Doorbell system and doorbell chime

• US 9,818,267 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell House
• Original Assignee: Novar ED&S Limited (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, Christopher, Hargreaves, Dominic, Haeffner, Felix, Rangson, Iphin
• Primary Examiner(s): Small, Naomi
• Application Number:
  US14/967,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20160171847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 340326
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A doorbell system comprises a doorbell chime (18), a first doorbell push (10) for sending a first input signal to the doorbell chime (18) in response to the first doorbell push (10) being activated, and a second device, such as a second doorbell push (14), for sending a second input signal to the doorbell chime (18). The doorbell chime (18) is arranged to emit light (24) of a first color in response to receiving the first input signal and light of a second, different, color in response to receiving the second input signal. The light (24) may be emitted around a perimeter of the doorbell chime, such that it creates a halo effect around the part of the door chime located within said perimeter.

Claims

1. A doorbell system comprising:

a doorbell chime,

a first doorbell push for sending a first input signal to the doorbell chime in response to the first doorbell push being activated;

a second doorbell push for sending a second input signal to the doorbell chime in response to the second doorbell push being activated;

wherein the doorbell chime further comprises;

a speaker unit comprising a mesh cover, the speaker unit arranged to emit one or more sounds; and

a light unit, the light unit being arranged to emit light of a first colour in response to receiving the first input signal and light of a second, different, colour in response to receiving the second input signal, wherein the light unit is formed around a perimeter of the doorbell chime such that the light unit, when illuminated, creates a halo effect around the part of the door chime located within said perimeter.

2. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a third input device for sending a third input signal to the doorbell chime, wherein the doorbell chime is arranged to emit a light of a third colour in response to receiving the third input signal.

3. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the third colour is different to both the first colour and the second colour.

4. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the doorbell chime is arranged to emit a first audible alarm via the speaker unit in response to the first doorbell push being activated, and the doorbell chime is arranged to emit a second audible alarm via the speaker unit in response to the second input signal being received.

5. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first audible alarm is different from the second audible alarm.

6. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the doorbell system is arranged to operate in a first mode, where the first audible alarm and second audible alarm may be emitted, and a second, muted, mode, where the first audible alarm and second audible alarm are deactivated.

7. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the doorbell chime comprises a user activated switch for switching between the first mode and second mode.

8. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the doorbell chime is arranged to switch from the second, muted, mode to the first mode, in dependence on an output of a timer circuit.

9. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the timer circuit is arranged to be activated by a user of the doorbell chime, such that the user can select a duration over which the doorbell chime is in the second, muted, mode.

10. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the user activated switch comprises a single switch.

11. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the doorbell chime is arranged such that a number of consecutive presses of the single switch determines a duration for which the doorbell chime stays in the second, muted, mode.

12. A doorbell system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light unit is operable in a night light mode.

13. A doorbell system according to claim 1, wherein the light unit extends around the outside of the mesh cover of the speaker unit.

14. A method of operating a doorbell system, comprising:

in response to a first doorbell push being activated, emitting light of a first colour from a light unit;

in response to a second doorbell push being activated, emitting light of a second, different colour from the light unit; and

wherein the light unit is formed around a perimeter of the doorbell chime, such that the light unit, when illuminated, creates a halo effect around the part of the door chime located within said perimeter.

15. A doorbell chime comprising a speaker, the doorbell chime arranged to operate in a first active mode in which the speaker is arranged to emit a sound in response to activation by a doorbell push, and a second mute mode in which the speaker is arranged not to emit a sound in response to activation by a doorbell push, wherein the second mute mode is initiated by a user activating a mute button, wherein a duration of time in which the doorbell chime remains in the second mute mode depends on a number of consecutive actuations of the mute button by the user.