Detector with ambient photon sensor and other sensors

• US 20030020617A1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pittway Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pittway Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Petrovic, Dragan, Tice, Lee D., Sistare, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,967,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/600
• 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 17/12 Actuation by presence of radiation or particles, e.g. of infrared radiation or of ions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/183 Single detectors using dual technologies G08B13/1672, G08B13/2448, G08B13/2494 take precedence

Abstract

A sensor of incident ambient photons is combined, in a detector with one or more sensors responsive to other types of ambient parameters such as gas, humidity, temperature or the like. Outputs from the sensors are processed to establish the existence of one of a hazardous condition, a non-hazardous condition and a false alarm.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring an environment comprising:

a housing;

at least one photon sensing element responsive to incident photons having a wavelength in a single predetermined range which are indicative of an external environmental condition forming at least one output signal indicative thereof;

wherein the at least one sensing element is mounted at one of in or on the housing such that photons originating within the environment external to the housing are incident thereon;

at least a second sensor, carried by the housing that senses a different environmental parameter and forms at least a second output signal indicative thereof;

a controller that receives the signals and, in response at least to those signals, produces an output signal indicative thereof.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the output of the controller is coupled to a second, displaced controller.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the external photons from within a selected rotational angle around an axis of the housing are incident on the sensing element.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the sensing element is responsive to sources of light that include at least one of flames, incandescent lights, florescent lights, daylight, sunlight, and flashlights.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 which includes an optical filter between the photon sensing element and the incident photons.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the second sensor is selected from a class that includes a smoke sensor, a gas sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a dust sensor, and a condensation sensor.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the smoke sensor is selected from a class that includes a photo electric-type smoke sensor, an ionization-type smoke sensor, and a beam-type smoke sensor.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the second sensor comprises a thermal sensor.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the photon sensor includes at least one of a photo diode, a pyro-electric sensor, a thermal-pile sensor, or a passive infrared sensor.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the controller monitors the photon sensing element to determine its operational state.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the controller monitors the second sensor to determine its operational state.

12. An apparatus as in claims 10 and 11 wherein a trouble signal is generated if a failure of a sensor is detected.

13. A detector for monitoring an environment comprising:

at least one photon sensor which senses at least one light parameter external of the detector that is indicative of the environment and provides a first signal indicative thereof wherein the photon sensor is coupled to the detector such that it receives incident light from an angular section of a predetermined region of the environment that is external of the detector and the incident light is independent of any light sources within the detector wherein one or more angular sections provide an overall rotational field of view of the environment in excess of two hundred seventy degrees; and

at least a second sensor sensing a different parameter indicative of the environment and providing at least a second signal indicative thereof wherein the first signal is combined with the second signal to determine the existence of a predetermined environmental condition.

14. A system for monitoring an environment comprising:

a controller;

a device having at least a light sensor and fire sensor wherein the device includes circuits capable of transmitting representatives of sensor signals;

the light sensor senses at least one light parameter external of the device that is indicative of an environmental condition and generates a first signal indicative thereof;

wherein the light sensor is mounted such that it has a predetermined field of view of a predetermined region of the environment that is external of the device unobstructed by a device housing; and

the fire sensor which senses at least one parameter indicative of the environment and generates at least a second signal indicative thereof wherein the controller receives at least the first signal and at least the second signal and in response thereto determines the existence of a fire condition.

15. A device comprising:

a housing;

at least one light sensor, carried by the housing and mounted such that it has a field of view, in excess of three hundred degrees, of a predetermined region of the environment that is external of and is not obstructed by the housing and responsive to at least one independent light source external of the housing that is indicative of the environment, the sensor providing a first signal indicative thereof;

wherein the light sensor is selected from a class of light sensors including a photo diode, a thermpile, a pyroelectric, and other light sensitive devices;

at least one non-light sensor, carried within the housing, sensing at least one non-light parameter that is indicative of the environment and providing at least a second signal indicative thereof,

and a controller that receives the signals and determines an output dependent on the first and second signals.

16. A fire detector for monitoring a region comprising:

a housing;

at least one light sensor carried by the housing, configured with a symmetrical field of view to receive ambient light from outside of the housing from a region being monitored;

at least a second sensor, responsive to a different ambient condition than the light sensor, carried by the housing; and

control circuits coupled to the sensors wherein the circuits respond to a test condition and wherein responsive to signals from the sensors the control circuits determine the presence of a fire condition in the region being monitored.

17. A detector as in claim 16 wherein the housing defines an internal region and wherein the second sensor is carried, at least in part, in that region.

18. A detector as in claim 17 wherein the light sensor is located at least in part, outside of the housing.

19. A detector as in claim 18 wherein the light sensor is centrally located relative to the housing.

20. A detector as in claim 16 wherein the light sensor extends, at least in part, from the housing.

21. A detector for monitoring an environment for a fire comprising:

at least one light sensor that senses light originating from a fire source within the environment and forms at least one output signal indicative thereof;

at least a second sensor that senses a different environmental parameter, selected from a class that includes gas, smoke, temperature, humidity, velocity, and other predetermined environmental parameters, and forms at least a second output signal indicative thereof;

a controller that receives the signals and determines the existence, in response thereto, of a fire and wherein the controller includes circuitry to test the light sensor.

22. A detector for monitoring an environment for a fire comprising:

at least one light sensor that senses light originating from a fire source within the environment and forms at least one output signal indicative thereof;

a light transmitter that projects light into the environment;

a second light sensor that receives the light from the light transmitter and forms at least a second output signal indicative thereof;

and a controller that receives the signals.

23. A detector as in claim 22 wherein the light sensors are the same.

24. A detector as in claim 22 which includes circuitry for testing at least one of the sensors.

25. An apparatus for monitoring an environment for a fire condition comprising:

a housing;

at least one light sensor that senses incident light indicative of an external environmental fire condition and forms at least one output signal indicative thereof;

wherein the at least one light sensor is mounted at one of in or on the housing such that it receives light originating from a fire within the environment;

at least a second sensor, carried by the housing that senses a different environmental fire parameter and forms at least a second output signal indicative thereof;

wherein the second sensor is selected from a class which includes a smoke sensor, a gas sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a condensation sensor and a dust sensor;

a controller that receives the signals and determines the existence of a fire condition.

26. A multi-parameter detector comprising:

a housing which defines an internal region;

a photon sensor, carried by the housing, responsive to incident photons produced by a source outside of the housing in a space being monitored,

wherein the sensor responds to photons with a single predetermined wavelength band and wherein the photon sensor exhibits a field of view into the space which is, at least in part, conical;

a second sensor of a different environmental parameter in the space being monitored carried by the housing wherein the second sensor responds to an environmental input other than externally generated photons within the predetermined wavelength band;

control circuitry, coupled to the sensors wherein the control circuitry responds, in part, to signals from the second sensor and to signals indicative of incident externally generated photons with wavelengths only in the predetermined wavelength band to establish the existence of a predetermined condition in the space being monitored.

27. A detector as in claim 26 wherein the photon sensor is substantially centrally located relative to the housing.

28. A detector as in claim 26 which includes a circuit for testing the photon sensor.

29. A detector as in claim 26 wherein the photon sensor comprises one of a photodiode, or a plurality of photon responsive elements with each element having a respective field of view in the space.

30. A detector as in claim 29 which includes a circuit for testing the photon sensor.

31. A detector as in claim 26 wherein the second sensor is selected from a class which includes a smoke sensor, a gas sensor, a humidity sensor and a condensation sensor.

32. A detector as in claim 30 wherein the second sensor is selected from a class which includes a smoke sensor, a gas sensor, a humidity sensor and a condensation sensor.