Safety shut-off device and method of use
First Claim
1. A safety shut-off system for controlling power supply, the shut-off system comprising:
- a power route for providing power from an electrical system to an appliance;
an alarm sensor for detecting an alarm signal from a particular smoke alarm, the alarm signal including both a frequency component and a cadence component, the cadence component comprising a specified series of tones emitted in a specific pattern with pauses of specific lengths between each tone, and further sending an input to a micro-controller;
a current sensor to determine whether current is being drawn by a load when the load is connected to the safety shut-off system;
a switch mechanism for terminating power supply along the power route to the appliance;
a synchronization module that allows users to synchronize the particular smoke alarm with the alarm sensor of the safety shut-off system, the synchronization including synchronizing the alarm sensor with both the frequency component and the cadence component of the smoke alarm'"'"'s signal, such that only alarm signals from the particular smoke alarm will trigger a power supply termination; and
the micro-controller disposed in communication with the alarm sensor, the current sensor, and the switch mechanism for determining that the frequency component and the cadence component of the alarm signal match the previously synchronized alarm signal from the particular smoke alarm and terminating power supply in response to the input from the alarm sensor while the load is drawing current above a predetermined threshold.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A safety shut-off system and method for eliminating power to a load in the event of smoke detection. The system may comprise a device located at the appliance for detecting a signal from a smoke detector, and cutting power to the appliance only when the appliance is in use. The device may be synchronized with any standard smoke alarm signal to reduce the number of false positive shut-offs. The system may also comprise a smoke alarm hard-wired to a circuit breaker, for shutting off power to all appliances on a particular breaker upon receipt of a signal from the smoke alarm, and only when the appliances on the breaker are in use. The system may also have the ability to shut off one breaker, multiple breakers, or all breakers at different time increments to actively prevent and reduce the damages caused by fires.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. A safety shut-off system for controlling power supply, the shut-off system comprising:
-
a power route for providing power from an electrical system to an appliance; an alarm sensor for detecting an alarm signal from a particular smoke alarm, the alarm signal including both a frequency component and a cadence component, the cadence component comprising a specified series of tones emitted in a specific pattern with pauses of specific lengths between each tone, and further sending an input to a micro-controller; a current sensor to determine whether current is being drawn by a load when the load is connected to the safety shut-off system; a switch mechanism for terminating power supply along the power route to the appliance; a synchronization module that allows users to synchronize the particular smoke alarm with the alarm sensor of the safety shut-off system, the synchronization including synchronizing the alarm sensor with both the frequency component and the cadence component of the smoke alarm'"'"'s signal, such that only alarm signals from the particular smoke alarm will trigger a power supply termination; and the micro-controller disposed in communication with the alarm sensor, the current sensor, and the switch mechanism for determining that the frequency component and the cadence component of the alarm signal match the previously synchronized alarm signal from the particular smoke alarm and terminating power supply in response to the input from the alarm sensor while the load is drawing current above a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
12. A safety shut-off system for cutting power to a load, the system comprising:
-
a smoke detector, the smoke detector having transmission member for communicating an alarm signal, the alarm signal including both a frequency component and a cadence component, the cadence component comprising a specified series of tones emitted in a specific pattern with pauses of s specific lengths the between each tone; a synchronization module that allows users to synchronize the smoke detector with an alarm sensor of the safety shut-off system, the synchronization including synchronizing the alarm sensor with both the frequency component and the cadence component of the smoke detector'"'"'s signal, such that only alarm signals from the smoke detector will trigger a power supply termination; and a breaker in communication with a shut-off switch configured to trip the breaker when an alarm signal from the smoke detector is received, wherein the shut-off switch is configured to trip the breaker upon determining that a load powered by the breaker is drawing power and upon determining that the frequency component and the cadence component of the alarm signal match the previously synchronized alarm signal from the smoke detector. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A system for terminating electrical power to an appliance, the system comprising:
-
a housing having an electrical route therethrough for passing power from a building electrical system to an appliance; an alarm sensor configured for receiving an alarm signal from a particular smoke detector, the alarm signal including both a frequency component and a cadence component, the cadence component comprising a specified series of tones emitted in a specific pattern with pauses of specific lengths between each tone; a synchronization program for allowing the alarm sensor to be synchronized to the alarm signal, the synchronization including synchronizing the alarm sensor with both the frequency component and the cadence component of the smoke detector'"'"'s alarm signal, such that only alarm signals from the particular smoke detector will trigger a power supply termination; and a switch mechanism for selectively terminating power flow through the electrical route in response to a signal indicating that the alarm sensor has detected an alarm signal from the particular smoke detector, the signal indicating that the alarm sensor has detected an alarm signal from the smoke detector being generated upon determining that the frequency component and the cadence component of the alarm signal match the previously synchronized alarm signal from the particular smoke detector. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 31)
-
-
22. A method of cutting power from an appliance or an entire home, the method comprising:
-
installing a smoke detector in the home with the ability to send an alarm signal in the event the smoke detector detects smoke, the alarm signal including both a frequency component and a cadence component, the cadence component comprising a specified series of tones emitted in a specific pattern with pauses of specific lengths between each tone; providing hard wiring in the home from the smoke detector to a main circuit breaker, and a circuit breaker for controlling an appliance; providing the circuit breaker controlling an appliance with a Hall Effect Sensor to determine when the appliance is receiving current through the breaker; synchronizing the smoke detector with an alarm sensor, the synchronization including synchronizing the alarm sensor with both the frequency component and the cadence component of the smoke alarm'"'"'s signal, such that only alarm signals from the smoke detector will trigger a power supply termination; and providing the circuit breaker controlling an appliance with a shut-off device configured to trip the breaker if the shut-off device receives an input signal from the smoke detector when the Hall Effect Sensor indicates the appliance is receiving current through the breaker and upon determining that the frequency component and the cadence component of the alarm signal match the previously synchronized alarm signal from the smoke detector. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
-
-
30. A safety shut-off system for cutting power to a load, the system comprising a smoke detector, the smoke detector having a transmission member for communicating an alarm signal;
-
a home security system, the home security system having a receiving member for receiving an alarm signal from the smoke detector, the alarm signal including both a frequency component and a cadence component, the cadence component comprising a specified series of tones emitted in a specific pattern with pauses of specific lengths between each tone, the home security system further comprising a transmission member for relaying an electrical signal; a synchronization module that allows users to synchronize the particular smoke detector with an alarm sensor of the safety shut-off system, the synchronization including synchronizing the alarm sensor with both the frequency component and the cadence component of the smoke alarm'"'"'s signal, such that only alarm signals from the particular smoke detector will trigger a power supply termination; and a shut-off switch having a receiving member for receiving an electrical signal from the home security system, the shut-off switch configured to cut power to the load when an electrical signal from the home security system is received, when a current sensor detects that the load is currently receiving power, and when it is determined that the frequency component and the cadence component of the alarm signal match the previously synchronized alarm signal from the particular smoke detector.
-
Specification