Environmental condition detector with audible alarm and voice identifier

• US 6,144,310 A
• Filed: 04/26/1999
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gary Jay Morris
• Original Assignee: Gary Jay Morris
• Inventors: Morris, Gary Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/299,483
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 340/692, 340/500, 340/505, 340/506, 340/517, 340/520, 340/521, 340/522, 340/523, 340/524, 340/531, 340/532, 340/533, 340/534, 340/539, 340/540, 340/577, 340/584, 340/605 , 340/628, 340/632, 340/691.1, 340/691.4, 340/693.5, 340/693.6, 340/693.7, 340/693.9, 340/693.11, 340/286.01, 340/286.05, 340/286.11 , 340/328, 340/329, 340/386.1, 340/384.3, 340/384.4-384.73
• US Class Current: 340/692
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• 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

Due to the presence of various environmental condition detectors in the home and businesses such as smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, natural gas detectors, etc., each having individual but similar sounding alarm patterns, it can be difficult for occupants of such dwellings to immediately determine the specific type of environmental condition that exists during an alarm condition. The present invention comprises an environmental condition detector using both tonal pattern alarms and pre-recorded voice messages to indicate information about the environmental condition being sensed. Single-station battery-powered and 120 VAC detectors are described as are multiple-station interconnected 120 VAC powered detectors. The pre-recorded voice messages describe the type of environmental condition detected or the location of the environmental condition detector sensing the condition, or both, in addition to the tonal pattern alarm. Provisions are made for multilingual pre-recorded voice messages.

Claims

1. An environmental condition sensor using pre-recorded voice messages to indicate the specific type of environmental condition detected in a dwelling comprising:

(a) at least one sensor for detecting the presence of an environmental condition in the dwelling, wherein said sensor comprises a type selected from the group including a smoke detector type, a carbon monoxide detector type, a natural gas detector type, a propane detector type, and any multiple combination of these environmental condition detector types;

(b) an electronic storage device for storing at least one user unalterable pre-recorded voice message which represents the type of the environmental condition;

(c) a selecting device for a user to select a language type for the user unalterable pre-recorded voice message;

(d) an electronic circuit coupled to the sensor, and the devices for activation of an alarm having user unalterable, prescribed groups of pulsating audible tonal patterns for the duration of the detection of said environmental condition, wherein groups of patterns are spaced apart by predetermined silent periods, wherein said electronic circuit repeatedly emits a selected language type of said pre-recorded user unalterable voice message which represents the specific type of detected environmental condition for the duration of the detection of said environmental condition such that said voice message is repeatedly emitted during at least some of said silent periods;

(e) a power source input coupled to said circuit and selected from a group including a battery input, an AC input, and an AC with a battery back-up input; and

(f) a housing which carries said sensor, said electronic circuit, said electronic storage device, said selecting device, and said power source input.

2. An environmental condition sensor using pre-recorded voice messages to indicate the specific location of environmental condition detected in a dwelling comprising:

(a) at least one sensor for detecting the presence of an environmental condition in the dwelling, wherein said sensor comprises a type selected from the group including a smoke detector type, a carbon monoxide detector type, a natural gas detector type, a propane detector type, and any multiple combination of these environmental condition detector types;

(b) an electronic storage device for storing user unalterable pre-recorded voice messages;

wherein each message represents a different location of detected environmental condition;

(c) a selecting device for a user to select one of the pre-recorded voice messages to represent the location of said environment sensor;

(d) an electronic circuit coupled to said at least one sensor, and the devices for activation of an alarm having user unalterable prescribed groups of pulsating audible tonal patterns for the duration of the detection of said environment condition, wherein groups of patterns are spaced apart by predetermined silent periods, wherein said electronic circuit repeatedly emits selected pre-recorded user unalterable voice messages that verbally describe the location of the detected environmental condition for the duration of detection thereof such that said selected pre-recorded voice message is repeatedly emitted during at least some of said silent periods;

(e) a power source input, coupled to said circuit, selected from a group which includes a battery input, an AC input, and an AC with a battery back-up input; and

(f) a housing which carries said sensor, said electronic circuit, said electronic storage device, said selecting device, and said power input.

3. The environmental condition sensor of claim 2 wherein said electronic circuit to play said pre-recorded voice messages has further means to provide for the selection of language type presentation of said pre-recorded voice messages.

4. An environmental condition sensor using pre-recorded voice messages to indicate the specific type and location of environmental condition detected in a dwelling comprising:

(a) at least one sensor for detecting the presence of an environmental condition in the dwelling, wherein said sensor comprises a type selected from the group including a smoke detector type, a carbon monoxide detector type, a natural gas detector type, a propane detector type, and any multiple combination of these environmental condition detector types;

(b) an electronic storage device for storing user unalterable pre-recorded voice messages, wherein said messages include different locations and types of detected environmental conditions;

(c) a selecting device for a user to select one of the pre-recorded voice messages to represent the location of said environmental sensor;

(d) an electronic circuit, coupled to said at least one sensor and the devices for activation of an alarm having user unalterable prescribed groups of pulsating audible tonal patterns for the duration of the detection of said environmental condition, wherein groups of patterns are spaced apart by predetermined silent periods, wherein said electronic circuit repeatedly emits voice messages representing the type of detected condition during at least some of said silent periods and then repeatedly emits other voice messages representing the location of the sensor during the same silent periods;

wherein said prescribed groups of pulsating audible tonal patterns are interleaved with said pre-recorded voice messages;

(e) a power source input coupled to said circuit and selected from a group including a battery input, an AC input, and an AC with a battery back-up input; and

(f) a housing which carries said sensor, said electronic circuit, said electronic storage device, said selecting device, and said power source input.

5. The environmental condition sensor of claim 4 wherein said electronic circuit to play said pre-recorded voice messages has further means to provide for the selection of language type presentation of said pre-recorded voice messages.

6. An environmental condition detection system using pre-recorded voice messages to indicate the specific type of an environmental condition detected in a dwelling comprising;

(a) at least two environmental condition detectors, each detector comprising at least one sensor for detecting the presence of an environmental condition in said dwelling, wherein said sensor comprises a type selected from the group including a smoke detector type, a carbon monoxide detector type, a natural gas detector type, a propane detector type, and any multiple combination of these environmental condition detector types;

(b) each environmental condition detector comprising a selecting device for a user to select a language type for a user unalterable pre-recorded voice message;

(c) each environmental condition detector comprising an electronic circuit, coupled to a respective device, for activation of an audible alarm having user unalterable prescribed groups of pulsating audible tonal patterns for the duration of the detection of said environmental condition, wherein groups of patterns are spaced apart by predetermined silent periods;

said electronic circuit comprising an electronic device for storing pre-recorded voice messages representative of the type of environmental condition;

(d) wherein each said electronic circuit repeatedly emits a selected language type of said pre-recorded voice messages that verbally describe the type of said detected environmental condition for the duration of the detection thereof such that said pre-recorded voice messages are emitted during at least some of said silent periods;

(e) each environmental condition detector comprising direct hardwired interconnection terminals for electrically linking a plurality of like environmental condition detectors such that the detection of said environmental condition by one detector causes all other hardwired interconnected detectors to emit the same tonal pattern alarm and same pre-recorded voice messages emitted by said environmental condition detector sensing said environmental condition;

(f) each environmental condition detector comprising a power source input, coupled to the circuit selected from a group including of a battery input, an AC input, and an AC with a battery back-up power input; and

(g) each environmental condition detector comprising a housing for carrying its respective sensor, electronic circuit, electronic storage device, selecting device, and power source input.

7. An environmental condition detection system using pre-recorded voice messages to indicate the specific location of an environmental condition detected in a dwelling comprising:

(a) at least two environmental condition detectors, each detector comprising at least one sensor for detecting the presence of an environmental condition in the dwelling, wherein said sensor comprises a type selected from the group including a smoke detector type, a carbon monoxide detector type, a natural gas detector type, a propane detector type, and any multiple combination of these environmental condition detector types;

(b) each environmental condition detector comprising a selecting device for a user to select one of a plurality of user unalterable pre-recorded voice messages, each represents a location for said environmental sensor;

(c) each environmental condition detector comprising an electronic circuit, coupled to a respective sensor and a respective device for activation of an audible alarm having user unalterable prescribed groups of pulsating audible tonal patterns for the duration of the detection of said environmental condition, wherein groups of patterns are spaced apart by predetermined silent periods, said electronic circuit comprising an electronic device for storing pre-recorded voice messages representative of different locations of the environmental condition sensor;

(d) wherein each said electronic circuit repeatedly emits the selected one of the pre-recorded voice messages that verbally describe the location of said environmental condition for the duration of the detection thereof such that said pre-recorded voice messages are emitted during at least some of said silent periods;

(e) each environmental condition detector comprising direct hardwired interconnection terminals for electrically linking a plurality of like environmental condition detectors such that the detection of said environmental condition by one detector causes all other hardwired interconnected detectors to emit the same tonal pattern alarm and same pre-recorded voice messages emitted by said environmental condition detector sensing said environmental condition;

(f) each environmental condition detector comprising a power source input coupled to the circuit, selected from a group including a battery input, an AC input, and an AC with a battery back-up power supply input; and

(g) each environmental condition detector comprising a housing for carrying its respective sensor, electronic circuit, electronic storage device, selecting device, and power source input.

8. The environmental condition detection system of claim 7 wherein said electronic circuit to play said pre-recorded voice messages has further means to provide for the selection of language type presentation of said pre-recorded voice messages.

9. A self-contained environmental condition detector comprising:

at least one ambient condition sensor wherein said at least one sensor comprises a type selected from a group including a smoke sensor type, a carbon monoxide sensor type, a natural gas sensor type, a propane sensor type, and any multiple combination of these environmental condition sensor types;

a control element coupled to said at least one sensor, wherein the control element includes circuitry for detecting a first alarm condition;

a selecting element, coupled to the control element, for a user to select a language type for a user unalterable pre-recorded voice message;

an alarm indicating audible output device coupled to the control element wherein the control element, in response to the first alarm condition, drives the output device to emit at least one set of alarm patterns, wherein each pattern has a preset number of pulsating alarm tones, each alarm pattern is spaced apart by a first silent time interval from the next pattern and wherein pulsating tones in a pattern are spaced apart from one another by a second time interval;

voice circuit for storing at least a first, user unalterable, predetermined verbal, alarm-type output message, coupled to the control element and associated with said at least one sensor, wherein the circuit, in response to the presence of a first detected alarm condition, injects the verbal, alarm-type output message in the selected language type repetitively, only into the first intervals; and

a housing for carrying said sensor, said control element, said alarm device, said voice circuit.

10. A detector comprising:

a housing;

a fire sensor and a gas sensor, both carried by the housing;

a control element coupled to the sensors wherein the element includes circuitry for detecting a fire alarm and for detecting a gas alarm;

an alarm indicating audible output device coupled to the control element wherein the control element in response to a fire alarm drives the output device to repetitively emit interrupted groups of fire alarm tones wherein the members of the groups are spaced apart from one another by a first time interval and each member has a width corresponding to the first time interval and wherein groups are spaced apart by silent, longer second time intervals, and wherein the control circuit in response to a gas alarm drives the output device to repetitively emit different, interrupted groups of gas alarm tones wherein the members of the groups are spaced apart from one another by a third time interval and wherein groups are spaced apart by silent, longer, fourth time intervals;

a voice output circuit coupled to the control element, wherein the voice output circuit includes storage for at least a word indicative of a fire alarm and storage for at least a phrase indicative of a gas alarm, wherein in response to a fire alarm the output circuit injects the stored fire alarm indicating word into only the second time intervals between groups of fire alarm tones and wherein in response to a gas alarm the output circuit injects the stored gas alarm indicating phrase into only the fourth time intervals;

wherein the tonal patterns and output word and phrase are predefined and not user alterable; and

wherein the voice output circuit includes an audio output transducer.

11. A method for providing environmental condition detection for a dwelling comprising:

(a) providing an environmental condition detection system to a dwelling, said dwelling comprising one or more distinctive regions selected from the group consisting of rooms, floor levels, areas, closets, attics, basements, passages, hallways, stairways, crawlspaces, garages, and any multiple combination thereof,

(b) setting a selectable coding means to define the detector installation location, within said dwelling, for each detector comprising said environmental condition detection system to cause the detector sensing an environmental condition to play a user unalterable pre-recorded voice message, which verbally describes said detector installation location of said detector sensing an environmental condition, during the periods of silence in a prescribed audible tonal pattern alarm emitted by said detector sensing an environmental condition simultaneously with said pre-recorded voice message for the duration of said environmental condition,

(c) interconnecting a minimum of two environmental condition detectors forming said environmental condition detection system such that the tonal pattern alarm and pre-recorded voice messages emitted by one environmental condition detector sensing an environmental condition causes all other interconnected detectors to emit the same tonal pattern alarm and pre-recorded voice message as those emitted by said environmental condition detector sensing said environmental condition.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said method comprises playing a pre-recorded voice message that verbally describes the type of environmental condition detected for the duration of the detection of the said environmental condition such that said pre-recorded voice message is emitted during periods of silence in said prescribed audible tonal pattern alarm emitted simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said method comprises providing an environmental condition detector type selected from the group consisting of a smoke detector type, a carbon monoxide detector type, a natural gas detector type, a propane detector type, and any multiple combination of these environmental condition detector types.

14. A self-contained ambient condition detector comprising:

first and second, different, ambient condition sensors;

control electronics coupled to the sensors wherein the electronics emits at least two, different, unalterable pre-stored alarm indicating tonal, output patterns wherein each pattern includes predetermined silent intervals and each is associated with a respective one of the sensors;

voice output circuitry, coupled to the electronics, wherein the voice circuitry includes at least two pre-stored, user unalterable, verbal alarm output messages wherein each of the pre-stored messages is associated with a respective one of the tonal output patterns and verbalizes the respective alarm type and wherein the control electronics, in response to a detected alarm condition, outputs an audio representation of a respective one of the tonal patterns and an interleaved respective verbal alarm type message in a respective silent interval; and

a common housing for the sensors, the electronics and the output circuitry.

15. A detector as in claim 14 wherein one of the sensors is a smoke sensor and the respective, prestored verbal message is a fire alarm to reinforce the respective tonal output pattern indicative of a fire alarm.

16. A detector as in claim 15 wherein the other sensor is a carbon monoxide sensor and the respective pre-stored verbal message is a carbon monoxide alarm to reinforce the respective tonal output pattern, indicative of a carbon monoxide alarm.

17. A detector as in claim 16 wherein at least one tonal output pattern defines groups of three substantially identical output tones with constant intragroup spacing of a first amount and constant intergroup spacing of a second amount wherein another tonal output pattern defines groups of four substantially identical output tones with constant intragroup spacing of a third amount and constant intergroup spacing of a fourth amount.

18. A detector as in claim 17 wherein each tone of one tonal pattern has a duration on the order of 0.5 seconds.

19. A detector as in claim 14 wherein each tonal output pattern defines groups of substantially identical output tones with constant intragroup spacing of a first amount and constant intergroup spacing of a second amount wherein the second amount is at least two times than the first amount.

20. A detector as in claim 19 wherein one tonal pattern has an intragroup spacing on the order of 0.5 seconds and an intergroup spacing on the order of 1.5 seconds.

21. A self-contained ambient condition detector comprising:

a fire sensor and a gas sensor;

control electronics coupled to the sensors wherein the electronics emits at least first and second, different, unalterable pre-stored alarm indicating tonal, output patterns wherein each pattern includes groups of spaced apart tones separated by longer intergroup silent intervals and wherein each output pattern is associated with a respective one of the sensors;

voice output circuitry, coupled to the electronics, wherein the voice circuitry includes at least two pre-stored, user unalterable, verbal alarm output messages wherein each of the pre-stored messages is associated with a respective one of the tonal output patterns and verbalizes the respective alarm type and wherein the control electronics, in response to a detected alarm condition, outputs an audio representation of a respective one of the tonal patterns and an interleaved respective verbal alarm type message in a respective intergroup silent interval; and

a common housing for the sensors, the electronics and the output circuitry.

22. A detector as in claim 21 wherein the first tonal output pattern, associated with the fire sensor, comprises a selected number of tones in each group with intragroup tonal spacing less than 50% of the respective intergroup silent interval and wherein the second tonal output pattern, associated with the gas sensor, comprises a greater number of tones in each group than the selected number of tones.