Flash monitor alarm system
First Claim
1. A flash monitor alarm for determining the occurrence of a flash comprising:
- a housing member;
an indicator attached to the housing member, the indicator being perceptible to an operator;
means for removably mounting the housing member to be operatively responsive to occurrence of a flash;
remote detection means having no electrically conductive connection to the flash for responding to the occurrence of the flash by providing a detection signal;
means responsive to the detection signal for verifying that the detection means has sensed the occurrence of a flash; and
means for activating the indicator for a predetermined time period when the flash occurrence has been verified by the verification means;
wherein the detection means, verifying means, and activating means are contained within the housing member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flash monitor alarm system is provided for detection of emergency vehicle flashers or for detection of flashes in photography. For emergency flasher detection the unit is positioned in a vehicle within a direct line of sight of potential emergency flashers. When emergency flashers are detected, an alarm is activated to warn the vehicle'"'"'s occupants. For a photographic monitor alarm system, a detector is inductively coupled to a flash tube assembly'"'"'s flash tube or tube power cable for activating a pulsating flash monitor indicator perceptible to the photographer when the flash tube has properly fired. The flash monitor alarm system includes flash monitor electronics and a power source, both of which are built into a compact housing.
116 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A flash monitor alarm for determining the occurrence of a flash comprising:
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a housing member; an indicator attached to the housing member, the indicator being perceptible to an operator; means for removably mounting the housing member to be operatively responsive to occurrence of a flash; remote detection means having no electrically conductive connection to the flash for responding to the occurrence of the flash by providing a detection signal; means responsive to the detection signal for verifying that the detection means has sensed the occurrence of a flash; and means for activating the indicator for a predetermined time period when the flash occurrence has been verified by the verification means; wherein the detection means, verifying means, and activating means are contained within the housing member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A flash monitor for determining the excitation of a flash tube in photography comprising:
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a housing member; an indicator attached to the housing member, the indicator being perceptible to an operator; means for removably mounting the housing member to be operatively responsive to an excitation of a flash tube; remote detection means, having no electrically conductive connection with the flash tube and responsive to the excitation of the flash tube, for providing a detection signal; verification means responsive to the detection signal for verifying that the detection means has sensed the excitation of the flash tube; and means for activating the indicator for a predetermined time period when the flash tube excitation has been verified by the verification means; wherein the remote detection means, verification means, and activating means are contained within the housing member. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A flash monitor for detecting an inductive energy of a flash tube assembly in photography, the inductive energy including a true inductive flash tube discharge pulse when the flash tube properly fires, the flash tube assembly including a flash tube, a tube power cable, and an exterior surface surrounding the flash tube and through which the tube power cable traverses, the flash monitor comprising:
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a housing member; an indicator attached to the housing member, the indicator being perceptible to an operator; means for removably mounting the housing member to be operatively responsive to an inductive energy associated with an excitation of a flash tube; remote detection means having no electrically conductive connection to the flash tube for providing a detection signal by responding to the inductive energy of the flash tube; verifying means for receiving the detection signal and providing a verification signal when the detection signal indicates that the inductive energy detected by the detection means includes a true inductive flash tube discharge pulse; and activating means responsive to the verification signal for activating the indicator for a predetermined time period; wherein the detection means, verifying means, and activating means are contained within the housing member. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A flash monitor for detecting an inductive energy of a flash tube assembly in photography, the inductive energy including a true inductive flash tube discharge pulse when the flash tube properly fires, the flash tube assembly including a flash tube, a tube power cable, and an exterior surface surrounding the flash tube and through which the tube power cable traverses, the flash monitor comprising:
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a housing member; an indicator attached to the housing member, the indicator being perceptible to an operator; means for removably mounting the housing member to be operatively responsive to an inductive energy associated with an excitation of a flash tube, the mounting means securing the housing member to one of the exterior surface of the flash tube assembly and the tube power cable, thereby positioning the detection means sufficiently near one of the flash tube and the tube power cable for reliable detection of the inductive energy; detection means having no electrically conductive connection to the flash tube for providing a detection signal by responding to the inductive energy of the flash tube; verifying means for receiving the detection signal and providing a verification signal when the detection signal indicates that the inductive energy detected by the detection means includes a true inductive flash tube discharge pulse; activating means responsive to the verification signal for activating the indicator for a predetermined time period; and a source of power for powering the indicator, the verifying means, and the activating means; wherein the detection means, verifying means, activating means, and source of power are contained within the housing member. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A flash monitor alarm to be mounted in a vehicle for detecting short rise time optical pulses that are indicative of operation of halogen or gas discharge flashers of an emergency vehicle comprising:
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a housing member; an indicator attached to the housing member, the indicator being perceptible to an operator; means for removably mounting the housing member to be operatively responsive to the short rise time optical pulses associated with the flashers of an emergency vehicle; detection means having no electrically conductive connection to the flashers for providing a detection signal by responding to the short rise time optical pulses of the flashers; verifying means for receiving the detection signal and providing a verification signal when the detection signal indicates that the optical pulses detected by the detection means includes a true short rise time optical pulse; and activating means responsive to the verification signal for activating the indicator for a predetermined time period; wherein the detection means, verifying means, and activating means are contained within the housing member. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A flash monitor for detecting an inductive energy of a flash tube assembly in photography, the inductive energy including a true inductive flash tube discharge pulse when the flash tube properly fires, the flash tube assembly including a flash tube, a tube power cable, and an exterior surface surrounding the flash tube and through which the tube power cable traverses, the flash monitor comprising:
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a housing member; an indicator attached to the housing member, the indicator being perceptible to an operator; detection means for providing a detection signal by responding to the inductive energy of the flash tube, the detection means selected from the group consisting of an inductor and a detector capacitor connected in parallel, and a magnetostrictive sensor with a current transformer; means for removably mounting the housing member to be operatively responsive to the inductive energy associated with the firing of the flash tube, the mounting means securing the housing member to one of the exterior surface of the flash tube assembly and the tube power cable, thereby positioning the detection means sufficiently near one of the flash tube and the tube power cable for reliable detection of the inductive energy; verifying means for receiving the detection signal and providing a verification signal when the detection signal indicates that the inductive energy detected by the detection means includes a true inductive flash tube discharge pulse; activating means responsive to the verification signal for activating the indicator for a predetermined time period; and a source of power for powering the indicator, the verifying means, and the activating means; wherein the detection means, verifying means, activating means, and source of power are contained within the housing member. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A flash monitor alarm to be mounted in a vehicle for detecting short rise time optical pulses that are indicative of the operation of halogen or gas discharge flashers of an emergency vehicle comprising:
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a housing member; an indicator attached to the housing member, the indicator being perceptible to an operator; means for removably mounting the housing member to be operatively responsive to the optical pulses associated with the flashers of an emergency vehicle; detection means responsive to the short rise time optical pulses of the flashers for providing a detection signal, the detection means comprising an inductor and a photodiode connected in parallel; verifying means for receiving the detection signal and providing a verification signal when the detection signal indicates that the optical pulses detected by the detection means includes a true short rise time optical pulse; and activating means responsive to the verification signal for activating the indicator for a predetermined time period; wherein the detection means, verifying means, and activating means are contained within the housing member. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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Specification