Narrow band synchronized radio communication and alarm system

• US 4,908,600 A
• Filed: 04/11/1988
• Issued: 03/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Martinez, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Safourek, Benedict V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salindong, T.
• Application Number:
  US07/179,660
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 375/37, 375/107, 455/31, 455/75, 331/21, 340/311.1, 340/310 R, 340/310 A, 340/310 C, 340/310 P, 340/825.14, 340/825.2
• US Class Current: 340/538.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1016 using wireless transmission calling systems using transmission by inductive loop H04B5/00

Abstract

A narrow band relatively ultra stable radio apparatus for communicating alarm or data signals from a radio transmitter device to a radio receiver device, which receiver or transmitter may be carried by individuals, or may be battery operated or fixed to other devices, such as smoke detectors or burglary sensors, or the like, wherein the transmitting device and the receiving device are both phase locked to a 60 Hertz power line signal either by direct connection or via a 60 Hertz voltage induced into said radio devices from nearby power lines to thereby provide a means to precisely synchronize the transmitting device radio carrier signal and/or digital clock stream with the receiving device to achieve very high signal transmission reliability is disclosed. The apparatus is capable of transmitting an alarm digital identification code or a digital message and the receiving devices may output a simple on-off signal indicating the presence of an alarm, or a digital message may be output to control an apparatus attached to said receiver. A novel timing oscillator synchronized to the household AC power line frequency via wireless induced voltage for real time synchronization of both the transmitter and the receiver is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A narrow band digital communication system comprising:

transmitting means at a first location for transmitting a radio signal which is frequency shifted according to a first digital code sequence and time referenced to the frequency of a power line; and

receiving means at a second location for receiving said transmitted signal and deriving the first digital code sequence therefrom, said receiving means generating a second digital code sequence at a time referenced to the frequency of a power line, and comparing the first and second digital code sequences such that when the digital code sequences are identical, an output signal will be generated.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the transmitting means comprises:

first detecting means for detecting a signal from the power line;

first digital code means coupled to said first detecting means for generating said first digital code sequence time referenced to said detected signal; and

first signal means coupled to said digital code means for generating a radio signal which is frequency shifted by said first digital code sequence.

3. The communication system of claim 2 wherein said first detecting means includes an aerial means for detecting a signal from the power line.

4. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the receiving means comprises

second means for detecting said first digital code sequence from the generated radio signals from said transmitting means;

third means for detecting the signal from the power line;

second digital code means coupled to said third means for generating said second digital code sequence time referenced to said power line and at the same rate as generated by said first digital code means;

difference detecting means for detecting the difference in the digital code sequences from said first digital code means and from second digital code means; and

alarm generating means for generating an alarm when there is no difference in said digital code sequences and for not causing an alarm when there is a difference in said digital code sequences.

5. The communication system of claim 4 wherein the first and second digital code means include first and second synchronizing means respectively, responsive to the detected signals from said power line for generating a digital clocking frequency, such that said digital code sequences are generated at said digital clocking frequency from said synchronizing means.

6. The communication system of claim 2 wherein said transmitting means further comprises:

frequency divider means for dividing the radio frequency generated by said first signal means;

comparing means for comparing the divided radio frequency received from said frequency divider means with the frequency of the detected signal from the power line such that an error signal is generated corresponding to any difference in said signals;

synchronizing means for combining the error signal and said first digital code sequence and applying said combined signal to said first signal means such that said radio frequency is adjusted by the error signal and frequency shifted by the first digital code sequence prior to transmission.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said transmitting means further comprises amplifying means for amplifying and multiplying the frequency shifted radio frequency prior to transmission.

8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said receiving means further comprises automatic frequency control means for ensuring that the frequency of said second digital code sequence is the same as the frequency of said first digital code sequence.

9. A narrow band digital communication system for use in connection with signals generated by an existing AC power line comprising:

first means at a first location for detecting a signal from the power line;

second means at said first location for generating a first digital code sequence time referenced to as said detected signal;

third means at said first location for generating a radio signal which is frequency shifted by said first digital code sequence;

fourth means for detecting the generated radio signals from said third means at a second location;

frequency discrimination means at said second location for detecting the first digital code sequence from said detected generated radio signal;

fifth means at said second location for detecting a signal from the power line;

sixth means at said second location for generating a second digital code sequence at the same frequency as said signal detected by said fifth means from said power line;

seventh means at said second location for detecting the difference between the second digital code sequence from said second digital code generating means and the first digital code sequence detected by said frequency discriminating means; and

means at said second location connected to said frequency discrimination means and said seventh means whereby a signal is generated when there is no difference in said first and second digital code sequences and an alarm is prevented when there is a difference in said digital code sequences.

10. The communication system of claim 9, further comprising:

frequency divider means at said first location for dividing the radio frequency generated by said radio signal generation means;

comparing means at said first location for comparing the divided radio frequency received from said frequency divider means with the frequency of the detected signal from the power line such that an error signal is generated corresponding to any difference in said signals;

synchronizing means at said first location for combining the error signal and said digital code sequence and applying said combined signal to said third means.

11. The communication system of claim 9 wherein said frequency discriminating means comprises:

first oscillator means for generating an output signal;

mixing means for mixing the detected transmitted signal from said fourth means and the output signal of said first oscillator means to provide a mixed signal;

phase splitting means for splitting said mixed signal into first and second signal;

high frequency filter means for receiving said first signal from said phase splitting means;

low frequency filter means for receiving said second signal from said phase splitting means; and

automatic frequency control means for ensuring that the frequency received by said phase splitting means is at a frequency midway between the center frequency of high frequency filter means and low frequency filter means such that said first and second digital code sequences are at the same frequency.

12. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the first and second means for generating a digital code sequence comprise first and second synchronizing means responsive to the detected signal from said power line for generating a digital clocking frequency, such that said digital code sequences are generated at the clocking frequency from said synchronizing means.

13. The communication system of claim 9 wherein said first detecting means includes an aerial means for detecting a signal from the power line.

14. A narrow band digital transmitter utilizing signals generated by an existing AC power line, comprising:

(1) first means for detecting a signal from the power line;

(2) first synchronizing means responsive to the detected signal for generating a digital clocking frequency;

(3) first digital code generating means for developing a specific digital pulse sequence in accordance with a preselected code combination, said sequence being generated at the clocking frequency received from said synchronizing means;

(4) frequency oscillator means for generating a radio signal at a predetermined frequency;

(5) frequency amplifier means for multiplying and amplifying said radio signal from said frequency oscillator means;

(6) second means coupled to said frequency amplifier means for transmitting said amplified radio signal;

(7) frequency divider means for dividing the radio frequency received from said frequency oscillator means;

(8) comparing means for comparing the divided radio frequency received from said frequency divider means with the digital clocking frequency such that an error signal is generated corresponding to any difference in said signals;

(9) synchronizing means for combining the error signal and said digital code sequence and applying said combined signal to said frequency oscillator means;

whereby said radio frequency is synchronized with the digital clocking frequency such that the outgoing transmitted amplified radio signal is frequency shifted in accordance with the digital sequence generated by said digital code generating means.

15. A narrow band digital receiver using signals generated by a first existing AC power line and a transmitter utilizing signals generated at another location by a second AC power line comprising:

(1) voltage controlled first oscillator means for generating an output signal;

(2) third means for detecting the transmitted signals from said transmitter;

(3) mixing means for mixing the detected transmitted signal and the output of said first oscillator means to provide a mixed signal;

(4) frequency discrimination means for generating a control voltage which controls the output signal generated by said first oscillator means and for detecting a digital code sequence from said detected transmitted signal;

(5) fourth means for detecting a signal from the first power line;

(6) synchronizing means responsive to the signal detected from said power line for generating a digital clocking frequency;

(7) digital code generating means for generating a specific digital code sequence identical to and in sequence to said detected first digital code sequence;

(8) amplifying means for detecting the difference in the digital code sequence from said second digital code generating means and from said frequency discriminating means;

(9) output means responsive to said frequency discrimination means and said amplifying means for creating an output signal;

whereby when the digital code sequence from said frequency discrimination means and said digital code generating means are identical, an output signal will be generated, and when said sequences are different, said output means will not provide an output signal.

16. The receiver of claim 15 wherein said frequency discriminating means comprises:

phase splitting means for splitting said mixed signal, whereby a first and a second signal is generated;

high frequency filter means for receiving said first signal from said phase splitting means;

low frequency filter means for receiving said second signal from said phase splitting means; and

frequency control ensuring that the signal received by said phase splitting means is midway between the center frequency of high frequency filter means and low frequency filter means.

17. A method of generating a narrow band digital alarm utilizing the frequency generated by existing AC power line, comprising the steps of:

detecting the frequency of the AC power line at a first location;

generating a first digital code sequence at the same frequency as the power line;

generating a radio frequency signal at said first location;

shifting the frequency of the radio frequency signal by the first digital code sequence generated at said first location and transmitting the frequency shifted radio signal;

detecting the transmitted frequency shifted signals at a second location;

detecting the first digital code sequence from said detected frequency shifted signal at a second location;

detecting the frequency of a power line at second location;

generating a second digital code sequence identical to and in sequence with said first digital code sequence at a second location;

detecting the difference between the detected first digital code sequence and in the second digital code sequence generated at the second location;

creating an alarm at the second location when there is no difference in said first and second digital code sequences, and voiding alarm when there is a difference in said first and second digital code sequences.

18. A digital communication system comprising:

radiating means at a first location for transmitting a radio signal having a digital signal modulated thereon, said digital signal being time referenced to the frequency of a power line; and

receiving means at a second location for receiving said transmitted radio signal and deriving a digital signal therefrom, said receiving means having means time referenced to the frequency of a power line to detect said digital signal in synchronism with said transmitted digital signal.

19. The digital communication system of claim 18 wherein said transmitting and receiving means each have an aerial means for detecting the frequency of the power line.