Modular wireless mass evacuation notification system

• US 10,555,262 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2017
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Fire Protection LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Fire Protection LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Chiarizio, Martin A., Feltham, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri L
• Application Number:
  US15/637,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20170303202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 340577
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• 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 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/008 with transmission via TV or radio broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/713 using frequency hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0055 determining timing error of reception due to propagation delay
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Monitoring and mass notification systems, such as fire alarm systems, for use in occupied structures, and more particularly to wireless monitoring and mass notification systems include wireless base units that can be modular in design. This allows horns, mini horns, strobes, and audio messaging modules (e.g., speakers) to be physically plugged into the wireless base unit creating a unit with the appearance of a single physical unit. Preferably standardized plugs are used. In some cases, visual and audio modules (i.e., notification devices) have their own battery pack or external power interface. Each wireless base unit can optionally function as a repeater if it has dual transceivers (master transceiver and slave transceiver).

Claims

1. A monitoring and mass notification system, comprising:

a control unit that broadcasts messages having headers;

non-repeater wireless base units waking up from a sleep mode and receiving the messages having the headers, wherein if the messages do not pertain to the non-repeater wireless base units, the non-repeater wireless base units change from awake to sleep mode; and

repeater wireless base units, which retransmit messages to other wireless base units, staying awake continuously to process the messages, wherein the repeater wireless base units receive the messages from the control unit and retransmit the messages to the non-repeater wireless base units,

wherein each message includes a qualification header that allows each non-repeater wireless base unit to sniff this header and qualify if the message pertains to the non-repeater wireless base unit, and if non-repeater wireless base unit determines from the header that the message does not pertain to the non-repeater wireless base unit, non-repeater wireless base unit goes back to the sleep mode until the next predetermined scheduled wakeup, and if the non-repeater wireless base unit determines that the message pertains to the non-repeater wireless base unit, the non-repeater wireless base unit stays awake and processes the message accordingly so that each non-repeater wireless base unit is asleep more than 99% of the time instead of processing messages that are not meant for the non-repeater wireless base unit.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-repeater wireless base units analyze the headers of the messages to qualify if the messages pertain to the non-repeater wireless base units.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit sends a predetermined scheduled wakeup time to the non-repeater wireless base units.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the predetermined wakeup time is sent prior to broadcasting the messages.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit sends the scheduled wakeup time to the non-repeater wireless base units synchronizing all of the non-repeater wireless base units to wake-up from sleep mode at the same scheduled wakeup time.

6. A method for minimizing power consumption for non-repeater wireless base units by evaluating messages, the non-repeater wireless base units being part of a building fire alarm system that also includes repeater wireless base units for retransmitting messages for other wireless base units, the method comprising:

a control unit of the tire alarm system broadcasting messages having headers and prior to the control unit broadcasting the messages, the control unit sending a predetermined scheduled wakeup time to the non-repeater wireless base units when the units are awake;

the repeater wireless base units receiving the messages and retransmitting the messages to the non-repeater wireless base units;

the non-repeater wireless base units waking up from a sleep mode and receiving the messages having the headers from the repeater wireless base units; and

the non-repeater wireless base units analyzing the headers of the messages to qualify if the messages pertain to the wireless base units;

wherein if the messages pertain to the non-repeater wireless base units, the non-repeater wireless base units stay awake and process the messages;

wherein if the messages do not pertain to the non-repeater wireless base units, the non-repeater wireless base units change from awake to sleep mode;

wherein the repeater base units stay awake continuously to process messages; and

wherein each message includes a qualification header that allows each non-repeater wireless base unit to sniff this header and qualify if the message pertains to the non-repeater wireless base unit, and if non-repeater wireless base unit determines from the header that the message does not pertain to the non-repeater wireless base unit, non-repeater wireless base unit goes back to the sleep mode until the next predetermined scheduled wakeup, and if the non-repeater wireless base unit determines that the message pertains to the non-repeater wireless base unit, the non-repeater wireless base unit stays awake and processes the message accordingly so that each non-repeater wireless base unit is asleep more than 99% of the time asleep instead of processing messages that are not meant for the non-repeater wireless base unit.