Automatic electrical shut-off device
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorMichael Lawrence Golob
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical shut-off device (10) is provided and includes a housing (11), first and second inputs (12, 13) and an output disposed on the housing, a transmission/reception (T/R) module (14) coupled to the first input, an input device (15) coupled to the second input, an electrical device coupled to the output and a processor (20). The processor is in signal communication with the T/R module, the input device and the electrical device via the first and second inputs and the output, respectively. The processor is configured to issue an instruction via the T/R module and to take an action relative to the electrical device responsive to a signal being received by the T/R module and to take an additional action in accordance with an actuation state of the input device.
Claims18
An electrical shut-off device, comprising:
- a housing;
- first and second inputs and an output disposed on the housing;
- a transmission/reception (T/R) module coupled to the first input;
- an input device coupled to the second input;
- an electrical device coupled to the output;
- and
- a processor in signal communication with the T/R module, the input device and the electrical device via the first and second inputs and the output, respectively,
- the processor being configured to issue an instruction via the T/R module and to take an action relative to the electrical device responsive to a signal being received by the T/R module and to take an additional action in accordance with an actuation state of the input device,
- wherein:
- the electrical device is provided as a pair of electrical devices, a first one of which is coupled to a garage door opener and a second one of which is coupled to a ventilation unit, and
- the processor, responsive to the signal being received by the T/R module, commands the first one of the pair of electrical devices to instruct the garage door opener to open the garage and commands the second one of the pair of electrical devices to shut down the ventilation unit to prevent harmful gas from being transported throughout a building.
A method of operating an electrical shut-off device comprising a transmission/reception (T/R) module, which is communicative according to a wireless protocol via at least one of radio frequency (RF) and Infrared (IR) networks, and an input device, the method comprising:
- periodically communicating with the at least one of the RF and IR networks according to the wireless protocol via the TR module;
- receiving an asynchronous signal from the at least one of the RF and IR networks according to the wireless protocol via the TR module;
- identifying the asynchronous signal as an alarm;
- issuing an instruction to an external electrical device to take an action according to the wireless protocol via the T/R module responsive to receipt of the asynchronous signal and identification thereof as an alarm;
- and
- taking an additional action in accordance with an actuation state of the input device,
- wherein the issuing of the instruction to the external electrical device to take the action comprises:
- commanding a garage door opener to open;
- and
- commanding a ventilation unit to shut down to prevent harmful gas from being transported throughout a building.
An electrical shut-off device, comprising:
- a housing;
- first and second inputs and an output disposed on the housing;
- a transmission/reception (T/R) module coupled to the first input;
- an input device coupled to the second input;
- first and second electrical devices respectively coupled to the output, the first electrical device being coupled to a garage door opener and the second electrical device being coupled to a ventilation unit;
- and
- a processor in signal communication with the T/R module, the input device and the first and second electrical devices via the first and second inputs and the output, respectively,
- the processor being configured to issue an instruction via the T/R module commanding the first electrical device to instruct the garage door opener to open the garage and commanding the second electrical device to shut down the ventilation unit to prevent harmful gas from being transported throughout a building responsive to a signal being received by the T/R module and to take an additional action in accordance with an actuation state of the input device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.