Intrusion alarm apparatus

• US 4,103,293 A
• Filed: 11/21/1975
• Issued: 07/25/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tri-Century Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tri-Century Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: La Forge, Louis H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US05/634,062
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 340/258 B, 340/258 C, 340/411
• US Class Current: 340/514
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field

Abstract

An intrusion detection apparatus employing two or more diverse types of sensors for sensing entries into a room, building or other enclosure. The sensors are connected to a signal processor which processes sensor output signals to indicate when an intrusion has occured. One type of sensor is a local sensor which includes a sensor conductor in combination with a phase locked loop. Whenever an intruding object is within close proximity to the sensor conductor and disturbs the conductor field, the equilibrium condition of the phase locked loop is disturbed to provide a sensor output signal. A second type of sensor includes in one embodiment an omni-directional antenna having a field which is located in close proximity to or which is overlapping the field of the sensor conductor. Whenever the omni-directional antenna and the sensor conductor are disturbed, the two disturbances are detected by the signal processor to signal an intrusion if the proper time relationship exists between them.

Claims

1. An intrusion detection apparatus for detecting intrusions into an enclosure comprising:

first sensor means for detecting intrusions within a first portion of said enclosure and responsively providing a first sensor output signal,

second sensor means, having a different type of detection operaton than said first sensor means, for detecting intrusions within a second portion of said enclosure and responsively providing a second sensor output signal, where said second portion is in close proximity to said first portion,

control means for detecting said first and second sensor output signals, said control means including means for sensing when said first and second sensor output signals occur within a predetermined time relationship, and said control means including means for generating an alarm signal when said first and second sensor output signals occur within said predetermined time relationship.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second sensor means includes field generation means for providing a field within said second portion where said second portion includes substantially the entire volume of said enclosure and whereby said second sensor means provides a second sensor output signal in response to movement of a body within said second portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said field generation means includes means for generating an omni-directional field within said second portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said field generation means includes a radar system and said omni-directional field is a radar field.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said field generation means includes an ultrasonic system and said omni-directional field is an acoustical field.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means includes timer means for establishing a time period in response to detection of said first sensor output signal and includes means for providing an alarm signal in response to detection of said second sensor output signal only during the presence of said time period.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second portions of said enclosure overlap at least in part.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first and second portions do not overlap.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first sensor means includes means for generating a first field encompassing said first portion and wherein said second sensor means includes means for generating a second field encompassing said second portion where said second portion overlaps said first portion at least in part.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first sensor means includes,

a sensor conductor exhibiting changes in capacitance in response to the presence of a body within said first portion,

a phase locked loop connected to receive said sensor conductor, operative to lock on a loop frequency and to provide a loop frequency signal, said phase locked loop providing a loop output signal in response to a change in capacitance of said sensor conductor,

means for sensing said loop output signal to provide a sensed output signal,

means for generating an identity signal in response to said sensed output signal to provide the first sensor output signal.

2. An instrusion detection apparatus for detecting instrusions into an enclosure comprising:

generation means for generating a control signal at a control frequency,

first sensor means for detecting instrusions within a first portion of said enclosure and responsively providing a first sensor output signal, said first sensor means including a sensor conductor for changing reactance in response to the presence of a body within said first portion, including a phase locked loop connected to receive the control signal and connected to said sensor conductor, operative to lock on said control frequency and detect changes in reactance of said sensor conductor to provide a loop output signal having an amplitude responsive to said control frequency and said changes in reactance, and includes sensor generator means for generating said first sensor output signal in response to said loop signal,

second sensor means, having a different type of detection operation than said first sensor means, for detecting intrusions within a second portion of said enclosure and responsively providing a second sensor output signal where said second portion is in close proximity to said first portion,

control means for detecting said first and second sensor output signals, said control means including means for sensing when said first and second sensor output signals occur within a predetermined time relationship, and said control means including means for generating an alarm signal when sad first and second sensor output signals occur within said predetermined time relationship.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said sensor conductor is a wire exhibiting changes in capacitance in response to a body passing in proximity to said wire.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first sensor means includes,

means for sensing said loop output signal to provide a sensed output signal,

means for generating an identity frequency signal in response to said sensed output signal,

mixer means for mixing the identity frequency signal with the loop frequency signal to form up and difference signals,

filter means for selecting a sensor signal from said sum and difference signals to provide the first sensor output signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said generation means includes means for generating said control signal with said control frequency at a test frequency or at an operating frequency and wherein said phase locked loop provides said loop output signal in response to said test frequency or in response to said operating frequency in combination with a change in capacitance of said sensor conductor.

14. An intrusion detection apparatus for detecting intrusions into an enclosure comprising:

a plurality of first sensor means each for respectively detecting intrusions within a plurality of different first portions of said enclosure and responsively providing a plurality of first sensor output signals,

second sensor means, having a different type of detection operation than said first sensor means, for detecting intrusions within a second portion of said enclosure and responsively providing a second sensor output signal, where said second portion is in close proximity to said first portion,

common transmission means coupled to said first sensor means for conducting said first sensor output signals,

control means coupled to said transmission means for detecting said first and second sensor output signals, said control means including means for generating an alarm signal only when at least one of said first sensor output signals and said second sensor output signal have a predetermined time relationship.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each of said first sensor means includes,

a sensor conductor exhibiting changes in capacitance in response to the presence of a body within said first portion,

a phase locked loop connected to receive said sensor conductor, operative to lock on a loop frequency and to provide a loop frequency signal, said phase locked loop providing a loop output signal in response to a change in capacitance of said sensor conductor,

means for sensing said loop output signal to provide a sensed output signal,

means for generating an identity frequency signal in response to said sensed output signal, each of said first sensors having an identity frequency signal of a different frequency,

mixer means for mixing the identify frequency signal with the loop frequency signal to form sum and different signals,

filter means for selecting a sensor signal from said sum and difference signals to provide a first sensor output signal, each of said first sensors having an output signal of a different frequency.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said control means includes detection means for sequentially stepping to detect each of said first sensor output signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said detection means includes,

a counter for sequentially storing counts corresponding to each of said first sensor means,

a frequency synthesizer responsive to the count in said counter for generating synthesizer signals for detecting the first sensor output signals, a synthesizer signal of different frequency for each of said first sensor means,

mixer means for forming sum and difference signals from each sensor output signal and a corresponding synthesizer signal, when said sensor output signal is provided,

filter means for selecting a detection signal from said sum and difference signals.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 including display means for sequentially displaying counts in said counter corresponding to said first sensor means.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 including means for stopping said display means at a count corresponding to one of said first sensor means providing a first sensor output signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 where said control means includes means for generating said control frequency at a test frequency or at an operating frequency for transmission to said first sensor means over said common transmission means and wherein said phase locked loop for each of said first sensor means provides said loop output signal in response to said test frequency or in response to said operating frequency in combination with a change in capacitance of said sensor conductor.

26. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each of said first sensor means includes,

a sensor conductor exhibiting changes in capacitance in response to the presence of a body within said first portion,

a phase locked loop connected to receive said sensor conductor, operative to lock on a loop frequency and to provide a loop frequency signal, said phase locked loop providing a loop output signal in response to a change in capacitance of said sensor conductor,

means for sensing said loop output signal to provide a sensed output signal,

means for generating an identity signal in response to said sensed output signal, each of said first sensors having an identity signal exhibiting a different characteristic to provide a different one of the sensor output signals.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said control means includes detection means for sequentially stepping to detect each of said first sensor output signals.

20. In an intrusion alarm system,

first means for generating a plurality of first intrusion detection signals,

second means for generating one or more second intrusion detection signals,

common transmission means coupled to said first means for conducting said first intrusion detection signals,

control means coupled to said transmission means for detecting said first and second intrusion detection signals, said control means including means for sensing when said first and second intrusion detection signals occur within a predetermined time relationship, and said control means including means for generating an alarm signal only when said first and second intrusion detection signals occur within the predetermined time relationship.

22. An intrusion detection apparatus for detecting intrusions into an enclosure comprising:

generation means for generating a control signal at a test frequency or at an operating frequency,

a plurality of first sensor means each for establishing a field for detecting intrusions within a plurality of portions of said enclosure, respectively, each of said first sensor means connected to said generation means for receiving said control signal and including means for providing an identifying first sensor output signal responsive to changes in said control signal and responsive to changes in the respective field,

control means including means sensing the presence of said first sensor output signals for sensing an intrusion or a test condition including means for selectively controlling said generation means to switch from said operating frequency to said test frequency whereby each of said first sensor means is caused to produce the respective first sensor output signal to test each of said sensor means.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 including second sensor means having a different type of detection operation than said first sensor means for detecting intrusions into said enclosure and responsively providing a second sensor output signal and wherein said control means includes timing means for detecting at least one of said first sensor output signals and for detecting said second sensor output signal and includes alarm means for generating an alarm signal when said first and second sensor output signals occur within a predeterminted time relationship.

24. An intrusion detection apparatus for detecting intrusions into an enclosure comprising:

generation means for generating a control signal at a test frequency or at an operating frequency,

a plurality of first sensor means each having a sensor conductor for establishing a field for detecting intrusions within a plurality of first portions of said enclosure, respectively, each of said first sensor means including phase locked loop means connected to said generation means for receiving said control signal and connected to said sensor conductor for providing an identifying first sensor output signal responsive to changes in said control signal and responsive to changes in the respective field,

second sensor means having a different type of detection operation than said first sensor means for detecting intrusions into a second portion of said enclosure and responsively-providing a second sensor output signal, said second sensor means including field generation means for providing a field covering a predetermined volume of said enclosure,

common transmission means for conducting said first sensor output signals and said control signal,

control means coupled to said transmission means including means for sensing the presence of said first sensor output signals and thereby for sensing an intrusion or a test condition;

including means for selectively controlling said generation means to switch from said operating frequency to said test frequency whereby each of said first sensor means is caused to produce a respective first sensor output signal and thereby to test each of said first sensor means;

including means for detecting at least one of said first sensor output signals and for detecting within a predetermined time relationship said second sensor output signal, and including alarm means for generating an alarm signal when said first and second sensor output signals occur within a predetermined time relationship.