About The First Home Security System In America
Her invention formed a system still emulated today in banks, office buildings, homes and complexes
A home security system is a network of interconnected devices and technologies designed to protect a residence from intruders, emergencies, and other security threats.
The earliest of security systems created by humans came in the forms of moats, drawbridges and strategically placed mirrors, none which are used today. The first burglar system, invented in 1853 by Augustus Pope, used electromagnets to ring a bell with a hammer when a door or window opened. That outdated security system is also no longer used today.
Marie Van Brittan Brown's home security system is recognized as the first home security system in America. It was also the first video based home security system. The system was designed to enhance personal safety and security. That security system was the forerunner of all advanced home security technology being used today.
It is described at the first modern home security system by Smithsonian. National Institutes Of Health states Marie Van Brittan Brown invented the home security system. Massachusetts Institute of Technology acknowledges it as the first home security system. The Council on Science and Technology recognizes it as the first home security system.
The Browns’ original patent has now been cited in at least 36 patent applications. The patent number is US 3,482,037. Her invention formed a system that is still relevant in today’s society with use in places such as banks, office buildings, and apartment complexes. The patent she and her husband filed in 1966 cited Marie as a lead inventor.
Although their vision of the home security system was not manufactured on a large scale due to the high cost of production, this patent garnered them recognition in the inventor community and provided the baseline for current-day security systems.
Marie Van Brittan Brown was an African American inventor and nurse who, along with her husband Albert Brown, is credited with the invention of the home security system. The patent application was filed on August 1,1966 under the names of Marie Van Brittan Brown and Albert L. Brown, both of 135th Avenue, Jamaica, New York.
In 1966 Marie Van Brittan Brown came up with the idea for a home security system due to concerns about personal safety. Living in Queens, New York, she wanted a way to feel more secure in her home, especially considering the slow response time of the police in her neighborhood.
The home security system designed by the Browns included a set of peepholes, a camera, monitors, and a two-way microphone. The peepholes were placed at different heights to accommodate people of varying heights. The camera could be moved to view different areas, and the system allowed homeowners to see and communicate with visitors at the door.
The patent describes the system that includes a video scanning device at the entrance door of the house to scan a visitor outside the door, and includes audio intercommunication equipment inside and outside the door for conversing with the visitor outside the door.
A lock is provided for the door with releasing means for the lock manually controlled by the occupant of the house. The Browns' invention was an early example of closed-circuit television (CCTV) technology used for home security and was a significant innovation at the time.
Marie Van Brittan Brown's inventive spirit and her desire to improve personal safety in the home have had a lasting impact on the field of home security, and she is recognized as a pioneering figure in this area.Marie Brown died in Queens, New York on February 2, 1999 at the age of 76. She had two children and led a quite, private life.