Monitoring and alerting system for buildings
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring and responding to light levels below a predetermined level established by lights on or adjacent to a business installation to insure adequate consumer light level protection comprising:
- light sensing means for sensing the light levels in the immediate area of said installation, said light sensing means including a photocell, a microcomputer having a clock connected to said photocell taking very short time samples of the photocell output and converting said samples into digital light value signals varying with said photocell outputs;
program means causing said microcomputer to;
a) establish a predetermined "darkness detect" light value;
b) respond to a predetermined number of light value samples showing a progressive increase in light values to produce a signal to turn said lights off;
c) respond to another predetermined number of light value samples showing a progressive increase in light values to produce a sunset detect light value reference;
d) following a predetermined time period to respond to the occurrence of a light value corresponding to the sunset detect light value reference to produce a signal to turn said lights on;
e) following a set time period after said lights on signal to sample light values to establish a night reference light value;
f) beginning with step b) repeating the above steps;
a receiver receiving said lights off and lights on signals; and
means connected to said receiver and responsive to said lights on and lights off signals to produce output signals to turn said lights off and to turn said lights on.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed for sensing selected conditions particularly adjacent to an unoccupied commercial business building and taking the appropriate action. Corrective action may include shutting down a system, sending a signal to an occupied location for evaluation of the selected abnormal condition, or making a record of the abnormal condition for rectification at a later time. The system includes one or more light level sensors including microcomputer controlled photocell units directed to observe the light level at selected locations and to transmit signals indicating sensed light values below a desired value, and includes a receiver receiving the transmitted signals and which responds to such signals to produce a correction signal. If the commercial establishment is a bank and the light level is at an ATM (automatic teller machine) the system may respond to the correction signal by temporarily shutting the ATM machine down and illuminating a sign to indicate that the ATM is not open. If the condition sensed is a different type of discrepancy, failure of heating, water leak detection or other emergency, the system includes a modem and telephone communications link to a human monitoring station for instantaneous alerting and to allow corrective action.
241 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring and responding to light levels below a predetermined level established by lights on or adjacent to a business installation to insure adequate consumer light level protection comprising:
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light sensing means for sensing the light levels in the immediate area of said installation, said light sensing means including a photocell, a microcomputer having a clock connected to said photocell taking very short time samples of the photocell output and converting said samples into digital light value signals varying with said photocell outputs; program means causing said microcomputer to; a) establish a predetermined "darkness detect" light value; b) respond to a predetermined number of light value samples showing a progressive increase in light values to produce a signal to turn said lights off; c) respond to another predetermined number of light value samples showing a progressive increase in light values to produce a sunset detect light value reference; d) following a predetermined time period to respond to the occurrence of a light value corresponding to the sunset detect light value reference to produce a signal to turn said lights on; e) following a set time period after said lights on signal to sample light values to establish a night reference light value; f) beginning with step b) repeating the above steps; a receiver receiving said lights off and lights on signals; and means connected to said receiver and responsive to said lights on and lights off signals to produce output signals to turn said lights off and to turn said lights on. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for monitoring and responding to light levels adjacent an automatic teller machine to insure adequate light levels comprising light sensing means producing output signals varying with light levels sensed;
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computer means sampling said output signals over a predetermined period at night to produce a night reference value, further sampling said output signals and responsive to a predetermined number of signals representing increasing light values above said night reference value to provide a lights off signal, further sampling said output signals and responsive to further increases in sensed light values to provide and retain an evening turn on light value reference, further sampling said output signals until said evening turn on light value is sensed and providing a signal to turn said lights on, and further sampling said output signals for a predetermined period to establish a night reference light value; a transmitter transmitting said output signals; a receiver receiving said output signals; and means responsive to said received lights on and lights off signals for turning said lights on and off and responsive to said alarm output signal to initiate a desired corrective action. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16)
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13. A system for monitoring and responding to light levels below a predetermined level established by lights on or adjacent to a business installation to insure adequate consumer light level protection comprising:
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said light sensing means including a microcomputer controlled photocell for sampling said sensed light levels over a period of time to determine a night reference light value, for further sampling said light values and to respond to a specified number of light value increases to provide a signal to turn said lights off, for further sampling increasing light values to establish an evening turn on light value reference, for further sampling said light values until said evening turn on light value is sensed to provide a signal to turn said lights on; and means responsive to said signals for turning said lights on and off. - View Dependent Claims (15, 17)
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Specification