System as well as process for transmitting data and/or device-specific parameters between a blower filter device of a blower filter system and a computer

• US 10,052,504 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Draeger Safety AG and Co KGaA (Draegerwerk AG & Co KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Draeger Safety Incorporated (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Inventors: Volmer, Achim, Frosch, Mirco, Balke, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Vasat, Peter S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luarca, Margaret
• Application Number:
  US14/011,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20140060538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 12820421, 96424
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/006 with pumps for forced ventilation A62B18/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/02 Masks gas-masks for animals A62B18/06; masks for welders A61F9/06
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/08 Component parts for gas-masks or gas-helmets, e.g. windows, straps, speech transmitters, signal-devices eye-pieces for protective goggles A61F9/02; composition of materials for the windows or other transparent parts A62D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/10 with filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/12 with fresh-air hose

Abstract

A system includes a blower filter system (20), having a blower filter device (1), a head piece (21) and a flexible connection hose (22), connecting the blower filter device (1) and the head piece to one another in a fluid-communicating manner. A computer (30) is separated in space from the blower filter system. The computer has a communication interface (31), which is designed to transmit data from the computer to the control unit (6) of the blower filter device and/or to receive data from the control unit of the blower filter device to the computer. The blower filter device has at least one communication interface (7) for transmitting data from the control unit to an external computer and/or for receiving data sent from an external computer to the control unit. A process is provided for checking and setting device-specific parameters of the blower filter device of the blower filter system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a blower filter system comprising;

a blower filter device comprising at least one filter, a fan wheel arranged in a fan housing, a motor for driving the fan wheel, a control unit for actuating the motor and for processing device-specific parameters of the blower filter device, a blower filter device communication interface connected to the control unit and a detecting device detecting device-specific parameters of the blower filter system, indicating a component configuration of the blower filter system, detecting blower filter system properties obtained during the operation of the blower filter system and detecting blower filter system statistics obtained during the operation of the blower filter system, the detecting device being connected to the control unit in a data-communicating manner and transmitting detected device-specific parameters, indicating the component configuration of the blower filter system, transmitting the system properties and transmitting the system statistics to the control unit, the blower filter device communication interface being configured to transmit the detected device-specific parameters, the system properties and the system statistics from the control unit as blower filter system data;

a head piece; and

a flexible connection hose, connecting the blower filter device and the head piece to one another in a fluid-communicating manner; and

a computer separated in space from the blower filter system, the computer having a computer communication interface to transmit data from the computer to the control unit of the blower filter device and to receive data sent from the control unit of the blower filter device to the computer, the blower filter device communication interface transmitting the blower filter system data from the control unit to the computer an receiving data sent from the computer to the control unit; and

a checking unit as part of the computer and configured to determine whether device-specific parameters provided to the control unit of the blower filter device by the detecting device are up to date, including checking if present data sets of the blower filter system control unit correspond to the detected component configuration of the blower filter system, and to determine whether device-specific software, of the control unit of the blower filter device are up to date and to make predictions on a remaining service life of the blower filter system based on the system properties and system statistics and to transmit the predictions from the computer to the control unit via the blower filter device communication interface and the computer filter device communication interface whereby a user of the blower filter system is provided with remaining service life information as well as most recent data, settings and notifications in case of a malfunction, wherein;

the checking unit is configured for an automatic periodic polling of the device-specific parameters of the blower filter device with the automatic periodic polling including the detecting by the detecting device at the blower device and the transmitting by the blower filter device communication interface; and

the computer sends data including software updates and device-specific parameters comprising device-specific setting data to the control unit of the blower filter device via the communication interfaces as a function of the determined device-specific parameters of the blower filter device to change the device-specific parameters of the blower filter device, wherein the checking unit is configured to determine whether the software of the control unit of the blower filter device is up to date and the blower filter device communication interface is configured to receive software updates for the control unit from the computer.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the communication interface of the computer and the blower filter device communication interface each comprise a physical interface for connecting a cable or a wireless interface.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured for an automatic transmission of device-specific parameters to the computer.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured for a periodic transmission of device-specific parameters to the computer.

11. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the detecting device comprises sensors which recognize a component configuration of the blower filter system to detect changes in the components of the blower filter system; and

the computer is configured to send device-specific setting data that includes sending data sets corresponding to the detected component configuration of the blower filter system.

5. A process comprising the steps of:

providing a system comprising;

a blower filter system comprising;

a blower filter device comprising at least one filter, a fan wheel arranged in a fan housing, a motor for driving the fan wheel, a control unit for actuating the motor and for processing device-specific parameters of the blower filter device, processing blower filter system properties of the blower filter device and processing blower filter system statistics, a blower filter device communication interface connected to the control unit;

a head piece; and

a flexible connection hose, connecting the blower filter device and the head piece to one another in a fluid-communicating manner;

a computer separated in space from the blower filter system, the computer having a computer communication interface to transmit data from the computer to the control unit of the blower filter device and to receive data sent from the control unit of the blower filter device to the computer, the blower filter device communication interface being configured to receive software updates for the control unit from the computer, for transmitting data from the control unit to the computer and receiving data sent from the computer to the control unit for checking and setting device-specific parameters of the blower filter device of the blower filter system of a system;

switching on the blower filter system including switching on the blower filter device;

detecting device-specific parameters of blower filter system, indicating a component configuration of the blower filter system, with a parameter detecting device of the blower filter device, the parameter detecting device being connected to the control unit with a data-communicating connection;

detecting blower filter system properties obtained during the operation of the blower filter system;

detecting blower filter system statistics obtained during the operation of the blower filter system;

transmitting the detected device-specific parameters, indicating the component configuration of the blower filter system, transmitting system properties and transmitting system statistics to the control unit and transmitting the detected device-specific parameters, system properties and system statistics from the control unit to the computer via the blower filter device communication interface and the computer communication interface;

checking the transmitted device-specific parameters with respect to whether the transmitted device-specific parameters are up to date, including checking if present data sets of the blower filter system control unit correspond to the detected component configuration of the blower filter system and determining whether the software of the control unit of the blower filter device is up to date, using a checking unit as part of the computer configured as the checking unit and making predictions on a remaining service life of the blower filter system based on the system properties and system statistics;

transmitting data comprising device-specific parameters, including device-specific setting data, data sets, software updates and the predictions, from the computer via the communication interfaces to the control unit of the blower filter device as a function of the result of the checking; and

storing the transmitted data comprising new device-specific parameters, including new device-specific setting data, data sets and software updates, at the blower filter device to change the device-specific parameters of the blower filter device and including the predictions, whereby a user of the blower filter system is provided with remaining service life information as well as most recent data, settings and notifications in case of a malfunction, wherein the checking unit is configured for an automatic periodic polling of the device-specific parameters of the blower filter device with the automatic periodic polling including the detecting by the detecting device at the blower device and the transmitting by the blower filter device communication interface.

6. A process in accordance with claim 5, wherein the checking unit is associated with the computer, wherein the device-specific parameters are transmitted from the control unit to the computer for the step of checking.

7. A process in accordance with claim 5, wherein

the checking unit is arranged in the blower filter device and is associated with the control unit of the blower filter device;

and

a result of checking is transmitted from the control unit to the computer via the communication interfaces.

8. A process in accordance with claim 5, wherein the steps of detecting device-specific parameters, transmitting the detected device-specific parameters, checking the transmitted device-specific parameters, transmitting data comprising device-specific parameters from the computer via the communication interfaces to the control unit of the blower filter device as a function of the result of the checking and storing are carried out automatically after the step of switching on the blower filter system including switching on the blower filter device.

9. A process in accordance with claim 5, wherein the checking unit determines whether the software of the control unit of the blower filter device is up to date and current software is either transmitted from the computer via the communication interfaces to the control unit of the blower filter device or not depending on the determined up-to-date status of the software.

10. A process in accordance with claim 5, wherein the data and device-specific parameters are transmitted via the communication interfaces between the control unit and the computer in a wireless manner.

12. A process in accordance with claim 5, wherein:

the detecting of device-specific parameters comprises sensing a component configuration of the blower filter system with sensors at the blower filter device to detect changes in the components of the blower filter system; and

transmitting data from the computer includes sending changed device-specific parameters includes sending data sets corresponding to the detected component configuration of the blower filter system.