Systems and methods for dynamic output control hierarchy for wireless fire systems and for fire protection before and during the installation thereof

• US 10,298,443 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Krishnan, Lalu, Damodaran, Abhilash, E K, Vipindas, Mohan, Vignesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Hirdepal
• Application Number:
  US15/417,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20180219724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 340287
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/06 Monitoring of the line circuits, e.g. signalling of line faults
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/18 Prevention or correction of operating errors G08B29/02, G08B29/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/102 Gateways arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways, H04L12/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for dynamic output control hierarchy for wireless fire systems and for fire protection before and during the installation thereof are provided. Systems can include a fire system control panel, a gateway device coupled to the control panel, and a mesh network coupled to the gateway device. Responsive to the gateway device detecting a loss of communication with the control panel or a failure of the control panel, the gateway device can control activation of output devices in the mesh network. Responsive to a first device in the mesh network detecting a failure of the gateway device, the first device can control activation of the output devices in the mesh network. In some embodiments, the first device can control activation of the output devices of a second device in the mesh network, and in some embodiments, the first device can self-control activation of its own output devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a gateway device coupling a fire system control panel to a mesh network;

the gateway device detecting a loss of communication with the fire system control panel or a failure of the fire system control panel; and

responsive to the gateway device detecting the loss of communication with the fire system control panel or the failure of the fire system control panel, the gateway device controlling activation of output devices in the mesh network by using preconfigured instructions to control the activation of the output devices without the fire system control panel.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the fire system control panel controlling the activation of the output devices in the mesh network prior to the loss of the communication between the gateway device and the fire system control panel or prior to the failure of the fire system control panel.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the fire system control panel controlling the activation of the output devices in the mesh network after restoration of the communication between the gateway device and the fire system control panel or after restoration of the fire system control panel.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the preconfigured instructions are stored in a memory of the gateway device.

5. A method comprising:

providing a gateway device coupling a fire system control panel to a mesh network;

a first device in the mesh network detecting a failure of the gateway device; and

responsive to the first device detecting the failure of the gateway device, the first device controlling activation of output devices in the mesh network by using preconfigured instructions to control the activation of the output devices in the mesh network without the gateway device.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the fire system control panel, via the gateway device, controlling the activation of the output devices in the mesh network prior to the failure of the gateway device.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the fire system control panel, via the gateway device, controlling the activation of the output devices in the mesh network after restoration of the gateway device.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the failure of the gateway device includes the fire system control panel or the gateway device being jammed.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising the first device controlling the activation of the output devices of a second device in the mesh network.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising the first device self-controlling the activation of the output devices of the first device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first device includes a hybrid input-output device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first device includes a sounder device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first device activates the output devices of the first device responsive to the activation of an input device of the first device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the activation of the input device includes the input device detecting an ambient condition.

15. A system comprising:

a fire system control panel;

a gateway device coupled to the fire system control panel; and

a mesh network coupled to the gateway device,

wherein, responsive to the gateway device detecting a loss of communication with the fire system control panel or a failure of the fire system control panel, the gateway device controls activation of output devices in the mesh network by using first preconfigured instructions to control the activation of the output devices without the fire system control panel, and

wherein, responsive to a first device in the mesh network detecting a failure of the gateway device, the first device controls the activation of the output devices in the mesh network by using second preconfigured instructions to control the activation of the output devices without the gateway device.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the failure of the gateway device includes the fire system control panel or the gateway device being jammed.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the first device controls the activation of the output devices of a second device in the mesh network.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the first device includes a hybrid input-output device, and wherein the first device self-controls the activation of the output devices of the first device responsive to the activation of an input device of the first device.