Remote alarm monitoring and circuit control system

• US 4,032,907 A
• Filed: 08/08/1975
• Issued: 06/28/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James W. Fair
• Original Assignee: James W. Fair
• Inventors: Young, Danny J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US05/603,013
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 179/5 R, 340/213 R, 340/213.2, 340/213 Q, 340/226, 340/216, 340/324 R, 340/409, 340/412, 340/415, 340/416, 340/420
• US Class Current: 340/517
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

A remote alarm monitoring and control circuit control system for centralized monitoring of areas remote from the monitoring location. The system comprises a centrally located monitoring board connected via conventional phone lines to a plurality of remotely located control boxes each in turn being connected to a number of individual sensor inputs. Each of the control boxes is capable of sending two different and distinguishable signals via one telephone line connected to the monitoring board. Further, the system at the remotely located control boxes can be reset from the monitoring board without the need for gaining entry to the location where the remotely located control box is placed.

Claims

1. An alarm monitoring and control system adapted to be connected to a source of power comprising:

one or more control stations each having

first and second sensing means for sensing the occurrence of at least first and second events, respectively,

first circuit means connected to said first sensing means for producing a first output signal,

second circuit means connected to said second sensing means for producing a second output signal electrically distinguishable from said first output signal,

third circuit means connected to each of said first and second circuit means for indicating the sensing of said first or second event and

2. a monitoring station located remotely from said one or more control stations, said monitoring station including monitoring circuit means for receiving said first and second output signals and indicating said first or second event and resetting means for resetting at least one of said first and second circuit means following the termination of the event.

4. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first, second and third circuit means each include relay means and transistor means connected to said relay means for controlling energization of said relay means and wherein said relay means is included within said first and second circuit means to cause a steady loss of input voltage when energized, and wherein said relay means associated with said third circuit means latches said first circuit means in said output producing mode.

6. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said third circuit means further includes a light-emitting diode connected in circuit with said latching relay.

8. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the third circuit transistor means is placed in a conductive mode by the energization of said relay means in either said first or said second circuit.

3. An alarm monitoring and control system connected to a suitable source of power comprising:

first circuit means for producing a first output signal in response to the sensing of a first condition,

second circuit means for producing a second output signal in response to the sensing of a second condition,

said second output signal being electrically distinguishable from said first output signal,

third circuit means connected to each of said first and second circuit means for indicating the production of said first and second output signals,

monitoring circuit means located remotely from and connected to each of said first and second circuit means for receiving said first and second output signals and for indicating the receipt thereof,

wherein said first circuit means is held in an output producing mode by said third circuit means and wherein said monitoring circuit means further includes resetting means for releasing said first circuit means from its held output producing mode.

5. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said third circuit relay means comprises means for controllably latching it in a predetermined state.

7. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said third circuit means further includes a self-latching relay having a coil in series with a light-emitting diode, said coil and said light-emitting diode being within the collector-emitter current path of the third circuit transistor means.

9. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said second circuit means further includes oscillation means for causing the conductivity of said third circuit transistor means to pulsate thereby causing the production of said second output signal to pulsate in a like manner.

11. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said photocell is placed immediately adjacent the light-emitting diode so that the high initial resistance of said photocell is changed to a low resistance during the period said light-emitting diode is energized.

13. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said monitoring circuit further includes a first switch means for resetting said first circuit means from a latched output producing mode to a normal non-producing mode.

14. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said indicating circuit includes a second monitoring circuit transistor, a unidirectional current conducting device connected in series with the base of said second monitoring circuit transistor for producing an audible sound in response to the output of said first or said second circuit means, said audible indicating means connected to the collector-emitter circuit of said second monitoring circuit transistor.

15. An alarm monitoring and control system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said indicating circuit further includes a light-emitting means connected in parallel with said second monitoring circuit transistor and said audible indicating means and second switch means for simultaneously opening the current path through said second monitoring circuit transistor and said audible indicating means and closing the current path through the second light-emitting means.

10. An alarm monitoring and control system connected to a suitable source of power comprising:

first circuit means for producing a first output signal in response to the sensing of a first condition,

second circuit means for producing a second output signal in response to the sensing of a second condition,

said second output signal being electrically distinguishable from said first output signal,

third circuit means connected to each of said first and second circuit means for indicating the production of said first and second output signals,

monitoring circuit means located remotely from and connected to each of said first and second circuit means for receiving said first and second output signals and for indicating the receipt thereof,

wherein said first circuit means is held in an output producing mode by said third circuit means and wherein said monitoring circuit means further includes resetting means for releasing said first circuit means from its 1d output producing mode,

said first, second and third circuit means each including relay means and transistor means connected to said relay means for controlling energization of said relay means and wherein said relay means is included within said first and second circuit means to cause a steady loss of input voltage when energized, and wherein said relay means associated with said third circuit means latches said first circuit means in said output producing mode,

said third circuit means further including a self-latching relay having a coil in series with a light-emitting diode, said coil and said light-emitting diode being within the collector-emitter current path of the third circuit transistor means,

wherein the third circuit transistor means is placed in a conductive mode by the energization of said relay means in either said first or said second circuit,

said second circuit means further including oscillation means for causing the conductivity of said third circuit transistor means to pulsate thereby causing the production of said second output signal to pulsate in a like manner,

wherein the third circuit relay means has normally open and closed contacts and said oscillation circuit means further includes a light-emitting diode connected in series with the normally open contacts of the third circuit relay means, a variable resistive photocell connected in parallel with the emitter and base of the second circuit transistor means and a resistance-capacitive timing circuit means for controlling the oscillation rate of said oscillating circuit means.

12. An alarm monitorng and control system connected to a suitable source of power comprising:

first circuit means for producing a first output signal in response to the sensing of a first condition,

second circuit means for producing a second output signal in response to the sensing of a second condition,

said second output signal being electrically distinguishable from said first output signal,

third circuit means connected to each of said first and second circuit means for indicating the production of said first and second output signals,

monitoring circuit means located remotely from and connected to each of said first and second circuit means for receiving said first and second output signals and for indicating the receipt thereof,

wherein said first circuit means is held in an output producing mode by said third circuit means and wherein said monitoring circuit means further includes resetting means for releasing said first circuit means from its held output producing mode,

said first, second and third circuit means each including relay means and transistor means connected to said relay means for controlling energization of said relay means and wherein said relay means is included within said first and second circuit means to cause a steady loss of input voltage when energized, and wherein said relay means associated with said third circuit means latches said first circuit means in said output producing mode,

wherein said monitoring circuit means includes a first monitoring circuit transistor adapted to be connected to the output terminals of said first and second circuit means, said first monitoring circuit transistor being biased in a normally non-conducting condition while normal voltage is present on said output terminals, a first monitoring circuit light-emitting means connected to the collector-emitter current path so that said light-emitting means will be illuminated when said first monitoring circuit transistor is in a conducting mode, and wherein said monitoring circuit further includes a signal indicating circuit connected in parallel across said first monitoring circuit light-emitting means, said indicating circuit being energized when a voltage drop is created across said first monitoring circuit light-emitting means.