Multi-functional intrusion warning system for branch circuits of a home and the like

• US 5,506,574 A
• Filed: 05/05/1995
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frank A. Chiarello
• Original Assignee: Frank A. Chiarello
• Inventors: Chiarello, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/435,755
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 340/691, 340/533, 340/538, 307/39, 307/116, 361/170
• US Class Current: 340/691.4
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system

Abstract

A multi-functional intrusion warning system is used directly in the conventional circuitry of a building such as a home, small business or the like, having a conventional AC power source, a plurality of branch circuits and a circuit breaking means (located intermediate the power source and the branch circuits for interrupting the current to any branch circuit experiencing a current surge) to provide the building with a means of controlling the current to certain or all of the branch circuits which enables the power to be cut off to these branch circuits and then turned back on due to an occurrence detected by a motion, sound, smoke, heat, and/or telephone call activated or similar detection device. The lighting, alarms, and/or other electrical devices on these branch circuits are activated when the detection device activates the control unit of the intrusion warning system. The intrusion warning system is fail safe in that the current is supplied to the branch circuits in the event of a failure in the intrusion warning system.

Claims

1. A multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like having a conventional AC power source comprising:

building circuitry for providing AC power to the building electrical services;

said building circuitry comprising a plurality of branch circuits;

a circuit breaking means in said building circuitry intermediate said AC power source and said plurality of branch circuits for cutting off electrical current to any branch circuit of said plurality of branch circuits experiencing a current surge above a certain level;

a circuit interrupting means in said building circuitry intermediate said circuit breaking means and at least one branch circuit of said plurality of branch circuits comprising contactor means in a circuit intermediate said circuit breaking means and said at least one branch circuit;

said contactor means having normally closed contacts when said circuit interrupting means is de-energized to complete said circuit through said contactor means between said circuit breaking means and said at least one branch circuit;

said contactor means having opened contacts when said circuit interrupting means is energized to interrupt said circuit through said contactor means between said circuit breaking means and said at least one branch circuit;

arming switch means for completing, when closed, a circuit to said circuit interrupting means for energizing said circuit interrupting means to open said contacts of said contactor means and thereby interrupt said circuit through said contactor means and thereby interrupt the power through said contactor means to said at least one branch circuit and thereby arm the multi-functional intrusion warning system; and

control means for interrupting said circuit to said circuit interrupting means upon a certain occurrence to de-energize said circuit interrupting means and thereby return said contacts of said contactor means to their normally closed state to complete said circuit through the contactor means and permit power to flow from said circuit breaking means to said at least one branch circuit to power electrical devices on said at least one branch circuit to provide a warning through the powering of said electrical devices that a certain occurrence has been detected by the multi-functional intrusion warning system.

2. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 1, wherein:

said circuit interrupting means is in said building circuitry intermediate said circuit breaking means and at least two of said plurality of branch circuits; and

said contactor means of said circuit interrupting means is in circuits intermediate said circuit breaking means and said at least two of said plurality of branch circuits;

said contacts of said contactor means are closed, when said circuit interrupting means is de-energized, to complete said circuits through said contactor means between said circuit breaking means and said at least two of said plurality of said branch circuits and said contacts of said contactor means are opened, when said circuit interrupting means is energized, to interrupt said circuits through said contactor means between said circuit breaking means and said at least two of said plurality of said branch circuits.

3. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 2, including:

means for selectively bypassing said circuit interrupting means to complete a circuit between said circuit breaking means and at least one of said at least two of said plurality of branch circuits.

4. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 2, including:

means for selectively interrupting the circuit of at least one of said at least two of said plurality of branch circuits intermediate said contactor means and electrical devices on said at least one of said at least two of said plurality of branch circuits.

5. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 1, wherein:

said control means for interrupting said circuit to said circuit interrupting means to de-energize said circuit interrupting means and permit current to flow from said circuit breaking means to said at least one branch circuit comprises an occurrence detection means whereby when an occurrence is detected by said occurrence detection means said circuit interrupting means is de-energized and current is supplied to said at least one branch circuit to power electrical devices on said at least one branch circuit.

6. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 5, wherein:

said occurrence detection means is selected from a group comprising;

motion, sound, smoke, infrared, photocell, telephone activated or radio signal activated detection means.

7. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 5, wherein:

said occurrence detection means comprises a telephone call activated relay with a timing means for de-energizing said circuit interrupting means for a preselected period of time.

8. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 1, wherein:

upon a malfunction of said circuit interrupting means, said contacts of said contactor means return to their normally closed state to complete said circuit through said contactor means between said circuit breaking means and said at least one branch circuit.

9. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 1, wherein:

said control means for interrupting said circuit to said circuit interrupting means upon a certain occurrence to de-energized said circuit interrupting means includes a control relay with normally closed contacts which are opened upon detection of said occurrence to de-energize said circuit interrupting means.

10. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 1, wherein:

said control means comprises occurrence detection means within and without said building.

11. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 1, wherein:

said control means includes a motion detector means in a garage of said building for detecting movement in said garage, including movement of a garage door, to activate said control means to interrupt said circuit to said circuit interrupting means to de-energize said circuit interrupting means and permit current to flow from said circuit breaking means to said at least one branch circuit.

12. The multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one branch circuit includes electrical outlets and said electrical devices on said at least one branch circuit include electric appliances which are connected to at least some of said electrical outlets.

13. A multi-functional intrusion warning system for a building and the like having a conventional AC power source;

building circuitry comprising multiple branch circuits; and

a circuit breaking means in said building circuitry intermediate said power source and said branch circuits for cutting off electrical current to any of said branch circuits experiencing a current surge above a certain level, with said multi-functional control system being adapted to be located in said building circuitry intermediate said circuit breaking means and at least one of said branch circuits, comprising;

a circuit interrupting means for location in a circuit intermediate said circuit breaking means and said at least one branch circuit comprising contactor means having normally closed contacts, when said circuit interrupting means is de-energized, to complete said circuit between said circuit breaking means and said at least one branch circuit and having opened contacts, when said circuit interrupting means is energized, to interrupt said circuit between said circuit breaking means and said at least one branch circuit;

switch means for completing, when closed, a circuit to said circuit interrupting means for energizing said circuit interrupting means by means of said power source to interrupt current to said at least one branch circuit; and

control means for interrupting said circuit to said circuit interrupting means upon a certain occurrence to de-energize said circuit interrupting means and thereby permit current to flow from said circuit breaking means to said at least one branch circuit to power electrical devices on said at least one branch circuit.

14. The multi-functional intrusion warning system according to claim 13, wherein:

said contactor means has normally closed contacts, when said circuit interrupting means is de-energized, to complete circuits between said circuit breaking means and a plurality of said branch circuits and has opened contacts, when said circuit interrupting means is energized, to interrupt said circuits between said circuit breaking means and said plurality of said branch circuits.

15. The multi-functional intrusion warning system according to claim 14, wherein:

said control means for interrupting said circuit to said circuit interrupting means to de-energize said circuit interrupting means and permit current flow from said circuit breaking means to said plurality of said branch circuits is activated by an occurrence detection means whereby when the occurrence occurs said circuit interrupting means is de-energized to permit current to be supplied to said plurality of said branch circuits.

16. The multi-functional intrusion warning system according to claim 15, wherein:

said occurrence detection means is selected from a group comprising motion, sound, smoke, infrared, photocell, telephone activated or radio signal activated detection means.

17. The multi-functional intrusion warning system according to claim 16, wherein:

said control means includes a control relay connected to said occurrence detection means to interrupt said circuit to said circuit interrupting means to de-energize said circuit interrupting means and permit current to flow from said circuit breaking means to said plurality of said branch circuits.

18. A method of providing a warning that an occurrence has occurred in a building and the like having an AC power source, building circuitry with a plurality of branch circuits, and a circuit breaking means in said building circuitry intermediate said AC power source and said branch circuits for interrupting electric current to any of said branch circuits experiencing a current surge above a certain level, comprising:

locating a circuit interrupting means intermediate said circuit breaking means and at least one of said branch circuits comprising contactor means in a circuit of said building circuitry intermediate said circuit breaking means and said at least one of said branch circuits which has normally closed contacts, when said circuit interrupting means is de-energized, to complete said circuit through said contactor means between said circuit breaking means and said at least one of said branch circuits and opened contacts, when said circuit interrupting means is energized, to interrupt said circuit through said contactor means between said circuit breaking means and said at least one of said branch circuits;

connecting electric devices to electric outlets of said at least one of said branch circuits;

energizing said circuit interrupting means to open said contacts of said contactor means and interrupt the circuits through said contactor means and arm the multi-functional intrusion warning system by cutting off the power to said electric devices connected to said at least one of said branch circuits;

energizing occurrence detection means which, upon detection of an occurrence, will de-energize said circuit interrupting means to allow said contacts of said contactor means to close and complete said circuits through said contactor means and provide power to said electric devices connected to said at least one of said branch circuits to provide a warning that the occurrence has occurred.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

said contactor means of said circuit interrupting means is located in circuits of said building circuitry intermediate said circuit breaking means and at least two of said branch circuits and said contactor means normally has closed contacts, when said circuit interrupting means is de-energized, to complete said circuits through said contactor means between said circuit breaking means and said at least two of said branch circuits and opened contacts, when said circuit interrupting means is energized, to interrupt said circuits through said contactor means between said circuit breaking means and said at least two of said branch circuits;

energizing said circuit interrupting means to open said contacts of said contactor means and interrupt said circuits through said contactor means and arm the multi-functional intrusion warning system by cutting off the power to said electric devices connected to said at least one of said branch circuits;

energizing occurrence detection means which, upon detection of an occurrence, will de-energize said circuit interrupting means to allow said contacts of said contactor means to close and thereby complete said circuits through said contactor means and provide power to said electrical devices connected to said at least one of said branch circuits to provide a warning that the occurrence has occurred.