Travel convenience and security device

• US 5,309,145 A
• Filed: 05/01/1992
• Issued: 05/03/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gregory W O'Connor
• Original Assignee: Samsonite Corporation (Samsonite)
• Inventors: O'Connor, Gregory W., Branch, Allan C., Thurston, Barbara A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/877,403
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 340/567, 340/693, 340/691, 340/541, 340/540, 340/628, 368/11, 368/10, 362/253, 362/802
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A clock, a lamp, an alarm, a motion detector and a smoke alarm are advantageously combined in a travel device which provides the user with both convenience and security when travelling. The motion detector detects motion and controls the delivery of an alarm signal and/or the delivery of light from the lamp. If motion occurs under circumstances suggesting that an intruder is present or if smoke is detected, the alarm signal and the degree of illumination alert the user to a potential security concern. If motion occurs under circumstances indicating the user is present and engaging in normal activities, the illumination is sufficient for those activities. If motion is not detected during a predetermined time period, suggesting that the user has gone to sleep, the illumination is ended. The alarm and the illumination may also be activated by clock functions, thereby achieving alarm clock functionality.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising the combination of:

clock means for counting time;

clock display means for displaying information describing the time counted by the clock means;

alarm means for selectively delivering an alarm indication in an ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus, the alarm means including an audible alarm device and a source of illumination which illuminates the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus and which illuminates the clock display;

condition detecting means for detecting a predetermined condition in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

means interconnecting the clock means, the clock display means, the alarm means and the condition detecting means and operative for activating the alarm means upon the condition detecting means detecting the predetermined condition, for activating the alarm means upon the clock means counting to a predetermined time, and for activating the clock display means.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the condition detecting means comprises:

a smoke detector for detecting smoke in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

wherein;

the interconnecting and activating means activates one of the audible alarm device or the illumination source upon the detection of smoke by the smoke detector.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein:

the interconnecting and activating means activates the illumination source and the audible alarm device simultaneously.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein:

the interconnecting and activating means comprises a microcomputer.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein:

the interconnecting and activating means comprises an analog circuit.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is contained within a housing of a size convenient for packing in one of a suitcase, purse or pocket when travelling.

7. An apparatus comprising the combination of:

clock means for counting time;

clock display means for displaying information describing the time counted by the clock means;

alarm means for selectively delivering an alarm indication in an ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus, the alarm means including a source of illumination and an audible alarm device;

condition detecting means for detecting a predetermined condition in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus including a motion detector for detecting motion in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

means interconnecting the clock means, the clock display means, the alarm means and the condition detecting means and operative for activating the alarm means upon the condition detecting means detecting the predetermined condition, for activating the alarm means upon the clock means counting to a predetermined time, for activating the clock display means, and for activating one of the audible alarm device for the illumination source upon detection of the motion by the motion detector.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein:

the interconnecting and activating means activates the illumination source upon the detection of motion by the motion detector and thereafter deactivates the illumination source after the absence of motion is detected.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein:

the interconnecting the activating means activates the illumination source upon the detection of motion by the motion detector and thereafter deactivates the illumination source after the expiration of a predetermined time during which no motion was detected.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising:

mode selection means for selecting one of a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation; and

wherein;

the interconnecting and activating means activates the illumination source to brightly illuminate the ambient environment upon the detection of motion by the motion detector in the first mode of operation and to dimly illuminate the ambient environment upon the detection of motion by the motion detector in the second mode of operation.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein:

the interconnecting and activating means deactivates the illumination source after the motion detector detects no motion.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein:

the interconnecting the activating means activates the illumination source and the audible alarm device simultaneously.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein:

the one of the bright or dim illumination is maintained so long as the motion detector detects motion within a predetermined time period.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein:

the predetermined time period starts anew with each instance of detected motion in both modes of operation.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein in the second mode of operation:

the illumination source is deactivated after the expiration of a predetermined time during which no motion is detected by the motion detector.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein:

the interconnecting and activating means activates the illumination source and the audible alarm device simultaneously.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein the condition detecting means further comprises:

a smoke detector for detecting smoke in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

wherein;

the interconnecting and activating means activates one of the audible alarm device or the illumination source upon either one of the detection of smoke by the smoke detector or the detection of motion by the motion detector motion.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein:

the interconnecting and activating means activates the illumination source and the audible alarm device simultaneously.

19. An apparatus comprising the combination of:

clock means for counting time;

clock display means for displaying information describing the time counted by the clock means;

alarm means for selectively delivering an alarm indication in an ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus, the alarm means including a source of illumination and an audible alarm device;

condition detecting means for detecting a predetermined condition in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus, the condition detecting means including a motion detector for detecting motion in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

means interconnecting the clock means, the clock display means, the alarm means and the condition detecting means and operative for activating the alarm means upon the condition detecting means detecting the predetermined condition, for activating the alarm means upon the clock means counting to a predetermined time, for activating the clock display means, and for simultaneously activating the audible alarm device and the source of illumination upon the clock means counting to a predetermined alarm time.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein:

the interconnecting and activating means further maintains the activation of the illumination source for a predetermined time after the clock means counts to the predetermined alarm time and while motion is detected thereafter and for a predetermined time period after which motion is no longer detected.

21. An apparatus comprising the combination of:

a source of directed light for illuminating an ambient environment surrounding said apparatus from a first direction;

alarm means for selectively delivering an audible alarm indication in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus;

motion detector means for detecting motion from a second different direction in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

means interconnecting the illumination source, the alarm means and the motion detector means and operative for activating the illumination source and alarm means upon the motion detector means detecting motion, wherein the apparatus is contained within a housing of a size convenient for packing in one of a suitcase, purse, or pocket when traveling.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein:

the interconnecting and activating means deactivates the illumination source and the alarm means after the motion detector means detects no motion.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein:

the illumination source and the alarm means are deactivated after the expiration of a predetermined time during which the motion detector means detects no motion.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 further comprising:

mode selection means for selecting one of a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation; and

wherein;

the interconnecting and activating means activates the illumination source to illuminate the ambient environment relatively brightly upon the motion detector means detecting motion in the first mode of operation and to illuminate the ambient environment relatively dimly upon the motion detector means detecting motion in the second mode of operation.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein:

the one of the bright or dim illumination is maintained while the motion detector detects motion within a predetermined time period.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein:

the predetermined time period starts anew with each instance of detected motion in both modes of operation.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein in the second mode of operation:

the illumination source is deactivated after the expiration of a predetermined time during which the motion detector means detects no motion.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 21 further comprising:

a smoke detector means for detecting smoke in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

wherein;

the interconnecting and activating means activates the illumination source and the alarm means upon either one of the smoke detector means detecting smoke or the motion detector means detecting motion.

29. An apparatus comprising the combination of:

a source of illumination for selectively brightly illuminating an ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus and for selectively dimly illuminating the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus;

motion detector means for detecting motion in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

means interconnecting the illumination source and the motion detector means and operative for activating the illumination source to brightly illuminate the ambient environment upon the motion detector means detecting motion and to dimly illuminate the ambient environment upon the motion detector means detecting motion, the interconnecting and activating means further deactivating the illumination source after the motion detector means detects no motion, and the interconnecting and activating means further selectively activating the illumination source to create one of either the bright or dim illumination.

30. An apparatus as defined in claim 29 further comprising:

mode selection means connected to the interconnecting and activating means for selecting either the bright or dim illumination.

31. An apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein;

the illumination source is deactivated after the expiration of a predetermined time during which the motion detector means detects no motion.

32. An apparatus as defined in claim 31 wherein:

the predetermined time period starts a new with each instance of detected motion.

33. An apparatus as defined in claim 29 further comprising:

a smoke detector means for detecting smoke in the ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

wherein;

the interconnecting and activating means activates the illumination source upon either one of the smoke detector means detecting smoke or the motion detector means detecting motion.

34. An apparatus as defined in claim 29 further comprising:

alarm means for selectively delivering an alarm indication in an ambient environment generally surrounding said apparatus; and

wherein;

the interconnecting and activating means activates the illumination source and the alarm means simultaneously.

35. An apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein the apparatus is contained within a housing of a size convenient for packing in one of a suitcase, pocket or purse when travelling.