Battery Pack Detection for Alarm System Security

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical energy supply devices for alarm systems lack reliable mechanisms to ensure the presence and authenticity of battery packs, which can lead to unauthorized removal or malfunction, compromising the operational integrity of the systems.

Innovation Solution

An electrical power supply device with a support and battery pack that utilize reciprocal coupling and holding means with electrical contact points, along with detector and detectable elements to verify the presence and authenticity of the battery pack, preventing operation if the pack is not correctly coupled or removed maliciously.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If battery packs are made removable for ease of replacement, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unauthorized removal or malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of battery replacementVSAvoidsystem operational integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a detection system with detector elements that continuously monitor the presence and authenticity of battery packs. When a battery pack is removed or replaced, the detector immediately provides feedback to the electronic device, which then responds by disabling operation or generating an alarm. This feedback mechanism ensures that while batteries remain removable for replacement, the system maintains reliability by detecting and responding to unauthorized removal or malfunction in real-time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If detector elements are added to verify battery pack authenticity, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack authenticationVSAvoiddetection system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces detector elements as intermediary components positioned between the battery pack and the electronic device. These detectors act as mediators that verify the authenticity of battery packs through detectable elements without requiring complex direct authentication mechanisms. The intermediary detectors simplify the overall system architecture by providing a dedicated verification layer that communicates presence/absence signals to the electronic device, thereby improving reliability while managing complexity through functional decomposition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Ensures the battery pack is correctly engaged and prevents unauthorized removal, maintaining system reliability by only allowing operation when the authentic battery pack is present and correctly coupled, thus enhancing the security and operational integrity of alarm systems.

Implementation Method 1

the detector element being capable of delivering to the electronic device a signal of presence/absence of the detectable element as a function of the presence/absence of the battery pack

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic detection: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentEP2523235B1Power supply device, in particular for self-contained alarm device
Publication Date: 2016.12.07 HAGER SECURITY SAS
  • EP2523235B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2523235B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP2523235B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The device has a battery pack (3) comprising an electric energy storage element (18) in a casing (17). A support (2) is provided with a sensing element (39) e.g. magnetic switch, connected to an electronic device, and the pack is provided with a detectable element (31) e.g. magnet, acting on the sensing element when the elements are present. The sensing element delivers a presence/absence signal of the detectable element to the device based on presence/absence of the pack with respect to a coupling position, so that the device is in working state when the device receives the presence signal.