Remote doorbell chime extender

• US 7,023,327 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IQ Group Sdn. Bhd. (IQ Group Holdings Bhd.)
• Original Assignee: IQ Group Sdn. Bhd. (IQ Group Holdings Bhd.)
• Inventors: Chen, Ching Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US10/623,820
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 340/392.5, 340/392.1, 340/393.3, 340/392.4
• US Class Current: 340/392.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A remote chime unit and signal extender assembly are connectable to the circuitry of a primary doorbell system allowing the remote chime to be activated simultaneously with the primary doorbell chime from a stored voltage source.

Claims

1. A remote chime assembly for connection to a primary electric doorbell including a primary activation circuit connected to a first power source, said assembly comprising:

a remote chime including a signal receiver, said receiver for causing said chime to produce an audio signal when the receiver receives an activation signal;

a transmitter for transmitting said activation signal to said receiver; and

a transmitter actuator connectable to said doorbell primary activation circuit, said transmitter actuator including voltage storing means connected to the transmitter for independently actuating the transmitter with its stored voltage in conjunction with activation of said doorbell, said stored voltage accessed from said first power source a second power source connected to said transmitter for powering the transmitter independently of said first doorbell power source.

2. The remote chime assembly of claim 1 wherein said transmitter actuator is connected to said first power source and includes a standby mode and an activation mode, said transmitter actuator being in its standby mode when said primary doorbell is not activated and in its activation mode when the primary doorbell is activated, said voltage storing means accumulating said stored voltage from said first power source when in said standby mode and discharging said stored voltage to activate said transmitter when in said activation mode.

3. The remote chime assembly of claim 2 and further comprising:

an opto-coupler connecting said transmitter and said transmitter actuator, wherein activation of said opto-coupler by said transmitter actuator causes the transmitter to transmit said activation signal to said receiver.

4. The remote chime assembly of claim 3 wherein said transmitter actuator includes a first transistor and a second transistor each having on and off states, the collector of said first transistor connected to the base of said second transistor, said first transistor in its on state when said second transistor is in its off state, said first transistor in its off state when said second transistor is in its on state, said second transistor further connected to said opto-coupler and said voltage storage means such that when the second transistor is turned on, the opto-coupler is activated by said stored voltage in the voltage storage means.

5. The remote chime assembly of claim 4 wherein the base of said first transistor is being biased by said first power source when said transmitter actuator is in its said standby mode to place said first transistor in its on state, said first transistor being isolated from said first power source and in its off state when said transmitter activator is in its said activation mode.