Security system status reporting
First Claim
1. For use in an alarm system apparatus for optically transmitting data representative of selected alarm detection unit parameters for reception by a remote receiver comprising:
- at least one register adapted to receive data representative of selected alarm detection unit status information;
means for loading each of said registers at selected times with said data;
a light emitting element disposed in a viewable location on the alarm detection unit and operative to emit light in response to electrical energization of the element;
control circuitry operative to consecutively read the data in each of said registers and to convert the data from each of said registers into an activating signal comprising a serial bit stream protocol;
means for electrically energizing said light emitting element in response to said activating signal to optically transmit data representative of said selected alarm detection unit status information for reception by the remote receiver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Alarm system apparatus and method for optically transmitting information indicative of system operational status from an alarm detection unit to a remote receiver. The alarm detection unit includes a light emitting element for optical transmission of diagnostic and other data to the receiver. The light emitting element is pulse activated in accordance with a specified protocol to optically transmit data serially to the receiver, and the receiver is adapted for decoding of the serially transmitted data to provide an output indication to a system user indicative of detection unit operational parameters. One embodiment of the invention includes a bar graph indicator to provide a visual indication of selected operational parameters as an aid to a user in assessing system performance characteristics.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. For use in an alarm system apparatus for optically transmitting data representative of selected alarm detection unit parameters for reception by a remote receiver comprising:
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at least one register adapted to receive data representative of selected alarm detection unit status information; means for loading each of said registers at selected times with said data; a light emitting element disposed in a viewable location on the alarm detection unit and operative to emit light in response to electrical energization of the element; control circuitry operative to consecutively read the data in each of said registers and to convert the data from each of said registers into an activating signal comprising a serial bit stream protocol; means for electrically energizing said light emitting element in response to said activating signal to optically transmit data representative of said selected alarm detection unit status information for reception by the remote receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A security system including means for optically transmitting data representative of at least one selected system parameter for remote reception and means providing an output indication of selected ones of said parameters at a remote location comprising:
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an alarm detection unit including; at least one register adapted to receive data representative of selected alarm system status information; means for loading each of said registers at selected times with said data; a light emitting element disposed in a viewable location on the alarm system and operative to emit light in response to electrical energization of the element; control circuitry operative to consecutively read the data in each of said registers and to convert the data from each of said registers into an activating signal comprising a serial bit stream protocol; means for electrically energizing said light emitting element in response to said activating signal to optically transmit data representative of said selected alarm system status information for reception by the remote receiver; a receiver adapted to be disposed remote from the alarm detection unit and including; a light sensitive detector operative to produce an electrical output signal comprising a serial bit stream representative of said optically transmitted data; an output indicator; receiver processing circuitry operative to decode said serial bit stream and operative to output selected data from said decoded serial bit stream on said output indicator for viewing by a user.
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12. A method for optically transmitting alarm system status information for evaluation by a user at a remote location comprising:
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locating a light emitting element on an alarm system detection unit; storing data representative of selected alarm system operational information in at least one register at selected times; reading said data from at least some of said registers at selected times; converting said data into an activating signal comprising a serial bit stream; electrically energizing said light emitting element in response to said activating signal to optically transmit data representative of said selected alarm system operational information; detecting said optically transmitted data with a light sensitive detector disposed on a receiving unit remote from said alarm detection unit; generating a sensor output signal in said receiving unit representative of said transmitted data; providing an output indication on said receiving unit representative of selected data contained in said sensor output signal for evaluation by a user.
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Specification