Intruder Deterrent Lighting

• US 20100271205A1
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VNS Portfolio LLC
• Original Assignee: VNS Portfolio LLC
• Inventors: Antonopoulos, Nicholas A., Saunders, F. Eric, Bailey, Gregory V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,098,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/00 Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/38 using flashing light

Abstract

A zoned interactive control area (10) wherein an architectural space is divided in to a plurality of zones (16), each having its own sensor (22) and zone lights (18). In a normal operating mode (50) the sensors (22) are used to detect the presence of a person such that the zone lights (18) can be turned on and/or adjusted for light level. Each zone light (18) also has a light sensor (24) used, at least in part, for communication with the other zone lights (18), such that the light level can be adjusted not just in response to a presence in the respective zone (16) but also in response to presence in other zones (16). According to a security method (70) when the zone lights (18) are not in use for normal lighting (as when they are turned off) then if the sensors (22) detect the presence of an intruder the zone lights (18) flash to deter the intruder and also communicate the fact of the presence of the intruder to the other zone lights (18) via the light sensors (22).

Claims

1. A lighting system for detecting the presence of an intruder, comprising:

a first light apparatus having a first light, a first intrusion sensor for detecting the presence of the intruder, and a first processor for causing the first light to flash when the first sensor does detect the presence of the intruder;

and a second light apparatus having a second light, a second processor and a light sensor for sensing a signal from the first light apparatus, wherein the second processor causes the second light to flash when the light sensor detects the signal from the first light apparatus.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein:

the first light apparatus signals the second light apparatus by flashing the first light in an identifiable pattern.

3. The lighting system of claim 2, wherein

the identifiable pattern is a specific flash rate.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein:

the first light apparatus has a first apparatus light sensor;

the second light apparatus has a second intrusion sensor; and

when the second intrusion sensor detects the presence of the intruder then the second light flashes and the flashing of the second light is detected by the first apparatus light sensor; and

the first processor then causes the first light to flash.

5. The lighting system of claim 1, and further including:

a third light apparatus having a third light, a third processor and a third light sensor for sensing a signal from either of the first light apparatus or the second light apparatus, wherein the third processor causes the third light to flash when the third light sensor detects the signal from either of the first light apparatus or the second light apparatus.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein:

the first intrusion sensor is a motion detector.

7. In a lighting system having a plurality of lights, an improvement comprising:

a like plurality of intrusion detectors, each intrusion detector being associated with one of the lights;

a like plurality of processors each of which is connected to cause an associated one of the lights to flash when its respective intrusion detector is activated;

a like plurality of sensors for sensing when one or more of the other lights is signaling, each of said sensors being connected to an associated one of said processors such that when one of said sensors senses that one or more of the other lights is signaling then its associated processor causes its associated light to flash.

8. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein:

any of the plurality of intrusion detectors is activated when the presence of an intruder is sensed thereby.

9. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein:

the signaling is accomplished by causing one or more of the lights to flash in an identifiable pattern.

10. In a lighting system having a plurality of lights, and a plurality of detectors such that the intensity of the lights can be caused to vary depending upon input from the detectors, an improvement comprising:

providing a night mode such that when the lights are off and further when any one of the detectors is activated then that detector causes a processor to flash at least one of the lights.

11. The lighting system of claim 10, and further including:

a plurality of signal detectors, each of said signal detectors being associated with at least one of the plurality of lights such that when any of the signal detectors detects a signal from any of the other lights then the light associated with that signal detector is caused to flash.

12. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein:

the signal detectors are light detectors, each coupled to an associated processor; and

the signal from any of the other lights is in the form of flashing light.