Combination smoke alarm and wireless location device

• US 7,019,646 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jon Woodard, Noel Woodard
• Original Assignee: Jon Woodard, Noel Woodard
• Inventors: Woodard, Noel, Woodard, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/660,244
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.26, 340/630, 340/539.1, 340/628, 340/629, 340/426.19, 340/539.13, 340/539.18, 340/527, 340/815.4, 340/384.1
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• 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

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a device and method for determining and automatically transmitting a geographic location of a wireless smoke alarm during a potential fire emergency. The wireless smoke alarm includes a smoke alarm interfaced with a wireless transceiver, which operates over an existing wireless telecommunications network. The wireless transceiver can be a cellular processor with an integrated memory for storing emergency identification data. In one mode of operation, upon sensing the presence of smoke, the wireless transceiver automatically transmits stored emergency identification data signals to a dispatch center.

Claims

1. A smoke alarm device comprising:

a smoke sensor to sense a threshold level of smoke;

an alarm control circuit in communication with the smoke sensor, the alarm control circuit configured to generate a signal in response to the smoke sensor sensing the threshold level of smoke;

a wireless transceiver having an integrated memory that includes an enhanced wireless 911 feature with emergency identification data, the transceiver coupled to the alarm control circuit to automatically transmit the emergency identification data to a dispatch center upon receiving the signal from the alarm control circuit, wherein the emergency identification data includes a geographic location of the wireless transceiver; and

a time delay control circuit to temporarily delay a transmission of the signal from the control circuit to the wireless transceiver.

2. The smoke alarm device of claim 1, further comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in communication with the wireless transceiver.

3. The smoke alarm device of claim 1 wherein the emergency identification data is encoded.

4. The smoke alarm device of claim 1, further comprising:

a strobe light coupled with the alarm control circuit to generate a visual alarm.

5. The smoke alarm device of claim 1, further comprising:

a radio frequency signal strength indicator light located within the wireless transceiver to measure a signal strength.

6. The smoke alarm device of claim 1, further comprising:

a disable means for temporarily disabling at least one function of the alarm control circuit.

7. The smoke alarm device of claim 1 wherein the geographic location of the device is accurate to within a range of about 0–

300 meters.

8. A wireless smoke alarm to transmit data to a dispatch center, the alarm comprising:

an integrated memory having an enhanced wireless 911 service;

a sensor configured to generate a signal when an amount of smoke is detected;

an alarm control circuit in communication with the sensor and configured to receive the signal from the sensor;

a transmitter in communication with the integrated memory and the alarm control circuit, the transmitter configured to automatically and contemporaneously transmit at least a geographic location of the wireless smoke alarm to a dispatch center when the alarm control circuit is activated; and

an alarm disabling mechanism to at least temporarily disable the alarm control circuit, wherein the alarm disabling mechanism is configured to be inoperative beyond a number of uses.

9. A wireless smoke alarm to transmit data to a dispatch center, the alarm comprising:

an integrated memory having an enhanced wireless 911 service;

a sensor configured to generate a signal when an amount of smoke is detected;

an alarm control circuit in communication with the sensor and configured to receive the signal from the sensor;

a transmitter in communication with the integrated memory and the alarm control circuit, the transmitter configured to automatically and contemporaneously transmit at least a geographic location of the wireless smoke alarm to a dispatch center when the alarm control circuit is activated; and

a time delay control circuit to temporarily delay a transmission of the signal to the transmitter.

10. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 9 wherein the geographic location of the wireless smoke alarm is determined by a global positioning system in communication with the integrated memory.

11. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 9 wherein the geographic location of the wireless smoke alarm is stored in the integrated memory.

12. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 9 wherein the transmitter coupled with the integrated memory comprises a cellular telephone.

13. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 9, further comprising:

a housing encompassing the integrated memory, the smoke sensor, the alarm control circuit, and the transmitter.

14. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 9, further comprising:

a serial number stored in the integrated memory.

15. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 14 wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the serial number.

16. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 9 wherein the alarm control circuit is coupled to an audible alarm that activates when signal is received from the sensor.

17. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 9 wherein the alarm control circuit is coupled to a visual alarm that activates when signal is received from the sensor.

18. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 17 wherein the visual alarm is a strobe light.

19. The wireless smoke alarm of claim 9, further comprising:

an audible alarm horn configured to emit a high decibel tone is coupled to the alarm control circuit.

20. A wireless smoke alarm system comprising:

a wireless telecommunication transceiver having a radio frequency signal strength circuit and a radio frequency light emitting diode;

a wireless local area network having a code selector;

an alarm control circuit in communication with the wireless telecommunication transceiver and the wireless local area network, the alarm control circuit in communication with an alarm horn, a strobe light, an alarm disable, and a time delay circuit, wherein the time delay circuit includes a time delay selector;

a smoke sensor coupled to the alarm control circuit, the smoke sensor configured to send a signal to the alarm control circuit in response to detecting a level of smoke; and

a power supply coupled to the wireless telecommunication transceiver and to the smoke sensor.