U.S. patent number 3,757,315 [Application Number 05/176,058] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-04 for diversity rf alarm system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Rollins Protective Services Company. Invention is credited to Jerry Linward Birchfield, Richard Wallace Moss.
United States Patent |
3,757,315 |
Birchfield , et al. |
September 4, 1973 |
DIVERSITY RF ALARM SYSTEM
Abstract
An alarm system incorporating radio links between a plurality of
remotely located alarm condition sensing units and a central
receiving station. Each alarm condition sensing unit is comprised
of at least one sensing means which is comprised of an alarm
sensing element in combination with a frequency diversity radio
transmitter means. The transmitter means of all of the sensing
units transmit frequency diversity carrier signals having the same
carrier frequencies but the carrier signals associated with
different units have modulation signals of differenct frequency
impressed thereon. At the receiving station a frequency diversity
receiver means which has two channels and a means for switching
therebetween demodulates the frequency diversity signals received.
The demodulated signals pass to a plurality of pulse rate
discriminators equal in number to the number of sensing units in
the system. Each pulse rate discriminator is responsive to a
different modulation signal to emit a different alarm output which
alarm output indicates the sensing unit which has triggered. Each
pulse rate discriminator means indicates whether a given modulation
frequency is present or not by comparing the time between
successive negative going zero crossings of the demodulated signal
with the duration of a plurality of fixed length pulses.
Inventors: |
Birchfield; Jerry Linward
(Decatur, GA), Moss; Richard Wallace (Marietta, GA) |
Assignee: |
Rollins Protective Services
Company (Atlanta, GA)
|
Family
ID: |
22642812 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/176,058 |
Filed: |
August 30, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/539.16;
375/267 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08B
25/10 (20130101); H04B 7/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G08B
25/10 (20060101); H04B 7/12 (20060101); H04B
7/02 (20060101); H04b 001/00 (); H04b 007/02 ();
G08b 021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;325/154,113,47,51,53,56,304,364,372 ;179/15BY,15FD
;340/224,207,209,181 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Yusko; Donald J.
Claims
We claim:
1. An alarm system for indicating at a central receiving location
which of a plurality of remotely located alarm condition sensing
units has triggered comprising,
a plurality of remotely located alarm condition sensing units, each
sensing unit being comprised of at least one sensing means which is
comprised of an alarm condition sensing element connected to a
frequency diversity radio transmitter means, each transmitter means
being operative to emit a pair of frequency diversity radio signals
when it is triggered by the sensing element to which it is
connected, the transmitter means of each unit including means for
generating carrier signals of first and second predetermined
frequencies and means for modulating said carrier signals with a
modulation signal of a single fixed frequency, the modulation
signals produced by the transmitter means of each unit being of a
different fixed frequency, whereby the transmitter means of each
unit when triggered emit frequency diversity carrier signals having
the same carrier frequencies as the carrier signals emitted by the
transmitter means of each other unit, which carrier signals are
modulated with a different fixed modulation frequency than the
carrier signals emitted by the transmitter means of each other
unit
and a frequency diversity receiver means at said central receiving
location including means for selectively passing said first and
second predetermined frequencies and further including a
demodulation means for demodulating said frequency diversity
signals to produce demodulated signals of said different fixed
modulation frequencies, and decoder means responsive to said fixed
frequency signals for producing a different alarm output signal for
each of said different frequencies whereby the alarm condition
sensing unit which has triggered is identified, said decoder means
comprising a plurality of pulse rate discriminator means, equal in
number to the number of sensing units, each pulse rate
discriminator means being responsive to a different one of said
fixed frequency signals for producing a different alarm output
signal.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of said pulse rate
discriminator means includes means responsive to the rate of zero
axis crossings of said demodulated fixed frequency signals.
3. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein each of said sensing units
is comprised of a plurality of said sensing means.
4. The alarm system of claim 3 wherein the sensing elements of each
sensing unit are responsive to a different condition from the
sensing elements of each other sensing unit and wherein each
sensing element of a single sensing unit is positioned at a
different remote location from the other sensing elements in that
unit.
5. The alarm system of claim 3 wherein the sensing elements of each
sensing unit are positioned at a different remote location from the
sensing elements of each other unit and wherein each sensing
element of a single unit is responsive to a different condition
than the other sensing elements in that unit.
6. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensing
element of each sensing unit is responsive to a different
condition.
7. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensing
element of each sensing unit is positioned at a different remote
location.
8. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein said receiver means further
includes means for producing said different alarm output signals
when only one of any pair of frequency diversity signals is
received at said receiver means.
9. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein the signals of each pair of
frequency diversity signals are spaced from each other in the
frequency spectrum by a small amount compared to the carrier
frequency of either of said signals.
10. The alarm system of claim 9 wherein said means for generating
carrier signals of first and second predetermined frequencies
includes a subcarrier oscillator means for generating a subcarrier
signal having a frequency of half said small amount, a crystal
controlled oscillator means for generating a center carrier
frequency signal having a frequency midway between said first and
second predetermined frequencies and a balanced modulator means
connected to said subcarrier oscillator means and to said crystal
oscillator means for combining said subcarrier signal and said
center carrier frequency signal.
11. The alarm system of claim 10 wherein said means for modulating
said carrier signals comprises a means for amplitude modulating
said signal generated by said subcarrier oscillator means.
12. The alarm system of claim 11 wherein said single fixed
frequency is a frequency in the ultrasonic range.
13. The alarm system of claim 12 wherein said means for amplitude
modulating is a relaxation oscillator and said subcarrier
oscillator means is a Colpitts type oscillator.
14. The alarm system of claim 12 wherein said frequency diversity
receiver means at said central location is a two channel
superhetrodyne type receiver means, each of said channels including
means tuned to receive one of said frequency diversity signals of a
pair of said frequency diversity signals and local oscillator and
mixer means for converting said signals to an intermediate
frequency signal, means for switching between said local oscillator
and mixer means of said two channels, and a single intermediate
frequency amplifier means for amplifying said intermediate
frequency signal.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein each of said pulse rate
discriminator means includes means responsive to the rate of zero
crossings of said demodulated fixed frequency signals.
16. The alarm system of claim 9 wherein said frequency diversity
receiver means at said central location is a two channel
superhetrodyne type receiver means, each of said channels including
means tuned to receive one of said frequency diversity signals of a
pair of said frequency diversity signals and local oscillator and
mixer means for converting said signals to an intermediate
frequency signal, means for switching between said local oscillator
and mixer means of said two channels, and a single intermediate
frequency amplifier means for amplifying said intermediate
frequency signal.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein each of said tuned means
comprises a radio frequency amplifier means.
18. The system of claim 17 further including a preselector filter
means connected to the input of said receiver means.
19. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein each pulse rate
discriminator means includes means for generating a pulse of
duration equal to a fixed fraction of the period corresponding to a
given one of said modulation frequencies.
20. The alarm system of claim 19 wherein said means for generating
carrier signals of first and second predetermined frequencies
includes a subcarrier oscillator means for generating a subcarrier
signal having a frequency of half said small amount, a crystal
controlled oscillator means for generating a center carrier
frequency signal having a frequency midway between said first and
second predetermined frequencies, and a balanced modulator means
connected to said subcarrier oscillator means to said crystal
oscillator means for combining said subcarrier signal and said
center carrier frequency signal, and wherein said means for
modulating said carrier signals comprises means for amplitude
modulating said signal generated by said subcarrier oscillator
means and wherein said frequency diversity receiver means at said
central location is a dual channel superhetrodyne type receiver
means, each of said channels including means tuned to receive one
of said frequency diversity signals of a pair of frequency
diversity signals, and means for switching between said
channels.
21. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for modulating said
carrier signals comprises a means for generating a fixed frequency
signal in the ultrasonic range.
22. An alarm system comprising a plurality of central receiving
locations in the same vicinity, a group of alarm condition sensing
units being associated with each central receiving location, each
sensing unit being comprised of at least one sensing means which is
comprised of an alarm condition sensing element connected to a
frequency diversity transmitter means for generating a pair of
frequency diversity signals, each of said transmitter means
including first generating means for generating a center carrier
frequency signal for said pair of frequency diversity signals, the
center carrier frequency signal generated by said first generating
means of the transmitter means of each group being of the same
frequency but of different frequency that the signal generated by
said first generating means of the transmitter means of each group,
each of said transmitter means further including second generating
means for generating a fixed frequency modulation signal, the
modulation signal generated by said second generating means of the
transmitter means of each unit being of a different fixed frequency
than the modulation signal generated by said second generating
means of the transmitter means of each other unit in the same
group, each transmitter means further including means for combining
said carrier signals with said modulation signal whereby each
transmitter means when triggered emits a pair of frequency
diversity signals having the same center carrier frequency as the
signals emitted by each other transmitter means in the same group
but a different center carrier frequency than the signals emitted
by transmitter means in each other group and having a fixed
frequency modulation signal of different frequency than the
modulation signal of the signals emitted by transmitter means in
other units of the same group,
and a plurality of frequency diversity receiver means at said
plurality of central receiving locations, neach receiver means
including means for selectively passing signals of the center
carrier frequency generated by said first generating means of the
transmitter means of the group with which said receiver means is
associated, and further including a demodulation means for
demodulating said frequency diversity signals to produce different
fixed frequency demodulated signals, each receiver means further
including a plurality of pulse rate discriminator means connected
to its output of a number equal to the number of sensing units of
the group with which said receiver is associated, each pulse rate
discriminator means being responsive to a signal of different
frequency to activate a different alarm output, whereby the
particular alarm output activated is indicative of both the group
and unit of the transmitter means which has triggered.
Description
This invention relates to an alarm system utilizing radio links
between a plurality of remotely located condition sensing units and
a central receiving station and has the ability to indicate at the
central receiving station which of the plurality of remotely
located sensing units has triggered. The alarm system according to
the present invention is easily expanded or contracted to include
more or less remote sensing locations and is extremely reliable and
is highly immune to false alarms.
Residential and industrial alarm systems can employ several methods
for relaying the alarm signal from an alarm sensing unit to an
alarm actuator. One method is to install wires over which the alarm
signal can be transmitted. Another method is to transmit the alarm
signal over power lines already present in the installation. Alarm
systems using these methods of relaying the alarm signal are
undesirable because they cannot easily be expanded or contracted to
encompass more or less remote sensing locations and are therefore
not flexible. Additionally, there is a great amount of labor
involved if an installation is to be wired.
The above problems can be obviated by the use of an alarm system
which incorporates radio alarm links. The prior art alarm systems,
however, which have utilized radio links have been unsuitable
because they have not been sufficiently reliable and have been
subject to false alarms. With a radio alarm link it is of critical
importance to eliminate interference from nearby electromagnetic
sources such as commercial radio and television stations as well as
from motors and other sources of power. Also the alarm system
should not be triggered by the harmonics of the alarm signal itself
and a radio alarm transmission link must be completely reliable and
must not be dependent upon weather conditions or signal fading. An
alarm system using radio links should additionally be capable of
being used in conjunction with other similar alarm systems in the
same vicinity without the alarm systems interfering with each
other.
The alarm system of the present invention overcomes the
disadvantages of the prior art alarm systems by employing a
plurality of frequency diversity radio transmitter means in
conjunction with alarm condition sensing elements at remote
locations and a single frequency diversity receiver means at a
central location. The frequency diversity radio links are extremely
reliable and overcome the problems of multipath fading and
cancellation which have seriously hampered the performance of prior
art radio alarm systems.
Additionally, the alarm system of the present invention overcomes
the problem of false alarms triggered by spurious signals by the
use of a plurality of pulse rate discriminator means at the central
receiving station to respond to the different modulation signals of
the transmitters associated with different sensing units. The pulse
rate discriminator means indicate whether a given frequency is
present by comparing the time between negative going zero crossings
of the input wave to the discriminator with the duration of a
plurality of fixed length pulses generated by pulse generating
means. The pulse rate discriminator means are therefore responsive
only to the frequency of the demodulated radio signals and not to
the amplitude of the demodulated radio signals or to the amplitude
of any spurious signals, and therefore cannot be triggered by
interference signals or by harmonics of the alarm signal
itself.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an alarm
system incorporating radio links between a plurality of alarm
condition sensing units and a central receiving station which is
reliable and which is not subject to false alarms.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an alarm system
incorporating radio links between a plurality of alarm condition
sensing units and a central receiving station which is not subject
to signal fading.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an alarm system
utilizing radio links between aplurality of remotely located alarm
condition sensing units and a central receiving station which has
the ability to indicate at the central receiving station which of
the plurality of remotely located sensing units has triggered.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an alarm system
utilizing radio links between a plurality of remotely located alarm
condition sensing units and a central receiving station wherein a
plurality of pulse rate discriminators are used at the central
receiving station which are responsive only to the frequency of the
demodulated signal and not to amplitude to identify the radio
signals transmitted by particular sensing units.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a plurality of
alarm systems operating within the same vicinity wherein each alarm
system comprises a plurality of alarm condition sensing units
operating in conjunction with a central receiving station and
wherein said plurality of alarm systems do not interfere with each
other.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved pulse
rate discriminator means which generates an output signal only when
a signal of predetermined frequency is present at its input and
which is responsive only to the frequency of the input signal and
not to the amplitude.
The present invention accomplishes the above objects by providing a
plurality of alarm sensing units at remote locations and a receiver
means at a central location. Each sensing unit is comprised of at
least one sensing means which comprises an alarm condition sensing
element connected to a frequency diversity radio transmitter means
which is operative to transmit a pair of frequency diversity
signals displaced in frequency when triggered by the sensing
element to which it is connected. The transmitter means are
amplitude modulated and all transmitter means associated with a
particular receiving location transmit frequency diversity signals
having the same carrier frequencies. The carrier signals of
transmitters of different units have modulation signals of
different frequency impressed thereon.
The frequency diversity receiver means at the central location is a
superhetrodyne type receiver which is tuned to the carrier
frequencies of the frequency diversity signals. The frequency
diversity signals are demodulated in the receiver means and trigger
one of a plurality of pulse rate discriminator means depending on
the modulation frequency of the demodulated signal. Each pulse rate
discriminator means is a novel device for indicating whether a
signal of predetermined frequency is present at its input terminals
and works by comparing the time period between negative going zero
crossings of the input wave with the duration of a plurality of
fixed length pulses generated by pulse generating means.
Each frequency diversity transmitter means of the invention
includes a crystal oscillator and a times three multiplier for
generating a center carrier frequency, a subcarrier oscillator for
generating a subcarrier frequency, and a balanced modulator for
mixing the center carrier frequency with the subcarrier frequency
for generating two side band signals displaced in the frequency
spectrum. A relaxation oscillator modulates the subcarrier
oscillator with an ultrasonic modulation signal.
The frequency diversity receiver means of the invention is a
superhetrodyne type receiver employing dual channels with means for
switching therebetween. Each channel includes a radio frequency
amplifier, a local oscillator, and a mixer. Switching between the
two channels is done at a low frequency rate and the outputs of
both channels are connected to an intermediate frequency filter and
intermediate frequency amplifier of narrow bandwidth. After passing
through the intermediate frequency amplifier the signals are
demodulated and passed to the decoder means of the invention which
comprises a plurality of pulse rate discriminators. Additionally, a
preselector filter is located at the input to the receiver means
for rejecting signals outside of a predetermined band.
Each pulse rate discriminator means of the invention comprises a
means for generating pulses at each negative going zero axis
crossing of the demodulated wave input to the discriminator, said
pulse generating having two outputs, one output of which is
connected to an AND gate and the other output of which is connected
to two one shot multivibrators in series. The output of the second
one shot multivibrator is also connected to the input of the AND
gate. The coincidence output signals from the AND gate are counted
by a pulse counter which is automatically reset by a reset
multivibrator if a pulse is missing. A given number of pulses
without a missing pulse will fire a Schmitt level detector which
charges a charging network when the level deflector is in its on
state. After a predetermined time the voltage across the charging
network will trigger a gated pulse generator which generates the
alarm output pulse. If, however, a coincidence pulse is missing
before the charging network has reached the firing voltage of the
gated pulse generator the reset multivibrators will operate to turn
the Schmitt level detector to the off state which will discharge
the charging network. Thus the input signal of predetermined
frequency must be present at the input for a predetermined minimum
time before an output pulse will be generated.
In the drawings
FIG. 1 is a representation of the overall alarm system according to
the invention.
FIG. 2 is a representation of the frequency diversity signals
emitted by a single transmitter means of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a single transmitter means of the
invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a frequency diversity receiver means
which is located at a central station according to the
invention.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a pulse rate discriminator means
according to the invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram of the waveforms produced by the pulse rate
discriminator means of FIG. 5.
An alarm system according to the present invention is illustrated
in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1 receiver means 1 is positioned at a central
location in the alarm system installation. Sensing units 1 to 3 are
units of remotely positioned alarm condition sensing means, unit 1
being comprised in the diagram of FIG. 1 of sensing means 1a, 1b
and 1c, unit 2 being comprised of sensing means 2a, 2b and 2c and
unit 3 being comprised of sensing means 3a, 3b and 3c. Each sensing
means such as 1a is comprised of one alarm condition sensing
element such as an ion chamber or mechanical switch connected to
one frequency diversity radio transmitter means.
The transmitter means of sensing units 1, 2 and 3 emit frequency
diversity radio signals having the same carrier frequencies but the
signals emitted by the transmitter means of each different unit
have different modulation signals thereon as will be further
explained below. The spectrum of a typical pair of frequency
diversity signals emitted by a transmitter means of the present
invention is shown in FIG. 2. The center carrier frequency of the
signals shown in FIG. 2 is 300 mhz with each of the sidebands being
displaced from the center carrier frequency by 4.7 mhz. The
modulation on each of the sidebands is identical.
All of the transmitter means of sensing units 1, 2 and 3 thus
transmit on the same carrier frequencies, for instance at 295.7 mhz
and 304.7 mhz if the illustrative frequency spectrum of FIG. 2 is
used. Each of the pairs of frequency diversity signals associated
with transmitter means in different units however have different
modulation frequencies impressed thereon.
Receiver means 1 is tuned to the carrier frequencies of the
frequency diversity signals emitted by the transmitter means of
units 1, 2 and 3. The frequency diversity signals are demodulated
in the receiver means and each of the decoder means 1, 2 and 3 is
responsive to a demodulated signal of different frequency to
produce an alarm output signal which identifies the sensing unit
which has triggered. Thus, for instance, if a sensing element of a
sensing means of sensing unit 1 has been triggered by an alarm
condition to which the sensing element is responsive it will
trigger the transmitter means to which it is connected which will
transmit a signal to the receiver means at the central location.
The signal will be demodulated by the receiver means and the
demodulated signal will operate decoder 1 which will trigger an
alarm signal. Corresponsindly, if a transmitter in a sensing means
of units 2 or 3 is triggered the signals transmitted will operate
decoders 2 or 3 respectively to produce an alarm output signal. It
should be noted that while for purposes of convenience only three
sensing units, each having three sensing means therein, have been
illustrated in an actual installation a great many more than three
sensing units and three sensing means per sensing unit may be used.
The only requirement is that the number of decoder means at the
central receiving location be equal to the number of sensing
units.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention all of the sensing
elements of each sensing unit are responsive to the same alarm
condition while each sensing means of the same unit is located in a
different remote position, for instance in different rooms in a
building which is being monitored. Thus, in FIG. 1 sensing means
1a, 1b and 1c would all be responsive to the same alarm condition
while being located in different remote locations. The sensing
elements of unit 1 could, for instance, be thermistors if the
condition sensed was to be temperature, and each of the sensing
means 1a, 1b, 1c would be located in a different room of a building
being monitored with the receiver means 1 being located at a
central point in the building. In such an embodiment the sensing
elements of units 2 and 3 would be different from the sensing
elements of unit 1 as well as being different from each other and
the sensing means 2a, 2b, 2c would be at different remote locations
as would be the sensing means 3a, 3b, and 3c. The sensing elements
of unit 2 could for instance be mechanical or magnetic switches
attached to a door which when opened would indicate the presence of
an intruder. The sensing elements of unit 3 could be responsive to
yet another condition or in the alternative sensing means 3 could
be hand held transmitting units operated by persons such as
security guards statione throughout the building being monitored. A
signal received at the central receiving station from one of these
transmitting units could indicate that help is needed by one of the
security guards. In the preferred embodiment then an output signal
emitted by decoder means 1, for instance, indicates that the alarm
condition to which sensing unit 1 is responsive has triggered one
of the sensing means 1a, 1b or 1c at one of the remote
locations.
In another embodiment of the invention instead of the sensing
elements of each unit being responsive to the same condition but
being in different remote locations the sensing elements of each
unit could be responsive to different conditions but would be in
the same remote location. Thus, in this embodiment the sensing
elements associated with sensing means 1a, 1b, and 1c would each be
different from the other but the sensing means of unit 1 would all
be in the same remote location, for instance, in the same room in a
building being monitored. In this embodiment then, different
decoder outputs at the receiving station would be indicative of
trouble at a particular remote location instead of trouble with a
particular condition being monitored at at least one of the remote
locations.
If desired, according to the present invention, another alarm
system could be situated in close proximity to the first alarm
system without interfering therewith. This second alaram system is
illustrated in FIG. 1 as comprising condition sensing units 4, 5
and 6 located at remote positions and receiver means 2 located at a
central location. The condition sensing units and receiver means of
the second system would be identical to the first except that the
transmitter means of units 4, 5 and 6 and receiver means 2 would
operate on carrier frequencies displaced from the carrier
frequencies used by the transmitter means of units 1, 2 and 3 and
receiver means 1. The modulation frequencies on the signals
generated by the transmitter means of units 4, 5 and 6 would each
be different from the other, although they could be the same as the
modulation frequencies on the transmitter means of units 1, 2 and
3, and would trigger alarm outputs at decoders 4, 5 and 6. Because
of the different carrier frequencies used in the different alarm
systems and the extreme selectivity of the receiver means as will
be elaborated on later, interference between the two alarm systems
is avoided. Hence, in a typical application one alarm system may be
used to monitor one building in a complex of buildings whereas the
other alarm system could be used to monitor another building in
that complex.
While each unit of sensing means has been described as having only
three sensing means for purposes of convenience it is to be
understood that in a typical installation each sensing unit may
have a great many sensing means. For instance, in the preferred
embodiment where each of the sensing means of each unit are
responsive to the same condition one, sensing means from each unit
might be positioned in a different room in a large building.
Likewise while each system has been shown as being comprised of
only three sensing units more than three units may be employed in a
practical system. And while only two alarm systems operating in
proximity to each other have been illustrated in FIG. 1 it is
apparent that many more than two systems may be used in the same
vicinity where a large complex of buildings is monitored.
According to the FCC rules and regulations the band available for
operation is 285 to 328.6 mhz, and all RF channels of different
systems operating in the same vicinity lie within this range. An
important feature of the present invention is the use of frequency
diversity transmittter means and receiver means to provide extreme
reliability and to eliminate multipath cancellation and fading. A
transmitter means used by the invention to generate a frequency
diversity spectrum such as is shown In FIG. 2 is illustrated in
block diagram in FIG. 3.
The transmitter means of each unit generate frequency diversity
signals having a different modulation thereon. This modulation is
provided by relaxation oscillator 10 as shown in FIG. 3. This
oscillator generates a modulation signal in the ultrasonic range
which is used to amplitude modulate subcarrier oscillator 11 which
is an oscillator preferably of Colpitts design which is used to
generate the subcarrier signal. If the transmitter means of FIG. 3
is used to generate the illustrative spectrum of FIG. 2 the
subcarrier signal would be a signal of 4.7 mhz.
The RF oscillator was chosen to be a crystal oscillator to attain
the desired stability. A X3 multiplier is used to multiply the
signal attained with the crystal oscillator to obtain an RF
frequency within the FCC approved range. If the transmitter means
were used to generate the illustrative spectrum of FIG. 2 the RF
oscillator and X3 multiplier would generate a signal of 300 mhz.
The outputs of the multiplier and the subcarrier oscillator are
mixed in a balanced modulator which generates a spectrum as shown
in FIG. 2. Antenna 15 may preferably be a monopole antenna which
may be positioned on a printed circuit board on which the
transmitter is built.
Amplitude modulation was found to be superior to frequency
modulation for the radio alarm links because it eliminated the
triggering of false alarms due to interference from local FM radio
stations. Subcarrier oscillator 11 is amplitude modulated by the
output of relaxation oscillator 10 by any standard technique of
amplitude modulation such as is well known in the art.
Additionally, each block shown in FIG. 3 is a standard electrical
network as is well known in the art.
As shown in FIG. 1, receiver means 1 is preceded by a preselector
filter to reject signals in the FM and TV broadcast band. This
filter should provide significant attenuation to signals below 250
mhz and above 350 mhz and preferably may be a filter of ten pole
Butterworth design. The preselector filter is an important
component for rejecting unwanted signals before they are processed
by the receiver.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of frequency diversity receiver means 1.
Following front end bandpass filter 21 the receiver means has one
channel comprised of RF amplifier 22, local oscillator 25 and mixer
26, and a second channel comprised of RF amplifier 23, local
oscillator 28, and mixer 27. The local oscillators are crystal
controlled to achieve the desired stability. RF amplifier 22 is
tuned to pass one of the side bands of FIG. 2, for instance the
lower side band, whereas RF amplifier 23 would be tuned to pass the
upper side band. Alternatively each RF amplifier could be tuned to
pass both side bands. Local oscillator 25 is adjusted to generate a
signal of a frequency which when mixed with the frequency of the
lower side band of the frequency diversity signal will result in a
signal having the intermediate frequency of the receiver means. In
the preferred embodiment of the invention the intermediate
frequency used is 10.7 mhz. Likewise local oscillator 28 is
adjusted to generate a signal which when mixed with a frequency of
the upper side band will result in a frequency of the intermediate
frequency. A power switch switches between the two channels at a
rate of about 4 cycles per second. After being filtered in
narrow-band filter 29 the intermediate frequency signal is
amplified in IF amplifier 30 and demodulated in demodulator 31.
Demodulator 31 may be any standard demodulation device for
demodulating an amplitude modulated signal.
The output of demodulator 31 is connected to decoders 1, 2 and 3 as
shown in FIG. 1. The purpose of the decoders are to selectively
trigger an alarm signal responsive to the modulation on the
transmitted frequency diversity signals. Thus, in FIG. 1 decoder 1
will provide an alarm output signal when a transmitter means of
unit 1 has triggered. Likewise decoders 2 and 3 will emit alarm
signals when activated respectively by transmitter means of units 2
and 3. The decoders are an important part of the alarm system
because the accuracy with which they detect the ultrasonic
frequency of the demodulated signals ensures against the alarm
system being triggered by false alarms. The decoders take the form
of pulse rate discriminator means which respond only to the rate of
zero crossings of the demodulated output signal. Hence any
dependence upon the amplitude of the demodulated signal or on the
amplitude of any interference signal is eliminated. Whereas
bandpass filters were found to respond to noise and to harmonics of
the alarm signal if they were of sufficient amplitude as well as to
large amplitude broadband noise such as generated by SCR
controlled, variable speed electric power tools, no such false
alarms were triggered when the pulse rate discriminator means were
used.
A block diagram of a pulse rate discriminator according to the
invention is shown in FIG. 5 and waveforms associated therewith are
shown in FIG. 6. The bandpass filter 40 at the input serves to
reduce the noise which may be present on the input signal. The
output of bandpass filter 40 is shown in FIG. 6 at 1 and is a sine
wave signal of period T. Schmitt trigger 41 acts as a squaring
means on signal 1 to produce the waveform shown at 2 in FIG. 6
which waveform has a negative going edge every time waveform 1 has
a negative going axis crossing point. Pulse shaper 42 generates a
pulse each time that waveform 2 has a negative going edge. Thus
waveform 3 shown in FIG. 6 consists of a series of pulses with
period T. One output from pulse shaper 42 is fed to AND gate 45 and
the other output is fed to resettable delay one shot multivibrator
43 which generates a delay pulse as shown at 4 in FIG. 6. The
resettable delay one-shot 43 operates only if the input pulse rate
is less than some preset maximum value.
The duration of delay pulse 43 is a substantial fraction of the
duration T. In the preferred embodiment of the invention this
fraction is approximately nine-tenths. The lagging edge of waveform
4 triggers pulse one shot multivibrator 44 which generates a pulse
of duration equal to a small fraction of the period T. In the
preferred embodiment of the invention this fraction is
approximately two-tenths.
The other input to the AND gate is the output from pulse one-shot
multivibrator 44. If the frequency to which the decoder is
responsive is present at the input wave then the pulse generated by
pulse shaper 42 immediately following the pulse which has triggered
delay one-shot multivibrator 43 will coincide with the pulse output
of pulse one-shot 44. Thus as shown in FIG. 6 when the proper
frequency is present at the input, pulse 2 of pulse wave 3
coincides with pulse output 5 of pulse one-shot multivibrator 44.
The coincidence or noncoincidence of pulse 2 with waveform 5 is
determined by AND gate 45.
Pulse counter 46 generates a ramp output the final amplitude of
which is determined by the number of pulses counted. When the
amplitude of the output of pulse counter 46 reaches a predetermined
level Schmitt level detector 47 is triggered into its on state.
Schmitt level detector 47 is a standard two state Schmitt device.
Reset one-shot multivibrator 49 acts as a missing pulse detector.
Thus it is predetermined that a given number of successive outputs
from AND gate 45 without a missing pulse is to be indicative that
the proper frequency is present. This given number of outputs from
AND gate 45 is the number which will bring the output of pulse
counter 46 to the level at which Schmitt level detector 47 is
triggered to its on state. If, however, a pulse is missing from the
successive train of pulses then reset one-shot multivibrator 49 is
triggered which dumps the count of pulse counter 46 to zero and it
must start counting all over again to indicate the presence of the
proper frequency.
According to one feature of the pulse rate discriminator a signal
having the proper frequency must be present for at least 100
milliseconds before an output alarm signal will be generated.
Hence, when the output of pulse counter 46 reaches a predetermined
amplitude Schmitt level detector 47 is turned on. The Schmitt
detector will remain in its on state so long as pulse counter 46
keeps on receiving coincidence pulses from AND gate 45 without a
missing pulse. As long as Schmitt detector 49 is in its on state
charging network 49 charges. At the end of 100 milliseconds network
49 which may be a simple RC network is charged to the point where
gated pulse generator 50 to which the RC network is connected,
triggers its alarm output signal. If, however, a successive pulse
is missing during the 100 milliseconds reset one-shot multivibrator
49 will be operative to return Schmitt level detector 47 to its off
state. When this happens charging network 49 discharges and a new
100 millisecond criterion must be met. Thus the alarm output signal
will not be generated unless an input wave of proper brequency is
present at the input terminals for at least 100 milliseconds.
While I have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my
invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to be
restricted solely thereto, but that I do intend to cover all
modifications thereof which would be apparent to one skilled in the
art and which come within the spirit and scope of my invention.
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