PCT
`INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`WO 00/21053
`
`WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
`International Bureau
`
`(51) International Patent Classification 7 :
`G08B 25/10, 26/00, 27/00, 25/00
`
`(11) International Publication Number:
`
`Al
`
`(43) International Publication Date:
`
`13 April 2000 (13.04.00)
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCT/US99/23386
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`6 October 1999 (06.10.99)
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`601103,432
`
`6 October 1998 (06.1 0.98)
`
`us
`
`(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): SLC TECH(cid:173)
`NOLOGIES, INC. [US/US]; 12345 SW Leveton Drive, Tu(cid:173)
`alatin, OR 97062 (US).
`
`(72) Inventors; and
`(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only): MARMAN, Douglas, H.
`[US/US]; 3004 NE !60th Street, Ridgefield, W A 98642
`(US). LIU, Kai, Bang [NZ/US]; Apartment 40, 11865 SW
`Tualatin Road, Tualatin, OR 97062 (US).
`
`(74) Agent: PREISS, Richard, B.; Stoel Rives LLP, Suite 2600, 900
`SW Fifth A venue, Portland, OR 97204-1268 (US).
`
`(81) Designated States: AE, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG,
`BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, EE,
`ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP,
`KE,KG,KP,KR,KZ,LC,LK,LR,LS,LT,LU,LV,MD,
`MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD,
`SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US,
`UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW, ARIPO patent (GH, GM, KE, LS,
`MW, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), Eurasian patent (AM, AZ,
`BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European patent (AT, BE,
`CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT,- LU, MC,
`NL, PT, SE), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA,
`GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
`
`Published
`With international search report.
`Before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
`claims and to be republished in the event of the receipt of
`amendments.
`
`(54) Title: WIRELESS HOME FIRE AND SECURITY ALARM SYSTEM
`
`\"2.
`
`(57) Abstract
`
`A wireless alarm system (10) employs two-way transceivers (32, 60) in a network of smoke detectors (16), a base station (12), and
`other sensors. A keypad (14) is not needed because the system is reset by pressing a TesUSilence button (66) built into every detector or
`sensor. A siren is also eliminated because a sounder (64) in every detector sounds an alarm when any sensor is triggered. This is possible
`because every detector includes a transceiver that can receive alarm messages from any other detector. AC power wiring is also eliminated
`because the base station and sensors are battery powered. Only a telephone connection (48) is needed if the system is to be monitored.
`In apartments or dormitory installations, smoke detectors in one apartment relay alarm messages to the next apartment, and onto the next,
`and so on, to a centralized base station for the entire facility. The centralized base station can be located in an apartment manager's office
`for immediate notification of an alarm, improper smoke detector operation, low or missing battery indications, and dirty smoke detector
`indications. The two-way wireless alarm system can save many lives in apartments, where smoke detectors batteries are often depleted or
`removed.
`
`SAMSUNG EXHIBIT 1011
`
`Page 1 of 64
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`

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`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
`
`Codes used to identify States party to the PCT on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international applications under the PCT.
`
`AL
`AM
`AT
`AU
`AZ
`BA
`BB
`BE
`BF
`BG
`BJ
`BR
`BY
`CA
`CF
`CG
`CH
`CI
`CM
`CN
`cu
`cz
`DE
`DK
`EE
`
`Albania
`Annenia
`Austria
`Australia
`Azerbaijan
`Bosnia and Herzegovina
`Barbados
`Belgium
`Burkina Faso
`Bulgaria
`Benin
`Brazil
`Belarus
`Canada
`Central African Republic
`Congo
`Switzerland
`C<lte d'Ivoire
`Cameroon
`China
`Cuba
`Czech Republic
`Gennany
`Denmark
`Estonia
`
`ES
`FI
`FR
`GA
`GB
`GE
`GH
`GN
`GR
`HU
`IE
`IL
`IS
`IT
`JP
`KE
`KG
`KP
`
`KR
`KZ
`LC
`LI
`LK
`LR
`
`Spain
`Finland
`France
`Gabon
`United Kingdom
`Georgia
`Ghana
`Guinea
`Greece
`Hungary
`Ireland
`Israel
`Iceland
`Italy
`Japan
`Kenya
`Kyrgyzstan
`Democratic People's
`Republic of Korea
`Republic of Korea
`Kazakstan
`Saint Lucia
`Liechtenstein
`Sri Lanka
`Liberia
`
`LS
`LT
`LU
`LV
`MC
`MD
`MG
`MK
`
`ML
`MN
`MR
`MW
`MX
`NE
`NL
`NO
`NZ
`PL
`PT
`RO
`RU
`SD
`SE
`SG
`
`Lesotho
`Lithuania
`Luxembourg
`Latvia
`Monaco
`Republic of Moldova
`Madagascar
`The fonner Yugoslav
`Republic of Macedonia
`Mali
`Mongolia
`Mauritania
`Malawi
`Mexico
`Niger
`Netherlands
`Norway
`New Zealand
`Poland
`Portugal
`Romania
`Russian Federation
`Sudan
`Sweden
`Singapore
`
`SI
`SK
`SN
`sz
`TD
`TG
`TJ
`TM
`TR
`TT
`UA
`UG
`us
`uz
`VN
`YU
`zw
`
`Slovenia
`Slovakia
`Senegal
`Swaziland
`Chad
`Togo
`Tajikistan
`Turkmenistan
`Turkey
`Trinidad and Tobago
`Ukraine
`Uganda
`United States of America
`Uzbekistan
`VietNam
`Yugoslavia
`Zimbabwe
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`Page 2 of 64
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`10
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`WIRELESS HOME FIRE AND SECURITY ALARM SYSTEM
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`This invention relates to fire and security alarm systems and more particularly
`
`to a wireless residential fire and security alarm system.
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`15
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Currently available wireless home fire and security alarm systems are usually
`
`part of a so-called wireless security system that requires a hardwired keypad, a base
`
`station, a hardwired siren, AC power connections, and an autodialer connection to a
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`20
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`telephone line if the system is to be monitored. Such wireless systems actually
`
`require, therefore, considerable wiring, which makes them expensive to install and
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`requires skilled installers.
`
`In an effort to reduce costs and wiring, some prior workers have combined the
`
`keypad and the control panel into a single unit. However, this combination is bulky
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`25
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`and inconvenient for wall mounting, which is required for keypad access but which
`
`renders difficult the installation of AC power, telephone, and siren wiring.
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`Other prior workers, in an effort to reduce manufacturing and installation
`
`costs, have further combined the siren into the keypad and the base station.
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`However, few professional alarm installation companies will use such equipment
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`30
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`because its security is compromised. For example, an intruder, upon hearing the
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`siren, could simply smash the siren/keypad/base station or forcibly remove it from
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`the wall and the alarm system and telephone autodialer dialer would be disabled.
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`Therefore at least the autodialer needs to be separate from the keypad or siren to
`
`maintain adequate security.
`
`Smoke detectors are key sensors in a fire alarm system. In prior wireless
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`alarm systems, the smoke detectors are battery operated and include a small
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`5
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`transmitter that transmits a fire alarm message to the control panel. To sound the
`
`alarm throughout the house, the control panel triggers a siren. In the frequently
`
`occurring event of a false alarm, the homeowner must use the keypad to reset the
`
`alarm and go to the location of the detector that caused the false alarm to reset the
`
`detector or place it into a "hush" mode.
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`10
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`Prior wireless sensors, such as intrusion sensors, transmit an alarm whenever
`
`they are tripped irrespective of whether the alarm system is armed. In kitchens and
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`high traffic areas, such alarm transmissions can unnecessarily reduce the sensor
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`battery life and can create signal contention problems when more than one sensor
`
`transmits at the same time. Reducing these unneeded transmissions would, therefore,
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`15
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`be beneficial.
`
`When the alarm system is armed and an actual alarm condition is detected,
`
`prior systems sound the alarm throughout the house with one or more sirens. Each
`
`siren requires a separate installation and is usually wired in, even in so-called wireless
`
`systems.
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`20
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`Because of the above-described limitation, prior wireless alarm systems are
`
`unduly complicated, especially for a typical homeowner to install or service, and do
`
`not have the benefits of typical hardwired systems. Accordingly, the full market
`
`potential of wireless home fire and security alarm systems has not been realized.
`
`There are various U.S. patents that are potentially relevant to aspects of this
`
`25
`
`invention. U.S. Patent No. 4,363,031 for WIRELESS ALARM SYSTEM is
`
`described in the detailed description section of this application.
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,686,885 describes sending a test signal along with an alann
`
`signal from a smoke detector to differentiate a test event from an alarm condition.
`
`U.S. Patent No. 4,855,713 describes automatically "learning" the pre-
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`30
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`assigned addresses in transmitters used for security systems.
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,465,081 describes a wireless communication system that
`
`uses transceivers to communicate from one device to another in a loop configuration
`
`while modifying the message being sent around the loop to reduce the number of
`
`transmissions required during a supervision poll.
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`5
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,486,812 describes a centralized locking system in which
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`wireless transceivers are located in window and door locks to allow locking all doors
`
`and windows by a single transceiver based key fob button depression. If a door or
`
`window is open, the key fob is informed that complete locking cannot take place.
`
`This patent, like U.S. Patent No. 5,465,081, describes a system in which messages
`
`10
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`are passed around a loop from one device to the next.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a low-cost, low-power,
`
`user installable, supervised alarm system that requires little or no wiring.
`
`15
`
`A wireless fire and security alarm system of this invention employs two-way
`
`transceivers in the smoke detectors, other sensors, and base station. The
`
`conventional keypad can be eliminated completely because the fire alarm system is
`
`reset by pressing a Test/Silence button built into every smoke detector or fire sensor
`
`and the security system is am1ed and disarmed by use of a wireless key fob sized
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`20
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`transceiver. The separate siren is also eliminated because the siren in every smoke
`
`detector sounds an alarm throughout the building when any one of the smoke
`
`detectors detects a fire. This can be accomplished because every detector has a built(cid:173)
`
`in transceiver and can, therefore, receive alarm messages from any other smoke
`
`alarm.
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`25
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`The AC power connection is also eliminated because the control unit is battery
`
`powered. Only a telephone wire connection is, therefore, needed for the system to be
`
`monitored. Moreover, in simple residential applications, the base station is not even
`
`needed unless centralized monitoring is required.
`
`In multi-dwelling facilities such as apartments or college dormitories, smoke
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`30
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`detectors in one dwelling space relay alann conditions from dwelling space to
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`dwelling space until reaching a centralized base station for the entire facility. This
`
`centralized base station can be located in facility manager's office for immediate
`
`notification of an alarm, improper smoke detector operation, low or missing battery
`
`indications, and dirty smoke detector indications. Such a wireless alarm system can
`
`5
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`save many lives in apartments, where smoke detectors batteries are often depleted or
`
`removed.
`
`Another embodiment incorporates a long range wireless base station that
`
`communicates over standard cellular, GSM, or PCS type networks so that not even a
`
`telephone line connection is needed.
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`10
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`Further enhancements include battery conserving communications protocols, a
`
`simpler means of identifying and locating trouble conditions, an alarm verification
`
`mode for false alarms reduction, simple sensor enrolling and removing methods, and
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`voice annunciation of fue location.
`
`Primary features and operating modes of this invention are described below.
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`15
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`Automatic device addressing (enrolling) eases the addition and removal of
`
`smoke detectors, intrusion sensors, or other devices (collectively "sensors") from the
`
`alarm system. Programming is automatic, meaning that no address switches need to
`
`be set. No addresses need to be preprogrammed into device, and no address numbers
`
`need to be entered into the base station.
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`20
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`Enrollment is carried out by pressing an "Enroll" button on the base station,
`
`causing it to listen for new sensors. Inserting batteries into new sensors to be
`
`enrolled on the system causes the new sensor to send out a "new device" message.
`
`At this point, the sensor has no address, which marks it as a new device or one that
`
`has a previously defined "new device" message. Sensors, therefore, do not need to
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`25
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`be uniquely preaddressed and can be generic from manufacturing. When the base
`
`station is in enroll mode and receives a new device message, the base station
`
`automatically enrolls the associated sensor into the system by downloading a house
`
`code address and a unit address to the new sensor. After the sensor is enrolled into
`
`the system, the sensor indicates enrollment by beeping its sounder, flashing its light-
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`30
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`emitting diode ("LED"), or otherwise indicating that enrollment has been accepted.
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`Because sensors might lose their assigned addresses when batteries become
`
`depleted and require replacement, the following procedure eliminates confusion and
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`automates the process. Pressing the "Enroll" button on the base station causes the
`
`base station to poll all the sensors in the system to determine which of the sensors are
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`5
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`currently enrolled and how they are currently programmed. Then, removing the
`
`batteries from one sensor at a time, and inserting new batteries into that "new" sensor(cid:173)
`
`causes it to send the new device message because it has lost its addressing. When the
`
`base station receives the new device message, the base station initiates another poll of
`
`all sensors in the system. If one address is now missing, the base station assumes that
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`10
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`the missing address is associated with the same sensor that is sending the new device
`
`message and then reloads the original address into the "new" sensor. As before, the
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`sensor either beeps or flashes to indicate enrollment.
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`There are instances when devices must be removed from the system, such as
`
`when a sensor fails. If the failed sensor is not un-enrolled, the system recognizes that
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`15
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`the failed sensor is missing and generates a continuing "RF Link'' trouble message,
`
`until the failed sensor is repaired and returned to the system. When the Enroll mode
`
`is entered, the base station polls the system to determine which sensors are currently
`
`enrolled. Any nonresponding sensors are automatically removed from the current
`
`system status and are, therefore, no longer polled for supervision purposes and are
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`20
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`unable to activate the system. In some cases, such as with security devices, to
`
`prevent unwanted tampering, entry of a security code may be required before a
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`device can be removed from the system.
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`It is desirable to be able to reset a fire alarm system from any detector because
`
`false alarms are all too common. For example, cooking fumes, bathroom steam, or
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`25
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`fireplace smoke can set off a smoke detector. In such cases, the homeowner would
`
`want to reset or silence the system as quickly as possible. U.S. Patent No. 4,363,031
`
`(the "031 patent") describes an unsupervised system that can reset a wireless fire
`
`alarm system from any sensor. However, the system requires two buttons, one for
`
`test and one for reset.
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`An improved and supervised one-button process of this invention provides
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`each sensor with a "Test/Silence" button. If the system is in its normal non-alarm
`
`state when this button is depressed, the sensor sends a "Test" signal that signals all
`
`the sensor sounders to sound for a predetermined time and signals the base station to
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`dial a test message to the monitoring station (if the test messages in the system are to
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`5
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`be monitored). If the system is in an alarm condition or a test alarm condition, then
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`pressing the Test/Silence button causes a "Silence" signal to be sent to the other
`
`sensors and the base station to silence the sounders and reset the alarm system. If the
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`Test/Silence button is depressed during an alarm condition but before a
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`preprogrammed autodialer delay (usually about 15 seconds), the base station is
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`10
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`prevented from autodialing an alarm condition to the monitoring station.
`
`Problem identification is another important consideration. In prior wireless
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`alarm systems, a sensor having a low battery chirps its sounder and sends a trouble
`
`signal to the base station, which displays a low-battery trouble signal along with the
`
`address number of the affected sensor. Some sensors may also indicate a "dirty
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`15
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`sensor" or an "out of sensitivity range" condition. As before, these sensors can chirp
`
`their sounders or flash LEDs, and send a message to the base station. If the sensor
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`fails to properly communicate with the base station, in a supervised system the base
`
`station indicates a trouble condition and the address number of the affected unit. In
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`an unsupervised system, a failure to communicate may not be detected by the system
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`20
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`and will not, ·therefore, be reported.
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`The wireless alarm system of this invention overcomes these limitations
`
`because every sensor has a receiver and the system is supervised. When a low
`
`battery is detected by a sensor, instead of beeping, which is irritating when it occurs
`
`at night, a signal is sent to the base station, which sounds a quieter trouble sounder.
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`25
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`Information regarding the nature of the trouble signal is retrieved by depressing a
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`Diagnostic Mode button. A "Low Battery Detector" LED illuminates and the base
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`station transmits a message to the appropriate sensor to sound for a predetermined
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`time, preferably about three minutes, to identify which sensor requires fresh
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`batteries.
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`30
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,686,896 describes sending a pre-low battery report from a
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`sensor to a central station and using a timer to delay triggering a local "low battery"
`
`alarm. The present invention, however, uses two different low battery thresholds and
`
`does not employ a preset time delay between the two different messages. Low
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`battery signals may be sent to the base station for annunciation there rather than at the
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`5
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`smoke detector, where it would be annoying. Locating the base station in a building
`
`manager's office or at a remote monitoring station also prevents the annoying local
`
`low battery alarm that sometimes causes renters and home owners to remove
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`batteries. The second threshold detects when the battery is at the very end of its life
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`and sounds the local alarm only when the battery is nearly depleted.
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`10
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`If the problem is a dirty detector sensor, the base station illuminates a
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`"Detector Dirty" LED and transmits a signal to the affected sensor to sound.
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`If an alarm has occurred and the homeowner or the fire department needs to
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`know which sensor originated the alarm, the same process can be used. When the
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`base station is placed in Diagnostic Mode, a red "Alarm" LED flashes to indicate an
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`15
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`alarm condition and sends a signal to the affected sensor to sound its sounder.
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`When a sensor ceases communicating with the system, it is difficult, if not
`
`impossible, to send the affected sensor a message to sound its sounder. Because the
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`affected sensor has a transceiver, however, it can recognize that it has not been polled
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`for a predetermined time and is unable to communicate with the system. The sensor
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`20
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`responds by changing the flashing of its LED to a trouble pattern. This way, when
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`the base station performs its normal hourly poll and discovers that a sensor is not
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`responding, it illuminates an "RF Link" trouble LED alerting the homeowner to
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`inspect each of the sensors to determine which one has its LED blinking the trouble
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`pattern.
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`25
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`The alarm system of this invention provides a homeowner an ability to quickly
`
`identify and manage problems. However, the system can also be programmed so that
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`all system trouble messages are monitored by a remote monitoring station, in which
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`case trouble signals will be sent via the dialer rather than displayed locally.
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`The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Fire Protection
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`Association report that approximately 30 percent of all residential smoke detectors are
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`not operational because their batteries are dead, have not been replaced, or have been
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`removed. To avoid this problem, supervised alarm systems monitor the operational
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`status of sensors. However, batteries are removed mainly because of frequently
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`occurring nuisance alarms. The above-described ability to silence the system from
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`5
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`any detector reduces this problem. However, in a monitored system that can
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`automatically summon fire or police services, reducing the number of false alarms is
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`vitally important.
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`A false alarm reduction method commonly used in hardwired systems is
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`referred to as alarm verification. Alarm verification has not been previously
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`10
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`employed in wireless systems because they did not include receivers in each sensor.
`
`While the above-mentioned '031 patent describes a system capable of including a
`
`receiver in each smoke detector, it describes neither alarm verification nor system
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`supervision capabilities. However, the alarm system of this invention provides the
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`following alarm verification capability. When a sensor first generates an alarm
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`15
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`signal, it sends an alarm message to the base station. If the base station is set to
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`verify the alann, it returns a reset message to the sensor. The base station starts a
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`timer, and if that sensor or any other sensor in the system sends another alarm
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`message within 60 seconds, the base station transmits a message to all sensors to
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`sound their sounders.
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`20
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`There are significant benefits from having a fire alann system in which all
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`sensors sound when any one sensor detects an alarm condition. This feature, referred
`
`to as tandem operation, can provide up to four times more warning time in response
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`to a fire alarm. For example, if a fire starts in a basement, a person asleep in a
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`bedroom might not be alerted by his or her bedroom sensor sounder until it is too late
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`25
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`to escape. For this reason, virtually all new construction codes since 1989 have
`
`required wired interconnected smoke alarm systems. Yet the vast majority of homes
`
`built prior to 1989 do not have such systems because of the wiring expense.
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`Prior wireless fire alann systems that incorporate only transmitters in their
`
`sensors cannot receive messages to sound their sounders in the case of an alarm.
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`Therefore an external siren is needed to sound a fire alarm throughout the house.
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`The '031 patent describes a smoke detector system that includes receivers, but its
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`protocol does not supervise each sensor. This omission prevents detection of any
`
`sensor that loses communication with the system. Accordingly, unsupervised systems
`
`are considered unreliable for use in security systems, and are even less reliable for
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`5
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`use in fire alarm systems. Therefore, a supervised system is desirable.
`
`This invention includes a two-way wireless alarm system in which the sensor
`
`is addressable and, therefore, can be supervised and have its sounder commanded to
`
`sound. The two-way wireless system of this invention communicates either directly
`
`to the base station or by passing messages through other sensors to the base station.
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`10
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`A person awakened by a fire alarm is often in a state of confusion, which can
`
`cause deadly evacuation delays. Therefore, vocal annunciation of the fire detection
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`location is employed to evoke an efficient and appropriate response. This invention
`
`includes a smoke detector with a speaker that plays prerecorded vocal messages on
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`command. Switches set by the homeowner during installation select an appropriate
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`15
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`message, such as identifying on which floor the detector is being installed.
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`Accordingly, when a fire is detected by a smoke detector installed on the first floor,
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`the smoke detector can transmit a message to all the other smoke detectors to repeat a
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`prerecorded vocal message such as, "Fire on First Floor."
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`Another advantage of this invention is that apartment or dormitory systems do
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`not need a base station in each residence. Because each sensor includes a transceiver,
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`a base station is required only if the system requires centralized monitoring, in which
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`case a single base station provides the autodialer or other communication means, such
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`as a cellular radio link. In apartments or dormitories, where living areas are close
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`together, the two-way wireless system communicates from one living area to the
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`next. One of the sensors is designated as a master sensor that acts as a
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`communications hub for other sensors in that residence. The master sensor includes
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`control functions and supervision functions, but not necessarily the autodialer or other
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`communication means. Alarm and polling messages are transmitted from the master
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`sensor of one residence to the master sensor in another residence, on to the next
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`residence, and finally onto a base station, which is preferably installed in a manager's
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`office. The base station provides the autodialer and other communications means, if
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`monitoring is desired, or simply provides local monitoring.
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`This system supervises the operation of each sensor to ensure the sensors are
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`properly powered, communicating, and not dirty. In one operational mode, a fire
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`detected in a hallway can sound the sounders in the sensors in each residence on that
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`floor. This alarm system provides superior monitoring and supervision of apartment -
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`and dormitory sensors and is considerably less expensive than prior systems because
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`as few as one base station is required for an entire complex rather than one base
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`station for each residence.
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`Some prior systems have tried combining the base station with the keypad, an
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`arrangement that requires placing the keypad/base station in a central location close to
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`telephone lines. However, the alarm system of this invention employs a supervised
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`two-way wireless network that eliminates the need for hardwired sirens and a separate
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`keypad. This invention allows resetting the fire alarm system from any sensor and,
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`therefore, allows locating the base station close to existing telephone lines. Access to
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`the base station is required only to review trouble conditions, as they arise.
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`However, because the system can be monitored, it is possible for the monitoring
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`center to manage these trouble problems, thus eliminating the need to display trouble
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`conditions in the residence at all.
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`One embodiment of this invention employs a receiver that is enabled very
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`briefly (one to two milliseconds every second) to reduce receiver electric current
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`draw, thereby providing a battery life of many years. In an alternative embodiment,
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`an ultra-low power "wake-up" receiver may be employed in each device to enable an
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`asynchronous transceiver network that simplifies communications protocols and
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`further reduces battery power requirements. Both embodiments eliminate the need
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`for AC power wiring and the associated power supplies. The elimination of these
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`extra wires simplifies and speeds installation, thereby enabling homeowners and
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`relatively unskilled installers to install the systems. Improved fire protection is,
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`therefore, practical in all homes including those built before 1989.
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`Another advantage of this invention is that all sensors sound an alarm even if
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`a base station is damaged or non-operational. Possible causes include accidental
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`damage, batteries depleted or removed, or wireless communications interference or
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`blockage. In such instances, it is desirable for all sensors to sound an alarm if a fire
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`is detected. This is possible in the alarm system of this invention because each sensor
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`is able to confirm whether its alarm message has been received by the base station. If
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`after repeated attempts, the base station fails to respond, the sensor automatically
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`transmits its alarm message to the other sensors, which sound their sounders.
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`When prior panic buttons were pressed, the user could not be certain whether
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`the panic message was received by the monitoring station. However, this invention
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`may also include an emergency response button having an audible confirmation. This
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`is possible because this invention can readily include a combination of sensor types
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`each including built-in transceivers selected from among smoke detectors, security
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`sensors, wireless two-way keypads, hand-held wireless key fobs, energy management
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`devices, thermostats, meter readers, and wireless emergency panic buttons.
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`However, the panic button of this invention includes a transceiver and a mini-sounder
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`that beeps in response to an acknowledgment message received from the monitoring
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`station by way of the base station.
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`Additional objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the
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`following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof which proceed with
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`reference to the accompanying drawings.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`Fig. 1 is a simplified isometric pictorial view of an exemplary wireless fire
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`and security system of this invention installed in a residence.
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`Fig. 2 is a simplified isometric pictorial view of an exemplary wireless fire
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`and security system of this invention installed in an apartment building.
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`Figs. 3A and 3B are a simplified electrical block diagram of a wireless base
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`station of this invention.
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`Figs. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D are respective side, front (with door closed), front
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`(with door open), and bottom cross-sectional views of a case housing the base station
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`of Figs. 3A and 3B.
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`Figs. SA and 5B are respective sectional side and top pictorial views of a
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`wireless smoke detector of this invention showing a preferred transceiver board
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`mounting location.
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`Fig. 6 is a simplified schematic electrical circuit diagram of a preferred
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`transceiver employed in sensors, base stations, autodialers, and other devices used in
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`the wireless fire and security systems of this invention.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
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`10
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`Figs. 1 and 2 show respective home and apartment configurations of a
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`wireless alarm system 10 including a base station 12, a keypad 14, smoke detectors
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`16, passive infrared ("PIR") motion detectors 18, door/window contacts with
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`sounders 20, and a glassbreak detector 22 (collectively "sensors"). Wireless alarm
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`system 10 may further include phone jack line seizure modules, wireless voice
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`evacuation smoke detectors, sounders, carbon monoxide detectors, heat detectors,
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`combination smoke and heat detectors, and personal emergency pendants.
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`Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, base station 12 includes a battery level sensor 30,
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`a transceiver 32, a microprocessor 34 implementing a digital autodialer, seven
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`diagnostic LEDs 36, a sounder 38, a large "cancel/silence" button 40, a diagnostic
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`test button 42 (activated by opening a base station 12 door), an alarm verification
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`switch 44, an "enroll" button 46, and two telephone connectors 48. Wireless alarm
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`system 10 is powered by a battery 50 and employs telephone current when dialing.
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`Battery 50 preferably comprises three user-replaceable AA batteries that are
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`accessible in power base station 12.
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`Base station 12 is enclosed in a case 52 made of textured white ABS plastic
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`including provisions for private labeling. Case 52 is slightly larger than the size of a
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`double gang wall plate and is about 3.81 em (1.5 in. deep). Case 52 may be wall
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`mounted, such as over a recessed telephone jack, and includes two telephone
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`connectors 48, one for a telephone and the other for a telephone line. Transceiver 32
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`is coupled t