WO1995016250A1

WO1995016250A1 - Method and system for remote control and room supervision and use thereof

Info

Publication number: WO1995016250A1
Application number: PCT/FI1994/000552
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jouni Mikael Utter
Original assignee: Jouni Mikael Utter
Priority date: 1993-12-07
Filing date: 1994-12-07
Publication date: 1995-06-15
Also published as: EP0733249A1; FI935458A; FI935458A0; FI98328C; FI98328B

Abstract

A method and means for activating switches for electric apparatuses and the like by remote control so as to bring about a desired function. According to the method a pressure pulse or a row of pressure pulses of < 1.3 Pa, which is measured by means of a measuring detector (10) and is directed to a processor (12), is produced by contraction of the diaphragm muscles. The signals coming from the measuring detector are compared programmatically with predetermined values by means of the processor for elimination of signals caused by irrelevant pressure pulses and acceptation of signals brought about by a produced pressure pulse or a row of pressure pulses. The accepted signals are directed to a desired switch so as to activate the switch.

Description

Method and system for remote control and room supervision and use thereof.

The present invention relates to a remote-control system for activating a switch for electrical apparatuses or the like so as to bring about a desired function or indicate a change which has taken place inside a room, such as a break-in. The invention relates for instance to a switch system for switching electric current to the apparatus by remote control or activating a mechanical, hydraulic or the like function by remote control.

To turn on an electric light, or to switch on the radio or the television, to open a door, to call for help by an alarm device or the like functions are difficult tasks for a disabled person. Manually operated control devices are required even in remote-control apparatuses by means of which the above mentioned functions can be performed. If the hands are crippled, devices controlled by the mouth or the feet have to be used, which is awkward.

Alarm devices giving alarm, when, for instance, unauthorized persons move about inside a protected building, can be switched off by a key or a switch. The device to be switched off by a switch or a key is, however, usually located as unnoticeably as possible in a part of the room where an unauthorized person is not able to notice it easily. The device is often in this case also difficult to reach when authorized persons want to switch off the alarm. It is most desirable that the switching off of an alarm device could be effected more easily than is now the case.

There are alarm devices by means of which it is possible to detect for instance the intrusion of an unauthorized person into a closed room. The alarm devices do not, however, tell how the intrusion has been effected, and through which door, if there are several doors, or if the intrusion has been made by breaking a window. Thus, the alarm can not be arranged to be different depending on the mode of intrusion.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and a method by means of which the above mentioned disadvantages and shortcomings can be reduced. It is a particular object of the invention to provide a system and a method by means of which a person can by remote control activate devices or correspondingly switch off an activated device. It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and a method by means of which various incidents can be assessed and the operational commands, such as alarms, which are a consequence of them, can be given selectively.

These objects can be achieved by a remote-control method and system, characterized in that the system comprises:

- a measuring detector for receiving pressure pulses produced inside a room, and for converting the pulses into electrical signals,

- a processor for comparing the electrical signals with predetermined values, so as to eliminate signals caused by irrelevant pressure pulses and accept signals brought about by a produced pressure pulse or a row of pressure pulses, and

- means for leading the accepted signals to a desired switch so as to activate the switch and/or as desired information to an information output device, such as a display screen, connected to the processor.

The measuring detector is preferably an air pressure meter which is capable of measuring pressure pulses or rows of pressure pulses even < 1.3 Pa. The pressure pulse needed for the remote control can be achieved by, for instance, a movement of the diaphragm muscles. By means of a tensioning movement of the diaphragm a very small but, however, recordable characteristic change, a pressure pulse, can be produced in the barometric pressure inside the room, which according to the invention can be utilized to activate or switch off a switch. According to the invention, it is thus possible to generate different remote-control commands by one pressure pulse or several consecutive pressure pulses brought about by the diaphragm.

The pressure pulse a person produces by his diaphragm in the barometric pressure curve is relatively constant, about 0.1 - 1.3 Pa, usually 0.5 - 1.0 Pa. The pressure pulse has a characteristic sinusoidal shape. The pulse starts as a negative pressure pulse, for instance, and continues immediately thereafter as a smaller positive pressure pulse. The total duration of the pulses is about 300 - 600 milliseconds, usually about 400 - 500 milliseconds.

The pulses produced by a person's diaphragm are in spite of their smallness easily distinguishable from the background noise owing to their characteristic shape. The variations of the background noise, which inside a room normally are a few Pascals at the most, are caused by various changes in the environment, such as changes in the air conditioning or the wind conditions.

The above mentioned pressure pulses a person produces by his diaphragm are according to the invention easily distinguishable from the normal pressure background by means of a suitable measuring detector, an electronic filter and a programmed processor. A measuring detector which can perceive pressure pulses of about 0.1 - 1.3 Pa, and the accuracy of which is 1 % is well suited for detecting pressure pulses which have been brought about by the movement of the diaphragm. As a measuring detector for the pressure pulses can, for instance, a measuring detector be used which measures the absolute pressure inside the room and is provided with a reference pressure connector connected to a closed space, such as a closed cistern or an equalizing vessel. A small hole can, if desired, be made in the cistern or the vessel, which serves as an equalizing passage for slow pressure changes, for instance pressure changes caused by the temperature changes in the vessel.

The measuring detector can be provided with a voltage output producing a voltage signal proportional to the pressure difference, which is measured by a digital oscilloscope connected to the measuring detector.

A filter preventing pulses larger or smaller than a predetermined value from entering the processor is preferably connected between the measuring detector and the processor.

By means of the filter it is thus possible to eliminate from the signals coming from the measuring detector those signals which relate to pressure pulses

- which are higher or lower than the predeterminated pulses, and those pulses - the length of which is longer or shorter than that of the predetermined pressure pulses.

The filter can for instance comprise a pulse height separator which separates pulses the height of which is greater or smaller than a predetermined threshold height, which separated pulses form the background noise. In this way pressure pulses > 1.3 Pa and < 0.3 Pa, for instance, can be eliminated.

Further, the filter preferably comprises a pulse length separator which separates pulses the length of which is greater or smaller than a predetermined threshold length. In this way pressure pulses > 600 ms and < 300 ms, for instance , can be eliminated.

The signals coming from the measuring detector and the filter are directed to the processor where they are compared programmatically by so called artificial intelligence in the memory of the processor with predetermined acceptable pressure pulse signals in the identificatory memory for the remote-control command or for the cause of alarm.

The processor is programmed to identify acceptable pressure pulse signals according to their shape and to distinguish them from other pressure pulse signals received by the measuring detector. The processor can be programmed to identify pulses within predetermined tolerance values, so that small allowable deviations in the signals do not prevent them from being accepted.

The system according to the invention thus comprises a processor which can be used to accept predetermined pressure pulses or rows of pulses only and to ignore other pressure pulses or pulse rows existing at the same time.

The system according to the invention preferably comprises so called function control memory means for directing accepted pressure pulse signals as commands to desired switch means, for instance, a current switch for an electrical apparatus.

A person using the device according to the invention can by a small movement of the diaphragm for instance produce one or a plurality of pressure signals, by means of which, by varying the number of the pressure pulses or the interval between the pulses, a variety of functions can be performed without touching the remote-control devices by hand.

The invention can also be used to bring about an alarm by remote control. Any desired alarm system can be activated by one or several diaphragm movements at any given time. The system according to the invention can even be programmed so that different levels of alarm can be given by using different rows of pulses, i.e. the receiver of the alarm can by remote control get information about the cause of the alarm in each case.

The invention also relates to a remote-control system for indicating a change which has occurred inside a room, such as a break-in. The processor is then connected to a function control memory, in which an information command corresponding to each accepted alarm signal is stored so as to be directed to the desired information output device.

The system according to the invention can, if desired, be connected so that it functions inside the room actively, for example as a switch for electrical apparatuses or the like, or passively, for example as an indicator of changes such as intrusions into the room. The processor can thereby be controlled manually from the control panel by a "divider" to function in the desired mode.

When the system functions in the "active" mode, the signals coming from the measuring detector are preferably conducted through a filter, which efficiently removes all irrelevant signals and only allows entry of signals corresponding to very limited, very small pressure differences into the processor. When the system functions as a "passive" alarm device, the system operates with considerably larger pressure differences, wherefore the signals usually need be filtered only for removing the background noise.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, on which FIG. la shows a schematic diagram of a system according to the invention; FIG. lb shows another schematic diagram of a system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a curve printed by a plotter from a measurement in which there are three consecutive, rapidly repeated pressure pulses, produced by diaphragm muscles; FIG. 3 shows a curve similar to that of FIG. 2, in which there are three consecutive, slowly repeated pressure pulses; FIG. 4 shows a curve similar to that of FIG. 2, in which there are three separate pressure pulses; FIG. 5 shows a curve similar to that of FIG. 2, in which there are three consecutive pressure pulses in a rapidly changing background; FIG. 6 shows a curve similar to that of FIG. 2, in which there are no pressure pulses produced by diaphragm muscles, but in which the pressure pulse caused by closing a door and a part of the pressure pulse caused by opening a door can be seen; FIG. 7 shows a curve similar to that of FIG. 2, in which there are several separate pressure pulses produced in a fairly large room; and FIG. 8 shows a curve similar to that of FIG. 7, in which there are pressure pulses produced in a fairly large room, the doors of the room giving to the corridor being kept open.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a system according to the invention. The system comprises a measuring detector, i.e. an air pressure detector 10, for instance a Micromanometer MP6KSR meter made by Alnor Oy based on a capacitive pressure difference detector. The basic accuracy of the meter is 1 % and pressure differences below 0.1 Pa can reliably be measured with it. In the tests in which the absolute pressure in the test room was measured, a small closed cistern or vessel was connected to the reference pressure connection of the meter.

A filter, not shown in FIG. 1, can be connected to the air pressure detector 10. By means of the filter, the pressure pulses are eliminated whose height or length does not correspond with the height or length of the accepted pressure pulses.

The air pressure detector is preferably provided with a voltage output, which gives a voltage signal proportional to the pressure difference, (10 mV/Pa) , which is measured by a digital oscilloscope.

The preferably filtered pressure pulse signals obtained from the air pressure detector are directed to a processor 12 in which the signals are compared with the data in either the identificatory memory 18 for the remote-control command or the identificatory memory 19 for the cause of alarm so as to identify and accept or reject the signals. The processor is controlled from a control panel 16. A plotter, which is not shown in the figure, can be connected to the processor during the tests for illustrating the pressure pulses.

The accepted pressure pulse signals are compared with the commands stored in a function control memory 14 for passing the signals through a switch control unit 20 to the right switch 22 - 30. The signal codes coming to the processor by means of the identificatory memory and the function control memory are read binarily and are directed to activate the switch 22, 24, 26, 28 or 30 desired at any given time.

The processor identifies by means of the identificatory memories 18, 19 different pressure pulse signals and distinguishes between different types of signals, such as separate signals, two or three signals given rapidly one after another, or two or three signals given slowly one after another. The different types of signals are conducted by means of the function control memory 14 to activate the right switch at any given time.

By means of the system according to the invention it is thus possible to activate a different switch, for instance, by giving one single pressure pulse than by giving three consecutive pressure pulses within a given time.

The system according to the invention can also be used to identify pressure pulses of different types, such as pulses caused by opening different doors or by breaking a window. In that case, the signal coming from the measuring detector 10 is compared with the information about the pressure pulses stored in the identificatory memory 19 for the cause of the alarm, connected to the processor. The result of the comparison is shown on the display of the control panel 16 connected to the processor 12. The received information can on the other hand, if desired, also be directed as a command to the switch control unit 20 to switch on, for instance a sound or light signal.

FIG. lb shows a little more detailed schematic diagram of a system according to the invention, wherein the processor can be controlled from the control panel 16 by means of a "divider" 32 either into an active mode of operation, i.e. to activate the switches connected to the switch control unit 20 by means of pressure pulses, or into a passive mode of operation, i.e. to indicate produced pressure pulses on a display of the control panel 16.

In the system according to FIG. lb, a noise filter 34 is disposed between the measuring detector 10 and the function divider 32, so as to filter off the noise from the signals coming from the detector. When the processor is used in an active mode of operation, i.e. for instance for activating electric switches, the signals obtained from the detectors can at first be directed from the divider 32 to another filter 36, which removes pressure pulses which are too high or too long. Only thereafter are the signals identified in the processor 12 by means of the identificatory memory 18.

The identified signal is directed by a command from the function control memory 14 to activate the right switch at any given time.

In the system shown in FIG. lb, the signals from the control panel can be directed from the divider 32 directly to the processor, in which the signals are identified by means of the identificatory memory 19 for the cause of alarm. The identified signal is passed from the identificatory memory 19 through the function control memory 14 to the display of the control panel to show the identified incident, such as the opening of a certain door. The processor preferably also stores in its memory the causes of the alarms, for instance doors being opened, and gives information about this to the display of the control panel. If the processor is not capable of identifying the incident, the signal can be arranged to be shown as the frequency of the signal on the display.

In the system according to FIG. lb the function of the processor 12 is thus controlled by the divider 34 disposed after the air pressure detector 10 and the background noise filter 34. The signals from the air pressure detector are alternatively directed along path I through the height/length filter 36 to the processor to be identified or along path II directly to the processor to be identified.

In the tests which were made in rooms having a volume of 50 m³ and 200 m³ and mechanical ventilation, the doors and the windows being closed during part of the tests, it was noticed that the pressure pulses caused by a person's diaphragm muscles had a characteristic shape and were easily distinguishable from other pressure variations. The results of the tests were recorded by a plotter. The scale of the plotter curve on the horizontal time axis is 1.2 seconds/cm. The time is recorded from the right to the left.

In the tests shown in FIGS. 2 - 6, a room having a volume of 50 m³ was used, the ventilation being shut off. In the tests shown in FIGS. 7 - 8, a room having a volume of 200 m³ was used, the ventilation being switched on. In the tests according to FIGS. 7 - 8 a better and larger reference pressure vessel for the measuring meter was used than in the tests according to FIGS. 2 - 6, which partly explains the lower level of the background noise. The scale of the curve on the pressure axis is 0.5 Pa/cm in FIGS. 2 - 6 and 0.2 Pa/cm in FIGS. 7 - 8.

FIG. 2 shows a plotter curve recorded during the measurements, in which three rapidly repeated, consecutive pressure pulses 32 brought about by the diaphragm muscles can be seen. The pressure pulses are clearly noticeable and they begin as a negative pressure and continue as a small positive pressure pulse. Three rapid, consecutive pulses take about 1.5 seconds.

FIG. 3 shows a curve like that of FIG. 2, in which there are also three consecutive pressure pulses 34, but more slowly repeated than the previous one. These pressure pulses are also identifiable because of their shape.

FIG. 4 shows a curve like that of FIG. 2, in which there are three consecutive, separate pressure pulses 36, 38 and 40. The pressure pulses are, although they are separate, clearly distinguishable from the curve.

FIG. 5 shows a curve like that of FIG. 2, in which there are three consecutive pressure pulses 42, 44 and 46 against a rapidly changing background. The pressure pulse 42 occurs in a period during which the pressure changes rapidly, but it is nevertheless clearly distinguishable from the background in the portion of the curve in which the pressure decreases. In the processor, a slowly changing pressure curve can be eliminated, whereby the pressure pulses, pulse 42 in particular, is even better distinguishable.

FIG. 6 shows, for the sake of comparison, pressure pulses

48 and 50, which are produced when a door is opened or closed. From FIG. 6 it can be seen that such pressure pulses are of quite a different order than the pressure pulses brought about by, for instance, a person's diaphragm muscles and can therefore easily be eliminated.

FIG. 7 shows a curve like that of FIG. 2 of tests which were made in the larger room of about 200 m³, the ventilation of normal office quality being switched on, and the doors being closed. The pressure pulses 52 were distinctly recorded. The shape of the individual pressure pulses is very similar.

FIG. 8 shows a curve like that of FIG. 7 of tests which were made in the same room, but with two doors being open to a very large corridor. The connection between the room and the corridor dampens the pressure pulses 54 considerably, but the pulses are nevertheless clearly distinguishable.

The system according to the invention thus comprises a measuring detector 10, a processor 12 and identificatory memories 18, 19 which can be used to detect and identify predetermined pressure pulses or rows of pulses only, and which is programmed to ignore other pulses or rows of pulses being present at the same time. The system according to the invention further comprises a function control memory 14 and a switch control unit 20 for directing the accepted pressure pulses or rows of pressure pulses as commands to desired switch means 22, 24, 26, 28 or 30.

The system according to the invention functions, for instance so that a measuring detector, a processor and the required switch circuits are disposed inside the room where remote controlled functions are needed. The processor is programmed to compare pressure pulses coming from the measuring detector with data stored in the memory about signals which are to be rejected or accepted. The accepted signals are directed to the switch control unit which, depending on the signal, switches on the desired switch. The switch can, for instance in a bank or the like building activate a desired alarm. The switch can be an electric switch for turning on a light, switching on the radio or for switching electric current to an actuator which, for instance, opens a window or a door. The switch can also be arranged to activate a transfer mechanism which moves some object to a desired place. The switch can further be used to activate hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical devices.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated above, but can be varied in many ways within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims. The processor of the system according to the invention can be used for identifying a variety of different pressure signals, and for using this information selectively.

Claims

1. A remote-control system for activating a switch for electrical apparatuses or the like so as to bring about a desired function or indicate a change which has taken place inside a room, such as a break-in characterized in that the system comprises:

- a measuring detector (10) for receiving pressure pulses produced inside the room, and for converting the pulses into electrical signals,

- a processor (12, 18, 19) for comparing the electrical signals with predetermined values, so as to eliminate signals caused by irrelevant pressure pulses and accept signals brought about by a produced pressure pulse or a row of pressure pulses, and

- means (14) for directing the accepted signals to a desired switch so as to activate the switch and/or as desired information to an information output device, such as a display screen, connected to the processor.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that a identificatory memory (18, 19), in which there are stored predetermined values of relevant and irrelevant pressure pulses to be used in the comparison, is connected to the processor.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that a function control memory (14) , in which there is stored a corresponding control command to a desired switch for each accepted control signal or a corresponding information command to a desired information output device for each accepted alarm signal.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring detector is a capacitive pressure difference detector having an accuracy of 1 % by means of which pressure differences below 0.5 Pa, preferably below 0.1 Pa, can be measured.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that a filter (34, 36) is connected between the measuring detector and the processor so as to filter off the pressure pulses related to the background noise.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that by means of the filter it is possible to eliminate from the signals coming from the measuring detector those signals which relate to pressure pulses

- which are higher or lower than the predetermined pressure pulses, and those pulses

- the length of which is longer or shorter than that of the predetermined pressure pulses.

7. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that the filter comprises a pulse height separator, which separates pulses the height of which is greater, for instance > 1.3 Pa, or smaller, for instance < 0.3 Pa, than a predetermined threshold height, which separated pulses are so called background noise.

8. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that the filter comprises a pulse length separator, which separates pulses the length of which is greater, for instance > 600 ms, or smaller, for instance < 300 ms, than a predetermined threshold length.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring detector is an air pressure meter which measures the absolute pressure inside the room and is provided with a reference pressure connector connected to a closed space, such as a closed equalizing vessel.

10. The system according to claim l, characterized in that - a measuring detector which is sensitive enough to be capable of measuring pressure pulses or rows of several consecutive pulses produced by a person's body, for instance by the movement of the diaphragm muscles, which are about 0.1 - 1.3 Pa, preferably 0.5 - 1 Pa, is used as a measuring detector, and that - the processor is programmed to distinguish according to its/their shape a small pressure pulse/pulses produced in this way from other pressure pulses received by the measuring detector.

11. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring detector is provided with a voltage output which produces a voltage signal proportional to the pressure difference, and that the measuring detector is connected to a digital oscilloscope for measuring the voltage signal, which signal is compared programmatically with predetermined accepted pressure pulse signals stored in the memory of the processor.

12. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that the system comprises means for directing the accepted electrical signals as commands to the switch means or information output device determined by the function control memory (14) .

13. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises a processor which can be used to accept pressure pulses or rows of pulses having a predetermined shape only and to ignore other pressure pulses or pulse rows existing at the same time.

14. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the processor comprises means, which can be used for forming commands which activate desired electric apparatuses or the like, for instance switch current to the electric apparatuses.

15. A method of activating switches for electric apparatuses by remote control so as to bring about a desired function, characterized in that according to the method:

- a pressure pulse or row of pressure pulses of < 1.3 Pa produced inside a room, for instance during a break-in or by diaphragm muscles, is received and converted into an electric signal by means of a measuring detector; - the pressure pulses received by the measuring detector and converted into electric signals are programmatically compared with predetermined values by means of a processor for the elimination of signals caused by irrelevant pressure pulses and acceptation of signals brought about by produced pressure pulses or rows of pressure pulses; and

- the accepted signals are directed to desired alarm means or switches so as to activate the switches.

16. The system according to claim 15, characterized in that an approximately sinusoidal pressure pulse of 0.1 - 1.3 Pa produced by the diaphragm muscles, the duration of which is 300 - 600 ms, is identified by means of the processor.

17. The use of the system according to claim 1, characterized in that the system is used for activating by remote control electric or other apparatuses, such as for switching current to the electric apparatuses or bringing about an alarm by producing a pressure pulse, which activates the switch, by the movement of the body, for instance the diaphragm.

18. The use of the system according to claim 1, characterized in that the system is used for indicating the opening of a door or a window in connection with a break- in.