NON-BATTERY POWERED WIRELESS SECURITY SYSTEM

• US 20150042472A1
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Muetzel, Ronald, Roesch, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/961,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042472A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.17
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/12 Manually actuated calamity alarm transmitting arrangements emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm, activators, e.g. details of alarm push buttons mounted on an infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply

Abstract

A non-battery powered wireless security system may include one or more sensors. Each sensor may include a switch and a generator that creates electrical energy upon activation or motion of the switch in response to a change in condition of the location of the sensor. The system may utilize the electrical energy to transmit a security event signal to a receiver based on characteristics associated with the sensor, such as movement of the switch, location of the sensor, and time of sending the signal.

Claims

1. A security system comprising:

at least one sensor located at a location, the at least one sensor comprising a switch with a generator, and a transmitter; and

a remote receiver;

wherein the switch is operable to move relative to the rest of the sensor upon a change in condition of the location;

wherein the generator is operable to generate electrical energy without the use of a battery to power the transmitter upon movement of the switch;

wherein the transmitter is operable to send wirelessly a signal indicating the condition of the location upon movement of the switch; and

wherein the remote receiver is operable to receive the signal from the transmitter and interpret the signal based on at least one characteristic associated with the sensor.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the location is a point of entry or exit of a secured location.

3. The security system of claim 2, wherein the condition of the location comprises the status of the point of entry or exit and wherein the remote receiver interprets the signal as a security event when the status is closed or open.

4. The security system of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the switch comprises the movement of the switch.

5. The security system of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the sensor comprises the location of the sensor.

6. The security system of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the sensor is the time at which the signal is sent.

7. The security system of claim 1, wherein the remote receiver utilizes configurable thresholds of the at least one characteristic associated with the switch to interpret the signal.

8. The security system of claim 7, wherein the configurable thresholds comprise a switch movement threshold and wherein the remote receiver interprets the signal as a security event upon movement of the switch exceeding the switch movement threshold.

9. A security system comprising:

a keypad comprising one or more button assemblies and a transmitter; and

a remote receiver;

wherein each of the one or more button assemblies comprise a switch with a generator;

wherein the switch is operable to move relative to the rest of the keypad in response to a user input;

wherein the generator is operable to generate electrical energy without the use of a battery to power the transmitter upon movement of the switch;

wherein the transmitter is operable to send wirelessly a signal upon movement of the switch; and

wherein the remote receiver is operable to receive the signal from the transmitter and interpret the signal based on at least one characteristic associated with the button assembly.

10. The security system of claim 9, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the button assembly comprises a distinct code segment.

11. The security system of claim 10, wherein the distinct code segment is an alphanumeric character.

12. The security system of claim 9, wherein the remote receiver is operable to interpret a series of one or more signals associated with one or more button assemblies as a code sequence, wherein the remote receiver causes a security action upon reception of a code sequence of signals matching or not matching a preconfigured code sequence.

13. The security system of claim 9, further comprising

at least one sensor located at a location, the at least one sensor comprising a sensor switch, a sensor generator, and a sensor transmitter;

and

wherein the sensor switch is operable to move relative to the rest of the sensor upon a change in condition of the location;

wherein the sensor generator is operable to generate electrical energy, without the use of a battery, to power the sensor transmitter upon movement of the sensor switch;

wherein the sensor transmitter is operable to send wirelessly a sensor signal indicating the condition of the location upon movement of the sensor switch; and

wherein the remote receiver is operable to receive the signal from the transmitter and interpret the sensor signal based on at least one characteristic associated with the sensor.

14. A method of securing a location with a security system, the method comprising:

generating electrical energy upon movement of a switch, the switch associated with a sensor at a location and configured to move upon a change in condition at the location;

powering a transmitter with the electrical energy generated by the switch; and

sending a signal wirelessly from a transmitter associated with the sensor, the signal based on at least one characteristic associated with the switch.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving the signal in a remote receiver; and

interpreting the signal in the remote receiver to identify at least one characteristic associated with the switch.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the signal indicates a security event; and

causing a security action in response to the security event.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the characteristic associated with the switch comprises movement of the switch and wherein the receiver interprets the signal as a security event.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the characteristic is identifiable based on the amplitude, frequency, phase, or a combination of amplitude, frequency or phase.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the characteristic is indicative of a location, time, date, or condition.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the characteristic is indicative of a security breach.