Sound activated lamp arrangement

• US 4,630,248 A
• Filed: 10/19/1983
• Issued: 12/16/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott Robert J
• Original Assignee: Scott Robert J
• Inventors: Scott, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): YUSKO, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US06/543,510
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 367/197, 307/116, 307/117, 307/157, 340/326, 340/332, 340/566, 362/394, 362/395, 362/435, 362/443, 362/457, 362/811, 362/276, 362/802, 315/134, 315/136, 315/149, 315/156, 315/159, 315/360, 315/362
• US Class Current: 367/197
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/94 characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A sound activated lamp arrangement includes a module having a threaded lamp bulb socket at one end and a bulb base at the other end for reception in a lamp socket of a conventional table lamp. A lamp bulb is received in the module socket, and a microphone is provided on the module. Circuitry within the module connects the module socket with the module base to thereby illuminate the lamp bulb in response to the reception of an acoustic signal from a smoke alarm device, burglar alarm, or other type of alarm device by the microphone. A photocell is provided on the module and is connected to the circuitry to sense ambient illumination. The circuitry is adapted such that the bulb is only illuminated when the photocell senses darkness. A push button switch is provided on the module for conventional operation of the lamp. A collar is received on the socket shell of the lamp to prevent operation of the lamp switch thereon. For commercial applications, the module is provided with outwardly projecting lugs which engage the harp structure of the lamp to resist removal of the module from the table lamp.

Claims

1. A lamp arrangement for the illumination of a lamp bulb fron an electrical power line in response to a sound signal from an alarm device and comprising:

(a) a standard lamp socket assembly including;

(1) a lamp bulb socket adapted to receive a bulb base of a lamp bulb therein;

(2) a power cord to connect said lamp lamp socket to an electrical power line; and

(3) a lamp switch connected between said power cord and said lamp socket to complete or break a circuit therebetween, said lamp switch including a lamp switch operator which is placed to complete a circuit between said power cord and said lamp socket;

(b) a lamp switch cover received on said socket assembly in covering relation to said lamp switch operator to prevent access thereto;

(c) a lamp control module having a module bulb base received in and connected with said lamp socket and having a module bulb socket similar to said lamp socket;

(d) a lamp bulb received in said module socket;

(e) a microphone positioned on said module;

(f) lamp control means positioned in said module and having said microphone, said module bulb base, and said module bulb socket connected thereto;

said circuit means being capable to assuming one of only two states including an armed state in which said circuit means is caused to operatively interconnect said module bulb base with said module socket to illuminate said bulb only in response to the reception by said microphone of a sound signal from an alarm device and an ON state in which said circuit means is caused to operatively interconnect said module bulb base with said module socket to illuminate said bulb regardless of whether said microphone receives a sound signal; and

(g) lamp control switch means positioned on said module, connected to said circuit means, and selectively operable to switch said circuit means between said armed state and said ON state.

2. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said circuit means includes filter means to render said arrangement responsive only to acoustic signals having a selected range of frequencies.

3. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said circuit includes a delay timer whereby said circuit means only responds to acoustic signals existing for greater than a selected minimum duration

4. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 including:

(a) a photoelectric device positioned on said module, connected to said circuit means, and operative to cause the inhibition of said circuit means from responding to said sound signal upon the reception by said photoelectric device of greater than a selected intensity of light.

5. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 including:

(a) module removal prevention means on one of said module and said lamp socket assembly to resist the removal of said module from said lamp socket assembly.

6. An arrangement as set forth in claim 5 wherein:

(a) said lamp bulb socket is a threaded socket, said module bulb base is a correspondingly threaded base, and said module base is screwed into said lamp bulb base;

(b) said lamp socket assembly includes a standard lampshade supporting harp; and

(c) said module removal prevention means includes at least one projecting lug positioned on said module to engage said harp upon the rotation of said module to thereby resist removal of said module from said lamp socket assembly.

7. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said circuit means includes:

(a) a peak detector having said microphone operatively connected thereto;

(b) an audio comparator having said peak detector connected to one input thereof and a reference voltage connected to another input thereof, said comparator outputting an activated logic level upon an acoustic signal received by said microphone causing an output signal from said peak detector to exceed said reference voltage;

(c) triac drive means having the output of said comparator operatively connected thereto and providing a gate signal in response to said activated logic level from said comparator; and

(d) a triac connecting said lamp bulb across said electrical power line and having said triac drive means connected to a gate of said triac, said triac conducting electrical power from said power line through said lamp bulb to illuminate same in response to said gate signal.

8. An arrangement as set forth in claim 7 including:

(a) a logic gate operatively connecting said audio comparator to said triac drive means, said audio comparator being connected to a first input of said gate and said gate having a second input, said gate operatively passing said activated logic level to said triac drive means to cause the generation of said gate signal except when said gate is inhibited;

(b) a photoelectric device positioned on said module;

(c) a light signal comparator having said photoelectric device operatively connected to an input thereof and having an output connected to said second input of said logic gate, said light comparator outputting an activated logic level upon said photoelectric device sensing greater than a selected level of light; and

(d) said activated logic level from said light comparator inhibiting said logic gate from passing said activated logic level from said audio comparator to said triac drive means.

9. An arrangement as set forth in in claim 8 wherein:

(a) said logic gate is a first logic gate;

(b) a second logic gate has the output of said first logic gate connected to a first input thereof and includes a second input, an output of said second logic gate being connected to said triac drive means; and

(c) said lamp control switch means includes a lamp control switch connected through flip-flop means to said second input of said second logic gate, said lamp control switch and flip-flop means cooperating to provide a logic level to said second logic gate to cause the generation of said gate signal in response to alternate operation of said lamp control switch to allow selective illumination and deactivation of said lamp bulb in the absence of the reception of said acoustic signal by said microphone.

10. An arrangement as set forth in claim 7 including:

(a) a flasher oscillator connected to said triac drive means and operative to cause flashing operation of said lamp bulb upon the illumination thereof in response to the reception of said acoustic signal by said microphone.