Chris T Gilbert

US Patent:

6522248, Feb 18, 2003

Filed:

Mar 18, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/271574

Inventors:

John J. Andres - Colorado Springs CO
Micahel W. Apperson - Chapel Hill NC
Stephen M. Ernst - Colorado Springs CO
Chris R. Gilbert - Colorado Springs CO
Richard Kwor - Colorado Springs CO
Joseph G. DeLuca - Colorado Springs CO

Assignee:

Walter Kidde Portable Equipment, Inc. - Mebane NC

International Classification:

G08B 1900

US Classification:

340521, 340511, 704273, 704274

Abstract:

An apparatus for the detection and enunciation of hazardous conditions within an environment comprises at least two detection circuits positioned to sense ambient conditions within a home or business environment. One of the detection circuits senses the presence of smoke, and the other detection circuit senses the presence of carbon monoxide. The apparatus also comprises an alarm circuit which is responsive to each of the detection circuits for generating at least one alarm pattern, and preferably a separate alarm pattern for each different sensed condition. A voice synthesizer circuit is also included, and is responsive to each of the detection circuits for generating at least one voice message. As with the alarm patterns, the voice synthesizer preferably generates separate voice messages for each separate detected condition. The apparatus advantageously also contains an interleaving control circuit.

US Patent:

6753786, Jun 22, 2004

Filed:

Aug 11, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/638090

Inventors:

Michael W. Apperson - Chapel Hill NC
John J. Andres - Colorado Springs CO
Joseph G DeLuca - Colorado Springs CO
Chris R. Gilbert - Colorado Springs CO
Larry Ratzlaff - Elgin IL

Assignee:

Walter Kidde Portable Equipment, Inc. - Mebane NC

International Classification:

G08B 1700

US Classification:

340628, 340629, 340630, 340514, 340632

Abstract:

A microcontroller-based hazardous condition detector having an intelligent hush feature is presented. The microcontroller controls the operational mode of the detector by monitoring a single user-actuated switch, the inputs from a smoke chamber and a carbon monoxide detector circuit, and the current operating mode of the detector. When in a normal or no-alarm mode, actuation of the switch will cause the microcontroller to place the detector in a test mode of operation. If the detector is in a carbon monoxide alarm mode, actuation of the switch will act to reset the accumulator function of the microprocessor for the carbon monoxide alarm sensing. If the detector is in a smoke alarm mode, actuation of the switch may place the detector in a hush mode if the level of smoke is sufficiently low, or will have no effect if the level of smoke is too high. Once in the hush mode, actuation of the switch will place the detector into the smoke alarm mode. The microcontroller will also place the detector in the smoke alarm mode if the level of smoke increases beyond a certain limit, and after the expiration of a hush mode time limit.

US Patent:

6791453, Sep 14, 2004

Filed:

Aug 11, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/638091

Inventors:

John J. Andres - Colorado Springs CO
Michael W. Apperson - Chapel Hill NC
Joseph G DeLuca - Colorado Springs CO
Chris R. Gilbert - Colorado Springs CO
Craig Kleinberg - Colorado Springs CO
Larry Ratzlaff - Elgin IL
Stephen M. Ernst - Colorado Springs CO
John Wurtenberger - Colorado Springs CO

Assignee:

Walter Kidde Portable Equipment, Inc. - Mebane NC

International Classification:

G08B 900

US Classification:

34028601, 34028605, 340291, 340639, 340506, 3406936

Abstract:

Presented is a communications protocol for use by interconnected hazardous condition detectors, such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for use in dwellings and other structures. This communications protocol provides conventional signaling to indicate the presence of a smoke condition necessitating the generation of a smoke temporal pattern by all interconnected detectors. The protocol further defines a signaling method by which conventional smoke detectors that are incapable of providing temporal patterns other than that required for a smoke alarm condition will not be sent into an alarm mode of operation upon receipt of a signal other than the conventional smoke alarm signal. This communications protocol defines a pulsed signal to indicate a non-smoke alarm condition that is of a duration that will not trigger the conventional smoke alarms. To allow for the transmission of multiple hazardous conditions alarm notifications, as well as the transmission of additional hazardous condition detector control signals, the communications protocol utilizes a multi-bit signal transmitted via the conventional single signal I/O wire of currently existing interconnect wiring. Through the use of an 8 bit alarm signal, multiple hazardous conditions may be signaled as well as operating modes such as test, hush, reset, low battery, etc.

US Patent:

6873254, Mar 29, 2005

Filed:

Jan 10, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/339845

Inventors:

John J. Andres - Colorado Springs CO, US
Micahel W. Apperson - Chapel Hill NC, US
Stephen M. Ernst - Colorado Springs CO, US
Chris R. Gilbert - Colorado Springs CO, US
Richard Kwor - Colorado Springs CO, US
Joseph G. DeLuca - Colorado Springs CO, US

Assignee:

Walter Kidde Portable Equipment, Inc. - Mebane NC

International Classification:

G08B019/00

US Classification:

340521, 340511, 704273, 704274

Abstract:

An apparatus for the detection and enunciation of hazardous conditions within an environment comprises at least two detection circuits positioned to sense ambient conditions within a home or business environment. One of the detection circuits senses the presence of smoke, and the other detection circuit senses the presence of carbon monoxide. The apparatus also comprises an alarm circuit which is responsive to each of the detection circuits for generating at least one alarm pattern, and preferably a separate alarm pattern for each different sensed condition. A voice synthesizer circuit is also included, and is responsive to each of the detection circuits for generating at least one voice message. As with the alarm patterns, the voice synthesizer preferably generates separate voice messages for each separate detected condition. The apparatus advantageously also contains an interleaving control circuit.

US Patent:

7449990, Nov 11, 2008

Filed:

May 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/849366

Inventors:

John J. Andres - Colorado Springs CO, US
Michael W. Apperson - Chapel Hill NC, US
Joseph G. DeLuca - Colorado Springs CO, US
Chris R. Gilbert - Colorado Springs CO, US
Craig Kleinberg - Colorado Springs CO, US
Larry Ratzlaff - Elgin IL, US
Stephen M. Ernst - Colorado Springs CO, US
John Wurtenberger - Colorado Springs CO, US

Assignee:

Walter Kidde Portable Equipment, Inc. - Mebane NC

International Classification:

G09F 25/00

US Classification:

34028601, 340639, 3406936, 340516, 340289

Abstract:

Presented is a communications protocol for use by interconnected hazardous condition detectors, such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for use in dwellings and other structures. This communications protocol provides conventional signaling to indicate the presence of a smoke condition necessitating the generation of a smoke temporal pattern by all interconnected detectors. The protocol further defines a signaling method by which conventional smoke detectors that are incapable of providing temporal patterns other than that required for a smoke alarm condition will not be sent into an alarm mode of operation upon receipt of a signal other than the conventional smoke alarm signal. This communications protocol defines a pulsed signal to indicate a non-smoke alarm condition that is of a duration that will not trigger the conventional smoke alarms. To allow for the transmission of multiple hazardous conditions alarm notifications, as well as the transmission of additional hazardous condition detector control signals, the communications protocol utilizes a multi-bit signal transmitted via the conventional single signal I/O wire of currently existing interconnect wiring. Through the use of an 8 bit alarm signal, multiple hazardous conditions may be signaled as well as operating modes such as test, hush, reset, low battery, etc.