Programmable alarm system having proximity detection with vocal alarm and ...

[54] PROGRAMMABLE ALARM SYSTEM

HAVING PROXIMITY DETECTION WITH
VOCAL ALARM AND REPORTING
FEATURES

[75] Inventor: Michael Nykerk, Encino, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Electronic Security Products of California, Inc., Reseda, Calif.

[21] Appl. No.: 260,933

[22] Filed: Oct. 21, 1988

Related U.S. Application Data

[63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 5,873, Jan. 21, 1987, ■ Pat. No. 4,794,368.

[51] Int. CI.4 B60R 25/10; B60Q 1/00

[52] U.S. a 340/426; 340/430;

340/460; 340/429; 340/309.15; 340/692; 340/531; 340/539; 340/561; 340/565; 340/551;

379/40; 381/51

[58] Field of Search 340/63-65,

340/550-554, 565, 566, 522, 523, 505, 506, 527, 528, 541, 539, 531, 692, 426, 429, 430, 460, 309.15, 561; 180/173; 307/10 AT, 9.1, 10.1, 10.2; 379/37-44, 67; 381/51, 53, 86, 110

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

4,410,884 10/1983 Heiland 340/523

4,455,551 6/1984 Lemelson 340/692

4,642,612 2/1987 Crump 340/523

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"Auto Alarm Systems," Consumer Reports, Oct. 1986, pp. 658-662.

Kaplan, Lerner (editors), "Realism in Synthetic
Speech," IEEE Spectrum, Apr. 1985, pp. 32-37.
Kaplan (editor), "Industrial Electronics," IEEE Spec-
trum, Jan. 1988, pp. 50-52.

Primary Examiner—Donnie L. Crosland
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Fitch, Even, Tabin &
Flannery

[57] ABSTRACT

An alarm system for detecting, signaling and reporting the occurrence of a penetration towards or an unauthorized entry into a defined area, such as towards or into a closed automobile. The alarm system includes a proximity detector to detect an intrusion into a prescribed zone or region around the defined area, and one or more sensors to sense an unauthorized entry event or attempted entry event into the defined area. The alarm system further includes means for generating vocal speech warning or alarm signals for the purpose of: (1) drawing attention to the fact that an unauthorized penetration or entry event has been sensed, and (2) providing vocal reports to indicate the status of the system and to alert the owner of the system that a prior unauthorized event was detected. During use of the system, the user of the system can select various operating modes and report options, thereby providing flexibility in how the system is used.

23 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets