US5883573A
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US
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Message generation supervision system
Assignee: Pittway Corp
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Filing: 1997-07-30
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Granted: 1999-03-16
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Expires: 2017-07-30
Abstract
Abstract Circuits for supervising message generators and audio output cables include memory for binary storage of messages previously recorded in a message generator. As the generator is cycled to produce an audio output, that analog output is sampled and compared to the previously stored binary representation. A match indicates a successful generation of the message. The cables can be supervised by applying a DC bias thereto and detecting the voltage present on the respective cable. Line integrity is indicated where the cable DC voltage falls in an expected range.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward J. Mazeiko, Jr.
- 👤 Michael A. Troiano, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:53
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B29/00; G08B29/02; G08B29/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 59
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
Message generation supervisory circuitry comprising: a first message unit for storage of a sampled message corresponding to an audio input; an output system for producing an audio output in accordance with the stored, sampled message; a supervisory element which includes a prestored representation of the audio input and circuitry for comparing the audio output to the prestored representation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
58 words
Message generation supervisory circuitry comprising: a first message unit for storage of a sampled message corresponding to an audio input; an output system for producing an audio output in accordance with the stored, sampled message; a supervisory element which includes a prestored representation of the audio input and circuitry for comparing the audio output to the prestored representation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
Circuitry as in claim 1 wherein the supervisory element includes binary storage circuitry which receives and stores a sampled, binary representation of the audio input.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
Circuitry as in claim 1 wherein the supervisory element includes a converter for converting the audio output to an output binary representation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
Circuitry as in claim 3 wherein the prestored representation is a binary representation of the audio input.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
Circuitry as in claim 4 wherein the supervisory element includes circuitry for generating a signal indicative of the output of the comparing circuitry.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
Circuitry as in claim 1 which includes at least one audio output cable and applying circuitry, coupled to the cable for applying a supervisory signal thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
Circuitry as in claim 6 which includes sensing circuitry for sensing a representation of the supervisory signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
Circuitry as in claim 7 wherein the applying circuitry couples a DC bias to the audio output cable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
Circuitry as in claim 7 wherein the sensing circuitry includes circuitry for detecting the presence of a predetermined status-indicating electrical parameter on the cable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A monitoring system with a supervisable audible output comprising: circuitry for generating a pre-stored audible indicator; and supervisory circuitry, coupled to the generating circuitry, for comparing a pre-stored sampled representation of a selected audible indicator to an analog output corresponding to the selected audible indicator previously sampled and stored.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
A monitoring system with a supervisable audible output comprising: circuitry for generating a pre-stored audible indicator; and supervisory circuitry, coupled to the generating circuitry, for comparing a pre-stored sampled representation of a selected audible indicator to an analog output corresponding to the selected audible indicator previously sampled and stored.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as in claim 10 wherein the generating circuitry includes circuitry for storage of a sampled representation of at least one audible indicator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as in claim 11 wherein the generating circuitry includes circuitry for converting the sampled representation to an analog output.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 12 which includes at least one transducer for converting the analog output to a humanly perceptible, audible signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as in claim 12 wherein the supervisory circuitry includes a read/write memory element for storage of at least one sampled representation of the selected audible indicator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as in claim 11 wherein the supervisory circuitry includes a read/write memory element for storage of at least one sampled representation of the selected audible indicator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 15 which includes an audio input transducer coupled to the generating circuitry.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as in claim 10 wherein the supervisory circuitry comprises a programmed processor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as in claim 17 wherein the programmable processor includes instructions for sampling and storage of at least one representation of a selected audible indicator.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as in claim 18 which includes a communications link coupled to the processor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as in claim 19 which includes at least one ambient condition detector coupled to the link.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 20 wherein at least one of the detectors includes a fire sensor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as in claim 20 wherein the generating circuitry includes a plurality of audible indicators stored in a non-analog format.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as in claim 20 wherein the programmable processor includes instructions for multiple sampling of an entered audible indicator.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system as in claim 20 wherein the processor includes instructions for causing the generating circuitry to output a pre-stored audible indicator in analog form, for sampling that analog output and for comparing the sampled output to at least one pre-stored, sampled representation of the analog output.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as in claim 24 wherein the processor includes instruction for providing an indication in response to the comparing step.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as in claim 25 wherein the processor includes instructions for processing outputs received from the ambient condition detector.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 26 wherein the detector includes a fire sensor and wherein the processing instructions comprise fire profile determining instructions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as in claim 19 which includes a plurality of ambient condition detectors coupled to the link.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
46 words
A supervisory system for a communications link comprising: circuitry for impressing on the link an out-of-band monitoring signal; circuitry for isolating the monitoring signal from any communications signals on the link; and circuitry for sensing the isolated monitoring signal and for generating a quality indication thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
46 words
A supervisory system for a communications link comprising: circuitry for impressing on the link an out-of-band monitoring signal; circuitry for isolating the monitoring signal from any communications signals on the link; and circuitry for sensing the isolated monitoring signal and for generating a quality indication thereof.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as in claim 29 wherein the impressing circuitry applies a d.c. bias as a monitoring signal to the link.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as in claim 30 wherein the sensing circuitry includes a d.c. level detector.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 31 wherein the detector includes an amplifier with a differential input and which produces a single ended output.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as in claim 29 wherein the sensing circuitry includes at least one voltage divider adapted to be coupled to the communications link.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as in claim 29 wherein the supervisory circuitry applies a time-varying monitoring signal to the link.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
81 words
An ambient condition monitoring system comprising: a control unit; a plurality of ambient condition detectors coupled to the unit; a system for generating audible output messages coupled to the unit; circuitry for supervising the system for generating audible output messages; at least one communication output transducer coupled to the message generating system by an audible message output link; and output link supervision circuitry coupled to the unit wherein the link is supervisable while a communication is being output by the transducer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
81 words
An ambient condition monitoring system comprising: a control unit; a plurality of ambient condition detectors coupled to the unit; a system for generating audible output messages coupled to the unit; circuitry for supervising the system for generating audible output messages; at least one communication output transducer coupled to the message generating system by an audible message output link; and output link supervision circuitry coupled to the unit wherein the link is supervisable while a communication is being output by the transducer.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
A monitoring system as in claim 35 wherein the control unit includes storage for copies of available audible messages for use in supervision.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
24 words
A monitoring system as in claim 36 wherein the control unit includes storage for at least one range of parameters for output link supervision.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
21 words
A monitoring system as in claim 35 which includes storage for at least three ranges of parameters for output link supervision.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
33 words
A monitoring system as in claim 35 wherein the output link includes first and second conductors and wherein the supervision circuitry includes a voltage divider coupled, at least in part, across the conductors.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
19 words
A monitoring system as in claim 35 wherein at least some of the detectors each include a fire sensor.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
18 words
A monitoring system as in claim 40 wherein at least some of the fire sensors comprise smoke detectors.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
23 words
A monitoring system as in claim 35 wherein the communication output transducer comprises an audio output device and the communication is humanly discernable.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of supervising an output communication link in a selected system, wherein communications on the link are intended to take place in a predetermined band, the method comprising: establishing an out-of-band supervisory signal; applying the supervisory signal to the link; detecting a representation of the applied supervisory signal; and comparing the detected representation to a predetermined criterion.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of supervising an output communication link in a selected system, wherein communications on the link are intended to take place in a predetermined band, the method comprising: establishing an out-of-band supervisory signal; applying the supervisory signal to the link; detecting a representation of the applied supervisory signal; and comparing the detected representation to a predetermined criterion.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 43 wherein the supervisory signal is applied to the link in the presence of a communication on the link.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 44 wherein the communication includes at least one predetermined signaling tone.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as in claim 44 wherein the communication includes a pre-stored message.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 44 wherein the communication includes at least one audibly discernable segment.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 43 wherein the establishing step includes providing a substantially constant potential supervisory signal for the link.
Claim 54
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of supervising a message generator comprising: establishing and storing at least one message to be produced by the generator; generating the stored message and forming a binary representation thereof; storing the binary representation; subsequently, generating the stored message and forming another binary representation thereof; comparing the binary representation to the another representation.
Claim 55
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of supervising a message generator comprising: establishing and storing at least one message to be produced by the generator; generating the stored message and forming a binary representation thereof; storing the binary representation; subsequently, generating the stored message and forming another binary representation thereof; comparing the binary representation to the another representation.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 49 including, in response to the comparing step, generating a signal indicative of a difference between the representations.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 50 wherein in response to the signal, at least one audible tone is generated instead of the stored message.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 49 including, in response to the comparing step, generating a signal indicative of substantial identity between the binary representation and the another representation.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 52 wherein in response to the signal, at least one stored message is generated and converted to a humanly discernable output signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-15 | 2002-09-14 | 2003-03-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-15 | 2006-09-14 | 2007-03-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-15 | 2010-09-14 | 2011-03-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |