AU2004100661A4

AU2004100661A4 - Door answering system

Info

Publication number: AU2004100661A4
Application number: AU2004100661A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Max Dirnberger; Michael Szulc
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-08-18
Filing date: 2004-08-12
Publication date: 2004-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 2012-08-12

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Applicant(s): MICHAEL SZULC Invention Title: DOOR ANSWERING SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 DOOR ANSWERING SYSTEM Field of the Invention This invention relates to a door answering system for domestic dwellings, apartment blocks and the like.

Background Art Domestic dwellings usually include a simple door bell in order to alert an occupant to the fact that someone may be visiting. If the occupant is home, then the occupant can answer the door. However, if the occupant is not home, there is generally no convenient way for leaving an indication that someone has visited or leave any message for the occupant. Whilst cards or notes can be scribbled and attached to the door, these are often lost and do not provide a very convenient way of advising the occupant of a visitor.

Apartment blocks can be provided with a security system in which a visitor needs to press a button located at an exterior door which alerts the occupant of one of the apartments in the block. If the occupant is at home, the occupant is able to view the visitor via a camera monitor system and also speak to the visitor. The occupant is able to release the outer door of the apartment so the visitor can enter the apartment block and then travel to the occupant's apartment. However, once again, if the occupant is not at home, there is no convenient way of leaving a message or alerting the occupant that there has been a visitor.

Summary of the Invention The object of the invention is to provide a door answering system which overcomes this problem.

The invention may be said to reside in a door answering system comprising: \\melb_filea\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 3 a door bell device for location at a door of the premises for alerting an occupant of the premises of the presence of a visitor; a voice transducer for location at the door of the premises; an answering device in the premises for actuation by the door bell device and for supplying a message to the transducer to alert the visitor that the occupant is not present and for inviting the visitor to leave a message; and wherein, in use, the visitor can speak into the transducer at the door so that a message is recorded by the answering device which can be later played back by the occupant.

Thus, if an occupant is not at home, a visitor can leave a message on the answering device after actuating the answering device by actuating the door bell device to alert the occupant of the visit by the visitor, and so the occupant can receive any message the visitor may wish to leave.

It should be understood for the purpose of this specification that a door bell device refers to any device which is activated by a visitor to alert an occupant of the arrival of the visitor, and includes knocker devices, push button buzzer-type devices or bell devices, and the like.

Preferably the voice transducer comprises a visitor speaker which can act in a speaker mode in which electrical signals are converted to acoustic waves, and in a microphone mode in which acoustic waves are converted into electrical signals.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the system also includes an occupant speaker which can function in a \\melb_files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 4 speaker mode for converting acoustic waves to an electrical signal, and in a microphone mode for converting acoustic signals into an electrical signal.

Thus, the visitor speaker can be used to record a message in the answering device, and both the visitor speaker and occupant speaker used to conduct an intercom conversation between the occupant and the visitor.

Preferably the system includes switching means for switching the occupant speaker and the visitor speaker between speaker mode and microphone mode.

Preferably the system includes a home/away mode switch for actuation by the occupant so that when the switch is in the home mode, the system in response to actuation of the door bell device by a visitor causes an audible sound to alert the occupant of the arrival of the visitor, but when the switch is in the away mode, actuation of the door bell device does not cause an audible sound, but rather causes playing of a greeting message in the answering device through the visitor speaker to alert the visitor that the occupant is away and inviting the visitor to leave a message.

Preferably the answering device includes a voice recording circuit and a processor for controlling the voice recording circuit.

Preferably the occupant speaker is connected to the voice recording circuit by a first circuit which includes a relay for selectively connecting the first circuit to the visitor speaker and the occupant speaker, so the visitor speaker and occupant speaker can be used in speaker mode.

Preferably the system includes a second circuit including a second relay for connecting the second circuit to the \\melb_files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 5 visitor speaker or the occupant speaker, so the visitor speaker and occupant speaker can be used in microphone mode.

Preferably the second circuit includes a first amplifier for amplifying a voice signal for presentation to the recording chip when a visitor is recording a message.

Preferably the second circuit includes a second circuit branch containing a second amplifier, the second circuit branch being connected to the voice recording chip for enabling the system to be used in intercom mode so the occupant and visitor can conduct a conversation.

Preferably the relays are controlled by outputs from the microprocessor so as to switch the relays depending on the intended mode of use of the system.

Preferably the door bell device is connected to the microprocessor for providing a request signal when the door bell device is activated, and if the system is in the home mode, the microprocessor outputs a door bell signal to a door bell circuit for sounding the door bell device.

Preferably the door bell circuit comprises a transistor for receiving the signal from the microprocessor which turns the transistor on so the transistor conducts to supply current to the door bell device to sound the door bell device.

If the system is in the away mode, the microprocessor, upon receipt of the request signal, does not output a signal to the door bell circuit so the door bell device does not sound, but rather outputs a signal to the voice recording circuit so that the greeting message is supplied from the circuit to the visitor speaker.

\\melbfiles\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 6 Preferably the first and second relays are controlled by outputs from the microprocessor, so as to switch on respective transistors so that current can conduct through respective coils of the relays to switch the relays.

Preferably the second circuit supplies electrical signals from either the visitor speaker or occupant speaker when the system is used in intercom mode, to an input of the voice recording circuit which in turn supplies those signals to the first circuit and to the first relay, so the signals can be supplied to the required one of the visitor speaker or occupant speaker.

Preferably the system includes a delete switch connected to the microprocessor for causing the microprocessor to output a signal to the voice recording circuit to delete recorded messages in the voice recording circuit.

Preferably the system includes a playback switch connected to the microprocessor for causing the microprocessor to output a signal to the voice recording circuit to playback messages recorded in the voice recording circuit.

Preferably the system includes a record greeting switch connected to the microprocessor for causing the microprocessor to output a signal to the voice recording circuit to enable an occupant to record a greeting message in the voice recording circuit.

Preferably the system includes a play greeting switch connected to the microprocessor for causing the microprocessor to output a signal to the voice recording circuit, so the voice recording circuit plays back the greeting message so the occupant can hear the message to ensure that the message is satisfactory.

\\melb_files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 7 Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of the system according to the preferred embodiment; and Figure 2 is a detailed circuit diagram of the system of the preferred embodiment.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment With reference to Figure 1, a schematic view of the system according to the preferred embodiment is shown. The system 10 comprises a unit 12 for mounting at the door which includes a door bell device 14 and a speaker 16. If the device is to be used within an apartment block, it may also include a camera 18.

The unit 12 is connected to an answering unit 20 located in the premises. The unit 20 has a speaker 22, a monitor 24 for viewing images captured by the camera 18, a record greeting button 26, a play greeting button 28, a delete button 30, and a play message button 32. The unit 20 may also include a door opening button 34 for opening an outside door if the system is used in an apartment block.

The unit 20 also has a home/away mode switch 36 which can be switched into a home mode when the occupant is at home, and to an away mode when the occupant is away.

With reference to Figure 2, the system includes a microprocessor 50 which has a programming port 52 connected to it to enable the processor 50 to be programmed to operate in the manner to be described hereunder. However, in use, the port 52 will not be used unless it is desired to change the programming of the processor 50. The processor 50 is connected to a digital voice recorder chip 54 by lines 56. A power supply 58 is provided for providing both 12 volt power and VCC voltage \\melb_files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 -8- (which may be 5 volts in the preferred embodiment) power to the circuitry shown in Figure 2. Such power supplies are conventional, and therefore will not be described in any further detail. The circuitry also includes a reference voltage supply 60 which includes resistors 61 and 62 and capacitor 63. Voltage is supplied to the resistor 61 and a reference voltage is available at 64 which is taken from between the resistors 61 and 62. The reference voltage is used to supply a reference voltage to amplifier circuits 70 and 72, which will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The switches 26, 28, 30, 32 and 36 are connected to the microprocessor 50 by lines 74. Conventional chip drive and reset circuitry 78 is also connected to the processor The circuitry includes a junction 75 which connects to the speaker 22 and a junction 76 which connects to the speaker 16 mounted at the door of the premises. The junction 76 also connects to the door bell 14. When the home and away switch 36 is in the away position shown in Figure 2, and the door bell device 14 is pressed, a signal on line 77 via resistor 78 (which is usually 5 volts) drops to zero, and the port 79 of the processor 50 drops to zero. This zero voltage signal forms a request signal so that the processor 50 can decide whether to sound the audible alarm associated with the door bell, or to activate the voice recorder chip 54 for playing a greeting message. When the switch is in the position shown in Figure 2, indicating that the occupant is away from the premises, the microprocessor does not cause the audible door bell sound to be generated because the occupant is not at home and is therefore not there to hear the door bell. Rather, the processor 50 outputs a signal on line 81 and 56 to the chip 54 which causes the chip 54 to output a greeting message contained within the chip 54 on speaker lines 82 \\melbfiles\home$\Luia\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 9which then pass through relay 83 to junction 76 and then to the speaker 16 so the greeting can be heard by the visitor. The greeting is a typical greeting advising that the occupant is not at home and inviting the visitor to leave a message by, for example, holding down the door bell device 14 and speaking into the speaker 16.

When the button 14 is depressed so that the visitor can leave a message, the microprocessor 50 changes the state of the output at microphone relay port 85 to zero volts.

This signal is received by line 87 which switches off transistor 88 so that voltage is not supplied from the 12 volt supply 89 through relay coil 90. The relay coil is associated with relay 91 and causes the relay to shift contacts 92 so the contacts 92 contact lines 93 so the speaker associated with the junction box 75 is connected through to amplifier 72 to lines 96 which are connected with the reference port and microphone port of the chip 54. The signal is then supplied to outlet port 97 which connects back to inlet port 99 so that the message can be recorded in the digital chip 54 for later playback to the occupant.

If the occupant is at home, and the switch 36 is switched to the home position, the processor 50 supplies an output signal at port 97 which is received by line 98 connected to transistor 100 so that the transistor 100 is switched on, and this enables current to be supplied to the audible alarm so that the door bell device is sounded to alert the occupant to the fact that the visitor has arrived at the door. The visitor may then answer the door in the conventional fashion.

However, if the occupant would rather conduct a conversation with the visitor before deciding whether the visitor should be granted entry to the premises, the system can be used in intercom mode so the occupant can \\melbfiles\home$\Lusa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 10 speak into the speaker 22, which will act as a microphone so the visitor can hear the occupant at speaker 16 and the visitor can reply by speaking into the speaker 16, which will then act as a microphone so that the occupant can hear the visitor at speaker 22. Thus, the speakers 16 and 22 are alternatively used as a microphone and speaker so that a two-way conversation can take place.

As previously mentioned, the relay 91 switches between the speakers 16 and 22 so that one can act as a microphone and the other act as a speaker, and the relay 83 switches between the speakers 16 and 22 so that the other of the speakers 16 and 22 can act as a speaker. The speaker relay 83 is controlled by a signal from port 101 which is supplied to line 102 which switches on transistor 103 so that current is supplied from the voltage supply 89 through the relay coil 105 which is associated with relay 83 so as to switch the relay contacts 106 and 107 of the relay 83.

Thus, if an intercom conversation is to be conducted, the occupant can control the conversation by pressing the button 32 whilst the switch 36 is in the home mode. When the button 32 is pressed, the occupant is able to speak to the visitor, and when the button 32 is released, the occupant is able to listen to the visitor. If there is no use of the switch 32 for a predetermined time period, the intercom system switches off. Thus, when the switch 36 is in the home mode and the switch 32 is pressed, signals are output from ports 85 and 101 to switch the relays 83 and 91 to place the speakers 16 and 22 into either speaker mode or microphone mode to enable the conversation to take place. Thus, when the relay 91 is in a position where the speaker 16 is in microphone mode and the signal is supplied via the relay 91 through the amplifier 72 to lines 110 and through amplifier 70 to auxiliary input port 111 of the chip 54. The signal is then supplied from the \\melb files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 11 chip 54 to the speaker lines 82 through the relay 83 to the speaker 22 so the occupant can hear the visitor.

When the mode switch 36 is in the home mode, this will cause the relays 91 and 83 to switch so that the speaker 22 now acts as a microphone and the signal is supplied via junction box 75 through the relay 91 to amplifier 72 through the lines 110 to amplifier 70 and into the auxiliary input port 111. Again, the output is on lines 82, which in this instance are switched to lines 115 and then to junction box 76 which is associated with the speaker 16 so the visitor can hear the occupant. This continues until the conversation is finished and the occupant can decide whether entry is to be granted to the visitor.

If the occupant has been away from the premises, on return of the occupant, the occupant will move the home and away switch 36 to the home position and this will cause the processor 50 to output a signal on port 117 which connects to line 118. The line 118 switches on transistor 120 so current is supplied through light emitting diode 122 and the light emitting diode can flash a number of times under the control of the processor 50 to indicate the number of messages which have been left for the occupant.

The occupant can play back the messages by pressing the play message button 32 providing a signal to the processor The processor 50 then outputs the appropriate signal on lines 56 and 81 to cause the messages recorded in the chip 54 to be played by output on speaker lines 82 through relay 83 to junction box 75 and to speaker 22 so the occupant can hear the messages which have been left.

The occupant can delete messages by pressing the delete button 30 which again causes a signal to be supplied to the microprocessor 50 so the microprocessor 50 in turn \\melbfiles\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 12 outputs an appropriate on lines 56 and 81 to cause the chip 54 to erase the memory which holds the recorded messages.

A greeting message can be loaded into the chip 54 by the occupant by holding closed the button 26. This will supply a signal to the processor 50, which in turn will supply a signal on lines 56 and 81 to the chip 54 to place the chip 54 in record mode for the greeting. The user can then speak into the speaker 22 which acts as a microphone so that the signal is supplied from the junction box via the amplifier 72 to the lines 96 and to the chip 54 for recording in the chip 54. The greeting message recorded by the occupant can be played back if the occupant wishes to hear the greeting message by closing switch 28 which supplies a signal to the processor Again, the processor 50 outputs an appropriate signal on the lines 56 to the chip 54, and the chip 54 plays the recorded greeting message by output on lines 82, which is supplied via the relay 83 to the junction box 75 and then to the speaker 22 so the occupant can hear the recorded message and make sure that it is satisfactory. If not, the recorded message can be recorded over and again listened to. This will continue until the occupant is satisfied with the recorded greeting message.

As is shown in Figure 2, the relay coils 90 and 105 are connected by diodes 140 which function as clamping diodes simply to prevent high voltage spikes from damaging the circuit componentry shown in Figure 2.

The amplifier 82 is made up by operational amplifiers 150 and 151 together with resistors 160. The purpose of the operation amplifiers is simply to amplify the signal which is supplied from the relay contacts 91 and 92 and then supplied to the line 96 or the line 110. Similarly, the amplifier 70 includes operational amplifiers 171 and 172 \\melb files\home$\Luisa\Keep\peci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 13 and resistors 173 which amplify the signals supplied on lines 110 for input into the auxiliary input port 111 of the chip 54. Reference voltages for supply to the operational amplifiers 151 and 172 is provided from the circuit 60 previously described.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", is used in an inclusive sense, ie. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Since modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled within the art, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described by way of example hereinabove.

\\melbfiles\homeS\Luiaa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04

Claims

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the voice transducer comprises a visitor speaker which can act in a speaker mode in which electrical signals are converted to acoustic waves, and in a microphone mode in which acoustic waves are converted into electrical signals.
3. The system of claim 1 or 2 wherein the system also includes an occupant speaker which can function in a speaker mode for converting acoustic waves to an electrical signal, and in a microphone mode for converting acoustic signals into an electrical signal.
4. The system of claim i, 2 or 3 wherein the system includes switching means for switching the occupant speaker and the visitor speaker between speaker mode and microphone mode. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the system includes a home/away mode switch for actuation by \\melb_files\homeS\Luiaa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 15 the occupant so that when the switch is in the home mode, the system in response to actuation of the door bell device by a visitor causes an audible sound to alert the occupant of the arrival of the visitor, but when the switch is in the away mode, actuation of the door bell device does not cause an audible sound, but rather causes playing of a greeting message in the answering device through the visitor speaker to alert the visitor that the occupant is away and inviting the visitor to leave a message.
6. The system of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the answering device includes a voice recording circuit and a microprocessor for controlling the voice recording circuit.
7. The system of claim 3 wherein the occupant speaker is connected to the voice recording circuit by a first circuit which includes a relay for selectively connecting the first circuit to the visitor speaker and the occupant speaker, so the visitor speaker and occupant speaker can be used in speaker mode.
8. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the system includes a second circuit including a second relay for connecting the second circuit to the visitor speaker or the occupant speaker, so the visitor speaker and occupant speaker can be used in microphone mode.
9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the second circuit includes a first amplifier for amplifying a voice signal for presentation to the recording chip when a visitor is recording a message.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the second circuit includes a second circuit branch containing a second amplifier, the second circuit branch being connected to \\melbfiles\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 16 the voice recording chip for enabling the system to be used in intercom mode so the occupant and visitor can conduct a conversation.
11. The system of claim 7 wherein the relays are controlled by outputs from the microprocessor so as to switch the relays depending on the intended mode of use of the system.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the door bell device is connected to the microprocessor for providing a request signal when the door bell device is activated, and if the system is in the home mode, the microprocessor outputs a door bell signal to a door bell circuit for sounding the door bell device.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the door bell circuit comprises a transistor for receiving the signal from the microprocessor which turns the transistor on so the transistor conducts to supply current to the door bell device to sound the door bell device.
14. The system of claim 7 wherein the first and second relays are controlled by outputs from the microprocessor, so as to switch on respective transistors so that current can conduct through respective coils of the relays to switch the relays. The system of claim 8 wherein the second circuit supplies electrical signals from either the visitor speaker or occupant speaker when the system is used in intercom mode, to an input of the voice recording circuit which in turn supplies those signals to the first circuit and to the first relay, so the signals can be supplied to the required one of the visitor speaker or occupant speaker. \\melb_files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Szulc Prov Door Answering System.doc 11/08/04 17
16. The system of claim 6 wherein the system includes a delete switch connected to the microprocessor for causing the microprocessor to output a signal to the voice recording circuit to delete recorded messages in the voice recording circuit.
17. The system of claim 6 wherein the system includes a playback switch connected to the microprocessor for causing the microprocessor to output a signal to the voice recording circuit to playback messages recorded in the voice recording circuit.
18. The system of claim 6 wherein the system includes a record greeting switch connected to the microprocessor for causing the microprocessor to output a signal to the voice recording circuit to enable an occupant to record a greeting message in the voice recording circuit.
19. The system of claim 6 wherein the system includes a play greeting switch connected to the microprocessor for causing the microprocessor to output a signal to the voice recording circuit, so the voice recording circuit plays back the greeting message so the occupant can hear the message to ensure that the message is satisfactory. A door answering system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. \\melb files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\szulc Prov Door Answering Syster.doc 11/08/04