Fire alarm module

• US 20040196145A1
• Filed: 01/27/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Computionics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Computionics Ltd.
• Inventors: Foster, Andrew, Roberts, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/326
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 26/008 central annunciator means of the sensed conditions, e.g. displaying or registering
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A fire alarm system comprises one or more fire alarm addressable modules (3), which interface with a fire alarm loop (1) along which data and power may be transmitted, and a voice alarm system comprising one or more amplifiers (6) connected to respective speakers (7) for transmitting voice alarm messages. The or each fire alarm module comprises a message store (22), means for interfacing with an amplifier (6) of the voice alarm system, means for interfacing with the fire alarm loop (1) and means for interpreting signals from the loop (1) and for selecting an appropriate message for transmission from the message store (22).

Claims

1. A fire alarm addressable module, comprising;

means for interfacing with an amplifier forming part of a voice alarm system;

means for interfacing with a fire alarm loop along which data and power may be transmitted;

a message store for storing one or more alarm messages; and

means for interpreting signals received from the loop and for selecting an appropriate message for transmission from the message store.

2. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 1, wherein the loop comprises control equipment for controlling the transmission of power and data over the loop.

3. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 1, wherein means are provided for the connection of amplifiers.

4. The fire alarm addressable module as claimed in of claim 1, wherein a fireman'"'"'s control panel is provided through which instructions can be fed to the system.

5. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 1, wherein an input/output interface is provided.

6. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 1, wherein a microcomputer and program store are provided.

7. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 1, wherein a fire alarm loop monitor and interface module are provided.

8. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 7, wherein the loop monitor and interface module are galvanically isolated from the remainder of the fire alarm module.

9. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 1, wherein a decoder is provided for decoding messages from the message store.

10. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 7, wherein the loop monitor and interface module comprise means enabling the monitor and module to be identified on the fire alarm loop.

11. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 1, wherein a tone injector is provided.

12. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 1, a digital to analog converter is provided.

13. The fire alarm addressable module of claim 1, wherein a monitor and interface are provided operative to receive instructions from control and indicating equipment comprising the message store.

14. A fire alarm system comprising a fire alarm loop along which data and power may be transmitted, a voice alarm system comprising one or more amplifiers, each amplifier being connected to one or more speakers for transmitting voice alarm messages, and one or more fire alarm addressable modules, the one or more fire alarm addressable modules including means for interfacing with an amplifier forming part of a voice alarm system;

means for interfacing with a fire alarm loop along which data and power may be transmitted;

a message store for storing one or more alarm messages; and

means for interpreting signals received from the loop and for selecting an appropriate message for transmission from the message store.

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