Smoke detector using telephone link
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- sensor means for detecting an alarm condition;
a telephone dialer circuit and means for facilitating coupling of said telephone dialer circuit to a telephone line, said telephone dialer circuit having a plurality of keypad matrix inputs;
means coupled to said matrix inputs of said dialer circuit and responsive to detection of said alarm condition by said sensor means for simulating a manual key press at said matrix inputs to said dialer circuit, said dialer circuit including means responsive to said simulated manual key press for automatically dialing a telephone number;
means for generating an alarm signal at an audible frequency in response to detection of said alarm condition by said sensor means; and
sound generating means responsive to said alarm signal for producing an audible sound at said audible frequency;
said telephone dialer circuit including means for applying to the telephone line said alarm signal at said audible frequency after said automatic dialing of said telephone number;
wherein said telephone dialer circuit includes means responsive to said automatic dialing for thereafter waiting a predetermined period of time while said alarm signal is applied to said telephone line, for thereafter interrupting said coupling of said telephone dialer circuit to said telephone line, for thereafter waiting a further predetermined period of time, for thereafter causing said telephone dialer circuit to again effect said automatic dialing, and for thereafter applying to the telephone line said alarm signal at said audible frequency, said audible frequency being applied to said telephone line regardless of whether a remote end of said telephone line is answered; and
wherein said telephone dialer circuit includes memory means for storing a first telephone number and includes manually settable switch means for specifying a second telephone number and for selecting one of said first and second telephone numbers, said telephone dialer circuit being responsive to said simulated manual key press for automatically dialing said selected one of said first and second telephone numbers.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A smoke detector includes a housing having therein a sensor for detecting smoke, an arrangement responsive to detection of smoke for producing an audio signal and an audible sound at an audio frequency, a telephone dialer circuit, a telephone jack on the housing for coupling the dialer circuit to a telephone line, and an arrangement responsive to the occurrence of the audio signal for causing the dialer circuit to automatically dial the telephone number. The telephone number may be a single specified digit, or a multi-digit number stored in a last number dialed memory of the dialer circuit. After dialing of the telephone number, the audio signal is supplied to the telephone line regardless of whether an answer occurs at the remote end. After a predetermined time interval, a timer circuit releases the telephone line, waits a predetermined time interval, causes the telephone number to be dialed again, and then causes the audio signal to again be applied to the telephone line. A keypad is provided on the housing to facilitate entry of a telephone number into the last number dialed memory.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- sensor means for detecting an alarm condition;
a telephone dialer circuit and means for facilitating coupling of said telephone dialer circuit to a telephone line, said telephone dialer circuit having a plurality of keypad matrix inputs;
means coupled to said matrix inputs of said dialer circuit and responsive to detection of said alarm condition by said sensor means for simulating a manual key press at said matrix inputs to said dialer circuit, said dialer circuit including means responsive to said simulated manual key press for automatically dialing a telephone number;
means for generating an alarm signal at an audible frequency in response to detection of said alarm condition by said sensor means; and
sound generating means responsive to said alarm signal for producing an audible sound at said audible frequency;
said telephone dialer circuit including means for applying to the telephone line said alarm signal at said audible frequency after said automatic dialing of said telephone number;
wherein said telephone dialer circuit includes means responsive to said automatic dialing for thereafter waiting a predetermined period of time while said alarm signal is applied to said telephone line, for thereafter interrupting said coupling of said telephone dialer circuit to said telephone line, for thereafter waiting a further predetermined period of time, for thereafter causing said telephone dialer circuit to again effect said automatic dialing, and for thereafter applying to the telephone line said alarm signal at said audible frequency, said audible frequency being applied to said telephone line regardless of whether a remote end of said telephone line is answered; and
wherein said telephone dialer circuit includes memory means for storing a first telephone number and includes manually settable switch means for specifying a second telephone number and for selecting one of said first and second telephone numbers, said telephone dialer circuit being responsive to said simulated manual key press for automatically dialing said selected one of said first and second telephone numbers.
- sensor means for detecting an alarm condition;
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2. An apparatus comprising:
- smoke detector means for generating an output signal in response to detection of smoke;
means responsive to said output signal from said smoke detector means for generating an alarm signal at an audible frequency;
sound generating means responsive to said alarm signal for generating audible sound at said audible frequency in the region of said smoke detector;
a dialer integrated circuit having memory means for storing a telephone number which was most recently dialed by said dialer integrated circuit;
first means for facilitating connection of said dialer integrated circuit to a telephone line; and
second means directly responsive to said alarm signal at said audible frequency for causing said dialer integrated circuit to automatically dial the telephone number stored in said memory means;
including switch means for specifying one of a single digit and said telephone number stored in said memory means, said second means being responsive to said switch means for causing said dialer integrated circuit to automatically respectively dial said single digit and said telephone number stored in said memory means when said switch means is respectively selecting said single digit and said telephone number stored in said memory means;
wherein said dialer integrated circuit has a plurality of row inputs and a plurality of column inputs, and wherein said switch means includes a plurality of switches each coupled to a respective one of said row and column inputs, and includes means for applying to said switches a dial activation signal in response to said alarm signal. - View Dependent Claims (3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13)
- smoke detector means for generating an output signal in response to detection of smoke;
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4. An apparatus according to claim 4, including manually settable switch means for specifying said single digit.
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11. An apparatus comprising:
- sensor means for detecting an alarm condition;
a telephone dialer circuit and means for facilitating coupling of said telephone dialer circuit to a telephone line, said telephone dialer circuit having a plurality of keypad matrix inputs; and
first means coupled to said matrix inputs of said dialer circuit and responsive to detection of said alarm condition by said sensor means for simulating a manual key press at said matrix inputs to said dialer circuit, said dialer circuit including second means responsive to said simulated manual key press for automatically dialing a telephone number;
wherein said dialer circuit includes a dialer integrated circuit having memory means for storing a telephone number which was most recently dialed by said dialer integrated circuit and which is said telephone number automatically dialed in response to said simulated manual key press; and
wherein said first means includes switch means for specifying one of a single digit and said telephone number stored in said memory means, said second means being responsive to said switch means for causing said dialer integrated circuit to automatically respectively dial said single digit and said telephone number stored in said memory means when said switch means is respectively selecting said single digit and said telephone number stored in said memory means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 14)
- sensor means for detecting an alarm condition;
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15. An apparatus comprising:
- sensor means for detecting an alarm condition;
a telephone dialer circuit and means for facilitating coupling of said telephone dialer circuit to a telephone line, said telephone dialer circuit having a plurality of keypad matrix inputs;
means coupled to said matrix inputs of said dialer circuit and responsive to detection of said alarm condition by said sensor means for simulating a manual key press at said matrix inputs to said dialer circuit, said dialer circuit including means responsive to said simulated manual key press for automatically dialing a telephone number;
means for generating an alarm signal at an audible frequency in response to detection of said alarm condition by said sensor means; and
sound generating means responsive to said alarm signal for producing an audible sound at said audible frequency;
said telephone dialer circuit including means for applying to the telephone line said alarm signal at said audible frequency after said automatic dialing of said telephone number; and
wherein said telephone dialer circuit includes means for producing a mute signal during dialing, and means responsive to actuation and deactuation of said mute signal for respectively interrupting and effecting application of said alarm signal to said telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
- sensor means for detecting an alarm condition;
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20. An apparatus comprising:
- smoke detector means for generating an output signal in response to detection of smoke;
means responsive to said output signal from said smoke detector means for generating an alarm signal at an audible frequency;
sound generating means responsive to said alarm signal for generating audible sound at said audible frequency in the region of said smoke detector;
a dialer integrated circuit having memory means for storing a telephone number which was most recently dialed by said dialer integrated circuit;
first means for facilitating connection of said dialer integrated circuit to a telephone line; and
second means directly responsive to said alarm signal at said audible frequency for causing said dialer integrated circuit to automatically dial the telephone number stored in said memory means;
including switch means for specifying one of a single digit and said telephone number stored in said memory means, said second means being responsive to said switch means for causing said dialer integrated circuit to automatically respectively dial said single digit and said telephone number stored in said memory means when said switch means is respectively selecting said single digit and said telephone number stored in said memory means;
wherein said second means includes means responsive to said automatic dialing for waiting a predetermined time interval, for causing said first means to interrupt said connection of said dialer integrated circuit to said telephone line, for thereafter waiting a further predetermined time interval, and for then causing said dialer integrated circuit to again effect said automatic dialing;
wherein said means responsive to said automatic dialing includes a first timer which is started in response to said alarm signal and has a time interval which is twice the sum of said first-mentioned and further predetermined time intervals, means responsive to said first timer being respectively actuated and deactuated for respectively supplying and terminating power to portions of said dialer integrated circuit other than said memory means thereof, a second timer which is actuated for said first-mentioned predetermined time interval in response to said first timer being actuated and which has means for preventing reactuation of said second timer for said further predetermined time interval following expiration of said first-mentioned predetermined time interval, said first means effecting said connection of said dialer integrated circuit to said telephone line while said second timer is actuated, and said second means including means responsive to actuation of said second timer for effecting said automatic dialing of the telephone number by said dialer integrated circuit a predetermined time period after the start of said first-mentioned predetermined time interval, said predetermined time period having a duration substantially less than the duration of said first-mentioned predetermined time interval.
- smoke detector means for generating an output signal in response to detection of smoke;
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21. An apparatus comprising a housing having therein a circuit and a battery for supplying power to said circuit, said circuit including:
- smoke detector means for generating an output signal in response to detection of smoke;
means responsive to said output signal from said smoke detector means for generating a substantially continuous first alarm signal at an audible frequency on an alarm line;
means for monitoring said battery and for producing an intermittent second alarm signal at an audible frequency on said alarm line in response to said battery reaching a predetermined level of discharge;
sound generating means for generating audible sound in response to the presence of either of said alarm signals on said alarm line;
selectively actuable filter means having an input coupled to said alarm line and having an output, wherein said filter always passes said first alarm signal and respectively passes and blocks said second alarm signal when respectively actuated and deactuated;
a dialer circuit coupled to said output of said filter means;
means for facilitating coupling of said dialer circuit to a telephone line, said dialer circuit including means for automatically dialing a telephone number in response to the presence at said output of said filter means of either of said first and second alarm signals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
- smoke detector means for generating an output signal in response to detection of smoke;
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26. An apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
means for facilitating attachment of said housing to a surface of a ceiling so that a back side of said housing faces said surface;
smoke detector means disposed within said housing for generating an output signal in response to detection of smoke;
dialing means disposed within said housing for automatically dialing a telephone number in response to said output signal from said smoke detector means; and
connector means on said back side of said housing for facilitating connection of said dialing means to a telephone line;
wherein said ceiling has a telephone line which is coupled to said means for facilitating connection on said back side of said housing and which extends away from said housing;
including means in said housing responsive to said output signal from said smoke detector means for generating an alarm signal at an audible frequency, and sound generating means disposed in said housing and responsive to said alarm signal for generating audible sound at said audible frequency, said dialing means automatically dialing said telephone number in response to said alarm signal, wherein said dialing means includes memory means for storing a telephone number which was most recently dialed by said dialing means and includes manually settable switch means for specifying a single digit telephone number and for selecting one of said single digit telephone number and said telephone number stored in said memory means, said telephone number dialed by said dialing means in response to said alarm signal being said selected one of said single digit number said telephone number in said memory means. - View Dependent Claims (27)
- a housing;
Specification