English:
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a dual technology glass breakage detector, and more particularly pertains to a dual technology glass breakage detector for a security system that includes an acoustic sensor/audio processor for detecting a sound of breaking glass of a glass window or door, and also a second impact sensor mounted on the glass window or door to verify that there was a physical/mechanical impact to the glass window or door before the security system annunciates an alarm signal.
[0002] The present invention addresses the commercial problem of a security system, such as a commercial or residential/home security system, providing a glass breakage sensor for detecting an intrusion into a protected space through a glass window or door. Existing prior art glass breakage sensors designed to detect the breakage of glass windows or doors are problematic.
[0003] One current state of the art glass breakage sensor employs a microphone and an audio processor, typically strategically mounted on a ceiling, to monitor sounds within a protected space to determine if glass in a glass window or door has'been broken. A problem with this arrangement is that sounds other than those of breaking glass from a glass window or door can fool the audio processor and cause the issuance of a false alarm by the security system. Some examples of sounds that can fool the audio processor and cause the issuance of false alarms include sounds of a barking dog, the popping of a balloon, a dropping of a pot or pan, an accidental dropping and breakage of a drinking glass, and the closing of a kitchen cabinet.
[0004] The present invention provides a dual technology glass breakage detector that solves the prior art problem of acoustic glass breakage detectors issuing false alarms by using a second impact sensor to verify that the window or door also experienced a mechanical/physical impact. Sounds within the protected space that would normally fool a prior art glass breakage detector usually do not transfer significant mechanical energy to the glass window or door. Pursuant to the present invention, for an alarm to be annunciated, the acoustic sensor must detect the sound of breaking glass, and also a second impact sensor on the glass window or door must verify that there was a physical/mechanical impact to the glass window or door.
[0007] Figure 1 illustrates a typical security system for a residential or commercial premises that comprises a security system control panel provided at a central accessible location and a plurality of intrusion security detectors, such as glass breakage detectors, mounted near doors and windows.
[0008] Figure 2 illustrates a residential or commercial premises protected by a security system wherein, pursuant to the present invention, an intrusion security glass breakage detector comprises an impact sensor mounted on a glass window or door, and an acoustic glass breakage sensor.
[0009] Figure 1 illustrates a typical security system 10 for a residential or commercial premises that comprises a security system control panel 12 provided at a central accessible location, such as just inside the front entrance of the premises protected by the security alarm system. The control panel provides a person or homeowner with a display 14 of information on the complete status of the security system, such as a display of pertinent parameters and conditions of the security system.
[0010] The control panel also enables a person to control operation of the security system, such as arming or disarming of the security system by entry of a proper security code and of specific commands. The control panel might include a GUI display (graphical user interface) 14 to enable a user to view the status of the security alarm system and also to enter data into and access and control the security system.
[0011] The security system control panel also includes an RF transceiver 18 and antenna 20 to transmit and receive RF transmitted data, and the security system might be a wireless system, with many of the communications between sensors and the control panel being by short range RF communication messages.
[0012] A typical residential or commercial security system also includes a plurality of intrusion security detectors 22 mounted near doors and windows, such as glass breakage detectors, to detect any intrusions thereat, and motion/occupancy sensors 24 mounted at strategic locations in the premises to detect the presence of a person thereat, which are connected by security system wiring or wireless transmissions to the security system control panel. A typical security system might also include one or more CO sensors 26 and smoke or fire sensors 28 mounted at strategic locations in the premises to detect any of those conditions in the premises, with those sensors also being connected by security system wiring or short range RF transmissions to the security system control panel. The security system control panel monitors signals from the security system sensors to determine the status of the security system.
[0013] A typical residential or commercial security system might also include a modem 29 and a telephone line or cable connection to allow bi-directional data communications over telephone lines and/or a cable system and/or the internet, as indicated schematically at 30.
[0014] Pursuant to the present invention, for an alarm to be annunciated by a security system, an acoustic sensor/audio processor must detect the sound of breaking glass, and also a second impact sensor mounted on a glass window or door must verify that there was a physical/mechanical impact to the glass of the window or door. A preferred embodiment of the present invention for a dual technology glass breakage detector employs a first acoustic sensor/audio processor mounted within the perimeter of the protected space, and a second impact sensor mounted on the glass window or door to be protected. The first acoustic sensor can be conveniently mounted on the ceiling at an appropriate strategic central location. A smaller and less expensive impact sensor is mounted on each glass window or door to be monitored for breakage, and is designed to measure the intensity of a mechanical/physical impact to the glass window or door.
[0015] Figure 2 illustrates a residential or commercial premises protected by a security system wherein, pursuant to the present invention, an intrusion security glass breakage detector comprises an impact sensor 40 mounted on a framed glass window 42, which is typical of other glass windows on the premises, an impact sensor 46 mounted on a glass door 48, which is typical of other glass doors on the premises, and an acoustic glass breakage sensor 52 centrally and strategically mounted on the ceiling or a wall of the protected premises to monitor the premises for acoustic sounds indicative of the breakage of glass. The acoustic glass breakage sensor 52 includes an audio processor 54 for analyzing the monitored sounds to determine if they have acoustic characteristics similar to and indicative of a glass window or door being broken.
[0016] Each impact sensor 40, 46 can be a piezoelectric type of sensor or a MEMS (micro-electrical mechanical system) type of sensor that is simply adhered to the glass surface of the window or door. Either type of sensor can be designed like a small disc or drum, having a base surface spaced from and parallel to the glass surface, such that a mechanical/physical impact to the glass surface causes the base surface to vibrate in resonance with the glass surface. A sensitive element of the impact sensor is mounted on the base surface of the disc or drum such that it is vibrated by the disc or drum surface when the latter is subjected to an impact. The Ademco division of Honeywell International Inc. produces a model 5800 SSI wireless shock sensor which can be appropriately employed with the present invention.
[0017] If the intensity of a physical impact to a glass window 42 or door 48, as measured by the impact sensor 40, 46 is consistent with that required to break the glass window or door, the impact sensor 40, 46 generates a first enable signal for the security system 10. The acoustic sensor 52 also monitors the room for sounds consistent with that of breaking a framed glass window or door. If a sound in the room is detected by the acoustic sensor that is consistent with that of breaking a glass window or door, the acoustic sensor 52 generates a second enable signal for the security system. Both the first and second enable signals must be generated for an alarm to be annunciated by the security system 10. Moreover, one embodiment can impose an additional timing criteria of receipt of the impact first enable signal followed by receipt of the acoustic second enable signal within a predetermined time period. Both technologies complement each other. The impact sensor prevents the annunciation of false alarms from sounds in the room that would fool an acoustic sensor. The acoustic sensor prevents the annunciation of false alarms from impacts to the glass that do not result in breakage of the glass.
[0018] Upon activation by an impact/shock, in a first embodiment of the invention the impact/shock sensor 40, 46 transmits a local signal, preferably a wireless RF signal by an RF transmitter and antenna 44, 50, to the acoustic sensor 52. If the acoustic sensor 52 also acoustically detects a sound indicative of breaking of glass witliin a given window of time, the acoustic sensor 52 transmits a signal, preferably a wireless signal by an RF transmitter and antenna 56, to the security system control panel 12 which then annunciates an alarm signal.
[0019] In a second embodiment of the invention, upon activation by an impact/shock, the impact/shock sensor 40, 46 transmits a local signal, preferably a wireless RF signal by the RF receiver and antenna 44, 50, directly to the security system control panel 12. If the acoustic sensor 52 also acoustically detects a sound indicative of breaking of glass, the acoustic sensor 52 also transmits a local signal, preferably a wireless RF signal by the RF receiver and antenna 56, to the security system control panel 12, which upon receipt of both signals within a given window of time, annunciates an alarm signal.
[0020] Preferred embodiments of the present invention can employ wireless transmissions, such as short range RF transmissions, acoustic chirp transmissions, IR transmissions, etc.
[0021] While several embodiments and variations of the present invention for a dual technology glass breakage detector are described in detail herein, it should be apparent that the disclosure and teachings of the present invention will suggest many alternative designs to those skilled in the art.

中文:
[0001]本发明一般性涉及一种双重技术玻璃破损检测器,更特别地,有关于一种用于安全系统的双重技术玻璃破损检测器,包括用于检测玻璃窗或门的玻璃破损声响的声响传感器(acoustic sensor)/音频处理器,以及安装在玻璃窗或门上的用于在该安全系统发出报警信号之前检验是否有作用于玻璃窗或门上的物理/机械碰撞的第二碰撞传感器(impact sensor)。
[0002]本发明用于应对例如商业或住宅/家庭安全系统等的安全系统的商业问题,本发明提供玻璃破损传感器用以检测穿过玻璃窗或门而进入受保护空间的入侵。现有技术设计的用于检测玻璃窗或门破损的玻璃破损传感器存在问题。
[0003]玻璃破损传感器技术的一个现行状态是使用传声器和音频处理器,典型地安装在天花板关键位置上,用以监测受保护空间内部的声响,以确定玻璃窗或门的玻璃是否被破损。这种布置的一个问题是,玻璃窗或门的玻璃破损声响之外的其它声响可能欺骗该音频处理器并导致该安全系统发出误报警。能够欺骗该音频处理器并导致发生误报警的声响的一些例子包括狗吠、气球爆裂、掉落罐或盘、饮用玻璃制品的偶然掉落和破损、以及关闭厨房橱柜等。
[0004]本发明提供了一种双重技术玻璃破损检测器,通过采用检验该窗或门是否还经受了机械/物理碰撞的第二碰撞传感器,而解决现有技术玻璃破损声响检测器存在的发出误报警的问题。通常欺骗现有技术的玻璃破损检测器的受保护空间内部的声响通常不会传送有效机械能量到该玻璃窗或门。按照本发明,要发生报警,声响传感器必须检测到破损玻璃的声响,同时,该玻璃窗或门上的第二碰撞传感器也必须检验到对该玻璃窗或门的物理/机械碰撞。
[0007]图1示出了用于住宅或商业场所的典型安全系统,该安全系统包括,设置在中央易接近位置(accessible location)的安全系统控制面板,以及多个入侵安全检测器,例如安装在门或窗附近的玻璃破损检测器等。
[0008]图2示出了被安全系统保护的住宅或商业场所,其中,按照本发明,入侵安全玻璃破损检测器包括安装在玻璃窗或门上的碰撞传感器、以及玻璃破损声响传感器。
[0009]图1示出了用于住宅或商业场所的典型安全系统10,其包括,设置在中央易接近位置的安全系统控制面板12,例如恰好在被安全报警系统保护的场所的前入口内。该控制面板向某人或业主提供关于该安全系统全部状态信息的显示14,例如该安全系统的有关参数或状况的显示等。
[0010]该控制面板还能够使某人控制该安全系统的操作,例如通过输入合适的安全编码和特定命令而启动或关停该安全系统。该控制面板可包括GUI(图形用户界面)显示14,以使用户既能够看到安全报警系统的状态,也能够输入数据并存取和控制该安全系统。
[0011]该安全系统控制面板还包括RF收发器18和天线20用以发送和接收RF传输数据,并且该安全系统可以是无线系统,在该无线系统中,传感器和控制面板之间的很多通信经由短程RF通信消息来实现。
[0012]典型住宅或商业安全系统还包括多个安装在门和窗附近的入侵安全检测器22,例如玻璃破损检测器,以便检测在那里的入侵,以及安装在该场所关键位置的用以检测那里人员的存在的运动/占用(motion/occupancy)检测器24,它们被安全系统以有线或无线传输方式连接到该安全系统控制面板。典型安全系统还可包括一个或多个安装在该场所关键位置的CO检测器26以及烟或火检测器28,用以在该场所内检测这些状况中的任何状况,这些检测器也被安全系统以有线或短程RF传输方式连接到该安全系统控制面板。该安全系统控制面板监测来自所述安全系统检测器的信号以确定该安全系统的状态。
[0013]典型住宅或商业安全系统还可包括调制解调器29以及电话线或电缆接线,以允许通过电话线和/或电缆系统和/或互联网进行双向数据通信,如附图标记30所示。
[0014]按照本发明,为了使安全系统发出报警,声响传感器/音频处理器必须检测到玻璃破损的声响,而且安装在玻璃窗或门上的第二碰撞传感器也必须检验到作用于该窗或门的玻璃的物理/机械碰撞。本发明的双重技术玻璃破损检测器的一个优选实施例,使用安装在受保护空间周边内的第一声响传感器/音频处理器,以及安装在所要保护的该玻璃窗或门上的第二碰撞传感器。该第一声响传感器可被方便地安装到合适的关键中央位置的天花板上。更小的和较便宜的碰撞传感器安装在各玻璃窗或门上以监测破损,同时可以测量作用于该玻璃窗或门的机械/物理碰撞的强度。
[0015]图2描述了被安全系统保护的住宅或商业场所,其中,按照本发明,入侵安全玻璃破损检测器包括安装在外加框玻璃窗42上的碰撞传感器40,外加框玻璃窗42与该场所其它玻璃窗具有一样的特性,安装在玻璃门48上的碰撞传感器46,玻璃门48与该场所其它玻璃门具有一样的特性,以及安装在被保护场所天花板或墙上的中央或关键位置的玻璃破损声响传感器52,用以监测该场所的表示玻璃破损的声响声音。玻璃破损声响传感器52包括音频处理器54,用以分析该监测声音从而确定它们是否具有类似于或表示玻璃窗或门被破损的声响特性。
[0016]各碰撞传感器40、46可以是简单黏着在该窗或门玻璃表面上的压电式传感器或MEMS(微电子机械系统)式传感器。任一类型传感器都可被设计成小的盘或鼓的样子,并具有与该玻璃表面隔离并平行的底面,由此,作用于该玻璃表面的机械/物理碰撞导致该底面与该玻璃表面共振的振动。该碰撞传感器的敏感元件安装在该盘或鼓底面上,从而当后者遭受振动时,该敏感元件随该盘或鼓表面而振动。Honeywell Intemational Inc.的Ademco部门生产了一种型号为5800 SS1的无线震动传感器,其可以适当地与本发明联用。
[0017]如果碰撞传感器40和46测知的作用于玻璃窗42或门48的物理碰撞强度与破损该玻璃窗或门所需碰撞强度相当,则该碰撞传感器40和46产生安全系统10的第一使能信号。声响传感器52也监测该房间内与破损外加框玻璃窗或门的声响一致的声响。如果该声响传感器检测到该房间内与破损玻璃窗或门的声响一致的声响,该声响传感器52产生该安全系统的第二使能信号。第一和第二使能信号必须都产生,该安全系统10才会产生报警。此外,一个实施例可采取附加的计时判别标准,即接收到碰撞第一使能信号和其后接收到声响第二使能信号两者须在预定时间期限内完成。两种技术互为补充。碰撞传感器防止房间内能够欺骗声响传感器的声响所引起的误报警。声响传感器防止不能导致玻璃破损的作用于玻璃的碰撞所引起的误报警。
[0018]在本发明的第一实施例中,一旦碰撞/震动发生,该碰撞/震动传感器40和46发送一本地信号给声响传感器52,该本地信号优选为经由RF发送器44和天线50的无线RF信号。如果该声响传感器52在给定的时间窗口内也在声学上检测到表示玻璃破损的声响,则该声响传感器52发送一信号给安全系统控制面板12,该控制面板紧接着产生报警信号,其中发送的信号优选为经由RF发送器和天线56的无线信号。
[0019]在本发明的第二实施例中,一旦碰撞/震动发生,该碰撞/震动传感器40和46直接发送一本地信号到安全系统控制面板12,该本地信号优选为经由RF发送器44和天线50的无线RF信号。如果声响传感器52也在声学上检测到表示玻璃破损的声响,该声响传感器52也发送一本地信号到安全系统控制面板12,其中该信号优选为经由RF发送器和天线56的无线信号,该安全系统控制面板在给定时间窗口内接收到这两个信号时,才产生报警信号。
[0020]本发明的优选实施例可采用无线传输(例如短程RF传输)、声音线性调频脉冲(acoustic chirp)传输、IR传输等。
[0021]尽管本发明的双重技术玻璃破损检测器的几个实施例及其变化已在文中详细描述,但显然,本发明的公开和教导能够使所属领域技术人员想到许多可供选择的设计。