Alarm system with remote module and associated alarm

Claim 2

An indicating system including a controller and at least one remote module, an indicating device coupled to the remote module, means in the controller to provide a control signal for activating the indicating device, means, including a rechargeable battery, positioned in close proximity to the remote module for supplying the electrical power to energize the indicating device when activated, and an electrically conductive path between the controller and the remote module, for passing electrical current from the controller to the rechargeable battery to provide a charge current level to the battery which is substantially less than the current level required to activate the indicating device, and for passing the control signal to the remote module to energize the indicating device.

Claim 3

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, in which the electrically conductive path comprises a pair of electrical conductors, for passing both the charge current and the control signal to the remote module over the same conductors.

Claim 4

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, in which the electrically conductive path comprises three electrical conductors, to afford separation between the charge current and the control signal passed to the remote module.

Claim 5

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, including supervision means connected to monitor the rechargeable battery and to provide a trouble signal when an abnormal battery condition is sensed.

Claim 6

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, including supervision means connected to monitor the indicating device and to provide a trouble signal when an abnormal condition of the indicating device is sensed.

Claim 7

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, in which the indicating device is an audible alarm.

Claim 8

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, in which the indicating device is a visual indicator.

Claim 9

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, in which the indicating device is an audible alarm, and an additional indicating device which is a visual alarm is coupled to the remote module, for simultaneous energization of both the audible alarm and the visual alarm.

Claim 10

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, in which the indicating device is an alarm bell.

Claim 11

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, in which the indicating device is a strobe light.

Claim 12

An indicating system as claimed in claim 1, in which the indicating device is an alarm bell, and an additional indicating device which is a strobe light, is coupled to the remote module, for simultaneous energization of both the audible alarm and the visual alarm.

Claim 13

An alarm indicating system including a controller and a plurality of remote modules, each of which modules includes a transponder having an individual address which differs from the other transponder addresses, and means affording communication between said controller and the transponders such that each transponder recognizes when it has been individually addressed, comprising an alarm indicating device coupled to at least one of the modules, an electrically conductive path between the controller and the remote modules, to pass communications and charging current thereover, a rechargeable battery for actuating the indicating device upon receipt of a control signal, means in the controller to provide a control signal to the remote module for activating the alarm indicating device, means, including the transponder, for receiving control signals from the controller to turn on the indicating device, and for passing a trouble signal to the controller when an abnormal condition is detected in the remote module, and for providing charging current to the rechargeable battery, which charging current is at a level substantially less than the current level required to activate the indicating device, and means, including the rechargeable battery, for supplying electrical energy to power the indicating device when commanded.

Claim 14

An alarm indicating system including a controller and a plurality of remote modules, each of which modules includes a transponder having an individual address which differs from the other transponder addresses, and means affording communication between said controller and the transponders such that each transponder recognizes when it has been individually addressed, comprising an alarm indicating device coupled to at least one of the modules, an electrically conductive path between the controller and the remote modules, to pass communications and charging current thereover, a rechargeable battery for actuating the indicating device upon receipt of a control signal, means in the controller to provide a control signal to the remote module for activating the alarm indicating device, means, including the transponder, for receiving control signals from the controller to turn on the indicating device, and for passing a trouble signal to the controller when an abnormal condition is detected in the remote module, and for providing charging current to the rechargeable battery, which charging current is at a level substantially less than the current level required to activate the indicating device, and means, including the rechargeable battery, for supplying electrical energy to power the indicating device when commanded.

Claim 15

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which the electrically conductive path comprises at least a pair of electrical conductors, for passing both the charging current and the control signal to the remote module.

Claim 16

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, including supervision means connected to monitor the rechargeable battery and to provide a trouble signal whenever an abnormal battery condition is sensed.

Claim 17

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, including supervision means connected to monitor the indicating device and to provide a trouble signal when an abnormal condition of the indicating device is sensed.

Claim 18

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which the indicating device is an audible alarm.

Claim 19

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which the indicating device is a visual alarm.

Claim 20

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which the indicating device is an audible alarm, and an additional indicating device, which is a visual alarm is coupled to the one remote module, for simultaneous energization of both the audible alarm and the visual alarm.

Claim 21

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which the means for providing charging current to the rechargeable battery includes a dc-to-dc converter, coupled between the conductive path and the rechargeable battery, for stepping up the current to an appropriate level for recharging the battery while drawing substantially less current from the conductive path.

Claim 22

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which the supervision means connected to monitor the rechargeable battery includes a high/low voltage sensing arrangement, connected to provide a trouble output signal when the battery voltage goes above a first preset level or below a second preset level.

Claim 23

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which a low voltage cut off circuit is coupled to the battery for effectively disconnecting the energy path to the battery when an abnormally low battery voltage is sensed.

Claim 24

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alarm indicating device is connected to a first of said plurality of remote modules, and an initiating device coupled to a second of said plurality of remote modules, so that the initiating device and transponder in the second module can pass information to the controller over the same electrically conductive path used to pass the charging current from the controller to said first module.

Claim 25

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which the indicating device is an alarm bell.

Claim 26

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which the indicating device is a strobe light.

Claim 27

An alarm indicating system as claimed in claim 12, in which the indicating device is an alarm bell, and an additional indicating device, which is a strobe light, is coupled to the one remote module, for simultaneous energization of both the audible alarm and the visual alarm.

Claim 28

An indicating system including a controller and at least one remote module, an indicating device coupled to the remote module, means in the controller to provide a control signal for activating the indicating device, means, including a rechargeable battery, positioned in close proximity to the remote module for supplying the electrical power to energize the indicating device when activated, said indicator device being energized from said rechargeable battery, and an electrically conductive path between the controller and the remote module, for passing electrical current from the controller to the rechargeable battery to provide a charge current level to the battery which is substantially less than the current level required to activate the indicating device, and for passing the control signal to the remote module to energize the indicating device.

Claim 29

An indicating system including a controller and at least one remote module, an indicating device coupled to the remote module, means in the controller to provide a control signal for activating the indicating device, means, including a rechargeable battery, positioned in close proximity to the remote module for supplying the electrical power to energize the indicating device when activated, said indicator device being energized from said rechargeable battery, and an electrically conductive path between the controller and the remote module, for passing electrical current from the controller to the rechargeable battery to provide a charge current level to the battery which is substantially less than the current level required to activate the indicating device, and for passing the control signal to the remote module to energize the indicating device.

Claim 30

An alarm indicating system including a controller and a plurality of remote modules, each of which modules includes a transponder having an individual address which differs from the other transponder addresses, and means affording communication between said controller and the transponders such that each transponder recognizes when it has been individually addressed, comprising an alarm indicating device coupled to at least one of the modules, an electrically conductive path between the controller and the remote modules, to pass communications and charging current thereover, a rechargeable battery for actuating the indicating device upon receipt of a control signal, said indicating device being energized from said rechargeable battery, means in the controller to provide a control signal to the remote module for activating the alarm indicating device, means, including the transponder, for receiving control signals from the controller to turn on the indicating device, and for passing a trouble signal to the controller when an abnormal condition is detected in the remote module, and for providing charging current to the rechargeable battery, which charging current is at a level substantially less than the current level required to activate the indicating device, and means, including the rechargeable battery, for supplying electrical energy to power the indicating device when commanded.

Claim 31

An alarm indicating system including a controller and a plurality of remote modules, each of which modules includes a transponder having an individual address which differs from the other transponder addresses, and means affording communication between said controller and the transponders such that each transponder recognizes when it has been individually addressed, comprising an alarm indicating device coupled to at least one of the modules, an electrically conductive path between the controller and the remote modules, to pass communications and charging current thereover, a rechargeable battery for actuating the indicating device upon receipt of a control signal, said indicating device being energized from said rechargeable battery, means in the controller to provide a control signal to the remote module for activating the alarm indicating device, means, including the transponder, for receiving control signals from the controller to turn on the indicating device, and for passing a trouble signal to the controller when an abnormal condition is detected in the remote module, and for providing charging current to the rechargeable battery, which charging current is at a level substantially less than the current level required to activate the indicating device, and means, including the rechargeable battery, for supplying electrical energy to power the indicating device when commanded.