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US 6,311,021 B1Granted
Multi-candela alarm unit
AssigneeWheelock, Inc.
InventorJoseph Kosich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A strobe alarm unit having a plurality of selectable candela settings or intensity levels, for allowing an alarm installer to select a particular candela setting for the alarm unit in the field. The strobe alarm unit incorporates a voltage doubler circuit that allows a single storage capacitor to provide the necessary discharge voltage across the flashtube to provide the plurality of selectable candela settings.
Claims20
An alarm unit, comprising:
- a switch having a plurality of selectable positions representative of a plurality of intensity settings;
- a flash circuit having a first storage capacitor, a flashtube and a voltage doubler having a second capacitor for generating a flash;
- and
- a controller coupled to said switch and said flash circuit, for triggering said flash having an intensity that is in accordance with a selected position of said switch, wherein said triggering causes a voltage stored in said first storage capacitor and a voltage stored in said second capacitor to be presented to said flashtube simultaneously.
1 more element
A method of operating an alarm unit, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) using a switch having a plurality of selectable positions representative of a plurality of intensity settings to select one of said intensity settings;
- b) using a flash circuit having a first storage capacitor, a flashtube and a voltage doubler having a second capacitor for generating a flash;
- and
- c) using a controller coupled to said switch and said flash circuit, for triggering said flash having an intensity that is in accordance with a selected position of said switch, wherein said triggering causes a voltage stored in said first storage capacitor and a voltage stored in said second capacitor to be presented to said flashtube simultaneously.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.