PHOTO SENSITIVE DEVICE

• US 20090051553A1
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fawzi Qasem Behbehani
• Original Assignee: Fawzi Qasem Behbehani
• Inventors: Behbehani, Fawzi Qasem
• Granted Patent: US 7,965,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/600
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of the window is greater than the light level on the outside of the window includes first and second photo sensors, a comparator circuit and/or a logic circuit and an alarm. The device may also include a timer, an amplifier and rheostat as well as a visual indicator that remains in a on condition after an audible sound is turned off. A reset circuit is used to turn off the visual indicator. A method for accomplishing the same is also described.

Claims

1. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window, said device comprising:

a first photosensor constructed and arranged for determining the interior light level on a first side of a window;

a second photosensor constructed and arranged for determining the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window;

comparator means for determining when the interior light level is greater than the exterior light level; and

an alarm responsive to an output of said comparator means for warning an individual that the interior light level is greater than the exterior light level.

2. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 1 which includes a comparator circuit and source of electrical energy to power said alarm.

3. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 2 which includes means for housing said first and second photo sensors and said comparator circuit in a module and means for mounting said module on an interior side of the window.

4. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 3 which includes a timer for controlling the length of time for an alarm to sound.

5. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 4 which includes a variable amplifier for adjusting the sound level of the alarm.

6. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 5 which includes compensating means for compensating for the transparency of the window.

7. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 2 in which said source of electrical energy is a battery.

8. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 5 which includes a visible alarm that remains on until the exterior light level exceeds the interior light level or until manually turned off.

9. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 8 in which said visual alarm is an light emitting diode (LED).

10. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 2 in which said first and second photo sensors are silicon photodiodes.

11. A photosensitive device for warning an individual that the interior light level on one side of a window is greater than the exterior light level on an opposite side of the window according to claim 2 in which said first and second photosensors are barrier layer devices:

12. A method for warning an individual that the light level in the interior of a room is greater than the light level on the outside of a window comprising the steps of:

sensing the light level on the interior of a room;

sensing the light level on the exterior of the room;

comparing the light levels on the interior and exterior of the room;

sounding an audible alarm when the light level on the interior of the room is greater than the light level on the exterior of the room;

turning off the audible alarm after a pre-selected time;

illuminating a visual indicator; and

turning off the visual indicator and recycling the steps.