Light and chime control system

• US 3,886,352 A
• Filed: 10/25/1973
• Issued: 05/27/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas K.Y. Lai
• Original Assignee: Thomas K.Y. Lai
• Inventors: Lai, Thomas K. Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lawrence, James W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grigsby, T. N.
• Application Number:
  US05/409,662
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 250/215,206 340/31R,51,392 315/360,136
• US Class Current: 250/215
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/292 in thyristor, unijunction transistor or programmable unijunction transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source

Abstract

A daylight sensor and a headlight sensor are connected in a variable voltage divider. When darkness turns the daylight sensor off and headlights turn a sensor on, a potential is provided to a voltage gate which is sufficient to break down a zener diode and gate current to a timer circuit. A diode in the voltage gate prevents reverse flow of current from a timer. A timer circuit contains a capacitor and resistor which discharges the capacitor. When the voltage is gated to the timer circuit and during the time that capacitor maintains a sufficient potential, a light switch is held on. A triac in the light switch control the lights. Approximately 3 seconds after the capacitor in the timer is charged to its potential, a transistor is switched on, placing a ground potential to the midpoint of the voltage divider to cut off the gate voltage. A chime operator is activated by sampling the potential from the variable voltage divider to slowly ring a door chime as an automobile is sensed. House and garage lights are lighted automatically a short time after a doorbell is rung at night to suggest a human response to the doorbell.

Claims

1. A system for responding to intentionally indicated presence of persons comprising a power source, a response means connected to the power source for receiving power from the source and performing a discernible response, a controller connected to the source and to the response means for selectively completing a circuit from the source to the response means, whereby the response means operates, a time delay means connected to the controller for delaying complete operation of the response means, intentionally activated indicator means connected to the controller for setting the controller and time delay means in operation upon actuation of the indicator means wherein the intentionally activated indicator means comprises an automobile presence sensing indicator means and a doorbell pushbutton switch mounted along side of a door, wherein the response means comprises door chime means, and wherein the controller comprises a circuit connected between the indicator and the chime for ringing a first tone of a chime and wherein the time delay means comprises an electronic time delay for delaying a ringing of a second tone of a chime thereby to differentiate between indicator means activated by a doorbell pushbutton switch and by the automobile presence sensing indicator.

2. A system for responding to intentionally indicated presence of persons comprising a power source, a door chime means connected to the power source for receiving power from the source and performing a discernible response, a controller circuit connected to the source and to the chime means for selectively completing a circuit from the source to the chime means, whereby the chime means operates, a time delay means connected to the controller circuit for delaying complete operation of the controller circuit and an automobile presence sensing indicator means connected to the controller for setting the controller circuit and time delay means in operation upon actuation of the indicator means, wherein the controller comprises a circuit connected between the indicator and the chime means for ringing a first tone of a chime means and for delaying a ringing of a second tone of a chime means thereby to differentiate between indicator means activated by a doorbell pushbutton switch and by the automobile presence sensing indicator, wherein the controller circuit further comprises a relay having normally open contacts and having a drive, wherein the door chime means is electrically connected to the normally open contacts of a relay in the controller circuit, wherein the automobile presence sensing indicator means comprises electrical pulse generating means, and wherein the controller circuit further comprises gate means connected to the pulse generating means and transistor means controllably connected to the gate means, the transistor having a control terminal connected to the gate means and having power terminals completing a connection between the relay drive and the power source, and wherein the time delay means comprises charge storing means connected between the gate and the transistor control terminal and discharging means connected to the charge storing means for slowly discharging the charge storing means, whereby the indicator pulse generating means turns the transistor on, completing power to the relay and closing the contacts, supplying power to the chime for a first tone, and whereby the generating means concurrently charges the storage means, which maintains power transmission through the transistor, holding the contacts closed, and whereby the discharging means causes the charge storing means to be discharGed and the transistor to be turned off after a delay, stopping power to the relay, permitting the relay contacts to open, and permitting the chime to ring a second tone.

3. For the system of claim 2, wherein the controller means further comprises a circuit for lighting lights upon sensing presence of an automobile, and wherein the intentionally activated indicator means further comprises push-to-light switch means for activating the light controlling circuit, and wherein the chime controlling circuit comprises means for isolating the push-to-light switch means from operation of the chime, wherein the isolating means comprises a second transistor having power terminals connected between a base of the first relay power controlling transistor and ground, the second transistor having a base connected to the push-to-light switch means for biasing the second transistor on and grounding the base of the first transistor preventing on biasing of the first transistor upon pushing of the push-to-light switch means.

4. A system for responding to intentionally indicated presence of persons comprising a power source, a response means connected to the power source for receiving power from the source and performing a discernible response, a controller connected to the source and to the response means for selectively completing a circuit from the source to the response means, whereby the response means operates, a time delay means connected to the controller for delaying complete operation of the controller, and intentionally activated indicator means connected to the controller for setting the controller and time delay means in operation upon actuation of the indicator means, wherein the controller includes a voltage divider circuit connected between a power supply and a gate, wherein the intentionally activated indicator means is connected on one side of the voltage divider for raising voltage level of a midpoint in the divider circuit sufficiently high to flow current through the gate, and wherein the voltage divider further comprises deactivating means connected between the midpoint and ground and receiving power from the gate for reducing voltage level of the midpoint subsequent to gating of current and thereby deactivating the indicator.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the deactivating means comprises first and second resistances serially connected from the gate to ground, and a storage device connected from a point between the resistances to ground, whereby the storage device is charged by gated current, and further comprising a transistor having a base connected to the storage device for on biasing the transistor when the storage device is sufficiently charged and wherein the transistor has power terminals connected between the midpoint and ground for lowering voltage level of the midpoint upon on biasing of the transistor, and whereby the transistor discharges through a resistance to reactivate the indicator.

6. The system for responding to intentionally indicated presence of persons comprising a power source, an intentionally activated indicator means comprising a doorbell pushbutton switch mounted near a door of a house and a response means comprising lights associated with the house, and a controller means comprising an electronic circuit connected to the power source, to the pushbutton and to the lights and including a time delay means for supplying power from the power source to lights associated with the house after a time delay which is consistent with a normal human response to a doorbell, whereby a person pressing a doorbell is aware of a normal human response to the ringing of the doorbell.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the doorbell pushbutton switch has terminals connected to a chime and chime power source, and wherein the terminals are connected through a diode and resistance to ground, wherein the resistance is connected between ground and a base of a first transistor and wherein power terminals of the firsT transistor are connected to a control terminal of a SCR switch, wherein the circuit further comprises a storage means connected to the power source for charging the storage means and connected to control terminals of electronic switches for reversely biasing the switches off, and wherein the SCR is connected to the storage device for slowly discharging the storage device when the SCR is on, whereby the electronic switches are turned on as the reverse bias charge drains from the storage means, and wherein the electronic switches further comprise power terminals connected to a light system for turning on the light system after the storage means has been discharged sufficiently to permit turning on of the electronic switches.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the electronic switch means comprises a second transistor with power terminals connected for supplying a pulse to a third transistor for momentarily switching the third transistor on, and wherein the third transistor has power terminals connected to a sensor input in an automatic light control system for starting the automatic light control system after a time delay during discharge of the storage means.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a transistor having power terminals connected between one power terminal of the SCR and ground for grounding the SCR, and turning the SCR off, the transistor having a base connected to the electronic switch for turning on the transistor and grounding the SCR when the electronic switch is turned on.