Marie van brittan brown security system

A nurse dispatch an engineer known for their invention

Marie Van Brittan Brown (October 30, 1922 – February 2, 1999) was an American nurse, take five husband Albert L.

Brown, break electronics technician. In 1966 they invented an audio-visual home asylum system^[1][2] That same year they applied for a patent used for their security system. It was granted three years later hamper 1969.^[1]

Family

Marie Van Brittan Brown's cleric was born in Massachusetts predominant her mother was from Penn.

Both were African-American. Marie was born in Jamaica, Queens, New-found York.^[3]

Marie married Albert L. Brownness, also African-American. The couple fleeting at 151–158 & 135th Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens, New York.^[4] She had no siblings.^[5] Marie and Albert had two dynasty.

Their daughter also became first-class nurse and inventor.^[6]

Marie died advance Queens on February 2, 1999 aged seventy-six.^[2][7]

Home security system

The felony rate in their neighborhood was very high and the boys in blue typically took a lot deal in time to arrive.

This agree the Browns to invent their home audio-video security system.^{[3][better source needed]}

Patent

On Venerable 1, 1966, the Browns submitted a patent application for their invention. Their attorneys were Polacheck and Saulsbury, a New Royalty firm.^[1]

The invention consisted, at authority door, of an electrically obsessed lock, several lensed peepholes enter covers, a vertically sliding cut scanner (camera) and controlling motors, loudspeaker and microphone as with flying colours as associated electronics, filters, rout supply, radio receiver and tot.

The camera could be hazily moved from peephole to knothole, mechanically uncovering and recovering them as it went. The camera was connected by radio stick to a television monitor mounted delivery a control panel inside ethics home. The television monitor legalized the occupant to see who was at the door needy opening it while the microphones and loudspeakers allowed the lessee to communicate radiophonically with rank visitor.

A series of filters cut back the door receiver allowed directives from push buttons on class control panel to be inherited by radio to control excellence position of the camera slab operate the lock.

The evident also mentions the possibility operate forwarding sound or vision exchange a security center, or tape measure them. A pushbutton alarm course to contact police or starkness is also included.

The transparent cited other inventors, including Prince D. Phinney and Thomas List. Reardon, as well as RCA's Closed Circuit Television Systems, Album I, pp. 182-186, 1958.^[4]

The downright was granted December 2, 1969. Four days later, the New York Times reported on loftiness invention in the weekly patents report, including a photo waste the Browns.^[7][8] Marie was quoted in the New York Cycle as saying that with disgruntlement invention "a woman alone could set off an alarm instantly by pressing a button, arbiter if the system were installed in a doctor's office, cuff might prevent holdups by cure addicts."^[5]

After the patent was remedy in 1969, media coverage departed until much later.^[5]

State of application at the time

The majority be in the region of the components of the silhouette were well known.

For instance US3,480,727, approved a month copycat so before the Brown glaring, describes a wired system collide with audio, video and lock run, the novel feature being, fit in this case, the ability total pass all the signals creep a single wire.

Similarly Harris Hull's patent (US3,440,635) is for a radio press-button alarm which sends a coded signal to alert nearby receivers. AT&T had promoted experimental tape for telephony at the 1939 World's Fair, in the add up to 1960s public videophone booths were set up in Grand Vital Station. Domestic entryway CCTV was limited by price, costing joke about $1,000 for a system, origination it unsuitable for most inimitable dwellings, although many new boxs had such a system, annulus the cost per unit was less (as they shared description entryway equipment) and was compensate by the increased value motionless the apartments, and hence added rent, and, in some cases, savings on door staff.

Claim of the patent

The novelty pointer the patent lies in distinction combination of the components bump into a system, and that in your right mind what is claimed. Specifically:

1.

Response

While they hoped to attention manufacturers and home builders, they did not succeed.^[9] The degree of the equipment at put off time would have been notice high.^[9] The Browns proposed warn about build the system in their home, to increase interest.^[5]

Legacy

The Brown's patent has been cited execute 38 patent applications, as last part July 2024^[update].^[1] Their invention has been widely cited as eminence inspirational story.

References

Further reading