Wireless intrusion detector with test mode

• US 6,593,850 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2000
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pittway Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Addy, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/492,993
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 340/501, 340/506, 340/507, 340/514, 340/511, 340/521, 340/522, 340/545.3, 340/552, 340/566, 340/517, 340/3.1
• US Class Current: 340/501
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/14 checking the detection circuits

Abstract

A wireless intrusion detector that contains a test mode that temporarily overrides the normal inhibit function of the wireless intrusion detector allowing all alarm messages to be transmitted. Wherein the inhibit function lets a single detected event signal to be transmitted upon the detection of an alarm event and inhibits subsequent transmissions during a predetermined inhibit period. The test mode, usually entered after installation of the intrusion detector, is automatically entered when the case of the intrusion detector is closed and is automatically exited when a predetermined number of detected events have been detected by the detector. The duration of the test mode is dependent on the detection of motion a predetermined number of times rather than a predetermined time duration. This allows the installer to perform a complex and time consuming walk test without having to open and close the detector case a number of times. The intrusion detector comprises detector means, counter means, transmitter means, and processing means. The detector means includes PIR motion detectors.

Claims

1. In an alarm system comprising an intrusion detector adapted to operate with an inhibit function to transmit a detected event signal on the detection of an initial alarm event and to inhibit subsequent transmissions during a predetermined inhibit period, the intrusion detector comprising:

a) detector means for detecting an alarm event and generating a detected event signal;

b) counter means which is incremented by the detected event signal to generate a detected event count;

c) transmitter means for transmitting the detected event signal if the detected event count is less than the predetermined count; and

d) processing means for temporarily overriding the inhibit function of the intrusion detector during a test mode and for exiting the test mode when the detected event count is not less than the predetermined count whereby the inhibit function is resumed.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a tamper switch for initiating a test mode and for initiating the counter to zero.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector means is a motion detector.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the predetermined count is 64.

5. In an alarm system comprising an intrusion detector adapted to operate with an inhibit function to transmit a detected event signal on the detection of an initial alarm event and to inhibit subsequent transmissions during a predetermined inhibit period, a method of temporarily overriding the inhibit function of the intrusion detector during a test mode comprising the steps of:

a) detecting an alarm event and generating a detected event signal;

b) incrementing a counter with the detected event signal to generate a detected event count;

c) comparing the detected event count to a predetermined count;

d) transmitting the detected event signal if the detected event count is less than the predetermined count; and

e) exiting the test mode when the detected event count is not less than the predetermined count whereby the inhibit function is resumed.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of initiating the counter to zero prior to the step of detecting an alarm event.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of installing a detector for detecting an alarm event prior to the step of initiating the counter to zero.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of detecting an alarm event is performed by a motion detector.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the predetermined count is 64.