Wireless walk through test system

• US 20030210138A1
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Simplexgrinnell LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Farley, Daniel G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,737,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/514
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/145 of fire detection circuits

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system of walk through testing a fire alarm system without disrupting the building occupants. A communications channel is setup between a control panel and a single human tester. The tester then triggers an alarm or trouble condition in a device. The control panel detects the address of the device and automatically returns to the tester, over the communications channel, a label indicating the location of the device.

Claims

1. A method of walk test in an alarm system, comprising the steps of:

setting up a private communications channel between a control panel and a tester;

triggering a test condition, by the tester, in a device;

at the control panel, detecting an address of the device; and

automatically returning to the tester over the communications channel an indication of a location of the device.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indication is a direct identification of the location of the device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the direct identification is returned by:

converting a control panel label to a voice stream or textual message; and

transmitting the voice stream or textual message to the tester over the communication channel.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, which further includes:

the tester transmitting over the communications channel a response to the label indicating the location of the device;

storing the response in a storage device, and associating the response to the device tested.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the response is either a voice stream or textual message.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the storage device is a computer.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the test condition is an alarm condition.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the test condition is a trouble condition.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of automatically returning to the tester over the communications channel the indication of the location of the device further includes returning an address of the device to the tester.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, which further includes:

the tester transmitting over the communications channel a response to the address of the device;

a storage device for storing the response, and associating the response to the device tested.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the response is either a voice stream or textual message.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the storage device is a computer.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of setting up a communications channel between the control panel and the tester includes:

connecting a computer with the control panel;

connecting a first communications device with the computer; and

connecting a second communications device with the first communications device via a wireless connection.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the communications device is a two-way radio, cellular phone, paging transmitter, or email connection.

15. A alarm system for walk test, comprising:

a plurality of alarm devices adapted to be triggered by a tester to activate a test condition;

a control panel;

a communications channel between the control panel and the tester;

an address of the device in the test condition being detected by the control panel, and an indication of a location of the device being automatically returned to the tester of the communications channel.

16. A alarm system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the indication is a direct identification of the location of the device.

17. A alarm system as claimed in claim 16, wherein a direct identification is returned by:

a voice stream or textual message converted from a control panel label; and

a transmitter for transmitting the voice stream or textual message to the tester over the communication channel.

18. A alarm system as claimed in claim 17, which further includes:

a response to the label indicating the location of the device, transmitted by the tester over the communications channel;

a storage device for storing the response, and associated the response to the device tested.

19. A alarm system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the response is either a voice stream or textual message.

20. A alarm system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the storage device is a computer.

21. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the test condition is an alarm condition.

22. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the test condition is a trouble condition.

23. A alarm system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the indication of the location of the device further includes returning the address of the device to the tester.

24. A alarm system as claimed in claim 23, which further includes a storage device for storing a response transmitted by the tester over the communications channel, and associating the response to the device tested.

25. A alarm system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the response is either a voice stream or textual message.

26. A alarm system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the storage device is a computer.

27. A alarm system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the communications channel between a control panel and a tester includes:

a computer in connection with the control panel;

a first communications device in connection with the computer; and

a second communications device in connection with the first communications device via a wireless connection.

28. A alarm system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the communications device is a two-way radio, cellular phone, paging transmitter, or email connection.

29. A alarm system for walk test, comprising:

means for setting up a communications channel between a control panel and a tester;

means for triggering an alarm or trouble condition in a device by the tester;

means for detecting an address of the device by the control panel; and

means for automatically returning to the tester over the communications channel a label indicating the location of the device.