Night light and alarm detector

• US 7,378,976 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Joseph August Paterno
• Original Assignee: David Joseph August Paterno
• Inventors: Paterno, David Joseph August
• Primary Examiner(s): BUGG, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US11/318,099
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 340/628
• US Class Current: 340/628
• 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 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

This invention relates to providing convenient night and pathway lighting this is integrated into a detector unit. Incorporating the illumination features into the detector unit provides the possibility to simplify the installation, utilize the backup battery power of the detector such that the illumination is provided even in a power outage, and further to allow illumination options that are directly linked to alarm events determined by the detector.

Claims

1. An integrated lighting and detector device comprising:

a) a source of illumination;

b) a sensor for detecting the level of ambient light;

c) at least one other sensor for detecting an alarm event; and

d) a mode select switch for providing at least two user selectable illumination options wherein said options comprise;

i) an alarm only illumination mode whereby the illumination source will illuminate only in response to the alarm event sensor; and

ii) an alarm and night-light illumination mode whereby the illumination source will illuminate in response to either the ambient light sensor or the alarm event sensor.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the alarm event sensor is selected from the group consisting of smoke, carbon monoxide, fire, temperature, motion, vibration, and sound.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the light source is an LED light source.

4. The device according to claim 1 containing a battery backup means and an additional sensor that detects the loss of primary power.

5. The device according to claim 4 wherein the mode select switch has a third option whereby the illumination source will illuminate only in response to an alarm event or a power outage.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein the light source will operate under a different illumination scheme depending on the mode selected.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein the light source will operate under a different illumination scheme depending on whether an alarm event or low ambient light is detected.

8. The device according to claim 5 wherein the light source will operate under a different illumination scheme depending on whether an alarm event, low ambient light, or power outage is detected.