Battery-powered device having a battery and loud sound detector using passive sensing

• US 9,858,784 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roost, Inc. (Deluxe Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Roost, Inc. (Deluxe Corp.)
• Inventors: Peeters, Roel, Blackwell, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Bousono, Orlando
• Application Number:
  US14/501,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20160093200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/113 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply

Abstract

A communication device comprises a processing circuit having at least two modes, a sleep mode and an awake mode, a wireless communications circuit that can wirelessly send a message as to whether an alarm has been triggered, and a passive sensor, powered by audio signals impinging on the passive sensor, that provides at least an approximation of an audio signal to the processing circuit so as to cause the processing circuit to switch between the at least two modes. The communication device can be housed in a housing sized to fit into a battery compartment.

Claims

1. A device, configured for mounting in a battery compartment of an alarm signaling device having an alarm generator, comprising:

a housing sized to fit in the battery compartment;

a processing circuit, contained within the housing, having at least two modes, a sleep mode and an awake mode, wherein power consumption of the processing circuit is reduced in the sleep mode relative to the awake mode; and

a passive sensor, contained within the housing, that, when the device is mounted in the battery compartment, is in proximity to an alarm generator of the alarm signaling device such that the passive sensor is powered by audio signals, generated by the alarm signaling device, impinging on the passive sensor without needing any other electrical power, the impinging providing at least an approximation of an audio signal to the processing circuit so as to cause the processing circuit to switch between the at least two modes.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the alarm signaling device is a carbon monoxide detector.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the alarm signaling device is a smoke detector.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the passive sensor is a piezoelectric transducer.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the passive sensor is an audio transducer with a resonant frequency at a generated frequency of an alarm.