Electronic intrusion detection system for monitored environments

• US 6,081,193 A
• Filed: 05/21/1998
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tecnoalarm SRL
• Original Assignee: Tecno Alarm Snc Di Trucchi Luciano E Negro Giovanni
• Inventors: Negro, Giovanni, Trucchi, Luciano
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/068,889
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/567, 340/555, 340/554, 340/511, 340/533, 340/538, 340/691.1, 340/691.2, 340/692, 340/384.3, 379/44, 381/56, 367/94, 342/28, 348/152-155
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems

Abstract

An electronic intrusion detection system for monitoring environments having at least one electronic sensor responsive to movements occurring in the environment and adapted to modify at least one characteristic of its electrical output in response to the presence of a moving body in the environment. An alarm is signaled when the modification meets a predetermined condition. A transducer is provided for continuously converting the modification of the output from the electric sensor into a signal that can be perceived by a human being. An alarm control unit connected to the alarm and transducer forwards the signals to the surveillance personnel through a telephone line.

Claims

1. An electronic intrusion detection system for at least one monitored environment, comprising:

at least one electronic sensor (1a, 1b, 1c) responsive to movements occurring in said environment and capable of modifying at least one of the significant characteristics of its output electric signal in response to the presence of a moving body in said monitored environment;

at least a first alarm circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) connected to said sensor and capable of generating an alarm signal (ALARM) when said modification meets a predetermined condition;

and an alarm control unit (30) adapted to receive said alarm signal (ALARM);

characterized in that said system comprises additional transducer means (20a, 20b, 20c) for continuously converting said modification of the output from said electric sensor (1a, 1b, 1c) into a signal that can be perceived by a human being, said perceivable signal being transmitted to said alarm control unit (30).

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said transducer means (20a, 20b, 20c) for continuously converting said modification of the output from the electric sensor (1a, 1b, 1c) into a signal that can be perceived by a human being comprises a frequency generator (21a, 21b, 21c) controlled by said modified characteristics of the electric output signal from said sensor (1a, 1b, 1c), and an acoustic transducer disposed in the audible range of the surveillance personnel.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said frequency generator (21a, 21b, 21c) comprises an audio-frequency generator.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said audio-frequency generator (21a, 21b, 21c) comprises a voltage controlled oscillator or VCO with the frequency of the signal generated by said oscillator (21a, 21b, 21c) being comprised between 300 and 3,000 Hz.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said transducer means (20a, 20b, 20c) further comprises a modulating circuit 22a (22b, 22c).

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said alarm circuits (10a, 10b, 10c) are connected to said alarm control unit (30) by signal transmission lines (14a, 14b, 14c), and in that said alarm control unit (30) comprises demodulating means (33a, 33b, 33c) and alarm inputs (31a, 31b, 31c).

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said alarm control unit (30) comprises a switching device or a multiplexer (32) having a plurality of input channels (34) each carrying the audio-frequency signal obtained from one of said transducer means (20a, 20b, 20c), and a plurality of addressing inputs (35), each connected to one of said alarm inputs (31a, 31b, 31c) for enabling said switching means (32) to output the audio-frequency signals associated with an alarm signal.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the output of said switching device (32) is connected to an amplifier (40) the output of which feeds a telephone dialing device (41) for the transmision of the alarm signals and the audio-frequency signals through a telephone line (43) to a receiving telephone set (42).

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said transducer means (20a, 20b, 20c) for continuously converting said modification of the output from the electric sensor (1a, 1b, 1c) into a signal that can be perceived by a human being comprises a frequency generator (21a, 21b, 21c) controlled by said modified characteristics of the electric output signal from said sensor (1a, 1b, 1c), and a display (60) connected to the telephone line (43 visible to the surveillance personnel, said display (60) capable of visually representing the movements occurring in the monitored space.

10. A system as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the output of said switching device (32) is connected to an amplifier (40) the output of which feeds an acoustic transducer (50) disposed in the audible range of the surveillance personnel.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said at least one sensor (1a, 1b, 1c) is selected from the group of infrared sensors, Doppler effect sensors or a combination thereof.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output of said sensor (1a, 1b, 1c) is directly coupled to a corresponding relay (13a, 13b, 13c), whereby the signal to be modulated is generated by the opening and closing in succession of said relay (13a, 13b, 13c) driven by the signal from said volumetric sensor (1a, 1b, 1c).

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that said relay (13a, 13b, 13c) is enclosed in the same unit housing said sensor (1a, 1b, 1c) and the signal from said unit is transmitted to the alarm control unit (30) along the same transmission line (14a, 14b, 14c) provided for sending said alarm signal (ALARM).

14. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the signal transmitted to the control unit (30) is continuously stored in at least one memory device in said control unit (30).

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that each of said at least one memory device is a solid state memory capable of continuously storing an interval of the signal, and there is provided one memory device for storing the signal from each sensor located in the monitored environment.