Q&A

PRODUCT QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Has development started on the Lifelamp™ DETECTOR, LifeLamp INTERCOM™ or LifeLamp BASE-STATION™ devices?

No.  Development has not started as yet making the product-line, the final functionality will be up to the design team consisting of engineering and marketing input.


How many LifeLamp devices are need for a home?

There can be as many LifeLamp DETECTOR™, LifeLamp INTERCOM™ LifeLamp BASE-STATION™ devices as desired (as a practical limit up to 256 individual units).  They will all synchronize as a network in a cascading manner; which allows even the far ends of a large home to receive and send detection and intercom functions.  It should be obvious, that for an intercom feature there would need to be at least two such intercom devices as a minimum.


Do all detection lamps have smoke, carbon monoxide and gas capability?

They can have all these functions in one lighting device (or any combination of them as a manufacturing decision), but a single function lamp/detector is not only useful but economical.  That is, the end user can now place the lighting/detection device as needed, i.e., smoke in an upstairs hallway, and, a gas in the basement near the furnace, etc., thus reducing the cost.  Since a home has light fixtures everywhere, it would be practical to place several LifeLamp DETECTOR™ lighting lamp fixtures, of different functions (smoke, carbon monoxide and gas), at various sections and rooms of the structure.


Why are there different colors for each alarm type?

The color RED will strobe alternating with an audible signal indicating urgency and an immediate danger is present for smoke (meaning fire).  Likewise, AMBER will strobe for carbon monoxide (CO), and BLUE for gas (nature, propane or redon as may be equipped).  The strobing colors are meant to give visual notice of the immediate danger ‘type’ in that area so the occupant can react appropriately and avoid the danger more safely.  Further, and very importantly, all other LifeLamp DETECTOR™ units in the network will strobe in GREEN light; indicating a danger is nearby, and, showing a possible safe way out to escape.  As the danger migrates through the structure, the green strobing units will change to the designated danger color indicating that an area is in, an immediate danger as well.  Green means safe and all other colors means danger – EXIT GREEN…


Is there something special about a LifeLamp fixture or can it replace existing lighting lamps?

LifeLamp DETECTOR™ and LifeLamp INTERCOM™ devices can replace all conventional style lighting lamp, bulbs, and fixtures.  One would simple unscrew the current lamp and replace it with one of the available LifeLamp DETECTOR™ or LifeLamp INTERCOM™ devices.  Further, to facilitate NEW CONSTRUCTION future homes, the LifeLamp DETECTOR™ and LifeLamp INTERCOM™ devices can be made into ‘hard-wired’ fixture that would be installed by electricians; that gives years of service.  Such fixture may be a wall-sconce or a high ceiling recessed canister fixture for example.


Does every lamp in a string of lamps, such as ceiling recessed canisters around the perimeter of a room, need to be LifeLamp devices?

They can be, but no.  The LifeLamp product line includes a ‘REPEATER’ unit that will simply repeat an alarming LifeLamp DETECTOR™ unit’s distress with the appropriate visual colored light and audible signal.  These slave devices are cheaper and will also help with the ‘data-transfer’ aspects of the cascading system of the network.


Are all LifeLamp devices the same?

No. Depending on the ‘level’ of LifeLamp device selected (there are three levels: basic, mid and high-end, and two levels for the base-stations), the functionality increases.  For example, the basic unit is just a simple LED lighting bulb (controlled by ordinary ON/OFF switch or dimmer), with a smoke or CO detector build-in that alerts in both colored light and audible sound, and, the unit can be silenced via a pseudo SHUT-OFF command.  Whereas the high-end units additionally have voice recognition on lighting commands such as ON, OFF, DIM, BRIGHT, PRESET, NIGHT and EMERGENCY, etc., that function hands free.  They all have long life rechargeable batteries, but obviously greater functionality is a more costly selection.  In a typical home, not all fixtures need to be of the high level but they all would give notice to danger and aid in safe-way-out to escape.


How does the system know which lamp is which?

Basic model does not know the type of lamp it is installed in.  The higher-end models are designated upon first initialization at power-up, to the type of unit (floor, table, ceiling or wall) fixture it is, and, the room it is located in.  This is how the base-station control-center knows where an event has taken place.  There is a means to change a designation should a unit be relocated.  Please note the LifeLamp INTERCOM™ device is only configured in the high-end model.


Is a base-station required to network?

A LifeLamp BASE-STATION™ control-center is optional. They are intended to be at the cross roads of activity in the home. Ideally, one in the master bedroom and one in the kitchen/family area would augment the utility of each LifeLamp DETECTOR™ and LifeLamp INTERCOM™ device, as a network creating truly an intelligent home. It is important to understand that ‘electronic convenience’ devices, such as Amazon-ALEXA/DOT, GOOGLE-HOME, Apple-HOME POD. Microsoft-GLAS, or the like, running an appropriate ‘Skill APP’ can either work in conjunction with LifeLamp BASE-STATION™, or, replace the LifeLamp BASE-STATION™.


Are there a lot of commands to remember?

No.  Commands are simple and intuitive.  For example, “TABLE-LIGHT-DIM”, spoken in any combination of words, would cause the table lamp to dim within range of the spoken words.  Likewise, “INTERCOM ACTIVE” would result in the system throughout the network to give a ‘BING TONE’ (indicating a message will be forthcoming).  The initiating lamp than would open the microphone for an audible message of a few seconds.  Such message might be: “Johnny, come help me carry in the groceries.”  Johnny, for example is in his bedroom, can respond with “…OK mom – where are you?”  The intercom system is now a two-way conversation between the initiating lamp in the garage and Johnny’s bedroom lamp, all other intercom lamps would drop-out with a ‘BONG-TONE’ indicating no further audible action.  The mother would replay to Johnny “I’m in the garage – come now please.”  Johnny could again respond “…OK mom, I’ll be right there.”  After a few second of quite, the intercom system of the active devices would automatically signal with the ‘BONG-TONE’ ending the voice transaction.


Will the signal transmit all the way across the length of a large home?

No.  It does not need to.  Lighting is everywhere in a home and both the LifeLamp DETECTOR™ and LifeLamp INTERCOM™ devices share an ‘ID-coded data forwarding process’ which will receive a transmitted packet of data info and retransmit it.  In this way, no single lighting lamp fixture needs to have the power to transmit long distances. The network is ‘cascading’ in effect and will fully synchronize with one another the alarming of danger, the intercom functions and lighting commands.  The typical transmission range of any given LifeLamp DETECTOR™ or LifeLamp BASE-STATION™ device is contemplated to be 30 to 50 feet.  So, a properly installed network would be to have at least one LifeLamp DETECTOR™ or LifeLamp INTERCOM™ (or LifeLamp REPEATER™) device every 30 to 50 feet in a matrix.


What about a neighbor’s home with the same LifeLamp DETECTOR™ or LifeLamp INTERCOM™ system?

With the basic device, there is no issue because it communicates via sound.  With the high-end models, they use a radio frequency (RF) transmission of the above mention ‘ID-coded data forwarding process’ packet routine.  Since these units are of a high level of functionality, they also have a unique ‘house-network-code’ as part of the ID-coding.  An alarming unit at a neighbor’s home (within range) would appear as an ‘OUT OF NETWORK ALERT’ of a possible danger.  This feature is particularly useful in apartment or condo building structures, to advance warn of a danger nearby.


Do the batteries ever need to be replaced?

No.  All LifeLamp DETECTOR™ and LifeLamp INTERCOM™ system of products have the latest technology of long-life rechargeable batteries.  Should the battery energy level go low, for example in a guest bedroom that is rarely used and the 120VAC switch was turned-OFF for a significant period of time, the device would signal with a short audible chirp and strobe of white light.  The user would simply turn the 120VAC power switch back ON and the unit would immediately stop chirping, as the battery charged back up.


Does LifeLamp products do other things?

The LifeLamp DETECTOR™, LifeLamp INTERCOM™ and LifeLamp BASE-STATION™ system is a comprehensive ‘intelligent home’ line of products.  There are many features that will be greatly appreciated by the consumer of modern technology; more than can be listed here.  But, to briefly list just some, there is functionality to:

  • Alert to cell APP of an alarming event,
  • Record a short message,
  • Playback recorded message,
  • Hands-free out-going phone call connection, hands-free in-coming phone call connection,
  • Auto answer for special needs people (with unique PIN by the calling party),
  • Emergency ‘help-I’ve fallen’ annunciation,
  • Emergency lighting at 20% during power outage,
  • Panic flashing of light network wide,
  • Auto-timer of lighting to a sliding scale when user is on vacation,
  • Preset lighting to predetermined light-level settings,
    Night lighting command,
  • Auto ON/OFF lighting with motion for entering and exiting a room,
  • Alarm “SHUT OFF” command for false alarms such as burning toast (will re-alarm if smoke is not cleared after a minute).

 

(Amazon-ALEXA/DOT, GOOGLE-HOME, Apple-HOME POD and Microsoft-GLAS are Registered Trademarks of Amazon, GOOGLE, Apple. Microsoft/John Controls respectively.)