Lighting fixture with motion detector and announcement device

• US 5,726,629 A
• Filed: 02/07/1997
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raymond Y. Yu
• Original Assignee: Raymond Y. Yu
• Inventors: Yu, Raymond Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US08/796,933
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 340/565, 340/540, 340/541, 340/531, 340/573, 340/567, 340/692, 362/276
• US Class Current: 340/565
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting fixture with a motion detector is improved by incorporating an announcement device into the lighting fixture. The announcement device is a sound recording and playback device. When a person or an object enters into an area monitored by the motion detector, the motion will be detected by the motion detector. The motion detector will then turn on the lighting fixture and the announcement device to playback an announcement or a message through an amplifier and a speaker. The announcement can either be a prerecoreded announcement by manufacturer such as a warning to intruder, a welcome greeting to visitor or guest, a short tune of music etc. or a personalized announcement recorded by a user. In the first embodiment, the lighting fixture, motion detector and announcement device are assembled together within the lighting fixture body and formed integral parts of the lighting fixture. In the second embodiment, two or more lighting fixtures assembled together with motion detectors are connected to a single announcement device which is installed as a separate device to minimize the number of announcement devices required to serve the monitored area. In the third embodiment, a single motion detector is connected to two or more lighting fixtures and a single announcement device which is installed as a separate device to minimize the number of motion detectors and announcement devices required to serve the monitored area.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one lighting fixture includes an illumination device;

at least one motion detector to detect motion by a person or an object in an area monitored by said at least one motion detector;

an announcement device; and

means to turn on the said at least one lighting fixture and said announcement device to transmit a prerecorded announcement or message in response to motion detected by said at least one motion detector;

wherein said announcement device having means to record and playback said announcement or said message, and

said announcement can either be a prerecorded announcement by manufacturer, such as a warning to intruder, a welcome greeting to visitor or guest, or a short tune of music, or a personalized announcement recorded by a user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motion detector is an infrared at least one motion detector.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one motion detector is an ultrasonic motion detector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an amplifier which amplifies an audio signal transmitted from said announcement device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a speaker which converts an audio signal from an amplifier into sound.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motion detector and said announcement device are assembled together within said lighting fixture body and disposed to form integral parts of said lighting fixture.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motion detector is a separate device connected to said lighting fixture and does not form an integral part of said lighting fixture.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said announcement device is a separate device connected to said motion detector and does not form an integral part of said lighting fixture.