Audible alert device and method for the manufacture and programming of the same

• US 7,071,816 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronic Controls Company (Truck-Lite Holdings 2 Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Electronic Controls Company (Truck-Lite Holdings 2 Corp.)
• Inventors: Barber, James E., Lowder, Tracy C., Tewell, Tony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/790,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20040189445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.19, 340/539.22, 340/539.23, 340/384.1, 340/384.4, 340/384.6, 340/384.7, 340/10.51, 340/384.72, 340/384.73, 310/317, 330/127, 330/297
• US Class Current: 340/384.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

An audible alert device includes a pulse width modulated signal generator. The audible alert device and method for manufacturing the audible alert device also provides resonant frequency and decibel peaking capabilities. Resonant frequency and decibel peaking routines may conducted at the time of manufacture, upon startup of the alarm or during operation of the alarm. The audible alert device may be programmed during a manufacturing step to exhibit a selected operation mode so that one circuit may be manufactured and programmed to operate in any of a number of operation modes or device configurations. A programming station allows an audible alert device to be programmed during a manufacturing step to exhibit a selected operation mode. Programming may occur by connection of the audible alert device to the programming device by one or more audible alert device power conductors.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an audible alert device includes the steps of:

manufacturing a programmable audible alert device circuit including a pulse width modulated signal generator conductively connected to the transducer, a power conditioning circuit conductively connected to the pulse width modulated signal generator, a power conductor, conductively connected to the power conditioning circuit, an output current sensor conductively connected to the transducer, a feedback signal processor connected to the output current sensor and a memory device conductively connected to the feedback signal processor;

connecting the programmable audible alert device circuit to a transducer;

installing the programmable audible alert device circuit and transducer in a housing;

casting the programmable audible alert device circuit in a sealing fluid;

connecting the audible alert device to a device programming station; and

programming the audible alert device.

2. The method for manufacturing an audible alert device of claim 1 wherein the step of connecting the audible alert device to a device programming station includes connecting the audible alert device to the device programming station by one or more power conductors of the programmable audible alert device.

3. The method for manufacturing an audible alert device of claim 1 wherein the step of programming the audible alert device includes transferring operation mode data to the memory device, the operation mode data representative of pre-selected operation mode data selected from a group data for operating audible alert devices.

4. The method for manufacturing an audible alert device of claim 1 wherein the step of programming the audible alert device includes transferring resonant peaking subroutine data to the memory device.

5. The method for manufacturing an audible alert device of claim 1 wherein the step of programming the audible alert device includes transferring decibel peaking subroutine data to the memory device.

6. The method for manufacturing an audible alert device of claim 1 wherein the step of programming the audible alert device includes conducting a resonant peaking subroutine.

7. The method for manufacturing an audible alert device of claim 1 wherein the step of programming the audible alert device includes conducting a decibel peaking subroutine.