Audiovisual annunciator with priority ranking for each condition

Claim 2

In a system having a plurality of condition sensing devices, each of the devices being responsive to the occurrence of a different condition to generate a signal an improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, said annunciator comprising, in combination: a plurality of channels, each channel being connected to a different condition sensing device and each channel being assigned a priority ranking; means in each channel for generating an inhibit signal in response to a signal from the connected condition sensing device and in response to an inhibit signal from the next higher priority channel; a plurality of audio signal-generating devices; means responsive to an inhibit signal from the lowest priority channel for simultaneously actuating said audio signalgenerating devices; a plurality of normally off switching amplifiers, one connected to each channel, each of said switching amplifiers having an input connected to the output of one of said audio signalgenerating devices and each of said switching amplifiers having an output connected to a common terminal; means for turning on the switching amplifier connected to the highest priority channel generating an inhibit signal; means for audibly transmitting said common output of said switching amplifiers to the system operator; and manually actuated means for silencing the highest priority inhibit signal being generated and for causing the switching amplifier connected to the next highest priority inhibit signal being generated to turn on.

Claim 3

An improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, as defined in claim 1, including a memory means for each channel, means for setting each of said memory means when the associated channel has been silenced, and recall means for clearing said memory means, whereby, when said memory means is cleared, the highest priority channel connected to a device sensing a condition will again geneRate an inhibit signal.

Claim 4

An improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said memory means will remain set only as long as the condition sensing device connected to the associated channel continues to sense a condition.

Claim 5

An improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, as defined in claim 3, including means for testing said annunciator by simultaneously simulating all conditions sensed by the condition sensing device.

Claim 6

An improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, as defined in claim 3, including a plurality of warning lamps, at least one of said warning lamps being associated with each of said channels, and means for energizing each of said warning lamps in response to a signal from the condition sensing device connected to the associated channel for each of said lamps.

Claim 7

In a system having a plurality of condition sensing devices, each of the devices being responsive to the occurrence of a different condition to generate a signal, an improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, said annunciator comprising, in combination: means for assigning a priority ranking to each signal from the condition sensing devices; a plurality of endless recording tapes, each of said tapes being associated with a different condition sensing device and each of said tapes having a message recorded upon it; means for simultaneously driving each of said tapes whenever at least one of the sensed conditions occurs; a plurality of transducers, at least one transducer being associated with each of said tapes, each transducer having an electrical output corresponding to the recorded message on the associated tape whenever said tapes are driven; a plurality of switching amplifiers, each of said switching amplifiers having an input connected to the output of a different transducer and each of said switching amplifiers having an output connected to a common output terminal; means for turning on the s witching amplifiers for the tape and transducer associated with the highest priority condition sensing device generating a signal; means connected to said common output terminal of said switching amplifiers for acoustically delivering to the system operator the output of said switching amplifiers; and acknowledging means for turning off said switching amplifiers for the highest priority sensed condition and for simultaneously turning on the switching amplifier associated with the next highest priority sensed condition.

Claim 8

In a system having a plurality of condition sensing devices, each of the devices being responsive to the occurrence of a different condition to generate a signal, an improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, said annunciator comprising, in combination: means for assigning a priority ranking to each signal from the condition sensing devices; a plurality of endless recording tapes, each of said tapes being associated with a different condition sensing device and each of said tapes having a message recorded upon it; means for simultaneously driving each of said tapes whenever at least one of the sensed conditions occurs; a plurality of transducers, at least one transducer being associated with each of said tapes, each transducer having an electrical output corresponding to the recorded message on the associated tape whenever said tapes are driven; a plurality of switching amplifiers, each of said switching amplifiers having an input connected to the output of a different transducer and each of said switching amplifiers having an output connected to a common output terminal; means for turning on the s witching amplifiers for the tape and transducer associated with the highest priority condition sensing device generating a signal; means connected to said common output terminal of said switching amplifiers for acoustically delivering to the system operator the output of said switching amplifiers; and acknowledging means for turning off said switching amplifiers for the highest priority sensed condition and for simultaneously turning on the switching amplifier associated with the next highest priority sensed condition.

Claim 9

An improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, as defined in claim 6, including recall means for turning on the switching amplifier associated with the highest priority acknowledged sensed condition and for simultaneously turning off the switching amplifier associated with the highest priority unacknowledged sensed condition.

Claim 10

An improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, as defined in claim 7, including means for simultaneously simulating the occurrence of all conditions sensed by the sensing device to test the annunciator.

Claim 11

An improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, ad defined in claim 8, including a plurality of warning lamps, at least one of said warning lamps being associated with each of the condition sensing devices, and means for energizing each of said warning lamps whenever the associated device generates a signal.

Claim 12

An improved annunciator for warning a system operator of the occurrence of a sensed condition, as defined in claim 9, including a master caution lamp, and means for energizing said master caution lamp whenever one of said switching amplifiers is on.