Timer Controlled Alarm System

Abstract

An alarm system for detecting and recording the time of arrival home of a young person who has a definite curfew for his or her return. The system allows the parents of the young person to reture for the evening with the assurance that they will be awakened if their son or daughter does not return on time, but will not be disturbed if he or she arrives home on or before the appointed time.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When a teenage son or daughter goes out for an evening, it is normal for concerned parents to worry until he or she has returned home safely. Most parents will, therefore, wait until their son or daughter has returned home before retiring. If the arrival time is late, the parents may lose several hours of sleep. Moreover, most parents want to know whether or not their son or daughter has complied with the curfew which they set for that particular evening. Although some parents have their child wake them when the child returns home, many parents are unable to sleep until they know that the curfew time has arrived and their child is home safely. The idea of merely setting an alarm clock so that it will awaken the parents at the time set for the curfew will disturb the parents in the event that the child does come home on time. Most parents who have gone through the teenage stage will, therefore, agree that there is a need for a method or system for minimizing the worry, concern and inconvenience during this stage. The prior art does not disclose any method or system which will allow the parents to obtain some rest while assuring that they will be awakened in the event that their child does not arrive on or before the curfew time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system and method which allows the parents of a teenage child to retire at their usual time with the assurance that they will be awakened if their child does not arrive home at the appointed time but which will allow the parents' sleep to continue if the child does arrive home on time. The invention consists of an alarm clock and indicator light forming the alarm station which is located in the parents' bedroom and which is connected to a remote control station located in a convenient place, near the entryway for example. The alarm station is connected to control station so that if the alarm is set for the curfew time, the alarm will go off unless it is deactivated by the child at the control station. Operation of a switch at the control station will turn off the indicator light and alarm and will also stop the clock thus recording the time the teenager arrived home. If the switch at the control station is not operated prior to the curfew time, the alarm will go off and, of course, awaken the parents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawing is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the principles of my invention as applied to a multiple unit system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the drawing there is shown a schematic wiring diagram for a multiple unit system which is capable of being used for four children, all of whom are out for the same evening and all of whom have different curfew times. It will be understood, however, that the principles of the invention can be applied to a single station unit as well as to a system of any number of units.

The system is supplied with electric power from a source 10 which will normally be the standard line voltage of 110 volts A.C. power. Since some components of the system are best adapted for operation at a lower voltage and for safety reasons, I prefer to provide a transformer 12 to reduce the voltage. Also, although it is not necessary to operate some components of the system on DC, I find it preferable to do so, and, therefore, provide an AC to DC rectifier circuit 14.

Connected to the voltage source 10 on the primary side of transformer 12 is a standard alarm clock 16 of any suitable type, there being one such alarm clock 16 for each separate unit of the system. Connected between the alarm clock 16 and the source 10 is a relay 18 which is normally open. The operation of the relay 18 is controlled by the low voltage DC power from rectifier circuit 14 through a manually operated switch 20 of any suitable type such as a double pole single throw switch. Thus, the relay 18 will be energized to close the circuit to alarm clock 16 only if the switch 20 is closed.

Preferably, there is also provided a first indicator light 22 and a second indicator light 24 for each unit. The indicator lights 22 and 24 will be lit only if the switch 20 is closed.

So that the system will perform its purpose, the clock 16, indicator light 22, and relay 18 are combined together at the alarm station and are located remotely from the control station which consists of the switch 20 and the other indicator light 24. The alarm station should be located in a suitable convenient location such as the parents' bedroom. The remote control station should be located also at a convenient place such as a hallway or entryway. To place the system in operation, the switch 20 at the remote control station is closed and the clock 16 is set for the actual time. Also, the alarm on clock 16 is set for the curfew time or a few minutes later if there is to be a "grace period." When switch 20 is closed, both indicator light 24 and indicator light 22 will be lit and the clock 16 will start operating to show the actual time. The parts can then retire if they wish. If the child has not arrived home at the time set on alarm clock 16, the alarm will go off awakening the parents. However, if the child arrives home prior to the curfew time, he merely opens the switch 20 which will turn off indicator lights 22 and 24 and will also shut off the power to the alarm clock 16 thus deactivating it. The alarm of clock 16 will, therefore, not go off at the set time and the parents' sleep will be uninterrupted. Also, the clock 16 will stop at the exact time of the child's arrival thus recording his arrival time. If a parent should awaken in the middle of the night, he can tell at a glance that the indicator light 22 is out and, therefore, know his child is home and can see the exact time that he arrived home. If a parent should awaken prior to the curfew time, he, of course, will be able to tell whether or not the child is home by glancing at indicator light 22 which will still be on if the child is not yet home. Very often, the knowledge that if he does not arrive home on time the alarm clock 16 will awaken his parents will have a defininte psychological effect on the child and gives him sufficient incentive to meet the curfew. Also, this may help to create a certain amount of responsibility for the child to be home on time.

Obviously, if the parents have more than one child, two or more separate units can be wired as shown in the drawing with multiple alarm clocks 16 located at the alarm station and multiple switches 20 at the control station. Different colored indicator lights 24 can be used or the name of each child can be placed below his switch 20 and indicator light 24 so that as each comes home the proper indication will be given. Correspondingly colored indicator lights 22 can also be used so that the parents can quickly identify who is and who is not home by glancing at the alarm station.

It will be further obvious to those skilled in the art that various other revisions and modifications can be made in the system utilizing the principles of the invention and without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is my intention, however, that all such revisions and modifications as are obvious to those skilled in the art will be included within the scope of the following claims:

Claims

I claim:

1. An alarm system comprising an alarm station, an indicator light at said station, an electrically operated alarm at said station responsive to a timed signal for producing an audible alarm at said station, an electrically powered clock located at said alarm station for providing said timed signal to said alarm in response to the lapse of a predetermined amount of time, an electrical power supply circuit for said clock, alarm and indicator light, first control means including a normally open relay in said circuit with said clock, alarm and indicator light, said relay controlling the power supply to said clock, alarm and indicator, second control means including a manually operable switch located at a station remote from said alarm station, an indicator light at said remote station in circuit with said switch, said switch being operatively connected to said relay to close said relay when said switch is closed and thereby complete the power supply circuit to said clock, alarm and indicator light at said alarm station and to open said relay when said switch is opened to thereby break the circuit between the power supply, clock, alarm and indicator light at said alarm station, said switch controlling the power supply to said indicator light at said remote station so that when said switch is closed power will be supplied to said light and when said switch is opened no power will be supplied to said light.

2. The alarm system of claim 1 in which said electrical supply circuit includes an AC power source, and said system includes an AC to DC rectifier, said switch, relay and indicator lights being supplied by DC power and said alarm and clock being supplied directly from said AC source.

3. The alarm system of claim 2 in which there is provided a low voltage transformer between said AC source and said DC rectifier.