FI102118B - Self-programming alarm device - Google Patents

Description

102118

Self-programming alarm device

The present invention relates to alarm devices and in particular to alarm devices for use in the home, comprising a plurality of trip units, each of which can individually act on the central unit to trigger an alarm message.

10 It is known in home alarm systems that Akti can be enforced by the central unit so that the trigger unit can be used to call for help from the staff of the station in which the central unit is located. Such systems or devices operate on coded signals in which each trigger unit is, upon activation, adapted to send its own coded signal to the central unit. The central processing unit thus comprises a memory in which coded signals corresponding to all the trip units belonging to the device are stored, since the central processing unit is activated only when a comparison of the 20 received signals reveals that one of the signals stored in the memory corresponds.

When a new trip unit is connected to the device or when a modified coded signal has to be given to an existing trip unit due to a breakdown or other reason, the memory of the central unit must be supplemented with a corresponding coded signal. This has hitherto been a problem because such replenishment has had to be done physically, i.e. each trigger unit is provided with 30 corresponding memory cells installed in the memory of the central unit .. when the trigger unit is put into operation in the device.

It is also known to provide remote control system transmitter and receiver systems with their own microcomputers that can temporarily operate in programming mode, see U.S. Patent 4,529,980. For this purpose, a special separate programming transmitter is built into the transmitter units and a special separate programming receiver is built into the receiver units. Thus, programming transmitters and receivers are used only for programming purposes, because the transmitter units and receiver units have conventional transmitters and receivers for normal message communication. Such a structure with dual transmitter and receiver systems causes difficulties in the circuit hardware and results in high manufacturing costs.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alarm device in which the coded signals of the new and / or changed trip units of the device can be more easily programmed into the central processing unit. This is achieved according to the invention in such a way that each trip unit or central unit can be changed from its normal operating position (normal position) to a programming position. In the programming position, the actual transmitter of the trip unit is adapted to transmit a new or other known coded signal, which upon reaching the main receiver of the central unit makes the memory of the central unit receptive to this coded signal in the future after the alarm device is returned to its normal position. Thus, the alarm device can be said to be self-programmed by each trigger unit.

Unlike the known system according to the above-mentioned US patent, the trip units of the alarm device according to the present invention do not need their own CPU (central processing unit) 30 or a separate transmitter to transmit the programming signal. As a result, each trip unit comprises · the simplest possible circuit arrangements and low manufacturing and operating costs. Nor does the central unit require a separate receiver for programming 35, but always uses a conventional receiver. The device according to the present invention further provides a self-programming method 3 102118 which, in the normal position, makes the CPU receiver clearly receptive to the coded signal from the trip unit after the same coded signal has been input to the device once in the programming position. Thus, it is possible to provide direct programming of the central unit with the actual transmitter of the trip unit, i.e. the receiver responds only to the coded signal coming from this trip unit.

Thanks to the alarm device according to the invention, it is possible to program several trip units in the memory of the central unit, which is preferably an EEPROM connected to the CPU. The CPU is preferably provided with two alarm outputs, two corresponding alarm outputs and a detector output. Even the output pairs that indicate the alarm and affect the alarm can be connected to their own trip units or have a different alarm priority.

The present invention will be described in more detail below by means of a preferred embodiment, which illustrates the invention when used in a so-called home alarm device. The description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the principle of the device 25 according to the present invention, Figure 2 shows in partial block diagram a preferred embodiment of the central unit of the device of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the trigger unit of Figure 1.

30

Figure 1 illustrates the principle of a self-programming alarm device according to the present invention. The trip unit 1 comprises a code circuit 11 with a randomly selected code and a transmitter 12. The coded output signal of the transmitter 12 can be received by a receiver and a code detector 22 which is part of the central processing unit 2. The central processing unit 2 4 102118 also comprises a power supply circuit 21 and a processor 23 with a CPU - and the EPROM unit 24 and the memory 25. The processor 23 can be switched from the normal operating position N to the programming position P.

2 5

The trip unit 1 in the home alarm devices may comprise, for example, a portable alarm button (carried by a person to whom the home alarm system is connected), a fire alarm, a motion detector or some other moving and / or stationary triggering signal 10.

The transmitter 12 of the trip unit 1 and the receiver 21 of the central unit 2 may, as in the embodiment described here, be of the radio type. However, the invention can also be applied to other electromagnetic signal transmission, such as the use of infrared light, ultrasonic waves or the like, or it can use wired electrical signal transmission or optical transmission by means of fiber optics.

The device according to the present invention has a central unit 2 which serves one or more trigger units 1 or which can act on it. When a new trip unit 1 is connected to the device, the central unit 2 must learn the output signal of the new trip unit 1, which is given when the 25 trip units are activated and which is preferably coded differently from the other trip units. Since each trip unit 1 transmits a differently coded signal, the central unit 2 can indicate which trip unit is activated and clearly indicate by the indicator panel or other alarm device 30a L which trip unit 1 sends an alarm and thus also the cause of the alarm, e.g. personal call, fire alarm, limit.

When learning the new trip unit 1, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 35, the processor 23 of the central unit 2 is set to the programming position by means of a manually operating changeover switch 5 102118 26. A new trip unit 1 is then activated, the transmitter 12 of which transmits an encoded radio signal via its antenna 13. The antenna 27 of the receiver 22 of the central processing unit 2 receives a radio signal which is further input as a coded electrical signal to the CPU / EPROM unit 24 of the processor 23. The signal encoded from the CPU / EPROM unit 24 is further fed to a memory 25, preferably of the EEPROM type, where the encoded signal itself or its code is stored as a new reference signal. After a certain predetermined time, the toggle switch 26 returns to its normal operating position N. Thus, the central processing unit 2 is programmed to be receptive to the new triggering unit 1. Prior to this self-programming of the central unit 2, it cannot be activated by a new trip unit 1.

15

When the new trip unit 1 is reactivated after the self-programming completed by the CPU 2, the CPU 2 triggers an alarm L adapted to the new trip unit 1.

20

Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the central processing unit 23 and its CPU / EPROM 24 and EEPROM 25. The CPU / EPROM unit 24 consists of an IC circuit IC2 which is fed via a conductor 241 with an encoded signal from the receiver 25 and via a conductor 242 with detector signals from a code detector. The CPU / EPROM unit 24 is controlled via wires 281, 282 by a clock circuit 28 and has an input 261 connected to a programming toggle switch 26 to which the processor 23 can be connected as shown above in connection with Figure 30 1 between normal operation and programming. Further, there is a test input 243 through which the test signal is fed to the processor 23 to test drive this operation. In addition to this, e.g. connection 245 for CPU / EPROM unit 24 ALL code connection. The EEPROM memory 25 35 is connected to the CPU / EPROM unit 24 via wires 251, 252, 253, and 254 and consists of an IC circuit IC3.

6 102118

The embodiment of the processor 23 shown in Fig. 2 gives an example of an alarm device with two outgoing alarm signals L1, L2, each of which may be connected to its own trip unit or a group of trip units. The alarm signals L1, L2 are used to activate the alarm giving device. Each alarm signal L1, L2 comprises an indicator circuit, each comprising a light emitting diode D1, D2. The third indicator circuit and its light emitting diode D3 are used to indicate that a detector signal has been received from the conductor 242.

When the toggle switch 26 is in the programming position P (Fig. 1) and the conductor 241 becomes an encoded signal, the CPU / EPROM-15 unit 24 supplies this signal to the EEPROM memory 25, which stores the code denoting this signal. The alarm indication corresponding to this code is obtained by either diode D1 or D2. However, the alarm signal L1 or L2 is not input. After a predetermined time, the toggle switch 26 returns to the normal operating position N (Fig. 1).

2

If the above-mentioned coded signal is applied to the conductor 241 during normal operation of the processor 23 and after the EEPROM 25 has performed the above self-programming, the following processor operation is obtained. The detector signal is applied via line 242 to CPU / EPROM unit 24 and addressed by light emitting diode D3. The encoded signal is compared in the CPU / EPROM 24 with the control signals of the clock circuit 28 with the codes stored in the EEPROM 25.

Since the code of the coded signal and one of the codes stored in the EEPROM memory 25 correspond to each other, an alarm indication is obtained from the diode D1 or D2 in question while the alarm signals L1 and L2 are input from the CPU / EPROM unit 24.

Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the trip unit 1 and its transmitter 12, which is preceded by a code circuit 7 102118 11. Both the code circuit 11 and the receiver 12 are supplied with voltage from a power supply 14. The transmitter 12 is a conventional radio transmitter. The code circuit 11 is an IC circuit IC1 controlled by a clock circuit 15. The power supply 14 also comprises an activation switch 141 of the trip unit 1 5, which in Figure 3 is illustrated by a manually controlled switch present in the portable alarm buttons. The activation switch 141 may be of another type, e.g. an IR detector, a bimetallic contact or other switch element. The power supply 14 10 shown further includes a battery alarm.

When the activation switch 141 is first actuated, the code circuit 11 is generated via a randomly selected code individual circuit switch 111 connected to the IC circuit inputs A1-A7 and A9 of the code-circuit 11. The code generated in this way remains the code of the code circuit 11, which is always fed to the transmitter 12 via the wire 112 when the activation switch 141 is actuated. Transmitter 12 further feeds the code as an encoded signal to antenna 13, from which CPU 2 can receive it if the unit is programmed with that code as described in connection with Figure 2.

In Fig. 3, an alternative embodiment of the trip unit 1 is indicated by means of a coded switching switch 16 drawn in broken lines. By means of this coding changeover switch 126, which is shown connected to the transmitter 12 but which may just as well be connected to the coding circuit 11, the trip unit 1 can be set to the programming position P. The coding toggle switch 16 is preferably monostable and returns to its normal operating position immediately upon activation. As will be apparent from the following description, the encoding toggle switch 16 is intended to replace the programming toggle switch 26 connected to the processor 23 in Figures 1 and 2.

When the coding toggle switch 16 is activated and is set to the programming position P while the trip unit 1 is activated by the activation switch 141 to send its coded signal, the coding circuit 11 is adapted to associate a programming code with the coded signal. The central processing unit 2 (thus lacking a programming changeover switch 26 in this alternative embodiment) is then able to decide, e.g. by means of its detector line 242, whether the received signal is intended to reprogram the processor 23 or to change its programming. The EEPROM memory 25 of the processor 23 stores the code of the received coded signal (but without the programming code) so that the CPU 2 is continuously received in the continuous operation position when the coding switch 16 of the trip unit 1 is in the normal operating position N in the same manner as previously described in connection with Figure 2.

15

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings do not limit the invention, the principle of which can be used in many applications where a particular type of receiver is to be programmed to activate a particular predetermined code or group of codes.

Claims (8)

9 102118 An alarm device comprising at least one trip unit (1) and a central unit (2), wherein the trigger unit, when activated, can send an encoded output signal to affect the CPU tuned to the coded output signal to indicate receipt of a message from the activated trigger unit, characterized in 1) or the central processing unit (2) can be set to the programming position (P, P2) and the normal position N1, N2), 10 the actual transmitter (12) of the trip unit (1) in the programming position being adapted to transmit an encoded signal to the main processing unit (22) ) causes the central unit to receive the coded signal when the alarm device continues to operate in the normal position. 15 Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the trip unit (1) has a coding changeover switch (16) which is set to the programming position (P 1) in the first initial activation, the trip unit being adapted to send (via 112) an encoded output signal to which a programming code is added, which in the central processing unit (2) is adapted to program the memory (25) with the code of the received coded output signal. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the code circuit (11) comprises an IC circuit (IC1) with inputs (111) for inputting a selected code, which is preferably a unique number of the trip unit (1), the IC circuit being supplied with voltage from its own power supply (14) and 30 has an output (112) connected to the transmitter (12). Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the central processing unit (2) has a programming changeover switch (26) which can be set to the programming position 35 (P) for a limited time and which automatically returns to the normal position <V 10 102118 Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the central processing unit (2) comprises a CPU unit (24) which can be set to a programming position (P2) and a normal position (N2) by means of a programming toggle switch (26), the CPU unit being adapted to program a memory (25) with the code of the coded output signal received from the activated trip unit (1) when the CPU unit is adjusted in the normal position, after comparing the codes previously stored in the memory (26), to send an alarm signal (L; L1, L2) when received the encoded output signal in the comparison corresponds to some code stored in the memory. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the alarm signal (L; L1, L2) transmitted by the CPU unit (24) is adapted to activate the alarm element belonging to the trigger unit (1) transmitted by the coded signal. Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the memory (25) is an EEPROM. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the CPU unit (24) and the memory (25) are connected to a receiver (22) for receiving coded output signals transmitted from the transmitter 25 (12) of each trip unit (1). 11 102118