Low battery trouble signal delay in smoke detectors
First Claim
1. A low battery trouble signal delay circuit for a smoke detector configured for periodically measuring environmental conditions and for producing a fire alarm signal when smoke is detected in the environment, said trouble signal delay circuit comprising:
- a battery;
a comparator configured for receiving a voltage measurement signal from the battery and a reference voltage measurement signal and sending a resulting signal to an activator circuit;
at least one activator in said activator circuit that is user activated upon receiving a first input;
at least one low battery trouble signal annunciator connected to the activator circuit and configured for indicating that the voltage measurement signal is below the reference voltage measurement after receiving a signal from the comparator; and
a lockout device connected to the activator circuit for temporarily preventing reactivation of the activator after the activation,wherein the activator temporarily disables the low battery trouble signal when activated for a predetermined silencing time period, while maintaining the operation of the fire alarm signal, and the activator circuit automatically enables the low battery trouble signal at the end of the predetermined silencing time period.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a low battery trouble signal delay circuit for a smoke detector configured for periodically measuring environmental conditions and for producing a fire alarm signal when smoke is detected in the environment. The trouble signal delay circuit has a battery, a comparator configured for receiving a voltage measurement signal from the battery and a reference voltage measurement signal and sending a resulting signal to an activator circuit, at least one activator in the activator circuit that is user activated upon receiving a first input; and at least one low battery trouble signal annunciator connected to the activator circuit and configured for indicating that the voltage measurement signal is below the reference voltage measurement after receiving a signal from the comparator. The activator temporarily disables the low voltage trouble signal when activated for a silencing time period, while maintaining the operation of the fire alarm signal.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A low battery trouble signal delay circuit for a smoke detector configured for periodically measuring environmental conditions and for producing a fire alarm signal when smoke is detected in the environment, said trouble signal delay circuit comprising:
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a battery; a comparator configured for receiving a voltage measurement signal from the battery and a reference voltage measurement signal and sending a resulting signal to an activator circuit; at least one activator in said activator circuit that is user activated upon receiving a first input; at least one low battery trouble signal annunciator connected to the activator circuit and configured for indicating that the voltage measurement signal is below the reference voltage measurement after receiving a signal from the comparator; and a lockout device connected to the activator circuit for temporarily preventing reactivation of the activator after the activation, wherein the activator temporarily disables the low battery trouble signal when activated for a predetermined silencing time period, while maintaining the operation of the fire alarm signal, and the activator circuit automatically enables the low battery trouble signal at the end of the predetermined silencing time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A low battery trouble signal delay circuit for a smoke detector configured for periodically measuring environmental conditions and for producing a fire alarm signal when smoke is detected in the environment, said trouble signal delay circuit comprising:
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a battery; a comparator configured for receiving a voltage measurement signal from the battery and a reference voltage measurement signal and sending a resulting signal to an activator circuit; at least one activator in said activator circuit that is user activated upon receiving a first input; and at least one low battery trouble signal annunciator connected to the activator circuit and configured for indicating that the voltage measurement signal is below the reference voltage measurement after receiving a signal from the comparator, wherein the low battery trouble signal circuit temporarily changes the voltage measurement signals the comparator receives, disables the low battery trouble signal annunciator when activated for a predetermined silencing time period, and the low battery trouble signal circuit automatically enables the low battery trouble signal annunciator at the end of the predetermined silencing time period, wherein the length of the predetermined silencing time period is independent from the voltage signal voltage signal from the battery.
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8. A method for temporarily silencing a low battery trouble signal in a smoke detector, comprising:
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providing a comparator and an activator circuit for operating the smoke detector; said comparator periodically receiving a voltage measurement signal from a battery in the smoke detector; said comparator comparing the voltage measurement signal to a reference voltage signal and sending a resulting signal to the activator circuit; said activator circuit activating a low battery trouble signal when the voltage measurement signal is less than the reference voltage signal; and said activator circuit checking for an activating event after said activation of the low battery trouble signal, wherein, if the activating event occurred, the low battery trouble signal is disabled for a predetermined silencing time period and the receiving, comparing, enabling, and checking steps are repeated, and the low battery trouble signal is automatically enabled at the end of the predetermined silencing time period, wherein the predetermined silencing time period is followed by a lock-out time period before repeating the receiving, comparing, enabling, and checking steps. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification