Security system using modular timers
OwnerMichael S. Gzybowski, Robert G. Levinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electrical timer modules that interact with one another so as to effect random operation of a plurality of electrical devices, creating the appearance that the devices are not operated automatically. The timer modules include circuitry that allows them to wake up from a sleep state or mode within a random time interval. Upon waking from the sleep state or mode, each modular timer initially senses for the presence of a transmitted signal. Upon receipt of a transmitted signal each module returns to its sleep state or mode. If no transmitted signal is received, the first timer module that wakes up transmits a signal to the other modules and activates an electrical device connected thereto.
Claims20
A timer system arranged to create an appearance of random activation of selected electrical devices, said timer system comprising at least two timer modules, each said timer module being set for substantially identical activation time and sharing a common identification signal, each said timer module comprising:
- (a) a power switch arranged to activate at least one of said selected electrical devices;
- (b) a random selection device arranged to select at random, a point in a preselected random time interval on either side of said activation time;
- (c) a receiver arranged to detect for said identification signal;
- (d) a transmitter arranged to send said identification signal;
- and
- (e) a controller programmed to deactivate said timer module upon receipt of said identification signal, and to activate said power switch and said transmitter when said identification signal is not received.
A timer system arranged to create an appearance of random activation of selected electrical device, said timer system comprising at least two groups of timer modules, each of said groups of said timer modules comprising at least two timer modules being set for substantially identical activation times and sharing a common identification signal, different groups of said timer modules having different identification signals, each said timer module comprising:
- (a) a power switch arranged to activate at least one of said selected electrical devices;
- (b) a random selection device arranged to select at random, a point in a preselected random time interval on either side of said activation time;
- (c) a receiver arranged to detect for an identification signal of only a single group of timer modules;
- (d) a transmitter arranged to send said identification signals for a single group of timer modules;
- and
- (e) a controller programmed to deactivate said timer module upon receipt of said identification signal for a single group of timer modules, and to activate said power switch and said transmitter when said identification signal is not received.
A method of creating an appearance of random activation of selected electrical devices using a plurality of timer modules, a single timer module connected to each respective selected electrical device, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) setting each timer module to substantially the same activation time, and determining a random time interval on either side of said activation time;
- (b) selecting at random a point in said random time interval at which to activate a particular timer module;
- (c) detecting for an identification signal;
- (d) deactivating said particular timer module upon receipt of said identification signal and sending an identification signal which said identification signal is not received;
- and
- (d) activating said respective selected electrical device upon transmitting said identification signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.