Abstract:
A monitoring system includes a portable alarm having a base unit with an electronic package. At least one sensor is associated with the electronics to transmit signals to the electronics in the event of a breach. The electronic package in turn signals a central monitoring station, as well as transmits a signal to an audible or visual alarm coupled with the base unit. Also, the base unit includes a device to selectively program the electronics to enable the user to utilize particular programs. A bracket, which retains and secures the base unit, may be secured to a surface to enable desirable positioning of the base unit within a structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to alarm systems and, more specifically, to portable alarms which are readily movable from building to building. 
     In today&#39;s society it is desirable to protect personal effects in one&#39;s dwelling or building. In doing so, it is desirable to have an alarm system which is monitored by a central monitoring station. Ordinarily, central monitored alarm systems are secured permanently in the walls of the dwelling. For those persons who temporarily use a structure or building, it is cost prohibitive to invest in an alarm system which, upon leaving the building, would be left behind. Thus, it is desirable to have a portable alarm system. 
     Portable alarm systems exist which include various types of features. Ordinarily, the portable alarm includes a wireless sensor which communicate with the alarm system within the dwelling. The system is portable from dwelling to dwelling as a user moves from place to place. Thus, the user has the convenience of an alarm system and can move the alarm system with him as he moves from place to place. Thus, it is justifiable for temporary building users to purchase portable alarm systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides the art with a portable alarm system which enables selective programming of the alarm system. The invention provides wireless sensors which monitor an area and communicate with an alarm base. The present invention enables multiple sensors to communicate with a single base unit. The present invention enables multiple sensors to be positioned in multiple buildings and/or in ambient areas to monitor the area and communicating with a base unit. The present invention enables the base unit to be locked and mounted on a wall or the like. The base unit may include visual as well as audible alarms. Also, the base unit may include sensors to monitor an area. 
     In accordance with the first embodiment of the invention, a portable alarm comprises a housing having a configuration with a base and at least one wall extending from the base forming a closed configuration. A top encloses the at least one wall. Electronics are positioned in the housing. The electronics assist in communicating with sensors, as well as with a central monitoring station. A battery is positioned in the housing to power the electronics. A sensor is positioned on the housing to detect movement in the proximity of the housing. The sensor is coupled with the electronics. An alarm is coupled with the housing to provide an audible or visual signal in response to signals received from the electronics indicating a breach has occurred. The alarm is also coupled with the electronics. A device on the housing enables selective programming of the electronics. The device includes a readout to enable a user to visually interpret programming of the device. The device is electrically coupled with the electronics. The device includes a keyboard and a readout. A cover is coupled with the housing to cover the keyboard. The alarm may be a siren or a strobe light or both. Additional sensors are coupled with the electronics to monitor remote locations from the base unit. The housing includes an attachment mechanism to attach the housing to a bracket. 
     According to a second embodiment of the present invention, a portable alarm comprises a housing having a configuration with a base and at least one wall extending from the base forming a closed configuration. A top encloses the at least one wall. Electronics are positioned in the housing. The electronics assist in communicating with sensors, as well as with a central monitoring station. A battery is positioned in the housing to power the electronics. A sensor is positioned on the housing to detect movement in proximity of the housing. The sensor is coupled with the electronics. An alarm is coupled with the housing to provide an audible or visual signal in response to signals received from the electronics indicating that a breach has occurred. The alarm is coupled with the electronics. A device on the housing enables selective programming of the electronics. The device includes a readout to enable a user to visually interpret programming of the device. The device is electrically coupled with the electronics. The device includes a keyboard and an LCD readout. An attachment mechanism is on the housing. A bracket includes a mechanism to couple with the housing attachment mechanism to removably secure and lock the housing on the bracket. The attachment mechanism includes at least one blind hole to receive a L-shaped finger from the bracket to couple the two together. The bracket has an overall cross-shape with a vertical and horizontal arm. The horizontal arms are bent to surround the housing wall. One vertical arm is bent to surround the base and the other vertical arm includes the coupling mechanism. The bent vertical arm receives a locking mechanism to lock the base with the bracket. 
     According to a third embodiment of the present invention, a monitoring system comprises a housing having a desired configuration with a base and at least one wall extending from the base forming a closed configuration. A top encloses the at least one wall. Electronics are positioned in the housing. The electronics assist in communicating with sensors, as well as with a central monitoring station. A battery is positioned in the housing to power the electronics. A sensor is positioned on the housing to detect movement in proximity of the housing. The sensor is coupled with the electronics. An alarm is coupled with the housing to provide an audible or visual signal in response to signals received from the electronics which indicate that a breach has occurred. The alarm is coupled with the electronics. A device on the housing enables selective programming of the electronics. The device includes a readout to enable a user to visually interpret programming of the device. The device is electrically coupled with the electronics. The device includes a keyboard and a readout. A central monitoring station receives input from the alarm electronics. The central monitoring station notifies predetermined parties of the system breach. The monitoring system includes wireless contact sensors, motion sensors, and vibration sensors which may be coupled with the alarm electronics. The portable alarm may be positioned inside of a first structure and the wireless sensors may be in a second structure or in an ambient environment. 
     From the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims, other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a monitoring system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a base unit of the alarm system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the alarm system bracket. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of the bracket with the alarm base secured in the bracket. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning to the figures, a portable alarm system is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral  10 . In  FIG. 1 , the alarm system  10  includes a base unit  12  and at least one sensor  14 . The base unit  12  is ordinarily positioned within a structure  16  such as a building, dwelling or the like. The sensors  14  can be positioned within the building  16  with the base unit  12 . Also, sensors  14  can be positioned within adjacent structures  18 , containers, such as tool boxes  20 , or in the ambient surrounding area  22 . The sensors  14  are wireless sensors and can be of the motion detection type, vibration type, or contact type. Thus, the sensors  14  can be positioned at windows or doors as a contact type, within a tool box which is opened or closed, as a vibration type, or they can be positioned within the dwelling or in the surrounding area, as a motion sensing type. In the event that the sensors are positioned outside in the ambient environment, the sensors would be designed to withstand exposure to the environment. 
     In turning to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the base unit  12  is illustrated. The base unit  12  includes a housing  30  with a base  32 , a top  34  and a wall  36 . The housing has an overall box shape configuration. As shown, the housing  30  includes a pair of members  38  and  40  which are secured together to form the base unit housing  30 . The base unit also includes a control panel  42 , a strobe alarm  44  and a motion detector  46 . 
     The control panel  42  includes a panel housing  48  which fits into an opening  50  in the housing  30 . The control panel  42  includes a keypad  52  with a display  54 . The display  54  is generally an LCD display. The keyboard  52  is like that commonly found on cellular telephones. The keyboard  52  has numbers, letters and function keys provided to access different steps of the programmable unit. A door  56  covers the keypad to prevent unwanted touching of the keypad during operation. The keypad  52  is electrically connected with the base unit electronics to enable programming of the unit. 
     The strobe  44  is coupled with the control panel housing  48  and provides a visual alarm. If a sensor is tripped or set off, the strobe light  44  would be activated to produce a visual alarm. 
     The motion sensor  46  is built into the housing  30 . The housing includes an opening  58  to receive the motion sensor  46 . Thus, the base unit includes a motion sensor to detect movement within the building where the portable base unit is mounted. Also, the motion sensor  46  is electrically coupled with the base unit electronics. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of the base unit  12 . The base unit electronics  60  is illustrated. The base unit electronics  60  includes a PC board  62  with various conventional elements utilized to operate the alarm system. The PC board also includes a cellemetry modem  64  coupled with a cellemetry antenna  66 . The antenna is utilized to transfer signals between a central monitoring station and the portable alarm base unit  12 . A chime  68  is electrically coupled with the electronic  60 . Accordingly, as different commands are programmed into the alarm, via the keyboard  52 , the chime  68  will sound indicating that the programmed command has been entered/received. 
     The electronics  60  seat on a retention bracket  70 . The retention bracket  70  has an overall rectangular configuration and seats within receiving members  72  within the housing halves  38  and  40 . The retention bracket  70  separates the electronics  60  from a battery  74 , which is electrically coupled with the electronic  60 . The battery  74  sits within a support tray  76 . The support tray  76  is positioned on top of the base  32  of the housing  30 . The support tray maintains the battery  74  in position within the housing  30 . Also, a telephone jack  78 , as well as a power jack  80 , are coupled with the electronic  60 . The telephone jack  78  may be utilized in the event the portable alarm is hard wired to a conventional telephone outlet. However, the portable alarm cellemetry modem  64  enables the portable alarm to have a wireless connection so that it communicates like a cellular phone. The power jack  80  receives a power cord (now shown). The power cord would be connectable to a standard AC outlet. The AC outlet may be utilized to charge the battery  74  or to power the electronics  60  if conventional electrical hookup is present. The electronics  60  include a loop for recharging the battery  74 , as well as directly powering the electronics from the power jack  80 . 
     A siren  82  is positioned within the housing  30 . The siren  82  provides an audible alarm if a breach occurs. The siren  82 , as well as the chime  68  is positioned against an area of the respective housing half  38  and  40  which includes a plurality of holes to enable sound to escape from the siren  82  or chime  68 . 
     The base unit electronics  60  are wirelessly associated with the sensors  14 . The electronics  60  receive and transmit signals to the sensors  14  which monitor their various areas. Thus, the wireless signals are transmitted between the two in the event a breach occurs. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a bracket  100  is illustrated to mount the base unit  12  to a surface such as a wall or the like. The bracket  100  has an overall T-shape with a horizontal leg  102  and a vertical leg  104 . The horizontal leg  102  includes a planar portion  106  with angled end portions  108  and  110 . The planar body portion  106  and end portions  108  and  110  surround the wall of the housing  30  to enable the bracket to seat with the housing. The vertical leg  102  may include a plurality of apertures to enable fasteners to pass through the bracket to enable the bracket to be mounted to a surface. 
     The vertical leg  104  is unitary with the horizontal leg  102  and includes a first portion  112  and a bent second portion  114 . The portion  114  is substantially perpendicular to the portion  112 . The portion  112  is substantially planar with the body portion  106 . The vertical portion  112  includes at least one, and preferably a plurality of L-shaped members  116 . The L-shaped members  116  are received into apertures in the housing wall to retain the housing onto the bracket  100 . The L-shaped members  116  are received in blind holes in the housing  30 . Also, the bracket portion  112  seats with the wall of the housing  30 . 
     The bent portion  114  seats with the base of the housing  30 . The portion  114  includes a locking member  120  which secures within a blind hole in the base of the housing  30 . The locking mechanism  120  includes a tongue  122  which moves in and out of the blind hole of the housing base. A key member  124  rotates the tongue from a locking to an unlocking position. Thus, the base unit  12  is positioned onto the L-shaped members  116  and locked in position by the locking mechanism  120 . Also, reinforcement members  126  are present between the bent portion and vertical portion  112 . 
     The alarm system  10  is programmable via the keypad and can be moved from place to place. The sensors  14  are wireless sensors and can be positioned within the building to monitor doors, windows, or the like. Also, the sensors  14  can be remote motion sensors which could be in an adjacent building or in an outside ambient area. Further, vibration sensors could be used in a container, such as a toolbox to monitor the opening/closing of the toolbox as well as its movement. Also, the motion sensor on the base itself acts as a conventional motion detector. 
     In the event that the alarm system is breached, a signal would be sent from the sensors  14  to the base unit  12 . The base unit  12  would initiate a signal to the siren/strobe and via the electronics a signal would be transmitted to a central monitoring station. The central monitoring station would contact a designated person to indicate that the system has been breached. The strobe and siren would provide a visual and audible alarm to deter an unauthorized intruder. The monitoring station and/or the designated person would dispatch proper authorities to the site. Thus, the portable alarm system functions like a hard wired system without the need of the wires or the permanency of the system. 
     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.