DOORBELL SYSTEM AND DOORBELL CHIME

• US 20160171847A1
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell House
• Original Assignee: Novar ED&S Limited (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, Christopher, Hargreaves, Dominic, Haeffner, Felix, Rangson, Iphin
• Granted Patent: US 9,818,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A doorbell system comprises a doorbell chime (18), a first doorbell push (10) for sending a first input signal to the doorbell chime (18) in response to the first doorbell push (10) being activated, and a second device, such as a second doorbell push (14), for sending a second input signal to the doorbell chime (18). The doorbell chime (18) is arranged to emit light (24) of a first colour in response to receiving the first input signal and light of a second, different, colour in response to receiving the second input signal. The light (24) may be emitted around a perimeter of the doorbell chime, such that it creates a halo effect around the part of the door chime located within said perimeter.

Claims

1. A doorbell system comprising:

a doorbell chime,

a first doorbell push for sending a first input signal to the doorbell chime in response to the first doorbell push being activated, and

a second device for sending a second input signal to the doorbell chime;

the doorbell chime being arranged to emit light of a first colour in response to receiving the first input signal and light of a second, different, colour in response to receiving the second input signal.

2. A doorbell system according to claim 1, wherein the second device is a second doorbell push for sending the second input signal to the doorbell chime in response to the second doorbell push being activated.

3. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a third input device for sending a third input signal to the doorbell chime, wherein the doorbell chime is arranged to emit a light of a third colour in response to receiving the third input signal.

4. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the third colour is different to both the first colour and the second colour.

5. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a light unit, the light unit arranged to emit the light of the first colour and light of the second, different, colour.

6. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the light unit is formed around a perimeter of the doorbell chime, such that the light unit, when illuminated, creates a halo effect around a part of the doorbell chime that is located within said perimeter.

7. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the doorbell chime comprises a speaker unit, the speaker unit arranged to emit one or more sounds.

8. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the doorbell chime is arranged to emit a first audible alarm via the speaker unit in response to the first doorbell push being activated, and the doorbell chime is arranged to emit a second audible alarm via the speaker unit in response to the second input signal being received.

9. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first audible alarm is different from the second audible alarm.

10. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the doorbell system is arranged to operate in a first mode, where the first audible alarm and second audible alarm may be emitted, and a second, muted, mode, where the first audible alarm and second audible alarm are deactivated.

11. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the doorbell chime comprises a user activated switch for switching between the first mode and second mode.

12. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the doorbell chime is arranged to switch from the second, muted, mode to the first mode, in dependence on an output of a timer circuit.

13. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the timer circuit is arranged to be activated by a user of the doorbell chime, such that the user can select a duration over which the doorbell chime is in the second, muted, mode.

14. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the user activated switch comprises a single button.

15. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the doorbell chime is arranged such that a number of consecutive presses of the single button determines a duration for which the doorbell chime stays in the second, muted, mode.

16. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the light unit is operable in a night light mode.

17. A method of operating a doorbell system, comprising:

in response to a first doorbell push being activated, emitting light of a first colour from a light unit; and

in response to a second doorbell push being activated, emitting light of a second, different colour from the light unit.

18. A doorbell chime comprising:

a speaker unit, the speaker unit movable between an exposed position and unexposed position; and

a light unit, the light unit movable between an exposed position and unexposed position; and

wherein the speaker unit and light unit are arranged such that when the speaker unit is in the exposed position, the light unit is in the unexposed position, and when the light unit is in the exposed position, the speaker unit is in the unexposed position.

19. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, wherein the speaker unit is movable into a partially exposed position.

20. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, wherein the light unit is movable into a partially exposed position.

21. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, wherein the speaker unit and light unit are arranged such that when the light unit is in a partially exposed position, the speaker unit is in a partially exposed position.

22. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, wherein the speaker unit and the light unit are formed as part of a unitary body.

23. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 22, wherein the speaker unit and light unit define opposite ends of the unitary body.

24. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 22, wherein the unitary body is pivotably mounted in a receiving body, such that the speaker unit and the light unit, when in their respective unexposed positions, are received within the receiving body.

25. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, wherein the doorbell chime is arranged to be activated in response to a signal from a doorbell push.

26. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 25, wherein activation of the doorbell chime comprises an audible alarm being emitted by the speaker unit when the speaker unit is in the exposed or partially exposed positions.

27. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, wherein when the speaker unit is in the unexposed position, the doorbell chime is arranged to operate in a mute, light only, mode.

28. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, wherein activation of the doorbell chime comprises light being emitted by the light unit when the light unit is in the exposed or partially exposed positions.

29. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, wherein when the light unit is in the unexposed position, the doorbell chime is arranged to operate in a sound only mode.

30. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, wherein when the speaker unit and light unit are both in a partially exposed position, the doorbell chime is arranged to operate in a sound and a light mode.

31. A doorbell chime as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a second light unit, the second light unit extending around at least some of a perimeter of the doorbell chime.

32. A doorbell chime comprising a speaker, the doorbell chime arranged to operate in a first active mode in which the speaker is arranged to emit a sound in response to activation by a doorbell push, and a second mute mode in which the speaker is arranged not to emit a sound in response to activation by a doorbell push, wherein the second mute mode is initiated by a user activating a mute button, wherein the time in which the doorbell chime remains in the second mute mode depends on a number of consecutive actuations of the mute button by the user.