Intrusion alarm system for use with two-wire-cable

• US 4,360,905 A
• Filed: 04/16/1979
• Issued: 11/23/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pittway Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pittway Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hackett, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US06/030,554
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 367/94, 340/554, 340/538, 340/533, 393/5 PD
• US Class Current: 367/94
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1627 using Doppler shift detection circuits

Abstract

An ultrasonic intrusion alarm system has a central control unit and a plurality of remote processors connected to the control unit by means of a single cable having two conductors which need not be shielded. All signals necessary for the proper operation of the system flow along the cable. The control unit provides a modulated ultrasonic signal and DC power to the remote processors along the cable, and each remote processor sends back an alarm along the cable when an intrusion is detected. The signal from each receiving transducer is applied to circuitry in an associated remote processor which detects the presence of doppler shifted signals representative of a moving object in the protected premises. The control unit includes processing circuitry for detecting signals on the cable which indicate that a remote processor has detected a moving object. The control unit further includes circuitry for applying the modulated signal to the cable in a manner which enhances the reliability and performance of the intrusion alarm system, including a novel switching modulator which is very efficient and wastes little energy.

Claims

1. An intrusion alarm system having a plurality of units capable of being interconnected by a cable having only two conductors for detecting the presence of an intruder in a protected area, the system comprising:

a plurality of ultrasonic transmitting units;

a plurality of ultrasonic receiving units;

a control unit including;

signal means for applying an ultrasonic frequency AC signal to said two conductors of said cable;

means for applying DC power to said two conductors; and

means for detecting an alarm signal applied to said two conductors by one of said receiving units and for producing an alarm indication in response to the detection of an alarm signal;

means for connecting said plurality of transmitting units to said cable conductors at various locations in said protected area and responsive to the AC signal on said conductors for transmitting an ultrasonic signal into respective locations in the protected area; and

means for connecting said plurality of receiving units to said cable conductors at said various locations, each said receiving unit including;

sensor means for receiving echoes of the transmitted ultrasonic signal in its respective area and for producing an output electric signal representative thereof;

processing means energized by said DC power on said two conductors and responsive to said sensor means output electric signals representative of echoes produced by an intruder for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means including an indicator operable to increase the current drawn from said cable for applying said increased current as said alarm signal to said cable conductors in response to said output signal from said processsing means representative of an intruder presence, said increased current producing said alarm indication at said control unit.

5. The system of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the receiving units include:

memory means responsive to an alarm signal from the associated processing means for going into an alarm state to provide a continuing indication that an intruder has been detected.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the receiving units include means, responsive to a clear signal on the two cable conductors, for causing the memory means to go to a non-alarm state;

and wherein the control unit includes clearing means, responsive to selection of a clear mode, for sending a clear signal over the two cable conductors.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the receiving units include means, responsive to the memory means in an alarm condition, for sending a second signal representative thereof over the two cable conductors;

and wherein the control unit includes means for detecting the second signal on the cable conductors and for providing an output indication thereof.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the control unit further includes means, responsive to selection of a hold mode, for preventing any further detection of objects by the receiving units.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the means for preventing includes means for interrupting the AC signal applied to the cable by the control unit.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the clearing means includes means for momentarily interrupting the DC power applied to the conductors of the cable when clear mode is selected.

2. An intrusion alarm system having a plurality of units capable of being interconnected by a cable having only two conductors for detecting the presence of an intruder in a protected area, the system comprising:

a plurality of ultrasonic transmitting units;

a plurality of ultrasonic receiving units;

a control unit including;

signal means for applying an ultrasonic frequency AC signal to said two conductors of said cable;

means for applying DC power to said two conductors; and

means for detecting an alarm signal applied to said two conductors by one of said receiving units and for producing an alarm indication in response to the detection of an alarm signal;

means for connecting said plurlaity of transmitting units to said cable conductors at various locations in said protected area and responsive to the AC signal on said conductors for transmitting an ultrasonic signal into respective locations in the protected area; and

means for connecting said plurality of receiving units to said cable conductors at said various locations, each said receiving unit including;

sensor means for receiving echoes of the transmitted ultrasonic signal in its respective area and for producing an output electric signal representative thereof;

processing means energized by said DC power on said two conductors and responsive to said sensor means output electric signals and said AC signal on said two conductors to detect signals representative of echoes produced by an intruder for producing an output signal representative thereof;

alarm means operable for applying said alarm signal to said cable conductors in response to said output signal from said processing means representative of an intruder presence for producing said alarm indication at said control unit wherein each of the alarm means includes means for increasing the current drawn from the cable conductors by the receiving unit to provide the alarm signal, each of the processing means including means responsive to the AC signal on the two cable conductors for synchronously demodulating the sensor means output signal,

wherein the control unit further includes means for amplitude modulating the ultrasonic AC signal applied to the cable conductors at a modulation frequency lower than the ultrasonic frequency; and

wherein the processing means includes means for detecting echoes having a frequency component equal to the modulation frequency to distinguish false alarm echoes.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the modulating means modulates the AC signal by less than 100% to provide a continuous AC signal on the cable for demodulating the sensor means output signal.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the means for synchronously demodulating includes a limiter response to the AC signal on the cable to produce an amplitude-limited representation of the AC signal for synchronously detecting the received echoes.

11. The system of claims 2 or 4 wherein the modulating means includes a switching modulator which applies an AC signal to the cable conductors having a fundamental component and a third harmonic component, the phases of the fundamental and third harmonic components being such that the zero crossings of the AC signal are enhanced.

12. The system of claims 2 or 4 wherein the modulating means includes:

means for producing a first signal of a fundamental frequency equal to the ultrasonic frequency;

power control means for producing a pulse-width-modulated output signal of twice the fundamental frequency and having a duty cycle which is variable in response to a modulation control signal;

means for combining the first signal and the power control means output signal to produce an output signal which includes fundamental frequency components and components which are the third harmonic of the fundamental frequency, the amplitude of the fundamental component varying as a function of a modulation control signal;

output means for applying the combining means output signal to the two cable conductors; and

means for providing the modulation control signal to the power control means so as to cause the fundamental commponent and the third harmonic component in the signal applied by the output means to the cable to have a phase relationship which enchances the zero crossings applied to the cable.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the phase relationship between the fundamental and the third harmonic components in the signal applied to the cable is such that the zero crossings of the third harmonic component which are closest to the zero crossings of the fundamental component are in the same direction as the zero crossings of the fundamental component.

14. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit and transmitting units being interconnected by a cable, over which cable the control unit sends an ultransonic AC signal to the transmitting units, a control unit for providing a modulated AC signal at an ultransonic frequency which is modulated at a lower modulation frequency, the control unit comprising:

a first signal source for providing a reference signal at the ultrasonic frequency;

a second signal source for providing a signal at the modulation frequency;

power control means for providing a pulse-width-modulated output signal having a frequency twice that of the ultrasonic frequency and having a duty cycle which is variable in response to a modulation control signal;

means for combining the power control means output signal with the reference signal to provide a digital output signal having a fundamental component at the ultrasonic frequency, the amplitude of which varies as a function of the duty cycle of the power control means output signal; and

means responsive to the modulation frequency signal for providing the modulation control signal.

16. The system of claim 14 or 15 wherein the modulation control signal is a slowly varying DC signal, the amplitude of which controls the duty cycle of the power control means output signal.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the power control means includes:

a signal source for providing a triangle-wave signal having a frequency twice that of the ultrasonic frequency;

means for comparing the triangle-wave and the modulation control signal and for providing a periodic output signal representative of which of the two compared signals is larger, the output signal being said power control means output signal.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for combining includes an exclusive OR gate.

19. The system of claim 14 or 15 wherein the modulation control signal providing means includes:

means for demodulating the modulated AC signal to recover the modulation envelope thereof;

means for comparing the modulation envelope with the modulation frequency signal to provide an output signal representative of the difference therebetween; and

means for applying the second comparing means output signal to the power control means.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the AC signal demodulating means includes a synchronous demodulator having two inputs and one output, the modulated AC signal being applied to one input, a signal at the ultrasonic frequency being applied to the other input, and the modulation control signal being derived from the modulator output.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the digital output signal includes fundamental frequency components and components which are at the third harmonic of the fundamental frequency;

wherein the means for providing the modulation control signal provides a modulation control signal which produces a modulated AC signal which has fundamental and third harmonic frequency components having a phase relationship which enhances the zero crossings of the modulated AC signal.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the phases of the fundamental and third harmonic components are such that the zero crossings of the third harmonic component which are closest to the zero crossings of the fundamental component are in the same direction as the zero crossings of the fundamental component.

15. An intrusion alarm system having a plurality of units capable of being interconnected by a cable having only two conductors for detecting the presence of an intruder in a protected area, the system comprising:

a plurality of ultrasonic transmitting units;

a plurality of ultrasonic receiving units;

a control unit including;

signal means for applying an ultrasonic frequency AC signal to said two conductors of said cable;

means for applying DC power to said two conductors; and

means for detecting an alarm signal applied to said two conductors by one of said receiving units and for producing an alarm indication in response to the detection of an alram signal;

means for connecting said plurality of transmitting units to said cable conductors at various locations in said protected area and responsive to the AC signal on said conductors for transmitting an ultrasonic signal into respective locations in the protected area; and

means for connecting said plurality of receiving units to said cable conductors at said various locations, each said receiving unit including;

sensor means for receiving echoes of the transmitted ultrasonic signal in its respective area and for producing an output electric signal representative thereof; and

processing means energized by said DC power on said two conductors and responsive to said sensor means output electric signals and said AC signal on said two conductors to detect signals representative of echoes produced by an intruder for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means operable for applying said alarm signal to said cable conductors in response to said output signal from said processing means representative of an intruder presence for producing said alarm indicating at said control unit, wherein the signal means includes a modulator for providing a modulated AC signal of an ultrasonic frequency which is modulated at a lower modulation frequency comprising;

a first signal source for providing a reference signal at the ultrasonic frequency;

a second signal source for providing a signal at a modulation frequency;

power control means for providing a pulse-width-modulated output signal having a frequency twice that of the ultrasonic frequency and having a duty cycle which is variable in response to a modulation control signal;

means for combining the power control means output signal with the reference signal to provide a digital output signal having a fundamental component at the ultrasonic frequency, the amplitude of which varies as a function of the duty cycle of the power control means output signal; and

means responsive to the modulation frequency signal for providing the modulation control signal.

23. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the AC signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

demodulating means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presence of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means, including an indicator operable to increase the current drawn from said cable, responsive to the detecting means output signal for operating said indicator and applying said increased current as said alarm signal to the cable for remotely indicating the detection of an intruder.

27. The receiving unit of claims 23 or 25 further comprising:

a latch circuit having alarm and non-alarm states and providing an output signal representative of the state of the latch;

means for setting the latch to the alarm state in response to a signal from the detection means representative of a detected intruder; and

means responsive to the latch output signal for providing an output indication when the latch is in the alarm state.

28. The receiving unit of claim 27 wherein the connecting means includes:

a first capacitor connected across the cable conductors; and

a diode in series with a second capacitor, the diode and second capacitor being connected across the first capacitor;

a reset signal for resetting said latch being taken from the first capacitor and DC power for the receiving unit being taken from the second capacitor.

24. An intrusion alarm system having a plurality of units capable of being interconnected by a cable having only two conductors, for detecting the presence of an intruder in any of a plurality of areas, the system comprising:

a control unit including;

signal means for applying an ultrasonic frequency AC signal to said two cable conductors;

means for applying DC power to said two cable conductors; and

means for detecting an alarm signal applied to the two cable conductors by a receiving unit and for producing an alarm indication in response to the detection of an alarm signal;

a plurality of transmitting units connected to the cable conductors and responsive to the AC signal thereon for transmitting an ultrasonic signal into respective areas; and

a plurality of receiving units, each connected to the cable conductors and including;

sensor means for receiving echoes of the transmitted signal and for producing an output signal representative thereof;

processing means, responsive to sensor means output signals representative of echoes produced by an intruder, for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means for applying an alarm signal to the cable conductors in response to output signals from the processing means representative of an intruder presence;

wherein each of the alarm means includes means for increasing the current drawn from the cable; and

wherein the alarm means includes a light and means responsive to the alarm signal for connecting the light across the cable to illuminate the light and increase the current drawn by the receiving unit from the cable.

25. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the AC signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

demodulating means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presence of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means responsive to the detecting means output signal for applying an alarm signal to the cable indicating the detection of an intruder;

wherein the connecting means includes;

a transformer having two primary windings and a secondary winding;

a capacitor connected in series between one terminal of opposite polarity of each primary winding;

the second terminals of each primary winding being respectively connected to the two conductors of the cable;

the DC power for the receiving unit being taken from across the capacitor; and

means connected to the transformer secondary winding for providing the reference signal.

26. The receiving unit of claim 25 wherein the signal transmitted by the transmitting units is modulated at a modulation frequency lower than the frequency of the AC signal, and wherein the detecting means includes means for detecting modulation frequency components in the transducer output signal to provide discrimination against signals received by the transducer but not transmitted by a transmitting unit.

29. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presence of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means responsive to the detecting means output signal for applying an alarm signal to the cable indicating the detection of an intruder;

wherein the connecting means includes;

a transformer having two primary windings and a secondary winding;

a capacitor connected in series between one terminal of opposite polarity of each primary winding;

the second terminals of each primary winding being respectively connected to the two conductors of the cable;

the DC power for the receiving unit being taken from across the capacitor; and

means connected to the transformer secondary winding for providing the reference signal;

including;

a tuned circuit, of which the secondary winding is a part, having a resonance frequency equal to the frequency of the AC signal on the cable conductors so that the transformer primary windings connected across the cable conductors present a high impedance at the frequency of the AC signal.

30. The receiving unit of claim 29 wherein the reference frequency providing means connected to the secondary winding includes a limiter circuit for providing an amplitude-limited output signal of the frequency of the AC signal.

31. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the AC signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

demodulating means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presence of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means, including an indicator operable to increase the current drawn from said cable, responsive to the detecting means output signal for operating said indicator and applying said increased current as said alarm signal to the cable for remotely indicating the detection of an intruder;

wherein the demodulating means includes;

two demodulator circuits, each having first and second inputs and providing an output signal;

means for applying the transducer output signal to the first inputs of each demodulator circuit;

means, responsive to the reference signal, for applying quadrature-related reference signals of the same frequency as the AC signal to the second inputs of the first and second demodulators respectively;

a phase difference network responsive to the output signals from the first and second demodulators for shifting the phase of one of the demodulator output signals by 90°

of the reference frequency with respect to the other demodulator output signal to provide two output signals; and

means for demodulating one of the phase difference network output signals with the other of the phase difference output signals.

32. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the AC signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

demodulating means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presentce of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm-means responsive to the detecting means output signal for applying an alarm signal to the cable indicating the detection of an intruder;

wherein the demodulating means includes;

two demodulator circuits, each having first and second inputs and providing an output signal;

means for applying the transducer output signal to the first inputs of each demodulator circuit;

means, responsive to the reference signal, for applying quadrature-related reference signals of the same frequency as the AC signal to the second inputs of the first and second demodulators respectively;

a phase difference network responsive to the output signals from the first and second demodulators for shifting the phase of one of the demodulator output signals by 90°

of the reference frequency with respect to the other demodulator output signal to provide two output signals; and

means for demodulating one of the phase difference network output signals with the other of the phase difference output signals;

wherein the signal transmitted by the transmitting units is modulated at a modulation frequency lower than the frequency of the AC signal, and wherein the detection means further includes;

filter means responsive to signals having a component at the modulation frequency for providing an output signal; and

means for applying the demodulating means output signal to the filter means.

33. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the AC signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

demodulating means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presence of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means responsive to the detecting means output signal for applying an alarm signal to the cable indicating the detection of an intruder;

a latch circuit having alarm and non-alarm states and providing an output signal representative of the state of the latch;

means for setting the latch to the alarm state in response to a signal from the detection means representative of a detected intruder; and

means responsive to the latch output signal for providing an output indication when the latch is in the alarm state;

further including means responsive to a momentary absence of DC power across the conductors of the cable for resetting the latch to the non-alarm state.

34. The receiving unit of claim 33 wherein the connecting means further includes circuitry for continuously providing power to the receiving unit during periods when DC power on the cable conductors is momentarily removed.

35. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the AC signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

demodulating means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presence of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means responsive to the detecting means output signal for applying an alarm signal to the cable indicating the detection of an intruder;

wherein the demodulating means includes;

three transistors, the emitters of each of the transistors being connected;

means responsive to the transducer output signal for applying a current to the connected transistor emitters representative of the transducer output signal;

means for applying the reference signal between the base terminal of a first one of the transistors and the base terminal of a second one of the transistors; and

means for differentiating the reference signal and for applying the differentiated reference signal between the base terminal of the first transistor and the base terminal of the third transistor;

the signals present at the collector terminals of the second and third transistors being quadrature-demodulated output signals having a 90°

phase shift therebetween.

36. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the AC signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

demodulating means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presence of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means responsive to the detecting means output signal for applying an alarm signal to the cable indicating the detection of an intruder;

wherein the alarm means includes means for increasing the current drawn by the receiving unit from the cable conductors to provide the alarm signal; and

wherein the alarm means includes a light and means responsive to the alarm signal for connecting the light across the cable to illuminate the light and increase the current drawn by the receiving unit from the cable.

37. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the AC signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

demodulating means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presence of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means, including an indicator operable to increase the current drawn from said cable, responsive to the detecting means output signal for operating said indicator and applying said increased current as said alarm signal to the cable for remotely indicating the detection of an intruder;

a transformer having two primary windings and a secondary winding;

a capacitor connected in series between one terminal of opposite polarity of each primary winding;

the second terminals of each primary winding being respectively connected to the two conductors of the cable;

the DC power for the receiving unit being taken from across the capacitor; and

means connected to the transformer secondary winding for providing the reference signal.

38. For use with an intrusion alarm system of the type having a control unit, a plurality of transmitting units for transmitting a signal into a protected area, and a plurality of receiving units for receiving signals from the protected area and detecting components in the received signals representative of an intruder, the control unit, transmitting units, and receiving units all being interconnected by a cable having two conductors, over which two conductors the control unit sends DC power and an AC signal to the receiving units, and over which two conductors the receiving units send an alarm signal back to the control unit indicating the detection of an intruder, a receiving unit comprising:

connecting means connected to the cable and responsive to the AC and DC signals on the cable for providing DC power to the receiving unit and a reference signal having a frequency equal to that of the AC signal on the cable;

a receiving transducer for receiving signals from the protected area and for providing an electrical output signal representative of the received signals;

demodulating means responsive to the transducer output signal and to the reference signal for demodulating the transducer output signal to provide an output signal;

detecting means responsive to the demodulating means output signal for detecting the presence of doppler shifted echoes resulting from intruder movement in the protected area and for producing an output signal representative thereof; and

alarm means, including an indicator operable to increase the current drawn from said cable, responsive to the detecting means output signal for operating said indicator and applying said increased current as said alarm signal to the cable for remotely indicating the detection of an intruder;

wherein the signal transmitted by the transmitting units is modulated at the modulation frequency lower than the frequency of the AC signal, and wherein the detection means further includes;

filter means responsive to signals having a component at the modulation frequency for providing an output signal; and

means for applying the demodulating means output signal to the filter means.