SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DISABLING APPLIANCES IN RESPONSE TO A SMOKE DETECTOR

• US 20100109887A1
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Crucs Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Crucs, Kevin M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,138,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/628
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/38 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2231/00 Fail safe
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2231/18 Detecting fluid leaks
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/242 using electronic means

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for automatically disabling an appliance. When a smoke detector/alarm is activated, a signal or message is sent to at least one safety device operatively coupled to at least one appliance. The appliance is disabled in response to receiving the signal or message. The systems, methods, and apparatus are based on the implicit assumption that, if a smoke detector/alarm is activated, the source of the smoke is likely due to a nearby appliance that is in use.

Claims

1. A method of automatically disabling an appliance, said method comprising:

generating a signal within a smoke detector indicative of an alarm of said smoke detector being activated;

sending said signal to at least one safety device operatively coupling a source of energy to at least one appliance;

said at least one safety device automatically de-coupling said source of energy from said at least one appliance in response to said generated signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said automatically de-coupling includes opening a conductive electrical path within said at least one safety device to prevent electricity from flowing to an electric burner of said at least one appliance.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said automatically de-coupling includes closing a gas valve of said at least one safety device to prevent a combustible gas from flowing to a gas burner of said at least one appliance.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said automatically de-coupling includes opening a conductive electrical path within said at least one safety device to prevent electricity from flowing to a microwave energy source of said at least one appliance.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one appliance includes at least one of a gas stove, an electric stove, a gas oven, an electric oven, a microwave oven, a gas furnace, an electric furnace, a heat pump, an electric skillet, a hot plate, and a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising manually re-coupling said source of energy to said at least one appliance via a reset button on said at least one safety device.

7. A method of automatically disabling an appliance, said method comprising:

generating a signal within a smoke detector indicative of an alarm of said smoke detector being activated;

sending said signal to a central computer;

said central computer sending a message to at least one safety device in response to said signal, wherein said at least one safety device operatively couples a source of energy to at least one appliance; and

said at least one safety device automatically de-coupling said source of energy from said at least one appliance in response to said message.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said automatically de-coupling includes opening a conductive electrical path within said at least one safety device to prevent electricity from flowing to an electric burner of said at least one appliance.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said automatically de-coupling includes closing a gas valve of said at least one safety device to prevent a combustible gas from flowing to a gas burner of said at least one appliance.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said automatically de-coupling includes opening a conductive electrical path within said at least one safety device to prevent electricity from flowing to a microwave energy source of said at least one appliance.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said at least one appliance includes at least one of a gas stove, an electric stove, a gas oven, an electric oven, a microwave oven, a gas furnace, an electric furnace, a heat pump, an electric skillet, a hot plate, and a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising manually re-coupling said source of energy to said at least one appliance via a reset button on said at least one safety device.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising automatically re-coupling said source of energy to said at least one appliance via said central computer.

14. A system providing an automatic safety capability, said system comprising:

at least one appliance;

means for operatively coupling a source of energy to said at least one appliance;

means for detecting smoke and generating a signal in response to detecting smoke;

means for communicating said signal to said means for operatively coupling; and

means for automatically de-coupling said source of energy from said at least one appliance in response to said generated signal.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for manually re-coupling said source of energy to said at least one appliance.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for automatically re-coupling said source of energy to said at least one appliance.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said at least one appliance includes at least one of a gas stove, an electric stove, a gas oven, an electric oven, a microwave oven, a gas furnace, an electric furnace, a heat pump, an electric skillet, a hot plate, and a combination thereof.

18. A system providing an automatic safety capability, said system comprising:

at least one appliance;

means for operatively coupling a source of energy to said at least one appliance;

means for detecting smoke and generating a signal in response to detecting smoke;

means for receiving said signal and generating a message in response to receiving said signal;

means for communicating said message to said means for operatively coupling; and

means for automatically de-coupling said source of energy from said at least one appliance in response to said message.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising means for manually re-coupling said source of energy to said at least one appliance.

20. The system of claim 18 further comprising means for automatically re-coupling said source of energy to said at least one appliance.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein said at least one appliance includes at least one of a gas stove, an electric stove, a gas oven, an electric oven, a microwave oven, a gas furnace, an electric furnace, a heat pump, an electric skillet, a hot plate, and a combination thereof.

22. An automated safety device, said safety device comprising:

a two-state gas valve having a gas input port and a gas output port and capable of providing a flow state and a non-flow state; and

a switch operatively connected to said two-state gas valve to change said gas valve from said flow state to said non-flow state in response to a signal.

23. The safety device of claim 22 further comprising a power source operatively connected to said switch for providing electrical power used by said switch.

24. The safety device of claim 22 further comprising a reset device operatively connected to said switch to manually reset said switch such that said gas valve changes from said non-flow state to said flow state.

25. The safety device of claim 22 further comprising a communication interface and microcontroller operatively connected to said switch to receive a message from an external central computer and to provide said signal to said switch in response to said message.

26. The safety device of claim 25 further comprising a power source operatively connected to said communication interface and microcontroller for providing electrical power used by said communication interface and microcontroller.

27. An automated safety device, said safety device comprising an electrical on/off power switch having an electrical power input port and an electrical power output port and capable of switching from a conductive state to a non-conductive state in response to a signal.

28. The safety device of claim 27 further comprising a power source operatively connected to said electrical on/off power switch for providing electrical power used by said electrical on/off power switch.

29. The safety device of claim 27 further comprising a reset device operatively connected to said electrical on/off power switch to manually reset said electrical on/off power switch back to said conductive state.

30. The safety device of claim 27 further comprising a communication interface and microcontroller operatively connected to said electrical on/off power switch to receive a message from an external central computer and to provide said signal to said electrical on/off power switch in response to said message.

31. The safety device of claim 30 further comprising a power source operatively connected to said communication interface and microcontroller for providing electrical power used by said communication interface and microcontroller.