Test initiation apparatus with continuous or pulse input
AssigneePittway Corporation
InventorsNicholas J. Bellavia, Daniel J. Birk, Fred J. Conforti, Ronald Sisselman
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Abstract
A system for testing a remotely located sensing unit includes a photosensor located within the sensing unit. A control beam of incident electromagnetic energy can be provided from a remotely located portable source such as a flashlight. Directing the beam of radiant energy from the flashlight against the sensor in the unit causes the unit to initiate a test sequence. The unit can be equipped with a photo-detector to terminate an alarm generated in response to a sensed condition. The unit can include a sonic detector. Control circuitry in the unit can decode a sensed encoded incident beam to minimize false tests or to provide multiple remotely initiated functions.
Claims9
In an electrical unit which can be tested using an intermittently incident energy beam which originates at a location displaced from the unit, an electrical circuit comprising:
- means, responsive to the intermittently incident energy beam, for generating a pulsed electrical signal;
- energy storage means for accumulating electrical energy in response to the pulsed electrical signal;
- and
- means, responsive to the presence of a predetermined quantity of accumulated electrical energy, for initiating testing of the electrical unit.
A unit, silenceable with an external beam of incident energy, for sensing the presence of a predetermined condition and for sounding an alarm responsive thereto comprising:
- condition sensing means;
- means, responsive to said sensing means, for sounding an alarm;
- photosensitive means, responsive to the beam of incident energy, for generating a selected electrical signal and
- means, responsive to said electrical signal for terminating said alarm for a predetermined period of time.
A unit testable from a remote location utilizing a beam of incident radiant energy comprising:
- a housing;
- first incident energy detecting means carried by said housing;
- second incident energy detecting means spaced from said first means and carried by said housing;
- and
- means, coupled to said first and second means, for initiating a test condition in response to the beam of energy being incident on only one of said detecting means.
A method of controlling a remotely located electrical unit which is carrying out a predetermined function using a selected, pulsed command beam generated outside of the unit comprising the steps of:
- directing the selected command beam at a region of the unit;
- detecting the presence of the incident command beam when it encounters the region;
- and
- terminating the predetermined function in response to detection of a predetermined number of pulses of the incident command beam.
An apparatus for remotely initiating a test condition in a selected testable electrical unit which includes a unit test device, for only a selected time interval, the apparatus comprising:
- a source of radiant energy separate from the unit;
- means, coupled to the electrical unit, for detecting incident radiant energy from said source and for generating a selected electrical condition in response thereto only for as long as the incident radiant energy is detected;
- and
- means for coupling said selected electrical condition to the test device thereby testing the unit for only the duration of the selected electrical condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.