Systems and methods for testing two-color detectors

• US 10,184,831 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kidde Technologies, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kidde Technologies, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Kern, Mark T., Bell, Ken, Simpson, Terry, Wilson, Christopher, Frasure, David, McLean, Charles B., Piland, Clinton E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyo, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US15/001,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20170205286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 250221, 250226
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/102 Plural sources
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0297 Constructional arrangements for removing other types of optical noise or for performing calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/501 Colorimeters using spectrally-selective light sources, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0018 Flames, plasma or welding
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/60 using determination of colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/80 Calibration using comparison with reference sources G01J5/52
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/145 of fire detection circuits

Abstract

A method for calibrating a test light to simulate a fire includes measuring a baseline resistance induced in a sensor cell of a two-color detector in response to a controlled fire. The method includes monitoring a test resistance induced in the sensor cell in response to exposure to emissions from a test light and adjusting the emissions of the test light until the test resistance of the sensor cell equals the baseline resistance of the sensor cell to achieve a calibration setting for the test light. A test light for a detector includes a housing and a first LED within the housing having a first emission wavelength. A second LED is within the housing. The second LED has a second emission wavelength. The second emission wavelength is different than the first emission wavelength.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a test light to simulate a fire comprising:

measuring a baseline response induced in a sensor cell of a two-color detector in response to a controlled fire;

monitoring a test response induced in the sensor cell in response to exposure to emissions from a test light; and

adjusting the emissions of the test light until the test response of the sensor cell equals the baseline response of the sensor cell to achieve a calibration setting for the test light.

2. The method for calibrating as recited in claim 1, wherein measuring the baseline response includes measuring a baseline resistance by collecting waveform data based on the baseline response from the two-color detector using an oscilloscope and calculating the baseline resistance across the sensor cell based on the waveform data.

3. The method for calibrating as recited in claim 1, wherein monitoring the test response induced in the sensor cell in response to exposure to the emissions from the test light includes generating the emissions at a given wavelength with at least one LED of the test light and directing the emissions at an input of the two-color detector.

4. The method for calibrating as recited claim 3, wherein generating the emissions at the given wavelength with at least one LED of the test light includes generating emissions having a wavelength selected from the group consisting of a green wavelength, a red wavelength, and a near-infrared wavelength.

5. The method for calibrating as recited in claim 1, wherein monitoring the test response induced in the sensor cell in response to exposure to the emissions from the test light includes generating respective emissions with two LEDs of the test light and directing the emissions at an input of the two-color detector, wherein wavelengths of the two emissions are different from one another.

6. The method for calibrating as recited in claim 5, wherein generating respective emissions with two LEDs of the test light includes generating a first emission having a wavelength selected from the group consisting of a green wavelength, a red wavelength, and a near-infrared wavelength, and generating a second emission having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the first emission.

7. The method for calibrating as recited in claim 1, wherein adjusting the emissions of the test light includes adjusting an amplitude of at least one of two LEDs of the test light with a control circuit.

8. The method for calibrating as recited in claim 1, further comprising storing the calibrated setting in a memory operatively connected to a control circuit.

9. A test light for a detector comprising:

a housing;

a first LED within the housing having a first emission wavelength; and

a second LED within the housing having a second emission wavelength, wherein the second emission wavelength is different than the first emission wavelength;

wherein the test light includes at least one calibration setting generated by measuring a baseline response induced in a sensor cell of a two-color detector in response to a controlled fire, monitoring a test response induced in the sensor cell in response to exposure to emissions from the test light, and adjusting the emissions of the test light until the test response of the sensor cell equals the baseline response of the sensor cell.

10. The test light as recited in claim 9, further comprising a control circuit operatively connected to each of the LEDs to adjust respective amplitudes of the LEDs.

11. The test light as recited in claim 9, further comprising a memory operatively connected to each of the LEDs to store a calibration setting for each of the LEDs.

12. The test light as recited in claim 9, wherein the first and second emission wavelengths are selected from the group consisting of a green wavelength, a red wavelength, and a near-infrared wavelength.

13. A two-color detector system kit comprising:

a two-color detector; and

a test light calibrated for the two-color detector, the test light including;

a first LED having a first emission wavelength; and

a second LED having a second emission wavelength, wherein the second emission wavelength is different than the first emission wavelength, wherein the second emission wavelength is different than the first emission wavelength, wherein the test light includes at least one calibration setting generated by measuring a baseline response induced in a sensor cell of the two-color detector in response to a controlled fire, monitoring a test response induced in the sensor cell in response to exposure to emissions from the test light, and adjusting the emissions of the test light until the test response of the sensor cell equals the baseline response of the sensor cell.

14. The kit as recited in claim 13, wherein the two-color detector is a first of a plurality of two-color detectors, wherein the test light includes a memory operatively connected to each of the LEDs to store a plurality of calibration settings for each of the LEDs, wherein each of the calibration settings corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of two-color detectors.