Apparatus for remotely controlling auxiliary doorbell chime from doorbell push button

• US 6,414,589 B1
• Filed: 08/15/1997
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dimango Products Corp (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Angott, Paul G., Xydis, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Van Thanh
• Application Number:
  US08/920,652
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 340/326, 340/311.1, 340/384.6, 340/384.7, 340/385.37, 340/825.69, 340/825.71, 340/825.72, 348/155, 348/156, 358/108, 358/229
• US Class Current: 340/326
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal

Abstract

An apparatus for activating a doorbell chime and for remotely controlling an auxiliary doorbell chime includes a push button unit responsive to manual actuation for activating the doorbell chime and generating a radio frequency wave and a remote unit responsive to the radio frequency wave for generating an auxiliary acoustic frequency wave. The push button unit has a manually actuated switch assembly with a first pair of normally open switch contacts adapted to be connected in series with the doorbell chime and a source of electrical power and a second pair of normally open switch contacts, a radio frequency transmitter connected in series with the second pair of switch contacts for generating a radio frequency output signal and a first antenna connected to the transmitter and responsive to the radio frequency output signal for generating the radio frequency wave. The remote unit has a second antenna responsive to the radio frequency wave for generating a radio frequency input signal, a radio frequency receiver connected to the second antenna and responsive to the radio frequency input signal for generating a generator activation signal, and an acoustic generator connected to the receiver and responsive to the generator activation signal for generating the auxiliary acoustic frequency signal. The acoustic generator can be a speaker and the push button unit can include a power supply connected across the first pair of normally open switch contacts for receiving charging current and connected to power the radio frequency transmitter.

Claims

1. An apparatus for activating a doorbell chime and remotely controlling an auxiliary doorbell chime comprising:

a push button unit for replacing a doorbell switch connected in series with a doorbell chime in an existing doorbell system, said push button unit adapted to be located at a first location at which the doorbell switch to be replaced is mounted and adapted to be connected in series with the doorbell chime to a pair of electrical power lines;

a push button switch assembly in said push button unit, said push button switch assembly including a pair of first and second normally open and electrically independent switches and a manually actuated push button mechanically coupled to said pair of first and second switches, respectively, for simultaneously moving said first and second switches in response to movement of said push button, said first switch adapted to be connected in series with the doorbell chime to the power lines;

a radio frequency transmitter in said push button unit for generating a radio frequency wave and being connected in series with said second switch, said transmitter and said second switch adapted to be connected in series with the doorbell chime; and

a remote unit adapted to be located at a second location remote from the first location and being responsive to said radio frequency wave for generating an auxiliary acoustic frequency wave representing manual actuation of said push button whereby when the power lines are connected to a source of electrical power and the doorbell chime and said push button unit are connected in series with the power lines, manual actuation of said push button simultaneously closes said switches to energize the doorbell chime and generate a source acoustic wave at the first location and activates said transmitter to generate said auxiliary acoustic frequency wave from said remote unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said radio frequency transmitter generates a radio frequency output signal at an output and said push button unit includes an antenna connected to said transmitter output and being responsive to said radio frequency output signal for generating said radio frequency wave.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said remote unit includes an antenna responsive to said radio frequency wave for generating a radio frequency input signal and said radio frequency receiver has an input connected to said antenna and is responsive to said radio frequency input signal for generating said generator activation signal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said acoustic generator is a speaker.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said push button unit includes a power supply connected across said first switch for receiving charging current and having a power output, said radio frequency transmitter having a power input connected to said power output of said power supply, said radio frequency transmitter having an activation input connected to said second switch.

6. An apparatus for activating a doorbell chime and remotely controlling an auxiliary doorbell chime comprising:

a push button unit for replacing a doorbell switch connected in an electrical power line in series with a doorbell chime in an existing doorbell system, said push button unit adapted to be located at a first location at which the doorbell switch to be replaced is mounted and adapted to be connected in series with the doorbell chime to a pair of electrical wires;

a push button switch assembly in said push button unit, said push button switch assembly including a pair of first and second normally open and electrically independent switches and a manually actuated push button mechanically coupled to said first and second switches, respectively, for simultaneously moving said first and second switches in response to movement of said push button, said first switch adapted to be connected in series with the doorbell chime to the power lines;

a radio frequency transmitter in said push button unit for generating a radio frequency wave and being connected in series with a second one of said switches, said transmitter and said second switch adapted to be connected in series with the doorbell chime;

a remote unit adapted to be located at a second location remote from the first location and being responsive to said radio frequency wave for generating an auxiliary acoustic frequency wave representing manual actuation of said push button;

a radio frequency receiver in said remote unit responsive to said radio frequency wave for generating a generator activation signal at an output; and

an acoustic generator in said remote unit having an input connected to said receiver output and being responsive to said generator activation signal for generating said auxiliary acoustic frequency wave whereby when the power lines are connected to a source of electrical power and the doorbell chime and said push button unit are connected in series with the power lines, manual actuation of said push button simultaneously closes said switches to energize the doorbell chime and generate a source acoustic wave at the first location and activates said transmitter to generate said auxiliary acoustic frequency wave from said remote unit.

7. A method for adding an auxiliary doorbell chime to an original doorbell chime having an original switch which is connected to house electrical power by replacing the original switch to remotely control an auxiliary doorbell chime comprising the steps of:

positioning a radio frequency transmitter adjacent the original switch for transmitting a radio signal in response to electrical power;

positioning a radio frequency receiver at a position remote from the original chime for receiving the radio signal from the radio frequency transmitter and generating an acoustic generator signal in response thereto;

generating an auxiliary sound wave defining an auxiliary audio chime in response to the acoustic generator signal;

removing the original switch from the electrical power line;

said method characterized by placing a push button switch, having first and second normally open and electrically independent switches and a single manually actuated push button mechanically coupled to the first and second switches, in substitution for the original switch; and

connecting the first switch in series with the chime power line to electrically energize the original chime and connecting the second switch in series with the radio frequency transmitter and the power line whereby, when the first and second switches are connected in series with the power line, manual actuation of the single push button simultaneously closes the first and second switches to energize the doorbell chime and activate the transmitter to generate the auxiliary sound wave defining an auxiliary audio chime in response to the acoustic generator signal from the receiver.