Ultrasonic alarm system

• US 3,942,176 A
• Filed: 02/04/1974
• Issued: 03/02/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bergen Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bergen Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Bright, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Habecker, Thomas B.
• Application Number:
  US05/439,409
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 340/224, 340/311, 340/312, 340/384 E, 340/277, 340/276, 340/365 R, 340/416, 200/61.78, 200/61.74
• US Class Current: 340/321
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1618 using ultrasonic detection means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

An ultrasonic alarm system comprising a transmitter having an oscillator which produces an ultrasonic carrier frequency signal. An audio signal generator produces a signal which modulates the carrier signal. The modulated signal is applied to a crystal through a tuned circuit. The transmitter is energized by operating a pushbutton which remains latched in operative position and which is unlatched only by the use of special devices. A plurality of receivers are provided and individual receivers are positioned at different locations throughout the premises to be protected. Each receiver includes a demodulator that demodulates the received signal and applies the same to a phase locked loop type phase detector which actuates an alarm when the demodulated signal is present. The alarm indicates the particular receiver that has been activated so that help may be dispatched immediately to the correct location.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic alarm system comprising a transmitter, said transmitter comprising an ultrasonic carrier frequency signal generator, modulation means for modulating said carrier signal with a modulation signal, and transmission means for transmitting said modulated ultrasonic carrier signal;

and at least one receiver, said receiver comprising receiving means for receiving said transmitted modulated ultrasonic carrier signal, demodulating means for demodulating said modulated carrier signal to obtain said modulation signal, and detector means connected to said demodulating means and responsive to a predetermined characteristic of the demodulated signal for producing an alarm actuation signal, said switch means comprising a pushbutton having an enlarged diameter portion and a reduced diameter depending shaft, a button support having a through bore slidingly receiving said shaft for movement of said button from a first position to a second position, said latching means comprises first and second spaced grooves on said shaft connected by a cam surface, and a member on said board normally biased into engagement with one of said grooves when said button is in said first position, said member being operable to ride on said cam surface and into engagement with said second groove when said button is moved to the second position to latch said button in said second position, said switch means further comprising a fixed contact and a movable contact spaced from said fixed contact and abutting said enlarged portion and positioned to be moved into contact with said stationary contact when said button is moved from said first to said second position whereby said switch means is moved from the open to the closed position.

2. An ultrasonic alarm system as in claim 1, and a threaded opening in said button adapted to engage a threaded member therein, whereby an outwardly directed force applied to said threaded member effects movement of said button to the first position, said second groove being a downwardly sloping wall to facilitate movement of said member out of engagement with said second groove when said button is moved outwardly.

3. An ultrasonic alarm system as in claim 1, and a slot in the bottom wall of said reduced diameter shaft adapted to receive a complementary formed device therein, said shaft having a rounded peripheral wall whereby rotation of said device received in said slot causes said peripheral wall to engage and move said member outwardly of said second groove to permit said pushbutton to return to said first position.

4. An ultrasonic alarm system as in claim 1, in which said detector means comprises a phase locked loop having a phase comparitor that produces a control signal at output terminals proportional to the difference in frequencies between signals applied to a first and a second set of input terminals, a lead connecting said demodulating means to said first set of input terminals, a variable frequency oscillator for producing a signal the frequency of which is dependent on said control signal, a lead connecting said variable frequency oscillator to said second set of input terminals, a lead connecting said phase comparitor output terminals to said variable frequency oscillator to apply said control signal thereto, said control signal corresponding to said alarm actuation signal when said control signal reaches a preselected level.

5. An ultrasonic alarm system as in claim 1, in which said transmission means comprises a ceramic crystal, a tuned circuit connecting said crystal with said carrier frequency signal generator, and a resistor serially connected between said tuned circuit and said crystal.

6. An ultrasonic alarm system as in claim 1, in which said detector means comprises a phase detector having an output lead for changing the signal on said output lead from a first to a second state in response to reception of said demodulated signal, a relay, means connected in series with said relay and to said output lead for connecting said relay with a source of potential when said output signal from said phase detector is in said first state and for disconnecting said relay from the source of potential when said output signal is in said second state, an alarm indicator, and a pair of relay normally-open contacts connected to said alarm indicator and controlled by said relay, whereupon said alarm indicator indicates an alarm condition in response to the open condition of said relay contacts.

7. A transmitter for an ultrasonic alarm system comprising a plurality of electrically-operated elements for producing and transmitting an ultrasonic alarm system, a pair of input terminals adapted to be connected to a source of power for energizing said electrically-operated elements, a switch movable from an open to a closed state to connect said pair of input terminals in circuit with said plurality of electrically-operated elements, latching means for latching said switch in said closed state, said switch means comprising a pushbutton having an enlarged diameter portion and a reduced diameter depending shaft, a button support having a through bore slidingly receiving said shaft for movement of said button from a first position to a second position, said latch comprising first and second spaced grooves on said shaft connected by a cam surface, and a member on said board normally biased into engagement with one of said grooves when said button is in said first position, said member being operable to ride on said cam surface and into engagement with said second groove when said button is moved to the second position to latch said button in said second position, said switch further comprising a fixed contact on said board, and a movable contact spaced from said fixed contact and abutting said enlarged portion and positioned to be moved from said first to said second position whereby said switch is moved from the open to the closed state.

8. A transmitter as in claim 7, and a threaded opening in said button adapted to engage a threaded member therein, whereby an outwardly directed force applied to said threaded member effects movement of said button to the first position, said second groove having a downwardly sloping wall to facilitate movement of said member out of engagement with said second groove when said button is moved outwardly.

9. A transmitter as in claim 7, and a slot in the bottom wall of said reduced diameter shaft adapted to receive a complementary formed device therein, said shaft having a rounded peripheral wall whereby rotation of said device received in said slot causes said peripheral wall to engage and move said member outwardly of said second groove to permit said pushbutton to return to said first position.

10. A transmitter as in claim 7, in which one of said plurality of elements comprises a 40KH_z carrier frequency oscillator and another of said elements comprises a 300H_z modulator for amplitude modulating the carrier signal.