Personal acoustic alarm system

• US 4,473,821 A
• Filed: 02/12/1982
• Issued: 09/25/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ENSCO, Incorporated (Teris LLC)
• Original Assignee: ENSCO, Incorporated (Teris LLC)
• Inventors: Yang, Ta-Lun, Broome, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US06/348,245
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/696, 340/384 R, 340/384 E, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.73, 340/825.74, 340/825.76, 367/93, 367/94, 367/197-199, 455/603, 455/95, 455/100
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1016 using wireless transmission calling systems using transmission by inductive loop H04B5/00

Abstract

The personal acoustic alarm unit produces an audible alarm signal in the audio range to alert persons in the area of the signal transmitter. This audio alarm signal is formed by a plurality of simultaneously generated audio frequency sonic signals, each of which has a different audio frequency. Receiver units are turned to receive the audio frequency sonic signals from a specific transmitter or group of transmitters.

Claims

1. A personal acoustic alarm unit for providing an audible alarm signal in the audio range comprising a transmitter means including signal generating means for simultaneously generating a plurality of individual sonic signals in the audio frequency range, each such sonic signal having an audio frequency which differs from that of the remaining sonic signals, code generator means connected to receive at least one of said individual sonic signals and operating to apply a unique code thereto, and means for transmitting said sonic signals simultaneously as an audible alarm signal.

2. The personal acoustic alarm unit of claim 1 wherein said transmitter means includes timing means operative upon activation of said transmitter means to initiate a predetermined time period, said code generator means having said unique code programmed therein and being operative upon receipt of an erase signal to destroy said programmed unique code, said timing means operating at the termination of said predetermined time period to provide an erase signal to said code generator means.

3. The personal acoustic alarm unit of claim 2 wherein said signal generating means includes frequency program means having the audio frequencies for said sonic signals programmed therein, said frequency program means operating to remove the audio frequencies programmed therein in response to said terminate signal, and said code generator means includes code program means having said unique code programmed therein, said code program means operating to remove the unique code programmed therein in response to said terminate signal.

4. A personal acoustic alarm system for providing an audible signal in the event a user requires aid and for use in areas where signals which might trigger false alarms may occur, comprising:

alarm transmitter means specifically associated with the personal acoustic alarm system for simultaneously emitting a plurality of distinct audible alarm signals all of which are unique to said alarm transmitting means, said audible alarm signals providing a substantial audible alarm adjacent to said alarm transmitter means while also being transmitted to locations spaced from said alarm transmitter means; and

a signal receiving means associated with said alarm transmitter means for receiving said distinct audible alarm signals and having filter means for blocking signals emitted by a transmitter means not specifically associated with the personal acoustic alarm system for preventing false alarms, and an alarm activating means connected to said filter means for receiving signals passed through said filter and for providing alarm action only when a plurality of said distinct audible alarm signals are passed through said filter means whereby only the audible alarm signals emitted by and unique to said alarm transmitter means cause alarm action.

5. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 4 wherein said transmitter means includes code generator means for applying a unique code to at least one of said distinct audible alarm signals.

6. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 5 wherein said signal receiving means includes decoder means connected to sense the presence of said unique code.

7. The personal acoustic alarm of claim 5 wherein said transmitter means further includes timing means operative upon activation of said transmitter means to initiate a predetermined time period, said code generator means having said unique code programmed therein and being operative upon receipt of an erase signal to destroy said programmed unique code, said timing means operating at the termination of said predetermined time period to provide an erase signal to said code generator means.

8. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 4, further including a plurality of audio signal generator means each generating one of said distinct audible alarm signals and an audio frequency oscillator connected to said plurality of audio signal generator means.

9. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 8 wherein said transmitter means includes timing means operative upon activation of said transmitter means to initiate a predetermined time period, said timing means operating at the termination of said predetermined time period to provide a terminate signal, said signal generator means being connected to receive said terminate signal and operating upon receipt thereof to terminate the generation of said plurality of alarm signals.

10. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 9 wherein said transmitter means includes code generator means for generating and applying a unique code to at least one of said individual audible alarm signals, said code generator means being connected to receive said terminate signal and operating upon receipt thereof to terminate the generation of said unique code.

11. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 10 wherein said signal generating means includes frequency program means having the audio frequencies for said audible alarm signals programmed therein, said frequency program means operating to remove the audio frequencies programmed therein in response to said terminate signal, and said code generator means includes code program means having said unique code programmed therein, said code program means operating to remove the unique code programmed therein in response to said terminate signal.

12. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 4 wherein said receiving means includes range control means to vary the range of said receiver means.

13. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 4 wherein said filter means includes a plurality of filters each being tuned to pass a specific one of the plurality of distinct audible alarm signals.

14. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 13, wherein said signal receiving means further includes a frequency detector means connected to said plurality of filters for preventing actuation of said alarm activating means unless all of said plurality of audible alarm signal are present in a signal received by said signal receiving means.

15. The personal acoustic alarm system of claim 14, wherein said receiving means further includes a variable threshold circuit means connected to said frequency detector means for setting a range of sensitivity for said receiving means.

16. A personal acoustic alarm system for providing an audible signal in the event a user requires aid and for use in areas where signals which might trigger false alarms may occur, comprising:

an alarm transmitter means specifically associated with the personal acoustic alarm system for simultaneously emitting a plurality of audible alarm signals each having a substantially constant frequency which differs from the frequency of the remaining alarm signals, said audible alarm signals being unique to said alarm transmitting means and providing a noise alarm adjacent to said alarm transmitter means while also being transmitted to locations spaced from said alarm transmitter means;

a signal receiving means associated with said alarm transmitter means for receiving said different constant frequency signals and for blocking signals having frequencies different from those signals emitted by said alarm transmitter means; and

an alarm means connected for activation by said signal receiving means for providing alarm action whereby only the audible alarm signals emitted by and unique to said alarm transmitter means causes alarm action.