Appliance Shut-Off Device and Method

• US 20140257588A1
• Filed: 03/02/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Life Smart Electronics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Life Smart Electronics, LLC
• Inventors: Matesa, Joseph Michael Jr.
• Application Number:
  US14/194,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257588A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/00 Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/00 Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/50 Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of blowers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L

Abstract

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing damage caused by malfunction of an electrically-powered appliance. The present invention provides a device and method for de-powering electrical equipment upon detection of an alarm signal issued by a separate device (“alarm”). Upon detection of the alarm signal, the microcontroller may de-energize a normally-open relay or other switching device, to interrupt electrical power to an appliance. Smoke detectors are widely available at very low cost, and using the acoustic alarm signal thereof, greatly reduces the cost and complexity of providing a shut-off response in the case of fire, as compared to duplicating the functionality of the smoke detector.

Claims

1. An appliance shut-off device comprising:

an electrical disconnect;

an alarm detector that controls the disconnect.

2. The appliance shut-off device of claim 1 wherein the alarm detector includes a microphone.

3. The appliance shut-off device of claim 2 wherein the alarm detector incorporates a pattern recognition algorithm that is responsive to the sound of a standard smoke alarm.

4. An appliance shut-off device comprising:

an electrical disconnect;

an alarm detector;

a temperature detector;

a logic element that combines the outputs of the alarm detector and temperature detector to control the disconnect.

5. The appliance shut-off device of claim 4 wherein the alarm detector includes a microphone.

6. The appliance shut-off device of claim 5 wherein the alarm detector incorporates a pattern recognition algorithm that is responsive to the sound of a standard smoke alarm.

7. The appliance shut-off device of claim 5 wherein the temperature detector is a thermistor.

8. A method for de-powering an appliance comprising:

detection of an acoustic signal from a separate alarm;

interrupting the electrical power supply path to the appliance.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the detection algorithm responds primarily to the sound of a standard smoke alarm.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the detection algorithm responds to a repetitive signal pattern.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the detection algorithm requires two or more instances of the repetitive signal pattern in order to indicate positive detection.

12. A method for de-powering an appliance comprising:

detection of an acoustic signal from a separate alarm;

detection of surface temperature of the appliance;

combining the results of the aforesaid detection operations to form a logical aggregate signal;

interrupting the electrical power supply path to the appliance in response to the logical aggregate signal.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the detection algorithm responds primarily to the sound of a standard smoke alarm.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the detection algorithm responds to a repetitive signal pattern.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the detection algorithm requires two or more instances of the repetitive signal pattern in order to indicate positive detection.