Programmable doorbell control

• US 5,210,520 A
• Filed: 07/23/1991
• Issued: 05/11/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Housley, Todd B.
• Original Assignee: Housley, Todd B.
• Inventors: Housley, Todd B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Application Number:
  US07/735,096
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 340/326, 340/330, 340/328, 340/329, 340/392, 340/393, 379/103
• US Class Current: 340/326
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

A programmable doorbell system includes a battery-powered doorbell control for connection in series with an existing doorbell pushbutton in a residential doorbell circuit. In a first embodiment, the doorbell control has a visual LCD display which can display one of a plurality of messages. A manual switching mechanism is provided for selecting one of the messages for display. By utilizing an internal time of day clock, the residence occupant can program the control for a time interval during which the normal doorbell is disconnected from the doorbell switch. During this time interval, the doorbell control sounds a tone alarm and displays the selected message if the doorbell switch is pressed by a visitor. A second embodiment is disclosed which utilizes a digital record/playback circuit to record an audible announcement by the occupant and store the recorded announcement as digital signals. An audible announcement is generated from the stored digital signals when the doorbell pushbutton is pressed by a visitor.

Claims

1. A programmable doorbell system for controlling a doorbell which is connected to, and activated by, a doorbell switch, said system comprising:

means for visually displaying a message;

means for generating time of day signals;

means responsive to a first one of said time of day signals for disconnecting said doorbell from said doorbell switch and for enabling said display means to display said message; and

means responsive to a second one of said time of day signals for connecting said doorbell to said doorbell switch and for disabling said display means.

2. A programmable doorbell system according to claim 1 wherein said time-of day signal generating means comprises a clock for generating a time signal, a memory for storing an enable time and a disable time and means for comparing said time signal to said i stored enable signal to generate said first one of said time of day signals and to said stored disable signal to generate said second one of said time-of-day signals.

3. A programmable doorbell system according to claim 1 further comprising means responsive to sad first one of said time of day signals and responsive to the actuation of said doorbell switch by a visitor for generating an audible tone which alerts said visitor to examine a displayed message.

4. A programmable doorbell system according to claim 1 wherein said display means can display one of a plurality of messages and said doorbell system further comprises means for manually selecting one of said plurality of messages for display.

5. A programmable doorbell system according to claim 1 further comprising manually operated means for causing said disconnecting means to disconnect said doorbell from said doorbell switch and to enable said display means irrespective of said first one of said time of day signals.

6. A programmable doorbell system for controlling a doorbell which is connected to, and activated by, a doorbell switch, said system comprising:

means for visually displaying one of a plurality of messages;

a clock for generating a time signal;

a memory for storing the current time of day, an enable time and a disable time;

means responsive to said stored current time of day and to said stored enable time for disconnecting said doorbell from said doorbell switch and for enabling said display means to display said message when said current time of day equals said stored enable time; and

means responsive to said stored current time of day and to said stored disable time for connecting said doorbell to said doorbell switch and for disabling said display means.

7. A programmable doorbell system according to claim 6 further comprising means responsive to said current time of day, to said stored enable time and to the actuation of said doorbell switch by a visitor for generating an audible tone which alerts said visitor to examine a displayed message.

8. A programmable doorbell system according to claim 7 wherein said doorbell system further comprises means for manually selecting said one of said plurality of messages for display.

9. A programmable doorbell system according to claim 8 further comprising manually operated means for causing said disconnecting means to disconnect said doorbell from said doorbell switch and to enable said display means irrespective of said stored current time of day and said stored enable time.

10. A self-contained electronic doorbell system for operation with a doorbell which is connected to an existing doorbell switch by existing electrical doorbell wiring, said system replacing said existing doorbell switch and comprising:

means for converting an audible announcement spoken by an occupant into digital signals;

a memory for storing said digital signals;

a pushbutton switch connected to said existing electrical doorbell wiring by said interfacing means to operate said doorbell when depressed;

a means for interfacing the doorbell system with said existing electrical doorbell wiring to generate electrical power for said system from electrical power present on said existing electrical doorbell wiring when the pushbutton switch is not depressed;

a self-contained power supply for providing electrical power for said system when said pushbutton switch is depressed;

means responsive to said stored digital signals and to actuation of said pushbutton switch for generating an audible reproduction of said audible announcement; and

a weather resistant housing for housing the interfacing means, the converting means, the memory, the pushbutton switch and the audible reproduction generating means.

11. An electronic doorbell system according to claim 10 further comprising means for disconnecting said doorbell from said pushbutton switch so that said doorbell does not ring when said pushbutton switch is pushed, but said audible reproduction of said audible announcement is generated.

12. An electronic doorbell system according to claim 11 wherein said disconnecting means comprises a switch connected in series with said doorbell and said pushbutton switch and manually-controlled means for opening said switch to disconnect said doorbell and said pushbutton switch.

13. An electronic doorbell system according to claim 10 wherein said converting means comprises a microphone for converting said audible announcement into analog electrical signals and a speech encoder circuit for converting said analog electrical signals into digital signals.

14. An electronic doorbell system according to claim 10 wherein said means for generating an audible reproduction of said audible announcement comprises a speech synthesizer responsive to said stored digital signals for generating analog electrical signals and a speaker responsive to said analog electrical signals for generating said audible announcement.

15. A self-contained electronic doorbell system for operation with a doorbell which is connected to an existing doorbell switch by existing electrical doorbell wiring, said system replacing said existing doorbell switch and comprising:

means for interfacing the doorbell system with said existing electrical doorbell wiring for generating electrical power for said system from electrical power present on said existing electrical doorbell wiring;

a microphone for converting an audible announcement spoken by an occupant into analog electrical input signals;

a speech encoder circuit for converting said analog electrical input signals into a plurality of digital words;

memory means for storing said plurality of digital words;

a pushbutton switch connected to said existing electrical doorbell wiring by said means for interfacing to operate said doorbell;

means responsive to the actuation of said pushbutton switch for sequentially retrieving each of said plurality of digital words from said memory means;

a speech synthesizer responsive to each of said retrieved digital words for generating analog electrical output signals;

a speaker responsive to said analog electrical output signals for generating an audible announcement; and

a weather resistant housing for housing the interfacing means, the microphone, the speech encoder, the memory means, the pushbutton switch, the retrieving means, the speech synthesizer and the speaker.

16. An electronic doorbell system according to claim 15 further comprising:

a switch connected in series with said doorbell and said pushbutton switch;

a flip-flop having a first and second circuit state, said flip-flop being connected to said pushbutton switch for closing said switch when said flip-flop is in said first state and for opening said pushbutton switch when said flip flop is in said second state; and

first manually-controlled means for controlling said flip-flop to change between said first and second stages.

17. An electronic doorbell system according to claim 16 further comprising second manually controlled means for enabling said speech encoder and disabling said speech synthesizer to place said doorbell system in a recording mode and for disabling said speech encoder and enabling said speech synthesizer to place said doorbell system in a playback mode.

18. A programmable doorbell system for controlling a doorbell which is connected to, and activated by, a doorbell switch, said system comprising:

means for converting an audible announcement spoken by an occupant into digital signals;

a first memory for storing said digital signals;

means responsive to said stored digital signals for generating an audible reproduction of said audible announcement;

means for generating time of day signals;

means responsive to a first one of said time of day signals for disconnecting said doorbell from said doorbell switch and for enabling generating means to generate said audible reproduction of said audible announcement; and

means responsive to a second one of said time of day signals for connecting said doorbell to said doorbell switch and for disabling said generating means.

19. A programmable doorbell system according to claim 18 wherein said time of day signal generating means comprises a clock for generating a time signal, a second memory for storing an enable time and a disable time and means for comparing said time signal to said stored enable signal to generate said first one of said time of day signals and to said stored disable signal to generate said second one of said time-of-day signals.

20. A self-contained electronic doorbell system for operation with a doorbell which is connected to an existing doorbell switch by existing electrical doorbell wiring, said system replacing said existing doorbell switch and comprising:

means for converting an audible announcement spoken by an occupant into digital signals;

a pushbutton switch connected to said existing electrical doorbell wiring for operating said doorbell;

a means for interfacing the doorbell system with said doorbell system with the existing electrical doorbell wiring to generate electrical power for said system from electrical power present on said existing doorbell wiring when the pushbutton switch is not depressed;

a self-contained power supply for providing electrical power for said system when said pushbutton is depressed;

means responsive to said stored digital signals and to depression of said pushbutton switch for generating an audible reproduction of said audible announcement; and

a weather resistant housing for housing the power supply, the converting means, the memory, the pushbutton switch and the audible reproduction generating means.