Smoke detector system for a house

• US 6,778,082 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jason Goodwin
• Original Assignee: Jason Goodwin
• Inventors: Goodwin, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/037,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20020093430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/628, 340/508, 340/521, 340/533, 340/584, 340/632, 340/636, 340/693.2
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• 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

A method and apparatus are provided for activating smoke detector alarms within a house. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of smoke detectors dispersed among a plurality of locations within the house, detecting smoke within a first smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors, transmitting a radio frequency signal from the first smoke detector to a second smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors upon detection of smoke by the first smoke detector and activating an alarm within the second smoke detector upon detection of the radio frequency signal from the first smoke detector.

Claims

1. A method of activating smoke detector alarms within a house comprising:

providing a plurality of smoke detectors dispersed among a plurality of locations within the house;

connecting the plurality of smoke detectors to a set of 120 volt alternating current house wires to obtain power to operate the plurality of smoke detectors;

detecting smoke within a first smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors;

transmitting a radio frequency signal from the first smoke detector through a conductor of the house wires to a second smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors upon detection of smoke by the first smoke detector; and

activating an alarm within the second smoke detector upon detection of the radio frequency signal from the first smoke detector.

2. The method of activating smoke detector alarms as in claim 1 further comprising routing the radio frequency signal through a neutral conductor of the house wires connected between the first and second smoke detectors.

3. The method of activating smoke detector alarms as in claim 1 further comprising routing the radio frequency signal through a hot conductor of the house wires connected between the first and second smoke detectors.

4. The method of activating smoke detector alarms as in claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the radio frequency signal from the first smoke detector through the conductor of the house wires to a second smoke detector further comprises inductively coupling the radio frequency signal among the plurality of second smoke detectors through the conductor.

5. The method of activating smoke detector alarms as in claim 1 wherein the step of detecting smoke further comprises detecting carbon monoxide.

6. The method of activating smoke detector alarms as in claim 1 further comprising encoding the radio frequency signal with a system identifier of the smoke detection system.

7. The method of activating smoke detector alarms as in claim 1 wherein the step of encoding the radio frequency signal with a system identifier further comprises decoding radio frequency signals that do not contain the system identifier.

8. An apparatus for activating smoke detector alarms within a house comprising:

a plurality of smoke detectors dispersed among a plurality of locations within the house;

a plurality of house wires of the house connected among the plurality of smoke detectors to supply power the plurality of smoke detectors;

means for transmitting a radio frequency signal from a first smoke detector through a conductor of the plurality of house wires to a second smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors upon detection of smoke by the first smoke detector; and

means for activating an alarm within the second smoke detector upon detection of the radio frequency signal from the first smoke detector.

9. The smoke detection system as in claim 8 further comprising means for routing the radio frequency signal through a neutral conductor of the house wires connected between the first and second smoke detectors.

10. The smoke detection system as in claim 8 further comprising means for routing the radio frequency signal through a hot conductor of the house wires connected between the first and second smoke detectors.

11. The smoke detection system as in claim 8 further comprising means for encoding the radio frequency signal with a system identifier of the smoke detection system.

12. The smoke detection system as in claim 8 wherein the means for encoding the radio frequency signal with a system identifier further comprises means for decoding radio frequency signals received by the smoke detectors and discarding radio frequency signals that do not contain the system identifier.

13. An apparatus for activating smoke detector alarms within a house comprising:

a plurality of smoke detectors dispersed among a plurality of locations within the house;

a plurality of house wires of the house connected among the plurality of smoke detectors to supply power to operate the smoke detectors;

a transceiver adapted to transmit a radio frequency signal from a first smoke detector through a conductor of the plurality of house wires to a second smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors upon detection of smoke by the first smoke detector; and

a controller adapted to activate an alarm within the second smoke detector upon detection of the radio frequency signal from the first smoke detector.

14. The smoke detection system as in claim 13 wherein the conductor of the plurality of house wires further comprising a neutral conductor adapted to route the radio frequency signal from the first to the second smoke detector.

15. The smoke detection system as in claim 13 wherein the conductor of the plurality of house wires further comprising a hot conductor adapted to route the radio frequency signal from the first to the second smoke detector.

16. The smoke detection system as in claim 13 further comprising an encoder adapted to encode the radio frequency signal with a system identifier of the smoke detection system.

17. The smoke detection system as in claim 13 further comprising a decoder adapted to decode the radio frequency signal received by the second smoke detector and to discard radio frequency signals that do not contain the system identifier.

18. A smoke detection system for a house comprising:

a plurality of smoke detectors dispersed among a plurality of locations within the house;

a plurality of house wires connected to supply power to operate the plurality of smoke detectors;

an alarm operably coupled to each smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors and adapted to generate an audible alarm upon detection of smoke by the smoke detector; and

a transceiver operably coupled to each smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors through a conductor of the plurality of house wires, said transceiver being adapted to activate the alarm within every other smoke detector through the conductor of the plurality of house wires upon detection of smoke by the smoke detector.