Patent Publication Number: US-2020302757-A1

Title: Iot compatible electronic door chime

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/354,763. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/354,763 is titled “IOT COMPATIBLE ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME” and was filed Mar. 15, 2019. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/354,763 is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments are generally related to door chimes, electronic door chimes, consumer electronics, and the network connected devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Doorbells of a generation or two ago had a transformer, a switch (doorbell), and a sonic transducer (chime, ringer or buzzer). Closing the switch completed the circuit powering the sonic transducer. In the past, doorbells have been upgraded with electronic door chimes. Electronic door chimes can be powered, similar to the mechanical ringers of old, when the switch is closed then the electronic door chime receives power. An advantage of electronic door chimes is that they can generate more and different doorbell sounds and have been cost effective replacements for broken mechanical ringers. More recently, Internet of Things (“IOT”) doorbells are gaining popularity. 
     IOT devices are internet connected sensors and actuators. An IOT doorbell can trigger a message to a person&#39;s smart phone or other internet connected device. Some IOT doorbells now include security cameras allowing a person to remotely monitor the happenings outside their door. As many people have discovered, these IOT doorbells are not always compatible with existing doorbells. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the disclosed embodiments and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole. 
     It is an aspect of the embodiments that an electronic door chime having a housing with a front cover attached to a back cover can meet the safety standards required of consumer electronic devices in the United States (“U.S.”). The housing is sized for installation in a two-gang dual voltage junction box. The sizes of junction boxes are often specified by the number of “gangs” which is the number of standard sized wired devices the box can accommodate. As electricians know, junction box sizes have standardized sizes as specified by the National Electric Code (“NEC”). A single gang junction box is approximately 2″×4″ with varying depth. A two-gang or dual gang junction box is approximately 4″×4″. A dual voltage two-gang junction box has two single-gang sections and a solid wall between the two sections to thereby isolate one section from the other and can thereby form two single gang sections. The solid wall can separate one voltage section from the other voltage section. The back cover has a first compartment and a second compartment with each compartment being sized to fit into a single gang section. 
     It is another aspect of the embodiments that a power supply inside the first compartment can be attached to the back cover and can produce a power output. The power supply can be a transformer or other device that receives mains electric power and produces a power output that can be an AC (alternating current) output or a DC (direct current) output. In the U.S. mains electric power is typically 120 VAC. For powering external doorbell devices, such as IOT doorbells, the power supply can produce power that is at least 18 VAC and at least 300 mA. Testing has revealed that, with the circuitry herein disclosed, this size power supply can fit in the first compartment, can power an electronic door chime, and can continuously power smart external doorbell devices such as Internet-Of-Things (IOT) doorbells having cameras, processors, and wireless connections. Safety, electronics compatibility, and cost considerations can constrain the power supply to produce no more than  24  VAC and/or no more than  10  VA. 
     The power output can be passed from the first compartment to a second compartment to power a first circuit in the second compartment. The first circuit can be attached to the back cover within the second compartment. The first circuit has a chiming circuit, a doorbell connector, an inductor circuit, and a monitor circuit. The monitor circuit can be electrically connected in parallel to the inductor circuit. The first circuit is configured to pass a doorbell current through an external doorbell device connected to the doorbell connector. The first circuit can play sounds on a speaker. The speaker can be in the second compartment. The speaker can be held between the first circuit and a front cover by attaching the speaker to the front cover. The doorbell current can be produced by the power supply. 
     The power output can be provided as output current and output voltage. When the power output is an AC output, the output current is an AC current and the output voltage is an AC voltage. The output current can include the doorbell current and a second doorbell current. In non-limiting exemplary embodiments, the doorbell current also comprises a plurality of currents including an inductor current passing through the inductor circuit and a monitor current passing through the monitor circuit. The monitor circuit produces a trigger sensed signal upon detecting actuation of the external doorbell device. The chiming circuit sends a sound signal to a speaker upon receiving the trigger sensed signal to thereby cause the speaker to produce a sound. When the output current is an AC current, the doorbell current and second doorbell current can be AC currents because they are parts of a larger AC current. Similarly, the inductor current and the monitor current can be AC currents. 
     The trigger sensed signal can be optically isolated from the doorbell current. In practice, an optoisolator can optically isolate its output from its input and can be considered to have a light emitting diode (“LED”) as an input stage and a transistor without a gate wire as an output stage, wherein passing current through the LED illuminates the transistor&#39;s gate, thereby driving it from nonconducting to conducting. In this manner the input is optically isolated from the output. 
     It is a further aspect of the embodiments that a faceplate can be attached to the front cover and configured to cover the electronic door chime when the housing is installed in the dual voltage box. 
     It is yet another aspect of the embodiments that the electronic door chime and the external doorbell device can be provided together. For example, the external doorbell device and the electronic door chime can be packaged together for delivery to a customer. The external doorbell device can be an IOT doorbell as discussed above or can be a simpler external doorbell device. The first circuit can continuously provide doorbell power to the external doorbell device and the external doorbell device can produce a doorbell trigger signal when a doorbell button is actuated. The doorbell button can be a hardware button or a software button incorporated in a smart external doorbell device. The doorbell current can be fused or current limited, perhaps by a fuse or current limiting resistor. 
     A simple external doorbell device, can have a rectifier, a switch, and a light emitting diode (“LED”). The doorbell power can be rectified by the rectifier before being used to light the LED. The switch can be a single pole single throw switch that is normally open and that can be closed by pressing the doorbell button. The switch can be the doorbell button. Closing the switch causes the doorbell trigger signal to be communicated to the doorbell sensor. A two-wire bus can carry doorbell power to the external doorbell device and can carry the doorbell trigger signal to the electronic door chime. 
     The chiming circuit can be a semiconductor chip configured specifically for producing a sound signal as an output upon receiving a signal on an input. Existing semiconductor chips can directly drive a speaker and can cause the speaker to produce one sound when one input is triggered and to produce a different sound when a different input is triggered. 
     As discussed above, electronic door chimes must be safe. They must be safe to install and they must remain safe after installation. Electronic door chimes must thereby satisfy certain safety requirements. It is for this reason that the power supply, attached to mains electric power, is physically separated from the first circuit that operates at a lesser voltage. The power supply and the first circuit are in separate compartments. Once installed, the power supply and the first circuit can be further isolated by the wall of the dual voltage junction box separating one gang from the other gang. The materials and material thickness forming the front cover and the back cover are also selected to ensure safety. 
     The back cover and the front cover can be plastic such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (“ABS”) or Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene alloy (“PC/ABS”). One nonlimiting embodiment has the back cover and the front cover being ABS and having a minimum thickness of 2.2 mm. A 1.5 mm thickness of the ABS has a UL 94 flame rating of at least V-0, a UL 746 RTI Electric rating of at least 80° C., a UL 746 RTI Impact rating of at least 80° C., and a UL 746 RTI Strength rating of at least 80° C. 
     Another nonlimiting embodiment has the back cover and the front cover being a PC/ABS and having a minimum thickness of 2.2 mm. A 1.7 mm thickness of the PC/ABS has a UL 94 flame rating of at least V-2, a UL 746 RTI Electric rating of at least 60° C., a UL 746 RTI Impact rating of at least 60° C., and a UL 746 RTI Strength rating of at least 60° C. Note that higher temperatures indicate higher ratings. 
     It is yet another aspect of the embodiments to have a first circuit further comprising a second doorbell connector, a second inductor circuit and a second monitor circuit connected in parallel with the second inductor circuit. The first circuit can be configured to pass a second doorbell current through a second external doorbell device connected to the second doorbell connector. The second doorbell current can be another AC current within the output current of the power supply. The second doorbell current can be produced by the power supply and can comprise a plurality of second currents comprising a second inductor current passing through the second inductor circuit and a second monitor current passing through the second monitor circuit. The second monitor circuit can produce a second trigger sensed signal upon detecting actuation of the second external doorbell device. As with the trigger sensed signal, the chiming circuit sends the sound signal to the speaker upon receiving the second trigger sensed signal to thereby cause the speaker to produce the sound. 
     A still yet further aspect of the embodiments is positioning a power supply in a first compartment of a back cover and positioning a first circuit in the second compartment. The back cover can comprise the first compartment and the second compartment and the power supply configured to receive mains electric power and to produce a doorbell current. Forming a housing configured for installation in a dual voltage box can be accomplished by enclosing the first compartment and the second compartment by attaching a front cover to the back cover. 
     The electronic door chime described here is advantageous because it is compatible with smart external doorbell devices, because it is cost-effective, and because it is safe for installation in existing structures and in new construction. It is through careful engineering and material selection as confirmed by testing that this safe, functional, and cost-effective electronic doorbell chime has been developed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. The illustrated examples are nonlimiting and not necessarily to scale. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates electric current flows in an electronic door chime, in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a high-level block diagram of an electronic door chime, in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 6  is another side view of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the front side of a front cover of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of a front cover of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the back side of a front cover of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates another side view of a front cover of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a back cover of an electronic door chime viewed from the front in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a cut view of a back cover of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates another cut view of a back cover of an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a back cover of an electronic door chime viewed from the rear in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates an electronic door chime connected to a simple external doorbell device and to a smart external doorbell device in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates multiple electronic door chimes connected to external doorbell devices by two-wire busses in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates an external doorbell device that is compatible with an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; and 
         FIG. 18  illustrates a high-level flow diagram of assembling and using an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate at least one embodiment and are not intended to limit the scope thereof. 
     For a general understanding of the present disclosure, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals have been used throughout to designate identical elements. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates electric current flows in an electronic door chime  100 , in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The power supply  101  is connected by mains power lines  120  connected to mains power  121 . The power supply  101  is configured for supplying electric power to the electronic door chime. The electric power is provided by an output current  110  at an output voltage. The power supply  101  can be a transformer producing an AC output that is at least  18  VAC and at least  300  mA. For safety and for certification as a safe device, the power supply can be configured to produce an AC output that is no more than  24  VAC and/or to produce no more than  10  VA. 
     In compliance with Kirchhoff&#39;s current law which states that the amount of current entering a node equals the amount of current leaving a node, the output current  110  can include a plurality of currents that, in sum, equal the output current. The output current  110  can include a doorbell current  111  and a chiming current  114 . The doorbell current  111  can pass through a doorbell connector  102 , to an external doorbell device  103 , and back to the doorbell connector  102 . The doorbell current  111  can include an inductor current  113  and a monitor current  112 . The inductor current  113  can pass through an inductor circuit  104 . The monitor current  112  can pass through a monitor circuit  105 . The chiming current  114  can pass through a chiming circuit power supply  106  that provides chiming circuit power  122  that powers a chiming circuit  107 . The chiming circuit  107  can send a sound signal  123  to a speaker  108  that produces a sound. The speaker  108  can be a transducer that converts the sound signal  123 , which is an electric signal, into a sound. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a high-level block diagram of an electronic door chime, in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The electronic door chime of  FIG. 2  uses a transformer  130  that can provide electric power to the chiming power supply  106 . The transformer  130  can produce a doorbell current and a second doorbell current. The doorbell current can include an inductor current that passes through inductor circuit  104  and a monitor current that passes through monitor circuit  105 . The monitor circuit  105  can produce a trigger sensed signal  140 . The trigger sensed signal  140  can be received by the chiming circuit  107  at a first trigger input  134 . The second doorbell current can include a second inductor current that passes through second inductor circuit  137  and a second monitor current that passes through second monitor circuit  138 . The second monitor circuit  138  can produce a second trigger sensed signal  139 . The second trigger sensed signal  139  can be received by the chiming circuit  107  at a second trigger input  135 . 
     The inductor circuit  104  is illustrated as including an inductor  131 . The inductor circuit  104  can contain other circuit elements. The monitor circuit  105  is illustrated as containing a rectifier and current regulator  132  and an optoisolator  133 . The monitor circuit  105  can contain additional circuit elements. As discussed above, a doorbell current passes though the external doorbell device  103  and can power an IOT doorbell or another device. Activation of the doorbell of the external doorbell device  103  can cause a change in the doorbell current, thereby causing a change in the amount of current passing through rectifier  132  which is electrically parallel to the inductor  131 . The rectifier  132  can turn the optoisolator input stage on or off by providing current or not providing current, respectively. The optoisolator output stage can thereby produce the trigger sensed signal. For example, when the doorbell of the external doorbell device  103  is not activated then substantially all of the doorbell current can pass through the inductor circuit  104 . Activating the doorbell can result in the rectifier becoming powered and thereby providing a current to the optoisolator input stage. The optoisolator input current can cause the optoisolator output stage to transition to a conducting state which is detected by the chiming circuit  107  as the trigger sensed signal  140 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of an electronic door chime  201  in accordance with aspects of the embodiments.  FIGS. 4-6  also provide views of the electronic door chime of  FIG. 3 . The back cover  208  has two compartments, a first compartment  227  and a second compartment  228 . A transformer  206  is installed in the first compartment  227 . Screws can attach the transformer  206  to transformer standoffs  233  molded into the back cover  208 . A first circuit  205  is installed in the second compartment  228 . Screws can attach the first circuit  205  to circuit standoffs  234  molded into the back cover  208 . A speaker  204  can be attached to a speaker mount  231  molded into the front cover  222 . Screws can attach the speaker to speaker mounting holes  280 . The front cover  222  can be attached to the back cover  208 , covering the first compartment  227  and the second compartment  228 . Front cover standoffs  223  can be molded into the front cover  222 . Back cover standoffs  232  can molded into the back cover  208 . Screws in the back cover standoffs  232  can pull the front cover standoffs  223  against the back cover standoffs  232 , thereby attaching the front cover  222  to the back cover  208 . The first circuit&#39;s  205  doorbell connectors or doorbell interfaces  215  can extend out of windows in the back cover  208  when the first circuit  205  is installed. External doorbell devices can be electrically attached or connected to the first circuit by the doorbell interfaces  215 . 
     An external doorbell device  209  has a doorbell cover  224 , a button  225 , and a doorbell circuit  265 . The electronic door chime  201  has been designed for use with smart external doorbell devices. The external doorbell device  209  is a simple device that is also compatible with the electronic door chime  201 . 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the electronic door chime  201  of  FIGS. 3-6  in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The faceplate  202  can be seen to be sized to cover a two-gang junction box. The faceplate  202  removably attaches to the front cover  222  by clips  266  that can be seen in  FIG. 3 . The faceplate  202  has slots  267  allowing airflow into and through the electronic door chime  201 . For safety the two-gang dual voltage box should be a UL certified two-gang dual voltage box. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are side views of the electronic door chime  201  of  FIGS. 3-6  in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The faceplate  202  is installed and the back cover  208  can be seen. A doorbell interface  215  can be seen extending through windows in the back cover  208 . The 39.9 mm depth, or total depth of 44.1 mm which includes the doorbell interfaces  215 , provides for installing the electronic door chime into a dual voltage junction box. A dual voltage junction box can have a closed section that is closed on five sides and has a depth larger than 45 mm. As such, a total depth less than 44.9 mm provides for installing the electronic door chime into a dual voltage junction box. The first compartment  227  can be positioned in the closed section. 
       FIGS. 7-10  illustrate views of the front cover  222  of the electronic door chime  201  of  FIGS. 3-6 , in accordance with aspects of the embodiments.  FIG. 7  illustrates the front side of the front cover  222 .  FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of the front cover  222 .  FIG. 9  illustrates the back side of the front cover  222 .  FIG. 10  illustrates another side view of the front cover  222 . Air holes  226  provide paths for air to circulate to the power supply  206 . Sound holes  281  are positioned to be in front of the speaker  204 . The electronic door chime  201  can be attached to a dual voltage junction box by screws passing through mounting holes  282 . The mounting holes  282  pass through junction box spacers  229  molded into the front cover  222 . The side of the speaker mount  231  can be seen in  FIGS. 8 and 10 . The front cover standoffs  223  are also molded into the front cover  222 . The front cover is illustrated as 2.2 mm thick because testing has revealed that electronic door chimes can be certified as safe when the front cover is 2.2 mm thick and formed from ABS or PC/ABS having properties as discussed above. 
       FIGS. 11-14  illustrate views of the back cover  208  of the electronic door chime  201  of  FIGS. 3-6  in accordance with aspects of the embodiments.  FIG. 11  illustrates the back cover  208  viewed from the front such that the insides of the first compartment  227  and the second compartment  228  are visible.  FIG. 12  illustrates a cut view of the back cover  208  along cut line  236  seen in  FIG. 11 .  FIG. 13  illustrates another cut view of the back cover  208  along cut line  237  seen in  FIG. 11 .  FIG. 14  illustrates the back cover  208  viewed from the rear. 
     Back cover standoffs  232  can be seen molded into the first compartment  227  and second compartment  228 . The first compartment, in this embodiment configured for transformer  206 , has molded in transformer standoffs  233  and numerous air holes. The second compartment  228 , in this embodiment configured for the first circuit  205 , has molded-in circuit standoffs  234  and windows  268  through which doorbell interfaces  215  can extend. The back wall  240  and sidewalls  239  of the back cover  208  are shown to be 2.2 mm thick. As with the front cover  222 , a thickness of 2.2 mm has been confirmed through testing to provide a safe electronic door chime when formed of the ABS or PC/ABS materials discussed above. The ends of the front cover standoffs  223  can fit into indents  270  in the back cover standoffs  232  to help with alignment during assembly and to strengthen to connection between the front cover standoffs  223  and the back cover standoffs  232 . 
       FIG. 15  illustrates an electronic door chime  201  connected to a simple external doorbell device  209  and to a smart external doorbell device  242  or IOT enabled external doorbell device  242  in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. A first two-wire bus  221  connects a first doorbell interface  235  to a smart external doorbell device  242 . The nonlimiting smart external doorbell device  242  has a camera  243 , audio interface  244  and doorbell trigger device  245 . Here, the camera  243 , audio interface  244  and doorbell trigger device  245  are all continuously powered by the electronic door chime  201 . The doorbell trigger device  245  can therefore be a capacitive sensor, a software implemented button on a graphical user interface, etc. Smart external doorbell devices, particularly IOT doorbells, commonly have wireless communications interfaces for connection to the internet. 
     A simple external doorbell device  209  is connected by a second two-wire bus  220  to a second doorbell interface  241 . The electronic door chime  201  is powered by mains electric power  219  (e.g.  120  VAC) arriving at a mains power interface  216 . 
       FIG. 16  illustrates multiple electronic door chimes  201  connected to external doorbell devices  209 ,  242  by two-wire busses  220 ,  221  in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The multiple electronic chimes  201 , including a first electronic door chime  201 , a second electronic door chime  201 , a third electronic door chime  201 , and a fourth electronic door chime  201 , can all be identical. The two-wire buses carry doorbell power and doorbell trigger signals. As such, each two-wire bus provides direct electrical connection between multiple doorbell interfaces and an external doorbell device. A first two-wire bus  221  connects a smart external doorbell device  242  to four electronic door chimes  201 . A second two-wire bus  220  connects a simple external doorbell device  209  to four electronic door chimes  201 . 
       FIG. 17  illustrates an external doorbell device  265  that is compatible with an electronic door chime  201  in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The first circuit  261  can be connected to the external doorbell device  265  by a two-wire bus  220 . The two-wire bus can carry doorbell power. For compatibility with certain IOT doorbells, the doorbell power should be no less than 18 VAC, no greater than 24 VAC, and at the same frequency as mains electric power, likely 60 Hz. Doorbell power is rectified by rectifier  262  and, when switch  264  is open, passes through current limiter and LED  263 . The LED lights up, providing an illuminated doorbell. When doorbell button  264  is pressed, closing the switch, current may stop flowing through the LED because the current instead flows through the switch. As such, the LED is configured to light only when the switch is open. 
       FIG. 18  illustrates a high-level flow diagram of assembling and providing an electronic door chime in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. After the start  301 , a power supply is positioned in a first compartment of a back cover, the back cover comprising the first compartment and the second compartment, the power supply configured to receive mains electric power and to produce a doorbell current  302 . A first circuit can be positioned in the second compartment, the first circuit comprising a chiming circuit, a doorbell connector, an inductor circuit, and a monitor circuit connected in parallel to the inductor circuit, the first circuit configured to pass the doorbell current through an external doorbell device connected to the doorbell connector  303 . Other components such as the speaker can be installed. The first compartment and the second compartment can be enclosed by attaching a front cover to the back cover, thereby forming a housing configured for installation in a dual voltage box  304 . The housing houses components such as the power supply and first circuit. A faceplate can be attached to the housing. The electronic door chime can be packaged and provided to a customer, user, or other recipient. Alternatively, the electronic door chime can be packaged with an external doorbell device  305  and provided to a customer, user, or other recipient. The electronic door chime having been assembled and provided to a customer, user, or other recipient, the method is done  306 . 
     It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. It will also be appreciated that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.