Fault indicator apparatus for a multi-zone intrusion system

United States Patent [19]

Gaudio

[11] Patent Number: [45] Date of Patent:

4,498,075 Feb. 5, 1985

[54] FAULT INDICATOR APPARATUS FOR A MULTI-ZONE INTRUSION SYSTEM

[75] Inventor: Raymond Gaudio, Maspeth, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Napco Security Systems, Inc., Copiague, N.Y.

[21] Appl. No.: 421,860

[22] Filed: Sep. 23, 1982

[51] Int. CV G08B 25/00

[52] U.S. CI 340/525; 340/505;

340/524; 340/517; 340/331; 340/309.3;

340/825.17; 340/825.36

[58] Field of Search 340/525, 524, 500, 506,

340/505, 512, 517, 518, 286 R, 521-523, 286 M, 825.06, 825.1, 825.11, 825.15, 825.17, 825.34, 825.36, 825.49, 825.55, 309.14, 309.3, 309.4,

330-332

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

2,980,898 4/1961 Mason et al 340/525

3,155,950 11/1964 Foster 340/525

3,823,383 7/1974 Mallinger 340/670

3,852,718 12/1974 De Lyria 340/286

3,940,739 2/1976 Quimet 340/525

4,223,302 9/1980 Hocking 340/525

Primary Examiner—Donnie L. Crosland
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Arthur L. Plevy

[57] ABSTRACT

A fault indicator apparatus employs a single indicating device such as a light emitting diode (LED) to provide an indication of all zones within a plurality of zones which exhibit a predetermined condition being monitored. In particular, the invention is employed in a multi-zone intrusion system where a single indicator provides an output indicative of all zones which are not secure. The apparatus causes the indicator to blink the zone numbers in a continuous sequence and for example, if zones 2 and 5 were not secure the indicator would provide two flashes indicative of zone 2 and then provide a predetermined pause while then providing 5 flashes indicative of zone 5. The user by counting the flashes can then immediately determine which zones in the plurality of zones have been violated.

12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures

1

FAULT INDICATOR APPARATUS FOR A
MULTI-ZONE INTRUSION SYSTEM

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 5

This invention relates in general to indicating apparatus and more particularly, to an indicating apparatus for use in a multi-zone intrusion system.

There is in existance many different intrusion systems which operate to monitor premises and to transmit suit- 10 able warnings for the occurrence of a break-in attempt, such as burglary or to monitor other conditions, such as fire, smoke and so on. Such systems have been generally referred to as intrusion systems and essentially provide an alarm when an unauthorized condition exists on the 15 premises being monitored.

In regard to such systems as presently employed, a central alarm may monitor many zones associated with a given location. For example, in a factory or office complex, a central alarm may be used to indicate an 2C unauthorized condition which exists in one or more locations. It is of course an object of such a central alarm system to indicate to the user which of the particular zones is associated with the unauthorized condition. As such, such systems have an alarm panel to 25 which each zone is connected to indicate the status of the same.

In most present systems each zone would be associated with a separate lamp or other indicator which operates to designate to the user the location of the 30 intrusion. Hence, according to such systems, a separate lamp or other indicator would be necessary to provide an indication for each zone which is being protected by the system. The same panel is also utilized to secure the premises during periods when they are not occupied. 35 Hence, the alarm panel is also used or employed to assure that all zones are intact and therefore have no undesirable instrusion before the system is armed or activated for protection. In many systems a separate number of indicators such as lamps are used to indicate 40 this condition. Hence, as one can see, an alarm panel employed in a multi-zone alarm system can constitute a large number of separate indicating devices each associated with a separate zone being monitored by the system. 45

It is of course understood that such systems can be expensive due to the large number of indicators, as well as consuming a great deal of power which is necessary to actuate the indicating devices.

The prior art has provided various means for utilizing 50 indicators to distinguish one zone from another. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,359 entitled Remote Alarm Indicator issued on Sept. 22, 1964 to P. J. Hoey shows a system where any one of a number of different alarm conditions are indicated by separate lamps. In this 55 system each lamp is associated with a separate flashing unit and the operator at the central station or at the alarm panel can determine the particular alarm condition by timing the flashing rate of the lamp.

In other systems such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 60 4,103,298 entitled Alarmed Device issued on July 25, 1978 to R. J. Redding, there is described an indicator system which uses different flashing rates to distinguish different alarm conditions.

Other patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,323 entitled 65 DC Monitoring System Using Two Wire Transmission Lines issued on Sept. 4, 1973 to R. H. Pintell, relate to the use of indicating lamps to determine different alarm

2

conditions during system operation. Still other patents depict various signaling techniques used for various purposes as to reduce power consumption and so on. Example of such patents are U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,842 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,956.

In any event, there is a need for a system which is capable of displaying and annunciating an undesirable condition in anyone of a plurality of monitored zones which uses a single indicator as a display. The system thus provided results in a savings in components, as well as a savings in power, in that it uses a single indicator to provide an indication of the zone location which is subjected to an unauthorized intrusion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An indicator apparatus for use in a multi-zone intrusion detection system, said system of the type monitoring a plurality of different zones to detect an intrusion of any ones of said zones, said indicator apparatus employing a single indicator for providing a signal indicative of any ones of said zones indicating an intrusion, comprising means for sequentially accessing each of said zones in said plurality and for providing an output signal at any zone exhibiting an intrusion, means responsive to said sequential access to generate an address of each of said zones, logic means responsive to said address and said output signal to generate a number of pulses indicative of any ones of said zones exhibiting said intrusion, indicating means responsive to said pulses to provide a sequential ON-OFF signal capable of being physically counted indicative of the number of each zone exhibiting said intrusion, said indicating means including a single device which is sequentially pulsed ON an OFF to provide sequential counts of each zone exhibiting said intrusion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of an alarm panel useful in explaining the operation of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the fault indicator apparatus according to this invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a pulse generator and counter used in this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For purposes of explaining the invention, reference is made to FIG. 1 which depicts one type of typical control alarm panel 10. The panel 10 contains a telephone like keyboard or keypad 11, which is employed by a user to key in a secret or memorized number operative to arm or disarm the intrusion system.

For example, in a multiple zone system a number of different areas, say for example six, are monitored by separate sensing devices such as intrusion detectors as window and door switches and so on. When the system is to be placed in operation the user would key in the proper number via keypad 11 and if all zones are secured then the armed light would go ON. However, if any zone is not secured as a door or window being left open, then this is an actual alarm condition and arming the system would cause an alarm to go OFF. Thus when the system is not armed or disarmed it is imperative that the user know which of the zones is not secure to enable him to take the proper steps to see that the zone is secured prior to arming the system. As indicated, in order to do this the prior art required a sepa