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US 6,480,109 B1Granted
Alarm lockout apparatus
AssigneePittway Corporation
InventorLee D. Tice
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-mode electrical device for a communications system exhibits at least two different modes manually selectable at the device. A mode setting switch carried by the device has at least two states. One state is associated with a normal operational mode. A second state is associated with a different operational mode. A movable member carried by the device's housing can be used to select the mode.
Claims90
An electrical unit comprising:
- a housing;
- a transducer carried by the housing;
- control circuitry having at least two states, responsive to transducer condition, and coupled to the transducer;
- a multi-position switch coupled to the circuitry wherein the housing carries a movable portion and switch position is responsive to the movable portion whereby, when the switch is in a first position, the circuitry can exhibit any one of the states, and when the switch is in a second position, the circuitry enters a maintenance mode and exhibits only one state irrespective of transducer condition.
1 more element
A method of operating a multi-device communication system comprising:
- operating the system with the devices in a normal operational mode;
- altering a housing portion's location on a selected device thereby placing that device into a different operational mode;
- continuing to operate the system with the remaining devices in their respective normal operational modes with the selected device continuing to operate in the different operational mode.
A communication system comprising:
- a plurality of coupled electrical devices wherein at least some of the devices, when in a first mode, transmit status related information to at least one other device, wherein selected of the devices can be placed into a second off-line service mode, at the respective device, for service without uncoupling the device from the plurality and wherein responsive to entering the second mode, the respective device communicates at least a status message indicating that it has entered the second mode.
An electrical device comprising:
- a control circuit,
- a manually operable mode setting element, having at least two states, locally coupled to the circuit wherein the circuit exhibits at least a normal operational mode and a non-test, service mode in response to the state of the element and wherein the circuit when entering the service mode carries out at least one of a mode indicating transmission to another device and an inhibition of at least one output exhibited when in the normal operational mode.
An electrical device comprising:
- a control circuit having a normal operating mode and a non-test service mode;
- output circuitry, coupled to the control circuit, for exhibiting at least a change of state in response to a selected condition, when the control circuit is in the normal operating mode and not otherwise;
- and
- a manually operable mode setting member having at least two states and locally coupled to the control circuit wherein when the member is in one state the control circuit functions in the normal operating mode thereby enabling exhibition of the change of state and wherein when the member is in the other state, the circuit functions in the service mode and no change of state is exhibited until the member is returned to the one state.
1 more element
An ambient condition detector comprising:
- a sensor;
- a control circuit coupled to the sensor;
- a manually settable control element, coupled to the control circuit, having at least a first normal on-line, operational state and a second, off-line service sate whereby the control circuit, in response to the element being set to the first state presents a normal operational condition or an alarm condition responsive to sensor output, and, in response to the element being set to the second state presents only a normal operational condition, irrespective of sensor output, until the control element is returned to its first state.
An electrical unit comprising:
- a housing;
- control circuitry;
- a sensor coupled to the control circuitry;
- a manually controlled switch having at least two states;
- wherein the control circuitry processes the sensor signals in a normal operational mode when the switch is in one predetermined state and processes the sensor's signals in a non-normal mode when the switch is changed to another predetermined state whereby detection of the sensed condition is inhibited while the unit is in the non-normal mode;
- and wherein the unit provides an external indicium within a predetermined period to indicate its operational mode.
3 more elements
A method of operating a multi-device communication system comprising:
- operating the system with the devices in a normal operational mode;
- manually altering at least a housing portion's position on a selected device thereby placing that device into a non-normal mode;
- inhibiting detection of the sensed condition from the selected device while the unit is in the non-normal mode;
- and
- continuing to operate the system with the remaining devices in their respective normal operating modes with the selected device operating in the non-normal mode.
2 more elements
An electrical unit comprising:
- a housing;
- a transducer carried by the housing;
- control circuitry having at least two states, responsive to transducer condition, and coupled to the transducer;
- an interface for connection to an external medium wherein the control circuit is coupled to the interface;
- a multi-position switch coupled to the circuitry whereby, when the switch is in a first position, the circuitry, via the interface is on line relative to the medium, and when the switch is in a second position, the circuitry enters an off-line maintenance mode and exhibits only an off-line state irrespective of transducer condition.
2 more elements
An electrical unit comprising:
- a housing;
- a transducer carried by the housing;
- a control circuit having at least two states, coupled to the transducer and responsive to transducer condition;
- a multi-position switch coupled to the circuit whereby, when the switch is in a first position, the circuit can exhibit any one of the states responsive to transducer condition, and when the switch is in second position, the circuit enters a maintenance mode and only exhibits a state that is not responsive to transducer condition;
- where it can be externally ascertained of the electrical unit that it is in the maintenance mode.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.