Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
  • G08B21/00—Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for
  • G08B21/02—Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
  • G08B21/04—Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons
  • G08B21/0407—Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons based on behaviour analysis
  • G08B21/043—Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons based on behaviour analysis detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
  • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
  • G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
  • G08B25/00—Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
  • G08B25/001—Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an alarm system which provides an alarm signal after a predetermined time unless the user operates a deactivating control within said period.
• the invention has particular, but not exclusive application to security alarm systems and also alarm systems for use by invalids or infirm persons, especially elderly persons, living alone.
• Various devices have been proposed to assist such persons in make their incapacity known but the majority of these devices presently available commercially rely upon the person operating some form of warning device, for example, placing a card in the window of their dwelling or pressing a control to actuate a mechanical or electrical warning device.
• an alarm system comprising a primary timer for providing a first alarm signal at a predetermined first time interval; preliminary alarm means actuated by said first alarm signal to indicate that said first interval has expired; a secondary timer for providing a second alarm signal at a predetermined second time interval after actuation of the preliminary alarm means; main alarm means actuated by said second alarm signal to indicate that the combined first and second time intervals have expired; and a manually operable override control operable at any time during said first and second time intervals to cancel said f irst alarm signal or sa id second alarm signal.
• the invention provides an entry security alarm, the alarm system being activated before an entry, e.g. front door, is opened to a stranger, the override control deactivating the alarm system as well as cancelling the first or second alarm signals.
• the primary timer provides the first alarm signal at consecutive predetermined first time intervals, the override control being operable during each of said consecutive first time intervals and corresponding second time intervals to cancel the first or second alarm signals.
• the alarm system may be specificallyactivated, e.g. during a period of high security risk, or may be continuously activated, for instance as an alarm for invalids or infirm persons living alone; providing continuing consecutive first time intervals and first and second alarm signals which must be cancelled periodically to prevent actuation of the main alarm means.
• the alarm system is electrically powered, by, for example, mains voltage or accumulators such as dry cell batteries.
• the timer can be an electric clock and the alarm means can be an electrically illuminated sign.
• accumulators renders the system of the invention independent of the mains electricity supply to the place or dwelling in which it is used. It is preferred that the system should include rechargeable accumulator (s) and a mains voltage charging circuit whereby the system is normally powered by mains voltage but will operate on the accumulator (s) in the event of a mains voltage failure.
• the primary timer comprises a binary divider to which periodic electrical impulses are applied.
• the primary and secondary timers are in an electrical citcuit comprising CMOS-type integrated circuits, especially binary ripple counter(s) and AND gate(s).
• the primary and secondary timers may be incorporated in a singletimer.
• the primary timer can be adapted to provide an alarm signal at consecutive predetermined first time intervals, the duration of which intervals are independent of operation of the override control. Alternatively, said time intervals can commence with each occasion that said control is operated and be prematurely terminated upon next operation of the override control within the predetermined time interval.
• the predetermined first and second time intervals can be fixed when assembling the timer or provision can be made for adjusting said intervals as required.
• Equal predetermined first time intervals can be provided or the timer programmed to provide predetermined major time intervals of different lengths depending upon the time of day. For instance, two or three hour intervals can be provided during normal waking hours, e.g. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., but a single, e.g. eleven, hour interval provided overnight.
• the preliminary and main alarm means can be audio and/or visual alarms but preferably the main alarm means is visual with or without a supplementary audio alarm.
• the main alarm will be located at a position remote from the timer.
• said main visual alarm should be an illuminatable sign adapted to be continuously or intermittently (i.e. flashing) illuminated in response to the alarm signal.
• the sign is adapted to be displayed in a window by, for example, standing on a window sill or secured to the window glass.
• the sign includes words or a device which when illuminated clearly indicates to a passer-by that assistance is required.
• the sign might have the letters "S.O.S.” or the word "HELP".
• the override control is manually operable and can be located remote from or adjacent to the primary timer.
• said control can be a press-button which when depressed closes an electrical circuit to cancel the next preliminary alarm signal.
• said press-button can operate a mechanical linkage to serve the same purpose.
• the preliminary timer provides an alerting signal a short time before the main alarm means operates in order to remind the user that the override control has not been operated within the major time interval. In this manner inadvertant operation of the main alarm means can be avoided.
• the alarm system of this invention will provide an indication of the expiry of any predetermined time interval during which the over ride control is not operated.
• the alarm system can be accommodated within a single housing of, for example, plastics material, although it is possible for the components parts thereof to be located in different positions in the dwelling.
• the alarm system can incorporate a temperature- sensitive override control to automatically actuate the main alarm means in the event that the temperature at a monitored location falls below and/or rises above predetermined threshold value (s).
• s predetermined threshold value
• the system can provide a warning of a risk of hypothermia and/or a fire alarm.
• the system usually will have a manually operable switch to immediately actuate the main alarm in the event that immediate assistance is required.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an alarm system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of an alarm system in accordance with a second preferred but simplified embodiment of the invention.
• an alarm system comprises an electrical charger 1 supplied with mains voltage electricity and charging a bank of rechargeable accumulators 2.
• a primary timer 3 is powered by said accumulators 2 and is arranged to provide a preliminary alarm signal after a predetermined major time interval of, for example, 24 hours. Said signal actuates a secondary timer 4 but manual operation of a cancel/reset switch 5 at any time resets the primary timer 3 to commencement of the time interval and cancels both said alarm signal and an alarm signal from the secondary timer if said signal(s) have been generated.
• the secondary timer 4 provides a main alarm signal after a predetermined minor time interval of, for example, 5 minutes, following actuation unless the switch 5 is operated in the interim.
• the preliminary alarm signal actuates a preliminary alarm 6 which can be a buzzer and/or lamp and which is intended to be located within a dwelling in which the system is to be installed. Accordingly, alarm 6 constitutes, a reminder to the user of the system to operate the switch 5 unless a main alarm 7 is to be given.
• the alarm 7 can be a buzzer and/or lamp and is intended to be located remotely from the switch 5, usually externally of the dwelling, to attract the attention of persons other than the user of the system.
• a manually-operable emergency switch 8 is connected in parallel with the timers 3, 4 to override said timers and provide immediate actuation of alarm 7 if urgent assistance is required.
• a low temperature sensor 10 is connected in parallel with timer 3 to provide the preliminary alarm signal in the event that the temperature of the monitored location falls below a predetermined minimum level.
• a high temperature sensor (i.e. fire sensor) 9 is. connected in parallel with switch 8 to provide the main alarm signal in the event that the temperature at said location exceeds a predetermined maximum level.
• the major and minor time intervals will be fixed during manufacture but adjustable timers 3, 4 can be provided if required.
• the components 1 to 6 and 8 to 10 conveniently are located in a single housing with the main alarm 7 remote therefrom.
• the timers 3, 4, switches 5, 8 and alarms 6, 7 can be incorporated in a circuit substantially as shown in Figure 2, which figure shows a circuit corresponding to a block diagram differing from Figure 1 in that items 1, 2, 9 & 10 are omitted.
• a 240 volt A.C. mains electrical supply 5 is applied to the primary winding of a transformer 11 having two 12 volt secondary windings.
• the voltage VCC derived from one of said secondary windings is applied to the respective last pins of integrated circuits A, B, C, D constituting the primary and secondary timers 3, 4.
• the voltage VDD derived from the other of said secondary windings is applied to the alarms 6, 7 as shown.
• the integrated circuits are of the CMOS-type with A and B being
• Alarm 6 comprises a green lamp 6a in parallel with a buzzer 6b whereas alarm 7 comprises an illuminatable "HELP" sign 7a, a loud buzzer 7b and a red lamp 7c.
• the lamp 7c is mounted adjacent lamp 6b on a housing enclosing the circuit except for sign 7a and buzzer 7b which are intended to be located remotely from the housing, for example externally of a dwelling in which the alarm is situated or in a window of said dwelling.
• the alarm system is of use for purposes other than as an alarm to bring assistance to elderly or infirm persons.
• the system could be readily adapted for security use whereby an alarm is given if a guard fails to operate the override control within the relevant time period.
• the electrical charger 1, rechargeable accumulators 2, the manually-operable emergency switch 8, the high temperature sensor 9 and low temperature sensor 10 components are omitted from the system.
• the primary timer 3 is provided with an activator switch (not shown) and the cancel/reset switch 5 is not adapted to reset the primary timer 3 but only cancel the first and second alarm signals.
• This variation of the system is particularly suitable as an entry alarm system, being activated by the activator before an unknown person is allowed to enter, e.g. on opening of 9 a domestic front door. If the unknown person turns out to be an unwanted intruder, the cancel/reset switch is not used resulting in the setting off of the external alarm 7.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Psychiatry (AREA)
• Psychology (AREA)
• Social Psychology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine (AREA)
• Alarm Systems (AREA)

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Cited By (1)

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• 1980
  • 1980-10-31 JP JP55502430A patent/JPS57501799A/ja active Pending
  • 1980-10-31 WO PCT/GB1980/000189 patent/WO1982001612A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1980-10-31 EP EP19800901965 patent/EP0072787A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1980-10-31 AU AU64817/80A patent/AU6481780A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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