PROGRAMMABLE CONTROL FOR SIREN AND LIGHTS

• US 20130038444A1
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Code 3 Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Code 3 Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Daniel S., Miller, Roger L., Pursley, Daniel S., Davis, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,786,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/455
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/001 Switches therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

A system comprising a power supply, an emergency warning light and a speaker, in combination with a control head. One or more processors controls operation of the system in response to received user input and provides system status for display. Storage media encoded with emergency warning light system instructions for execution by one or more of the processors controls the actuation of the emergency warning light system and controls light patterns generated by the emergency warning light system. The storage media is further encoded with siren system instructions for execution by one or more of the processors for controlling the actuation of the siren system and for controlling audible sounds generated by the siren system.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the use of an emergency warning light and a speaker on a vehicle with a power supply, said system comprising:

an amplifier module having an amplifier module processor for controlling the amplifier module to selectively energize the emergency warning light and to selectively energize the speaker, said amplifier module processor having a communications port;

a light module having a light module processor for controlling the amplifier module and the emergency warning light, said light module processor having a communications port;

a communications link connecting the amplifier module communications port to the light module communications port; and

a control head connected to the amplifier module processor for controlling the amplifier module and for controlling the light module processor via the amplifier module processor and via the communications link.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising said light module having at least one of:

a serial port for controlling a serial emergency warning light and having a parallel port for controlling a centrally controlled emergency warning light.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the amplifier module processor is configurable via a USB port.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising computer executable user-configurable instructions stored on a tangible computer readable media, said configuration instructions executable by a computer to provide monitoring instructions to at least one of the processors via the USB port, said monitoring instructions when executed by at least one of the processors causing the system to detect a system setting which is outside a reference range, said monitoring instructions for causing the system to provide a warning to the user when a system setting is outside the reference range.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising computer executable diagnostic instructions stored on a tangible computer readable media, said diagnostic instructions executable by the amplifier module processor for detecting one or more of the following system faults:

a configuration failure in which amplifier module fails to successfully load configuration data at power up wherein in response to said configuration failure, said amplifier module implements a factory default configuration;

a communication failure in which the control head and amplifier module are unable to establish data communications therebetween, wherein in response to said communication failure the control head signals the operator until communication is established; and

a blown fuse or no output voltage wherein in response to said blown fuse or no output voltage the control head signals the operator.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the diagnostic instructions include load management instructions which allow the system to receive under-voltage and over-voltage thresholds from an operator.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the amplifier module processor is programmed to reset a PTT function after a preset period of time elapses after a PTT push-button is continuously engaged to activate the PTT function for providing audio via a speaker to prevent the PTT function from remaining activated beyond the preset period.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the amplifier module processor is programmed to execute instructions for generating a siren tone responsive to the engagement of each of the following switches on the control head:

A WAIL push-button wherein the microprocessor generates a wail tone via a siren speaker;

A YELP push-button wherein the microprocessor generates a yelp tone via a siren speaker;

A ALT TONE push-button wherein the microprocessor generates the Hi-Lo tone via a siren speaker; and

A MANUAL push-button wherein the microprocessor generates a manual wail tone via a siren speaker.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions for execution by the amplifier module processor for providing digital volume control including separate and independent digital volume control for at least one of radio re-broadcast (RRB), push-to-talk (PTT) and public address (PA) transmissions of audio.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the amplifier module processor is programmed to broadcast two-way radio reception over siren speakers when a two-way radio is connected to an auxiliary port of the amplifier module.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a light source for backlighting the control head wherein an intensity or brightness of the light source is adjustable wherein the control head processor is responsive to a user to selectively dim the light source.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising solid state relays controlled by the amplifier module processor for selectively providing power to energize the emergency warning light and wherein the light module processor is connected to and controls the selective energizing of the emergency warning lights to create various patterns in response to user input via the control head.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the control head includes three control groups presented to an operator, a first control group for selectively controlling speaker operation, a second control group for selectively controlling auxiliary operations of the emergency warning light and the speakers and a third control group for selectively controlling a traffic directing light and the emergency warning light.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the first control group includes a toggle switch and other switches having a faceplate colored red, wherein the second control group includes switches having a faceplate colored blue, and wherein the third control group has switches having a faceplate colored amber.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one of the following:

wherein at least one of the processors is programmed to implement a configurable power manager function or a configurable load manager function;

wherein at least one of the processors is programmed to implement monitoring voltages or currents of components and. includes de-energizing a component having a monitored voltage or a monitored current outside a preset range; and

wherein at least one of the processors is programmed to monitor a power supply voltage level and recognize dropout voltage groups selectable by a user and wherein in response to the monitored voltage level falling below a specified voltage level for a selected dropout voltage group, the processor is programmed to cause the selected dropout voltage group to become de-energized.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the preset range and the specified voltage level are each selectable by a user via a USB port connected to one of the processors and wherein a delay period must elapse before a group is de-energized.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the control head processor is programmed to implement a light alert function in which an audible signal is generated on a periodic basis when lighting, including auxiliary and traffic directing lighting, is activated.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the processors is programmed to implement a lock function selectable at configuration wherein a remote input activates the lock function allowing only preset siren tones to be generated via the speakers when a signal is applied to the remote input.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the processors is programmed to implement a user configurable input voltage monitoring and dropout function in which an input voltage from the power supply is monitored and one or more operations are disabled when the input voltage is outside a user configurable range.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the processors is programmed to implement a load manager function and a configurable delayed shutoff function wherein the load manager when activated controls the power to other equipment in the vehicle through an external solenoid and wherein the configurable delayed shutoff function when activated includes a sleep delay timer such that the system remains active after the vehicle ignition is turned off for the duration of the sleep delay timer.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the load manager function and the delayed shutoff function control the power supplied to other loads in the vehicle such that the power to these other loads are turned off when the user turns off the vehicle ignition or the voltage of the battery for the vehicle has dropped below a predetermined voltage level.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the processors is programmed to implement a user configurable function which when activated by the user disables speaker Alt Tone functions and disables speaker Air Horn functions when any tone or light is active.

23. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a power supply;

an emergency warning light; and

a speaker.

24. A method for use with a power supply, an emergency warning light and a speaker, said method comprising:

providing an amplifier module having an input receiving power from the power supply and having outputs for selectively energizing the emergency warning light and for selectively energizing the speaker, said amplifier module having an amplifier module processor controlling the outputs of amplifier module, said amplifier module processor having a communications port;

providing a light module having an input receiving power from the power supply and having outputs for controlling the emergency warning light, said light module having a light module processor controlling the amplifier module and controlling the outputs of the light module, said light module processor having a communications port;

providing a communications link connecting the amplifier module communications port to the light module communications port; and

controlling the amplifier module and controlling the light module processor via the amplifier module processor and via the communications link.

25. A system for controlling the use of an emergency warning light and a speaker on a vehicle with a power supply, said system comprising:

an amplifier module to selectively energize the emergency warning light and to selectively energize the speaker, said amplifier module having a communications port;

a light module to selectively energize the emergency warning light, said light module having a communications port;

a communications link connecting the amplifier module communications port to the light module communications port; and

a control head connected to the amplifier module for controlling the amplifier module and for controlling the light module via the amplifier module and via the communications link.

26. The system of claim 25 further comprising at least one of the following:

wherein at least one of the modules resets a PTT function after a preset period of time elapses after a PTT push-button is continuously engaged to activate the PTT function for providing audio via a speaker to prevent the PTT function from remaining activated beyond the preset period;

wherein at least one of the modules implements a configurable power manager function or a configurable load manager function;

wherein at least one of the modules monitors voltages or currents of components and includes de-energizing a component having a monitored voltage or a monitored current outside a preset range; and

wherein at least one of the modules monitors a power supply voltage level and recognize dropout voltage groups selectable by a user and wherein in response to the monitored voltage level falling below a specified voltage level for a selected dropout voltage group, the module causing the selected dropout voltage group to become de-energized; and

wherein at least one of the modules implements a load manager function and a configurable delayed shutoff function wherein the load manager when activated controls the power to other equipment in the vehicle through an external solenoid and wherein the configurable delayed shutoff function when activated includes a sleep delay timer such that the system remains active after the vehicle ignition is turned off for the duration of the sleep delay timer.