Clock radio gas detector apparatus and method for alerting residents to hazardous gas concentrations

• US 5,786,768 A
• Filed: 04/16/1997
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patrick Plastics, Inc. (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Patrick Plastics, Inc. (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hung, Patrick F. C., Chan, James C. K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US08/834,402
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 340/632, 340/501, 340/634, 340/521, 340/628, 340/540, 340/541, 368/11, 364/496, 364/497
• US Class Current: 340/632
• 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

An alerting apparatus for alerting residents to hazardous gas concentrations, comprising an alarm clock, a gas sensor, a microcontroller, and visual display and auditory speech warning means for producing a wake-up alarm and a hazardous gas warning. When the alerting apparatus detects a dangerous level of carbon monoxide, initial visual display and auditory speech warnings are provided to the user using a digital display and a voice synthesizer. The visual and speech warning messages provide the user with warnings and instructions appropriate to the concentration of gas detected and time of exposure. The user may then retrieve further visual and auditory messages which provide a detailed gas detection event history.

Claims

1. Apparatus for alerting residents to hazardous gas concentrations, comprising:

(a) an alarm clock for tracking the current time of day and issuing a wake-up alarm and comprising a clock display;

(b) a gas sensor for sensing various concentrations of a specified hazardous gas and generating sensor signals correlatable therewith;

(c) a controller operatively coupled to the alarm clock and the gas sensor, for determining durations of the various concentrations based upon the sensor signals and for generating output signals indicative of the various concentrations and the durations; and

(d) wherein the clock display displays either the time of day or a visual warning message indicative of a particular concentration and duration of a specified hazardous gas, based upon the output signals; and

(e) speech synthesizer means for issuing one of a plurality of distinct audible speech messages, based upon the output signals, wherein each speech message is indicative of a particular concentration and duration of a specified hazardous gas.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

(i) timing means for generating a real time signal for the alarm clock and a real time display signal for the clock display, and for generating an enabling signal to activate the wake-up alarm signal when wake-up alarm conditions have been met;

(ii) input means coupled to the gas sensor for receiving the sensor;

(iii) processing means for processing the sensor signals and generating an enabling signal to activate a hazardous gas warning when a set of hazardous gas warning alarm conditions have been met; and

(iv) output means for generating a speech warning signal for the speech synthesizer means, and for generating a display warning signal for the clock display.

3. The apparatus claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing means comprises:

(a) means for determining the gas concentration from the input signals;

(b) means for utilizing the timing means to calculate the duration of the gas concentration;

(c) means for determining whether the gas concentration and the duration of the gas concentration satisfies the set of hazardous gas warning alarm conditions;

(d) means for generating the enabling signal to activate the hazardous gas warning, comprising initial visual and speech warnings, when the gas concentration and the duration of the gas concentration satisfy the set of hazardous gas warning alarm conditions; and

(e) means for receiving a test switch signal from the user and generating an enabling signal to activate the hazardous gas warning, comprising detailed visual and speech warnings.

4. The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the alarm clock includes a radio and wake-up alarm means for providing an alternative wake-up alarm for the alarm clock utilizing the radio.

5. The apparatus claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing means includes means for inputting and storing an alarm time value, comparing the real time signal and the alarm time value, and generating the wake-up alarm signal when the real time signal and the alarm time value are equal.

6. The apparatus claimed in claim 4, wherein the wake-up alarm means includes a buzzer, and the controller generates a signal to activate the buzzer.

7. The apparatus claimed in claim 6, wherein the buzzer produces sound having loudness of at least 85 decibels at 10 feet.

8. The apparatus claimed in claim 3, wherein the gas sensor is a carbon monoxide sensor.

9. The apparatus claimed in claim 8, wherein the set of hazardous gas warning alarm conditions determine whether a level of carboxyhemoglobin in blood is equal to or greater than a pre-selected percentage, based on the gas concentration and duration of gas detection.

10. The apparatus claimed in claim 9, wherein the speech synthesizer means issues a plurality of distinct speech messages, and wherein each of the speech messages is indicative of a different percentage of carboxyhemoglobin in blood.

11. The apparatus claimed in claim 9, wherein the pre-selected percentage is 5%.

12. The apparatus claimed in claim 9, wherein the hazardous gas warning alarm conditions consist of a set of pre-set industry standard values.

13. The apparatus claimed in claim 12, wherein the pre-set industry standard values are 100 parts per million for 90 minutes, 200 parts per million for 35 minutes, and 400 parts per million for 15 minutes.

14. A method for alerting residents to hazardous gas concentrations, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating real time values;

(b) sensing the concentration of a specified hazardous gas;

(c) upon sensing a non-zero concentration of the specified hazardous gas, determining the duration of the concentration of the gas, by storing and comparing appropriate real time values;

(d) determining whether the concentration of the gas and the duration of the concentration of the gas satisfy a set of hazardous gas warning alarm conditions;

(e) upon determining that the set of hazardous gas warning alarm conditions is satisfied, producing an initial visual warning indicative of a particular concentration and duration of a specified hazardous gas and selecting and producing an initial audible speech warning comprising safety instructions relating to a particular concentration and duration of a specified hazardous gas; and

(f) upon receiving a test switch signal from the user, producing a detailed visual warning relating to historical information of particular concentrations and durations of a specified hazardous gas and selecting and producing a detailed audible speech warning relating to historical information of particular concentrations and durations of a specified hazardous gas.

15. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein the hazardous gas is carbon monoxide, and the set of hazardous gas warning alarm conditions is based upon whether the concentration of the gas and the duration of the concentration of the gas correspond to a level of carboxyhemoglobin in blood equal to or greater than a pre-selected percentage.

16. The method claimed in claim 15, wherein the pre-selected percentage is 5%.