Burglary deterrent system

Claim 2

A burglary deterrent system suitable for use in an unoccupied dwelling, said system comprising electrically powered occupancy simulation means, the occupancy simulation means including lamp means having means for casting a moving shadow within a room, a control unit for selectively controlling the supply of electrical current to the occupancy simulation means and circuit means electrically coupling the simulation means and the control unit, the control unit includng drive means and regulating means, the regulaTing means including electrical switch means selectively closing and opening an electrical circuit to the simulation means, and a cam having a cam face, the drive means including motive means drivingly engaging the cam for rotation about and axis, the regulating means further including means associated with the cam face for a plurality of repeated actuations of the switch means during one complete revolution of the cam, the repeated actuation means including means forming a programmed contoured surface in the cam face including a plurality of high and low areas, and the drive means further including means controlling the cam rotation to a maximum speed of one revolution per day, whereby repeated cyclic operation of the simulation means in conformance with normal usage patterns of the room will present the illusion of actual occupants moving about in the room by providing both illumination and moving shadows at various times during a day.

Claim 3

A control unit for a burglary deterrent system suitable for use in an unoccupied dwelling for controlling the operation of a plurality of occupancy simulation means positioned at spaced locations throughout the dwelling, the control unit comprising a single drive means having an output shaft, regulating means for independently controlling the individual operation of each of the occupancy simulation means, the regulating means including a cam shaft driven by the output shaft means controlling the rotation of the cam shaft to a maximum speed of one revolution per day, a plurality of independent camming faces fixed to the cam shaft, each camming face being contoured with high and low areas and a like plurality of electrical switch means, each switch means being associated with a respective camming face and being repeatedly actuated by the contour of the camming face during a single revolution of the cam shaft, the unit further including a cabinet, a like plurality of electrical receptacles mounted to the cabinet, each of the switch means having an associated receptacle and controlling the electrical supply thereto, each receptacle being assigned an occupancy simulation means, and visible time indication means driven by the drive means, each camming face contour being programmed to control the electrical supply to an assigned occupancy simulation means situate in a particular location in the dwelling to conform with and simulate the normal habitation usage periods of such particular location, thereby deterring unauthorized entrance into an unoccupied dwelling.

Claim 4

A control unit for a burglary deterrent system suitable for use in an unoccupied dwelling for controlling the operation of a plurality of occupancy simulation means positioned at spaced locations throughout the dwelling, the control unit comprising a single drive means having an output shaft, regulating means for independently controlling the individual operation of each of the occupancy simulation means, the regulating means including a cam shaft driven by the output shaft means controlling the rotation of the cam shaft to a maximum speed of one revolution per day, a plurality of independent camming faces fixed to the cam shaft, each camming face being contoured with high and low areas and a like plurality of electrical switch means, each switch means being associated with a respective camming face and being repeatedly actuated by the contour of the camming face during a single revolution of the cam shaft, the unit further including a cabinet, a like plurality of electrical receptacles mounted to the cabinet, each of the switch means having an associated receptacle and controlling the electrical supply thereto, each receptacle being assigned an occupancy simulation means, and visible time indication means driven by the drive means, each camming face contour being programmed to control the electrical supply to an assigned occupancy simulation means situate in a particular location in the dwelling to conform with and simulate the normal habitation usage periods of such particular location, thereby deterring unauthorized entrance into an unoccupied dwelling.

Claim 5

A burglary deterrent system in combination with the control unit of claim 2, the system further including occupancy simulation means, the occupancy simulation means being interconnected to an assigned receptacle, the occupancy simultaion means including lamp means with an assigned location of the dwelling.

Claim 6

A burglary deterrent system constructed in accordance with claim 3 wherein the lamp means includes shadow casting means, the shadow casting means comprising a shade having both translucent and opaque portions thereon, means rotationally supporting said shade to selectively block a portion of the illumination of the lamp means within the location and means for rotating the shade to cast moving shadows.

Claim 7

A burglary deterrent system constructed in accordance with claim 4 wherein the means for rotating the shade includes air convection current powered propeller means.

Claim 8

A burglary deterrent system constructed in accordance with claim 4 wherein the means for rotating the shade includes an electric motor.

Claim 9

A burglary deterrent system in combination with the control unit of claim 2 further including at least two occupancy simulation means and a dwelling, the occupancy simulation means being positioned within the dwelling, each of the occupancy simulation means comprising a lamp and being positioned at a different location within the dwelling.