System and method for arming an alarm system when an occupant fails to turn the system on

• US 5,677,672 A
• Filed: 06/16/1995
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ADT Security Services SA (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wells Fargo Dealer Services Incorporated (Wells Fargo & Company)
• Inventors: Vogt, William R., Seeley, John E., Noonan, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/491,611
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/527, 340/528, 340/309.15, 340/514, 340/515, 340/526
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system

Abstract

An alarm system including a sensor for providing an output signal upon sensing a given condition, an alarm unit for providing an alarm signal on receipt of the output signal, and a timer, coupled between the sensor and the alarm unit, which is reset to a preset count each time it receives an indication that the sensor has detected the given condition where the timer is allowed to count down from a preset count while no sensor is providing output signals and an arming signal is generated by the timer when it completes the countdown.

Claims

1. An alarm system comprising:

sensor means for providing an output signal upon sensing a given condition;

an alarm unit for providing an alarm signal upon receipt of the output signal from the sensor means when the alarm unit is armed; and

timer means, coupled between the sensor means and the alarm unit when the alarm unit is not armed, which timer means is reset to a preset count each time it receives an indication that the sensor means has detected said given condition, and which timer means is allowed to count down from the preset count while no sensor means are providing output signals; and

an arming signal, generated by the timer completing its countdown, which arms the alarm unit.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a second sensor means coupled to the timer means, which second sensor means provides an output signal upon sensing a second condition which differs from said given condition, and means, coupled between the second sensor means and the alarm unit, for passing the second sensor output signal to the alarm unit so that, if the alarm unit is already armed, an alarm signal will be issued.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which said sensor means is a motion detector.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which said timer means is operative to issue a warning signal at a predetermined interval before the issuance of said arming signal, and warning means connected for activation by said warning signal.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, in which said warning means is a high intensity, flashing light.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a second sensor means coupled to the timer means, for providing an output signal to the timer means upon sensing said given condition.

7. The method of automatically insuring the arming of an alarm system, comprising the steps of:

providing an alarm unit for issuing an alarm signal upon receipt of a sensor output signal, while the alarm unit is armed,

providing a sensor which produces an output signal when a given condition is sensed,

providing a timer operative to count through a preselected time period and, upon expiration of the preselected time period, to provide an arming signal to the alarm unit to effect arming of the alarm unit, and

utilizing the output signal from the sensor to reset the timer to the beginning of the preselected timer period, while the alarm unit is not armed.

8. An alarm system comprising:

a first sensor for providing a first output signal upon sensing a given condition, a second sensor for providing a second output signal upon sensing said given condition, an alarm unit for providing an alarm signal upon receipt of either of the first and second output signals from the sensors when the alarm unit is armed; and

timer means, coupled between the alarm unit and the first and second sensors when the alarm, unit is not armed, which timer means is reset to a preset count each time it receives an indication that either sensor has detected said given condition, and which timer means is allowed to count down from the preset count while neither of the first and second sensors is providing an output signal, said timer means also being effective to issue a warning signal at a predetermined interval before the issuance of an alarm signal by the alarm unit, and an arming signal, generated by the timer completing its countdown, which arms the alarm unit.

9. An alarm system as claimed in claim 8, including means coupled between said alarm unit and the first and second sensors for passing the first and second output signals from the sensors to the alarm unit so that, if the alarm unit is already armed, an alarm signal will be issued.

10. An alarm system as claimed in claim 9, including a third sensor for providing a third output signal upon sensing a given condition, and means coupling the third sensor to the timer and to the alarm unit, to reset the timer when the third sensor senses the given condition and to enable the alarm unit to issue an alarm signal if the alarm unit is already armed.