GB2159649A

GB2159649A - Neighbourhood and/or appointed agencies alert system

Info

Publication number: GB2159649A
Application number: GB08333490A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Roman; Johannes Josephus Peeters
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-12-15
Filing date: 1983-12-15
Publication date: 1985-12-04
Also published as: GB8333490D0

Abstract

In an intercommunicating alarm network, each of a plurality of premises is provided with a respective alarm station of the kind wherein the alarm signal is generated a predetermined time after an initiation signal is made, the alarm signal being cancellable by a person in the premises at any time up to the moment of generation, and the alarm signal being coded with the identity of the station generating it; the network being such that upon the generaton of an alarm by any one station, any other station within range thereof is actuated so as to relay the alarm onwards throughout the network. In practice the alarms may be initiated by a suspicious occupant of the premises, and subsequently cancelled (within the predetermined time) if the suspicions prove false. The alarm is preferably a pulsed optical signal coded with the identity of the generating station. An occupant of another premises in the network can then render (or call for) assistance to the alarm generating premises. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Neighbourhood and/or appointed agencies alert system This invention relates to an electronic or electro-mechanical system which automatically alerts neighbours interconnected by the system and/or appointed agencies in the event of an attack on resident or an undesired instrusion into the premises.

NEIGHBOUR WATCH without going into vigilante organisation can be set up by the invention described below. In so many instances an alarm system is useless because it is frequently too late to set it in action once the need for it is recognised.

There are several unique features embodied in this invention. The most important feature is that it possesses a presetable delay time and consequently it allows one to set it in action in a precautionary fashion before the entrance door is actually opened. The delay permits the disabling of the alarm system once the credibility of the caller is established.

Conversely, if the situation looks suspicious or dangerous or if the caller attacks the dweller, the system takes over automatically and alerts the members of the security circle i.e. the interconnected neighbours and/or appointed agencies. The system can also be used by the elderly, disabled or sick in distress to alert the neighbours that help is requested. In the latter case the delay may even be by-passed. The system alerts some or all members of the security circle without alerting the attacker or intruder. The system indicates to the others which member of the security circle is in distress. The system allows a neighbour to contact the Police without exposing himself to any danger. Obviously the neighbour may himself come to the aid of the person in distress.Finally the system is equipped with a dummy equipment incorporating a switch which can be used in the case when the intruder, knowing of the existence of the system, forces the occupier to switch it off. In which case the occupier switches off the dummy equipment. A specific embodiment of the invention employing a photoelectric type of interconnections between neighbours will now be described. The action of the system will be illustrated by reference to Fig. 1. and to start with it will be presented from the point of view of the person requesting help.

Before opening the entrance door the dwelling occupier switches on manually the actuator switch 1 6 and this starts the delay device 1 5. He/she then proceeds to open the door and during this time the delay device is already in action. If the caller proves to be wellcome the occupier returns to the actuator switch 1 6 and switches it off. The time allowed for this interval can be arbitrarily preset. Should the caller represent a danger the delay will automatically trigger the encoder 14 at the end of the delay period. This, in its turn will generate a train of pulses representing the encoded address of the person requesting help.This train of pulses passes through a diode 1 3 and enables the gate 10 so that the signal from the frequency generator 1 2 is supplied to a neon lamp 9. (Obviously, the generator produces power of the frequency which differs from that operating the street lamps and also not so high that the neon lamp cannot follow it). This coded signal appears as a train of light pulses modulated with the frequency of the generator 1 2.

Now we shall represent the action from the point of view of neighbours being alerted.

Each member of the "Security Circle" possesses at least two telescopes 1 directed towards two light sources 9 of two different neighbours. The signals received by the telescopes are focused on a photo-device 3. These signals are amplified by the amplifier 4 which is tuned to the frequency of the generators 1 2. (All generators of the circle work at the same frequency). The amplifier 4 detects (by rectification) the coded pulses and feeds them to the counter-decoder 8 and at the same time allows these pulses to enable the gate 10 to repeat the signals to its neon lamp 9. Thus the neighbour's installation which received the alarm signal passes it on to other neighbours automatically. At the same time the decoder 8 decodes the address of person in distress and displays it on unit 11. It also enables gate 5 and this triggers the alarm 6.

Due to the multiway interconnection between the members of the "Security Circle" the telescopes of the installation requesting help would start their own alarm as well. In order to prevent it from happening a connection between the delay unit 1 5 and the gate 5 is provided by way of diode 1 7. This is installed with the view to the intruder being unaware of the functioning of the system.

1. A signalling system composed of an actuator operated, either manually before the door of the dwelling is opened, or automatically when the door is being opened, or finally by stepping on a pressure pad inside the dwelling positioned preferably by the entrance door. The actuator triggers a presetable delaying device which after a given preset delay switches on the alert system. This system alerts some or all of the members of the neighbourhood participating in the scheme and/or an appointed agency, by both, an audible signal within their homes/premises and a display of the coded address of the household which is in need of help. The delay allows the occupant to open the door and to establish the credibility of the caller before the alarm system is actuated. Should the caller prove to be an attacker the alert system will

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Neighbourhood and/or appointed agencies alert system This invention relates to an electronic or electro-mechanical system which automatically alerts neighbours interconnected by the system and/or appointed agencies in the event of an attack on resident or an undesired instrusion into the premises. NEIGHBOUR WATCH without going into vigilante organisation can be set up by the invention described below. In so many instances an alarm system is useless because it is frequently too late to set it in action once the need for it is recognised. There are several unique features embodied in this invention. The most important feature is that it possesses a presetable delay time and consequently it allows one to set it in action in a precautionary fashion before the entrance door is actually opened. The delay permits the disabling of the alarm system once the credibility of the caller is established. Conversely, if the situation looks suspicious or dangerous or if the caller attacks the dweller, the system takes over automatically and alerts the members of the security circle i.e. the interconnected neighbours and/or appointed agencies. The system can also be used by the elderly, disabled or sick in distress to alert the neighbours that help is requested. In the latter case the delay may even be by-passed. The system alerts some or all members of the security circle without alerting the attacker or intruder. The system indicates to the others which member of the security circle is in distress. The system allows a neighbour to contact the Police without exposing himself to any danger. Obviously the neighbour may himself come to the aid of the person in distress.Finally the system is equipped with a dummy equipment incorporating a switch which can be used in the case when the intruder, knowing of the existence of the system, forces the occupier to switch it off. In which case the occupier switches off the dummy equipment. A specific embodiment of the invention employing a photoelectric type of interconnections between neighbours will now be described. The action of the system will be illustrated by reference to Fig. 1. and to start with it will be presented from the point of view of the person requesting help. Before opening the entrance door the dwelling occupier switches on manually the actuator switch 1 6 and this starts the delay device 1 5. He/she then proceeds to open the door and during this time the delay device is already in action. If the caller proves to be wellcome the occupier returns to the actuator switch 1 6 and switches it off. The time allowed for this interval can be arbitrarily preset. Should the caller represent a danger the delay will automatically trigger the encoder 14 at the end of the delay period. This, in its turn will generate a train of pulses representing the encoded address of the person requesting help.This train of pulses passes through a diode 1 3 and enables the gate 10 so that the signal from the frequency generator 1 2 is supplied to a neon lamp 9. (Obviously, the generator produces power of the frequency which differs from that operating the street lamps and also not so high that the neon lamp cannot follow it). This coded signal appears as a train of light pulses modulated with the frequency of the generator 1 2. Now we shall represent the action from the point of view of neighbours being alerted. Each member of the "Security Circle" possesses at least two telescopes 1 directed towards two light sources 9 of two different neighbours. The signals received by the telescopes are focused on a photo-device 3. These signals are amplified by the amplifier 4 which is tuned to the frequency of the generators 1 2. (All generators of the circle work at the same frequency). The amplifier 4 detects (by rectification) the coded pulses and feeds them to the counter-decoder 8 and at the same time allows these pulses to enable the gate 10 to repeat the signals to its neon lamp 9. Thus the neighbour's installation which received the alarm signal passes it on to other neighbours automatically. At the same time the decoder 8 decodes the address of person in distress and displays it on unit 11. It also enables gate 5 and this triggers the alarm 6. Due to the multiway interconnection between the members of the "Security Circle" the telescopes of the installation requesting help would start their own alarm as well. In order to prevent it from happening a connection between the delay unit 1 5 and the gate 5 is provided by way of diode 1 7. This is installed with the view to the intruder being unaware of the functioning of the system. CLAIMS

1. A signalling system composed of an actuator operated, either manually before the door of the dwelling is opened, or automatically when the door is being opened, or finally by stepping on a pressure pad inside the dwelling positioned preferably by the entrance door. The actuator triggers a presetable delaying device which after a given preset delay switches on the alert system. This system alerts some or all of the members of the neighbourhood participating in the scheme and/or an appointed agency, by both, an audible signal within their homes/premises and a display of the coded address of the household which is in need of help. The delay allows the occupant to open the door and to establish the credibility of the caller before the alarm system is actuated. Should the caller prove to be an attacker the alert system will act automatically.Should the caller be wellcome the occupier would have time to disable manually the system. It is envisaged to have a dummy switch also for the purpose of misleading any attacker should he or she know about the existence of the installation and force the dwelling occupier to switch it off. In such instances the dwelling occupier can appear to have switched off the system by using the dummy switch.

2. The actuator as claimed in Claim 1 may be: a) an on/off manually operated switch b) a "touch" switch (capacitively operated) c) a photo-electric beam interruption type switch.

d) a photo-electric beam generation type switch.

e) a pressure pad type switch.

f) a spring switch operated by the door.

3. The presetable delay device as mentioned in claim 1 may be any of the following: a) electronic type which are commercially obtainable.

b) thermal type, acting after a certain temperature is attained.

c) any of electromechanical clock types.

4. The interconnection between the members of the neighbourhood participating in the scheme and/or appointed agency as mentioned in Claim 1 may be: a) by wire b) by ultrasonic devices c) by photo-electric devices d) by any other electromagnetic means.

5. The audible signal as mentioned in Claim 1 may be a simple buzzer, electric bell (of any type) or a loudspeaker. The above devices are generators of alert signal or in the case of the loudspeaker it can reproduce a pre-recorded message giving also the address of the dweller in need of help.

6. Coding as mentioned in Claim 1, which indicates the address of the dweller in need of help may be a simple electronic encoder generating a preset train of pulses or a prerecorded message as claimed in Claim 5.

7. The display as claimed in Claim 1 requires an electronic or electromechanical decoder. Both are used as signal generators for the display which may be: a) any type used in electronic calculators (light emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays) b) any type used in electromechanical counters.

8. The delay as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 3 can be by-passed.

9. The interconnection as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 4 is of multiway type so that in the absence of one or more neighbours many others are still alerted.

10. The number of members participating in each system is not limited in any way. This claim refers to the members of the neighbourhood participating in the scheme as mentioned in the Claim 1.

11. The system as described in claim 1 may operate from a battery as well as from the mains.

1 2. The system as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 2 may be also actuated by an already existing burglar alarm system.