Self-powered door and window opening sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9628692-B2
Application number	US-201615151743-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2016
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for detecting an opening and closing of an object, such as a door or window. The methods comprise: causing a piezoelectric transducer to oscillate in response to an opening of the object; harvesting energy generated as a result of the piezoelectric transducer's oscillation to power a transceiver; and transmitting, from the transceiver to a remote device, information indicating that the opening of the object has been detected by a wireless sensor coupled to the object. The information may specify a logical address linked to a physical location of the object (e.g., a MAC address).

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for detecting an opening and closing of an object comprising:
causing a cantilevered piezoelectric transducer of a wireless sensor to bendingly move in an oscillating manner in response to an opening of the object resulting from a pulling force applied thereto that is equal to or greater than a magnetic attraction force between a magnetically coated free-end of the cantilevered piezoelectric transducer and a magnet;
harvesting energy generated as a result of the cantilevered piezoelectric transducer's oscillation to power a transceiver of the wireless sensor; and
transmitting, from the transceiver to a remote device, information indicating that the opening of the object has been detected by the wireless sensor coupled to the object.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information specifies a logical address linked to a physical location of the object.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the logical address is a Media Access Control (“MAC”) address.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the object is a door or window.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing operations by the remote device to determine if a security breach is occurring or has occurred based on said information received from the transceiver.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising performing operating by the remote device to illuminate an area surrounding the object or capture an image of the area surrounding the object when it is determined that a security breach is occurring or has occurred.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising detecting the opening of the object when first and second elements of the wireless sensor are pulled apart.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first element comprises the magnet and the second element comprises the cantilevered piezoelectric transducer with the magnetically coated free end.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first element is disposed on a moving part of the object and the second element is disposed on a non-moving part of the object.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the cantilevered piezoelectric transducer is cantilevered within an enclosure of the wireless sensor by a mechanical support.

11. A wireless sensor, comprising:
a cantilevered piezoelectric transducer that is caused to bendingly move in an oscillating manner in response to an opening of an object resulting from a pulling force applied thereto that is equal to or greater than a magnetic attraction force between a magnetically coated free-end of the cantilevered piezoelectric transducer and a magnet;
an electronic circuit harvesting energy generated as a result of the cantilevered piezoelectric transducer's oscillation that is to be used to power a transceiver of the wireless sensor; and
the transceiver transmitting, to a remote device, information indicating that the opening of the object has been detected by the wireless sensor coupled to the object.

12. The wireless sensor according to claim 11 , wherein the information specifies a logical address linked to a physical location of the object.

13. The wireless sensor according to claim 12 , wherein the logical address is a Media Access Control (“MAC”) address.

14. The wireless sensor according to claim 11 , wherein the object is a door or window.

15. The wireless sensor according to claim 11 , wherein the information is used by remote device to determine if a security breach is occurring or has occurred based on said information received from the transceiver.

16. The wireless sensor according to claim 11 , wherein an area surrounding the object is illuminated or an image of the area surrounding the object is captured when it is determined that a security breach is occurring or has occurred based on said information.

17. The wireless sensor according to claim 11 , wherein the opening of the object is detected when first and second elements of the wireless sensor are pulled apart.

18. The wireless sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first element comprises the magnet and the second element comprises the cantilevered piezoelectric transducer.

19. The wireless sensor according to claim 18 , wherein the first element is disposed on a moving part of the object and the second element is disposed on a non-moving part of the object.

20. The wireless sensor according to claim 18 , wherein the cantilevered piezoelectric transducer is cantilevered within an enclosure of the wireless sensor by a mechanical support.

Assignees

• Copeland Richard L
• Sequeira Melwyn F
• Tyco Fire & Security Gmbh

Inventors

• Copeland Richard L
• Sequeira Melwyn F

Classifications

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• G08B13/08

  by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind · CPC title

• H04N7/183

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• G08B25/10

  using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G08C17/02 Primary

  using a radio link · CPC title