utility appliances when the smoke detection/carbon monoxide alarms sound. As the alarms sound, the ATSAS automatically shuts off the appliance. This helps the occupants to take emergency action in the earliest stages of development of a fire/carbon monoxide breakout or prevents their occurrences when the occupant'"'"'s direct action is impossible. The system has a tone decoder that is responsive only to the frequency range of the alarm'"'"'s alert sound. The tone decoder prevents the system from being falsely activated by erroneous sounds. Once a smoke or gas leak occurs, the system detects the alert sound through its microphone, and energizes a relay or solenoid valve that turns off the supply line to the utility appliance.

Claims

1. An alarm triggered shut off appliance system including:

(a) a microphone for receiving audio tone signals emitted by an activated pre-existing distant alarm device, and for generating a responsive electric tone signal output;

(b) an amplifying means coupled to the output of said microphone for amplifying said electric tone signal output from said microphone;

(c) a tone decoding means coupled to the output of said amplifying means for reacting only to an alarm sound signal projected by the alarm device, and providing a decoding means output; and

(d) a switch means coupling said tone decoding means output and a utility appliances'"'"' supply lines for shutting off a utility appliance'"'"'s supply line in response to said tone decoding means output.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said microphone is a condenser microphone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said amplifying means includes an adjustable feedback loop for controlling the gain thereof to compensate for different microphone sensitivities, and a device selected from the group consisting of transistors and operational amplifier integrated circuits.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said switch means includes a device selected from the group consisting of normally open gas solenoid valve and normally open relay for shutting off the utility appliances'"'"' supply lines.

5. An alarm triggered shut off appliance system including:

(a) a microphone for receiving audio alarm signals emitted by an activated pre-existing distant smoke or carbon monoxide alarm and for providing a responsive electrical signal output;

(b) a tone decoding means coupled to the output of said microphone for reacting only to a microphone electrical signal output in response to an alarm sound signal projected by an alarm device; and

(c) a switch means interconnecting the output of said tone decoding means and utility appliances'"'"' supply lines for shutting off a utility appliance'"'"'s supply line when said tone decoding means reacts to an alarm sound signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said microphone is a condenser microphone.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said tone decoding means includes;

(a) an amplifier for amplifying electric tone signals from said microphone; and

(b) a tone decoder for reacting only to the alarm sound projected by an alarm device.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said switch means includes a device selected from the group consisting of normally open gas solenoid valve and normally open relay for shutting off the utility appliances'"'"' supply lines.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said amplifier includes an adjustable feedback loop for controlling the gain thereof to compensate for different microphone sensitivities, and a device selected from the group consisting of transistors and operational amplifier integrated circuits.

10. A method of activating a shut-off device in response to the sound from an alarm warning signal so as to prevent fire and gas related hazards from utility appliances including the steps of:

(a) converting said alarm warning signal into a warning electrical signal;

(b) decoding said electrical signal by reacting only to the sound from said alarm warning signal; and

(c) shutting off an energy supply line to the utility appliances in response a decoded electrical signal.